Mundine.

[lessormore]

Quote from another world champion---

I have to accept my defeat as I accept my victories - with calm. I have to keep a cool head to try and analyse what I did wrong.

From Rafa Nadal after losing out overnight on the chance to win a 5th straight French Open.

[Clif]

The same arguments have been used in the past about Ali. Colour of skin does matter, and The Man calls it as he sees it. Sometimes people have to be loud and obnoxious simply to be heard because they have been assigned to the silence of the margins for so long.

I love what he does. I may not agree, but he puts his shit on the line, every time. Total respect.

And who made the call that people need to be polite, reserved and quiet - white bourgoise society. F%$ck 'em

[chrisb]

It seems to me that Anthony Mundine has a lot in common with Layne Beachley, another great Australian sportsperson who has had her share of detractors on this site.
Noisy - yes
Opinionated - yes
Self-promoting - yes
Talented - yes

Both have significantly raised the profiles of their respective sports whether it be to get more bums on the seats or to get more people participating in their sports. Both risk their lives participating.

In the USA both would be worshipped as heroes. No-one can ignore either.

[puurri]

Those who keep silent are forever marginalised

[Kunji]

I respect the man in the ring and on the field as a great sportsman, but he is a bit of a wanker. Trying to be Ali or something. Turns out that was in a different time and half a world away.

I think his loud mouth gives racists and excuse to come out of their borrows and taunt him for the wrong reasons. Easy to spot those guys anyway.

I'd like to see how he goes against Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins. Thats what he should aim to achieve next. A more international "world champ". But yeah, i dont know any other greater sports person in Australia. Good for him... the prick!

[DV8]

I like the guy myself.

same...
who cares if he runs his mouth, he backs it up, serves as an inspiration to many, and helped many from his community from what i've heard...
and best of all, he is NOT 'politically correct' (i.e: doesn't care to please the masses, only his own plight and that of his people)...
good on him...

Tend to agree with all of the above.

Makes me wonder what the general publics opinion would be if he had been beaten a few times early in his boxing career and then built some momentum along the way to get a crack at a title ...............viewed as the Aussie underdog we always support ??

[oldman]

Similarly, there have been many Aboriginal sportsmen that have been accepted: David Peachey, Preston Campbell, all the Ella's, Cathy Freeman, Byron Pickett, Nicky Winmar, Michael O'Lachlan etc etc etc

"Accepted", geez that's a bit weak. How about exalted, praised, adored, respected. (OTT, I don't like Freeman.)

When David Peachey was playing for Cronulla he was not just tolerated, he was respected. Revered even. ....adored,

That's better!

Personally I don't think anyone likes or dislikes him because of his heritage, but I'm deliberately naive in these matters.

From memory he had a propensity to shoot his mouth off before he started boxing...

Yeah he did. And he didn't back up his talk in a number of examples, but what rankled me more about Mundine was that he had 2 support players, 1 Melbourne player to beat, 3 metres to the line, and he went himself!

And Blew the Grand Final for the Dragons

Now that rankles

[2nd Reef]

Similarly, there have been many Aboriginal sportsmen that have been accepted: David Peachey, Preston Campbell, all the Ella's, Cathy Freeman, Byron Pickett, Nicky Winmar, Michael O'Lachlan etc etc etc

"Accepted", geez that's a bit weak. How about exalted, praised, adored, respected.

I deliberately used 'accepted' because it was used in the quote I responded to. Perhaps should have put 'quotation marks' around 'accepted' to 'show' it wasn't my 'choice' of 'word'.

' '

[diggerdickson]

black, white, yellow, whatever, I dont care about the colour, a wanker is a wanker.

[bohdidontsurf]

just thought he had an interesting place in the Australian pysche : an australian aboriginal muslim loudmouth triple world champion boxer who played state of origin.
Seems like white people would rather disregard him or ignore him, rather than celebrate his achievements as Australia's greatest living sports person.

Seems we'll accept the black man only if he keeps his mouth shut.

