What the Philadelphia 76ers Can Learn from Muhammad Ali

Can the Philadelphia 76ers take some critical information and learn from the life and career of Muhammad Ali?

Although he never fought in Philadelphia, Muhammad Ali leaves behind a far reaching sports legacy. He once told Joe Frazier, before Frazier defeated him in Madison Square Garden in 1971, “Joe Frazier, if you [beat] me, I will crawl across the ring and call you the greatest.” Frazier replied, “Start crawling then.” Frazier won of course and that in itself is a nice story about confidence for our 76ers.

So let the Muhammad Ali memory project across the sports landscape begin. Baseball teams feature Ali on Jumbotron and undoubtedly Ali will be recognized before the next NBA Finals game. All of this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is potentially problematic as Dave Zirin observes the “real-time efforts to pull out his political teeth and turn him into a harmless icon suitable for mass consumption.”

Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders is the most liberal and the most viable candidate for President since Jesse Jackson. He has made comments in support of Ali, but here too, Zirin might notice that it was a public relations ploy. How do we know that Sanders was not really reminding us of Ali’s politics? Because Sanders was silent on the passing of radical Daniel Berrigan.

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The basic point is that, we do not mourn the death of political radicals, we mourn the death of sports heroes that happen to have had radical views, and we minimize that too, in the process.

My hope is that while the Philadelphia 76ers mourn the loss of Ali, they also remember the real and not the ideal Ali. Some of the uses of social media for young athletes is fairly predictable, but I have a feeling Brett Brown will be able to help shape some of Ali’s meaning, memory AND history.

After all, Brett Brown comes from the Gregg Popovich tree. Pop once had John Carlos speak to the San Antonio Spurs, and not for any media hype or ribbon cutting, but purely for the social, emotional, and intellectual reward — to benefit his team. Pop’s never written a dumb corporate manual (book) about “winning” and “life.” He got his players to respect power, and not “authority”; sensibility, and “not mission statements”; true knowledge, and not “core values.”

Brett Brown has many Gregg Popovich type qualities in my view: he’s overlearning, intense, cares for others, shows sympathy, empathy and hopefully, transformational leadership ability. When John Carlos and Tommie Smith both raised their fists in Mexico City, one of their demands was to “Restore Muhammad Ali’s title,” calling Ali, a “warrior-saint.” If the young 76ers can get a sense of their own privilege in a post-draft military world, it might foster enhanced notions of responsibility.

I hope the young Philadelphia 76ers can learn certain things from the life of Muhammad Ali, in at least the 1960s. It is true that leading into the 1970s, Ali resided in a state of depoliticization. For starters, Ali would probably be resentful of wearing advertisements on his uniform. This is perhaps a small thing, but maybe a little big thing.

Notable players, like LeBron James showed some resolve and responsibility, but no real support of the Black Lives Matter movement. More players need to carry the proverbial Ali torch on war, police brutality, racism, and sexism. Considering that Ali in the 1960s showed skepticism for, “drop[ping] bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights,” it would be embarrassing in failing to attempt some duplication of his sentiments.

Ali wasn’t afraid to call out aversive racism or under the surface bigotry. And I disagree with Ali — he was someone with plenty to lose, despite saying, “I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.”

In essence , Ali, was against Vietnam late, but earlier than many white liberals. But notice the difference; white liberals were mostly against the war because it was a “mistake,” “miscalculation” and a “blunder.” Ali was against it, because it was wrong, immoral and criminal.

The Philadelphia 76ers like Ali, can strive to be creative, loud, bold, stylish, and new. Ali cultivated his own and others, sense of racial pride.

The Philadelphia 76ers like Ali, can strive to turn sports into an art form and a message. Ali never shied away from speaking openly on issues unrelated to his sport.

The Philadelphia 76ers like Ali, can strive in sharpening, precision, and ability.

Winning isn’t everything. Ali lost to Jimmy Young and he still got the decision. But how much did winning matter to Ali? Probably a great deal, but arguably not all consuming. Anyone who willingly gives up the ages of 25-29 for social and political causes is indeed unique and thinking of issues larger than themselves.

Mostly, Ali stood for the power of ideas and the courage of one’s convictions. Ali did things that were not popular. Refusing to fight in war was not en vogue or cute at the time, it was courageous and moral and frankly dangerous.

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The Philadelphia 76ers might not have the challenges that faced Ali. Who does? But the team and the city can embrace the intensity and desire Ali embraced in thought and action.

Go Sixers.