Ali Turns 65

Happy birthday to Muhammad Ali, one of those icons who transcends sports. The NYTimes has a nice essay about Ali (that you can't read online unless you're a paid subscriber) that bemoans the fact that we couldn't see Ali when he was at best because he was banned from boxing for refusing the draft. Ali was sentenced to five years in prison. But of course, that WAS Ali at his best -- refusing the draft but staying in the US and taking the legal consequences rather than fleeing overseas was a principled stand that anyone could respect, regardless of their feelings on the war. Most people didn't respect it at the time, mind you, but history has judged him well.