What a nob of a comment. He is an amazing athlete, does a lot of charity work, is 100% committed to whatever he is doing, but has to get all "Mohammed Ali" everytime he opens his mouth. Well he isnt Mohammed Ali he is a tool that would still be a tool regardless of what race he is. Give me strength, there is always some white boy do gooder trying to make this a race issue rather than an attitude issue. I guess Steve you will be heading back to your humpy tonight for some whichetty grubs or will you be heading down to "the block" to help some homeless indigenous Australians?

[steve shearer]

for some whichetty grubs or

all the witchety grubs got flooded out in that last deluge.
Had to eat chicken instead.

Seems pretty obvious it is a race issue even if Mundine comes across a bit of a wanker....never know, he could be a good bloke in person.

He can box though......and would punch portholes in me so I'll call him sir if I ever meet him....or maybe Sir Man....though he might take offence at that.

Anyway after his hiding at the hands of Ottke it'll be interesting to see how he goes against some real quality opposition.

I though he was lucky to be awarded the points decision in his last fight.

There's a local arakwal fella in Byron who they reckon used to surf unreal.......he does a lot of streetfighting....jeez he's got some handspeed.....seen him use a blokes head like a speedball....Mick is his name. He'll make a show of welcoming you to country if he thinks your OK. You know the bloke Purri?

[puurri]

Most of you mired in respective ideological bits to protect your identities eh?
Reality:
1. upstairs talking about downstairs.
2. most do a non structured ideological spew without any notion of what is really out there:
3.FWIW the apologists/ knee jerk reactionaries just don't get it .

FWIW 88.5% of OZ don't get it.

[lessormore]

Most of you mired to protect your respective identities eh?
Reality:
1. upstairs talking about downstairs.
2. most without any notion of what is really out there:
3. the apologists/ knee jerk reactionaries.

FFS 91.5% don't get it.

Fcuk yeah!

^^+1

[lostman]

I kinda like the bloke
and the attitude he shows
but greatest living sportsman in Oz..
cmon ffs!!! he was an ok league player, forget the racist crap he sprouts. He never made the national team simply because there were better players in his position!! ie Daley!
When stepped up to take on a fight with a world class fighter he got knocked out!! Thank you mr Ottke. Now he pounces around with belts from a joke organisation saying he is a true world champ!! He needs to question what happens to him when he is on a truely big stage.. grand final anyone??
The man has talent, no question. But he ain't world class thats for sure!

[Grooter]

I agreed with his comments on 9/11.

Only an idiot with thier head in the sand could not have seen something like that was going to happen, the warning signs were there for years. 50 years of funding covert wars, militias, corrupt regimes and all other manner of dodgy sh.it would have had most map makers wanting to paint a giant cross-hair on that country as a matter of factual accuracy.

[Sveta]

If your affected by what he says (Mundine) then what is the difference between you and him.

Personally I think he is a dickhead. Ability doesn't = intelligence. But he is certainly the athlete, that much I'll give him.

[puurri]

WASPS nest + stick.

Addendum: Everyone has taken a "position " on him, primarily based on what they know/ don't know/ believe etc. FWIW he's a nice enough fella doing what many of the Mundine clan do; that is take a firm position and stick to it. His late Uncle Roy was a good example and much respected in the community, his descendants much the same; Warren, Djon, James, Olive and the rest.

[Trev]

WASPS nest + stick.

Addendum: Everyone has taken a "position " on him, primarily based on what they know/ don't know/ believe etc. FWIW he's a nice enough fella doing what many of the Mundine clan do; that is take a firm position and stick to it. His late Uncle Roy was a good example and much respected in the community, his descendants much the same; Warren, Djon, James, Olive and the rest.

No argument about the good he does behind the scenes - and it's all to the better because it's behind the scenes.
However, I can't stand loudmouths and he is one. That's the only persona he shows to the general population. His choice of course and he's entitled. But he has to accept the fall out.