Teddy Atlas: The athletes: boxers, fighters, and others, are not heroes. Soldiers are

[LJay]

When Edison Miranda survived after being abandoned by his mother and rose to become a top middleweight, that was heroic, because it required courage. Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano rising from extreme poverty to become world heavyweight champions was heroic.

Killing people with bombs and powerful guns in some impoverished country like Vietnam or Iraq is not heroic. Muhammed Ali was the greater hero when he chose to go to prison, rather than be part of it.

PREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEACH...they're also heroes in the sense that they motivate and inspire ppl in similar situations...they give hope to those that can relate

[Xcel]

PREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEACH...they're also heroes in the sense that they motivate and inspire ppl in similar situations...they give hope to those that can relate

but the same can be said for anyone in any walk of life. ceo's give employees somethng to shoot for. but we are talkng about dudes that are literally giving their lives so you can sit at your pc now and type your opinion.

[kryo]

Both fighters and soldiers are heros but seriously.. the "story" behind a boxer may be "heroic" but nothing stands up to some kid who is willing to give his life so you guys can sit here and talk about how they should be seen on the same level as each other. Doesn't make sense to me, how about you? Speaking of which, do people box to protect your freedoms? Or do they do it to become rich? Last time I checked, 99.9% of the American military isn't making ****. One professional boxing match with below ten fights is what, maybe, 1,000$? Now take that time that the boxer is actually boxing and compare it to the time that the soldier is fighting. Which is more dangerous? And which is actually doing something with the world? Soldiers = Heros.

[Catherine]

Something we should do something about. Instead people support Bush for his humanitarian mission to save the oil and rebuilding contracts in Iraq. WTF! Why in the hell did we not help people who actually needed it. Sure Hussien was a murdering bastard but at least Iraq was not in complete chaos when he was in charge. Most Iraqi's would rather he was in charge still than have us there. Unfortunately we killed that, and people still support someone so greedy they don't care how much blood is on their money?

Soldiers are great. They want to go to college. They want to have jobs. They want to support their families. Some of them even want to be soldiers for the rest of their lives. Are they somehow more entiled to "support" than the people living and dying in Iraq? Why? Because they signed up to go to war at a point in time when it has been made very obvious that the reasons for that war are false. I should support someone who knowingly puts his life on the line to make a few corporations richer? Yeah, that is really worth the 3,497 American lives. 3,497 Americans have died in order to make a few rich ass peope even richer. That sure as hell pisses me off. What pisses me off even more is the amount of Iraqi's that have died. The numbers aren't even comparable. Over half a million Iraqi's are somehow worth less to some of you than 3,497 dead US soldiers. How in the hell is that ok? Oh wait I know, it is because they are ******s, so they must also be *********s. That means it must be ok to kill every last one of them. That means it is ok for us not to demand our congressmen do something about the tragedies that are happening in the Darfur region. None of this is about protecting the American people, it is only about greed, and that is all it ever was.

[kryo]

Something we should do something about. Instead people support Bush for his humanitarian mission to save the oil and rebuilding contracts in Iraq. WTF! Why in the hell did we not help people who actually needed it. Sure Hussien was a murdering bastard but at least Iraq was not in complete chaos when he was in charge. Most Iraqi's would rather he was in charge still than have us there. Unfortunately we killed that, and people still support someone so greedy they don't care how much blood is on their money?

Soldiers are great. They want to go to college. They want to have jobs. They want to support their families. Some of them even want to be soldiers for the rest of their lives. Are they somehow more entiled to "support" than the people living and dying in Iraq? Why? Because they signed up to go to war at a point in time when it has been made very obvious that the reasons for that war are false. I should support someone who knowingly puts his life on the line to make a few corporations richer? Yeah, that is really worth the 3,497 American lives. 3,497 Americans have died in order to make a few rich ass peope even richer. That sure as hell pisses me off. What pisses me off even more is the amount of Iraqi's that have died. The numbers aren't even comparable. Over half a million Iraqi's are somehow worth less to some of you than 3,497 dead US soldiers. How in the hell is that ok? Oh wait I know, it is because they are ******s, so they must also be *********s. That means it must be ok to kill every last one of them. That means it is ok for us not to demand our congressmen do something about the tragedies that are happening in the Darfur region. None of this is about protecting the American people, it is only about greed, and that is all it ever was.

Tell that to the kids growing up in Iraq that write American troops thank you cards for saving there families from the Jihadists. Turn off your ****ing ****sexual ******* news stations and read. It is just now being reported that America and the tribesmen of Iraq are coming together to fight the jihadists together.

Information taken from the most ******* news source ever - MSN:

"A 5-year-old Iraqi boy in traditional robes and headdress is racing around the room and vaulting into U.S. troops' laps. What does he want to be when he grows up? He proudly announces: 'American general named Steve!'"

