Heavyweight legend Schmeling dies

[marvdave]

I remember seeing a documentary about Schmelling, and in the course of an interview he was asked about his affiliation with Hitler. Apparently he turned down 2 dinner invitations from Hitler before finally deciding that he could no longer avoid it without insulting Hitler and putting his life at risk.
His response to whether or not he was a **** was one of the classic lines ever.

"I also ate with Roosevelt. That doesn't make me a ********."

great quote..thanks

[Slipx]

to tell you guys the truth he really wasn't that great of a boxer.

the only time he became champ was on a DQ..he's a ruiz style. in fact im pretty sure he went down purposely after realizing he was dealt a low shot, then just stayed down for the win. terry norris knows somethin bout that kinda win.

I have hella respect for the guy , but just because he died, I won't act like he was ali.

[Toller]

I have hella respect for the guy , but just because he died, I won't act like he was ali.

is anybody acting like he was Ali?

[vB Martin]

to tell you guys the truth he really wasn't that great of a boxer.

Max was a boxer of decent skills in an era that had a lot of tough, strong heavyweights. He managed in one night to achieve a moment of greatness in knocking out Joe Louis.
"I see something" was what he said. Exploiting that something was what he did.

Most boxers never even reach that one moment of greatness where their performance excedes their inherint skills. The only one I can think of in recent history was Buster Douglas.

The reason that Max will be remembered as a great fighter was because of the way he carried himself outside the ring and the great things he did after his career was over. A lot of the spoiled, self-centered, egotistical pricks in the sport today could learn a lot from the boxers of Schmelling's era.
If they did, boxing would have a much broader following, rather than the mostly Jerry Springer audience types it has today.

[hollister]

Max was a boxer of decent skills in an era that had a lot of tough, strong heavyweights. He managed in one night to achieve a moment of greatness in knocking out Joe Louis.
"I see something" was what he said. Exploiting that something was what he did.

Most boxers never even reach that one moment of greatness where their performance excedes their inherint skills. The only one I can think of in recent history was Buster Douglas.

The reason that Max will be remembered as a great fighter was because of the way he carried himself outside the ring and the great things he did after his career was over. A lot of the spoiled, self-centered, egotistical pricks in the sport today could learn a lot from the boxers of Schmelling's era.
If they did, boxing would have a much broader following, rather than the mostly Jerry Springer audience types it has today.

Well said, couldn't agree more