Jack Johnson is no hero

[Bombardier]

If you're going to get on Johnson, why not Dempsey or one of these other guys as well. It was easy to see Johnson was no choir boy, and he wasn't expected to be either.

I have no problem badmouthing Dempsey. I think he's an underrated fighter these days but he was also a bit of a thug in his youth. Both him and Johnson used to ride the rails to get to fights and hang out in hobo camps. That's a hard life (hobos ain't the jolly old guys with bags on sticks like you see in cartoons).

There are all kinds of rumours that Dempsey **********d out his girlfriends and they've never entirely been disproved. He was also racist, of course, though not to the degree that some of the other bastards were at that time (racist is still racist, of course).

I just don't like it when people make Johnson out like some angel. He was screwed by the government but that doesn't excuse some of his behaviour.

[Sir_Jose]

You seem like a guy who just has a dislike for him and will try and discredit everything he does just because of personal feelings.

Nobody is making him out to be a saint. He is however one of the single most important figures in the history of American sports and his story is amazing.

Listen if you want you can pretty much tear down any athlete from Babe Ruth to Micheal Jordan.

[LuKahnLi]

A hero doesn't have to be a good person.

[Bombardier]

You seem like a guy who just has a dislike for him and will try and discredit everything he does just because of personal feelings.

Nobody is making him out to be a saint. He is however one of the single most important figures in the history of American sports and his story is amazing.

Listen if you want you can pretty much tear down any athlete from Babe Ruth to Micheal Jordan.

How am I discrediting him by saying what is true? I didn't start this thread to talk about how amazing his story was...there are plenty of other people doing that. I've been reading about Jack Johnson for a long time now, and I wouldn't be doing that if I disliked the man.

Sounds like you have something against Joe Louis and will do anything to discredit him. Not that he accomplished much...he only defended his title 25 times, became an American hero and broke the colour barrier in boxing for good. Oh, but I forgot, he's an "Uncle Tom" because he didn't slap his women around in public. Excuse me.

[Bombardier]

A hero doesn't have to be a good person.

But Burns is trying to make him out to be a good person, as least as far as I can tell (haven't seen the whole doc yet, of course). My issue is that he's covering up Johnson's bad side when it would be better to show him for who he is. os people can judge whether or not they consider him a "hero", or whatever.

[Mr. Ryan]

A hero doesn't have to be a good person.

My boxing hero is Aaron Pryor, a coke addicted cheater. I have no out of the ring hero.

[Sir_Jose]

How am I discrediting him by saying what is true? I didn't start this thread to talk about how amazing his story was...there are plenty of other people doing that. I've been reading about Jack Johnson for a long time now, and I wouldn't be doing that if I disliked the man.

Sounds like you have something against Joe Louis and will do anything to discredit him. Not that he accomplished much...he only defended his title 25 times, became an American hero and broke the colour barrier in boxing for good. Oh, but I forgot, he's an "Uncle Tom" because he didn't slap his women around in public. Excuse me.

See now your just getting ******.

Did I ever call Joe Louis an Uncle Tom? Oh thats right no I didn't.

Oh wow a documentary that only shows one side...im sooo shocked. Well. I mean my god that never happens.

[Bombardier]

See now your just getting ******.

Did I ever call Joe Louis an Uncle Tom? Oh thats right no I didn't.

Oh wow a documentary that only shows one side...im sooo shocked. Well. I mean my god that never happens.

You said this earlier: "Exactly. You hit the nail right on the head about Joe Louis. People also forget Ali used to call Joe Louis an Uncle Tom whenever he was aksed about him for the same reasons."

So it's not exactly crazy for me to think that you agree with him.

[Sir_Jose]

You said this earlier: "Exactly. You hit the nail right on the head about Joe Louis. People also forget Ali used to call Joe Louis an Uncle Tom whenever he was aksed about him for the same reasons."

So it's not exactly crazy for me to think that you agree with him.

His post was about WHY Joe Louis was critasized by other black fighters.

You brought up Johnson like he was the only black fighter who was critical of Joe Louis.

[Bombardier]

His post was about WHY Joe Louis was critasized by other black fighters.

You brought up Johnson like he was the only black fighter who was critical of Joe Louis.

Okay, fair enough. I disagree though that Johnson was critical of Louis because he thought he was playing up to white people. If Johnson didn't care about civil rights for African Americans why would he care if Louis was doing this? Fact is Johnson liked the spotlight for himself and himself only.

I know that a lot of people will like Johnson no matter what he might have done in his personal life. I wasn't trying to start trouble with this thread. You might be surprised to hear that I'm a big fan of his as well. It's just that people shouldn't say that he did or believed certain things when it's not true.