Anbar province as a whole is showing similar improvements. Brig. Gen. John R. Allen, deputy commanding general of the Second Marine Expeditionary Force in Anbar and a tribal-affairs expert, describes the province as "a laboratory for counterinsurgency." From roughly 500 attacks a week, the rate has sunk to barely a third of that figure. Weapons-cache discoveries, based largely on tips from sympathetic Iraqis in Ramadi, have skyrocketed nearly 190 percent. The fledgling local police force could muster only 20 recruits a year ago; today, with local sheiks encouraging tribe members to sign up, it has 8,000.

Their leader, Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Rishah, had lost three brothers and his father to insurgent attacks. The sheiks ordered their followers to assist the Americans against the jihadists—and among Iraq's tribesmen even today, the sheik is the law.

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Saying ****** ass **** like, "were over there for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON BLAH BLAH BLAH" is ******ed. Keep your ****** *******istic views contained to petitioning for PETA and making sure Christianity dies in America.

[BROOKLYN CESAR]

I think boxers are WARRIORS their actions and journeys can be heroic!!! Like Kassim!!! who would think that he could become the champion of the world after everything he went through as child soldier for the rebals!!! That makes him a hero to me!!! Boxing alone doesnt make someone a hero it make them Warriors!!!!

[guzi815]

I think this speech was bull****. I mean I agree that the soldiers are heroes, but boxers and fighters are too. I felt kind of betrayed when Teddy said that boxers aren't heroes. Boxers are heroes. Look at all the heroes like DLH, Erik Morales, Barrera, and so many others who conquered impossible obstacles with courage and bravery, just like the soldiers. It would have been better had he said that both are heroes. How did you feel about him saying this?

brother, you shouldn't even be debating that one. I hear what you're saying...but you might want to rephrase your words to "ROLE MODEL" and understand that the true "HEROES" are those that gave THIER LIVES for thier country! Being a Hero is an unselfish act. When you do it for fame, recognition, money...brother, that is not heroism. Some gave some....some gave ALL! I spent 250 days out there....brother you have no Idea. Respect my brothers and sisters that will not make it home.

[Catherine]

Tell that to the kids growing up in Iraq that write American troops thank you cards for saving there families from the Jihadists. Turn off your ****ing ****sexual ******* news stations and read. It is just now being reported that America and the tribesmen of Iraq are coming together to fight the jihadists together.


Saying ****** ass **** like, "were over there for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON BLAH BLAH BLAH" is ******ed. Keep your ****** *******istic views contained to petitioning for PETA and making sure Christianity dies in America.

What about all the kids that have been forced to leaves their homes in order to not die in the crossfire? Thousands of Iraqi's flee to Syria alone every month, not to mention those that immigrate to other parts of Europe. Do they send thank you notes to soldiers for destroying their homes? What about the 655,000 dead Iraqi's do they send thank you notes to the US soldiers? What about all those who have been maimed in the crossfire, do they send thank you notes? In 2003 at the start of the occupation there was a population roughly of 38million people in Iraq. If thousands have fled every month for nearly 2 years and over 1/2 a million have been killed, how long until no Iraqi calls Iraq home?

I never said we were there for no reason. I stated very plainly the reason there is a US military presense in Iraq. MONEY! Not because the administration ever wanted to help, if that was the case we would have a military presense in the Sudan rather than Iraq. We would be preventing mass **** and murder in the Darfur region. Did you even open the link I posted? I don't think you did, otherwise you might understand my anger that we did not help those who needed it before it escalated into the terrible thing it has become. Since they actually need help, what with the genocide and all. But hey, it isn't like our government actually cares about the extermination of a people. It is all about the green.

When did I ever say anything about Christianity? WTF does that have to do with this conversation? Oh and there is a reason the founding fathers came up with the first *********. They saw it as very necessary to be able to speak out against the government.

[MickyHatton]

As a long time former soldier and boxer I feel more qualified than most to comment on this.

How is a boxer a hero??? A boxer can be brave and courageous yes but a hero???

Boxers in the main are in the sport for money and glory, that is not heroic. Boxers face the risk of injury and very rarely death to attain this glory and the money that comes with it. There are strict guidelines and rules set in place to protect boxers and the chance of severe injury or worse is rare.
Add into that the fame and adulation that comes with the glory of being a great boxer, as I said being a boxer is far from heroic.

A hero is someone who risks their lives and well being for a cause or for someone else, a hero has not chosen to be in direct harm although they understand the risks that come with their profession, they have no rules or guidelines to protect them, they receive limited pay and little or no adulation.

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen can be hero's, so can Firefighters, Police, Paramedic's etc etc but boxers definitely not!

So I agree with Atlas.

[TKOsFinest]

I believe he was speakin on the grand scheme of things.