Apple.com hosts tribute to late boxer Muhammad Ali

AppleInsider

Apple on Sunday joined in the trend of public tributes to Muhammad Ali, updating its website with an image and epitaph for the famous boxer, who died on Friday at the age of 74.

The front page of apple.com now hosts a black-and-white photo of Ali in a boxing pose, with the quote "The man who has no imagination has no wings." The splash doesn't contain links to any other content.

Although Apple appears to have been slow to post a tribute on its website, Apple CEO Tim Cook and worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller each posted their own Twitter tributes to Ali on Friday.

In life Ali was a controversial figure, alternately praised and vilified for his positions on religion, racial politics, and the Vietnam War. He was considered one of the best heavyweight boxers in the history of the sport however, famous for his unusual style that focused on speed and agility.

Apple has used Ali's image in the past, featuring him in its "Think Different" ad campaign alongside other famous icons like Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi. The current apple.com image is in fact a direct reference to the campaign.

dick applebaum

We really admire Ali -- he's the greatest.

We never got to meet him or see him in a live fight, but we did get to see him close up.

It was at O'Hare airport circa 1970.  

We were waiting for someone to arrive, and almost all passengers had deplaned.  The gate was empty -- and in those days you could go right up to the gate ...

We were about 10 feet away, when Ali came out and stood alone, with a smile on his face (almost posing) for a couple of moments.  Ali was dressed in a sport coat and slacks, in shades of brown (beige, palomino) that complemented his skin color.  It was a beautiful image!  

I remember it as if it happened yesterday!  It reminds me of the way Cleavon Little looked as the Sheriff in Blazing Saddles.

It's amazing that someone that boxed as much as Ali could look that great!

red oak

Let me fix the headline for you:

Apple.com hosts tribute to late boxer Muhammad Ali

why-

the headline is a little off...

rogifan_new

Nice. Wish they would have done one for Prince too.

9secondkox2

bobschlob said:

ncil49 said:

Former member of Nation of Islam.
Adulterer.
Anti white.  

...whatever......give me my dividend and do whatever it takes to increase your base Apple

You: Racist whiner. (and stock market loser)

No he's not. 

Ali was racist. There is no dispute. But he wasn't in your face about it. 

There the was nothing good about Nation of Islam either. 

And cheating on your wife is bad. Ali did that too. 

As as a person, everything be has good and bad. Ali had a lot of his good and bad known because he was a public figure. 

To to me he was a man fortunate to make a name for himself and a lot of money in sports. I can't think of anything he did to actually help people at large. 

But it he was larger than life, was not free funny and provided people with tremendous entertainment. 

Hes left behind a family, some of whom ARE trying to help people at large and 

hes he's now gone. And it's polite to pay respect. But he was simply a man, faults and all. No reason to pretend otherwise. 

That said, I see no reason for anyone to point out his faults at this time as its very sensitive to his family and loved ones. No more than we'd like folks to do it to our family members when they pass on. 

ireland

Honestly had no idea he felt so strongly about not mixing races in a sexual relationship setting. The examples he gives for his argument in the video I just viewed, such as "sparrows stick with sparrows and pigeons stick with pigeons". What Ali fails to recognise in his statement is he's referring to different species. A black pigeon with a white pigeon is not the same a pigeon and a bald eagle. In some ways he wasn't the brightest it seems.

As an aside: he was brilliant in many other ways however. Not just boxing—"If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, then they can sure make something out of you."

RIP

Rayz2016

bobschlob said:

ncil49 said:

Former member of Nation of Islam.
Adulterer.
Anti white.  

...whatever......give me my dividend and do whatever it takes to increase your base Apple

You: Racist whiner. (and stock market loser)

You forgot attention-seeker. 

prokip

I had a poster of Ali on my wall for many years.  Some of his great lines, e.g. "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", are an inspiration to many. 

BUT, could someone please explain to me what a fella who made his money by punching other people (mostly black people) in the face has to do with a company that sells mobile phones and computers?

There are far more people worthy of this kind of attention and respect than Ali, surely.  

Tim Cook and Phil Schiller, you guys are are just too PC.  Stick to what you do best!

dick applebaum

prokip said:

I had a poster of Ali on my wall for many years.  Some of his great lines, e.g. "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", are an inspiration to many. 

BUT, could someone please explain to me what a fella who made his money by punching other people (mostly black people) in the face has to do with a company that sells mobile phones and computers?

There are far more people worthy of this kind of attention and respect than Ali, surely.  

Tim Cook and Phil Schiller, you guys are are just too PC.  Stick to what you do best!

 To strive to be (and attain) the best at what you do and be a role model to others less fortunate than you. 

wOOOlf

RIP...

appex

Boxing is obscene. The new gladiators. Pathetic.

pulseimages

rogifan_new said:

Nice. Wish they would have done one for Prince too.

Did they do one for Michael Jackson when he passed?

koop

The same people who think any complex issue can be boiled down with simple anecdotes and catchphrases are predictably demanding a more nuanced look at Ali's life, lest the whole "liberal media" be spinning their moral decay all over this great (white) country.

I'm all for a hardened look at someone's legacy. But I've been on the internet for over half my life and have seen the destructive discourse that has amplified over the past decade, and refuse to believe anyone who insists their critical opinions that conveniently show up when a famous minority dies are based purely on intellectual motives.

Fuck off.

ireland

koop said:

The same people who think any complex issue can be boiled down with simple anecdotes and catchphrases are predictably demanding a more nuanced look at Ali's life, lest the whole "liberal media" be spinning their moral decay all over this great (white) country.

I'm all for a hardened look at someone's legacy. But I've been on the internet for over half my life and have seen the destructive discourse that has amplified over the past decade, and refuse to believe anyone who insists their critical opinions that conveniently show up when a famous minority dies are based purely on intellectual motives.

Fuck off.

What are you talking about? Some people said he was racist, I didn't for a second believe it. So I search and found a video and he indeed believed blacks should stick with blacks and whites with whites. He's no Trump, but he's hard to label it as anything else. Surely we have to label is as some form of racism?

After all isn't that all racism really is: ignorance. What I'm current less clear of is whether his views on this matter changes as he got older—did he still believe this?

Before we idolise and sanctify people it's important we are honest about them.

the.bear

ireland said:

koop said:

The same people who think any complex issue can be boiled down with simple anecdotes and catchphrases are predictably demanding a more nuanced look at Ali's life, lest the whole "liberal media" be spinning their moral decay all over this great (white) country.

I'm all for a hardened look at someone's legacy. But I've been on the internet for over half my life and have seen the destructive discourse that has amplified over the past decade, and refuse to believe anyone who insists their critical opinions that conveniently show up when a famous minority dies are based purely on intellectual motives.

Fuck off.

What are you talking about? Some people said he was racist, I didn't for a second believe it. So I search and found a video and he indeed believed blacks should stick with blacks and whites with whites. He's no Trump, but he's hard to label it as anything else. Surely we have to label is as some form of racism?

After all isn't that all racism really is: ignorance. What I'm current less clear of is whether his views on this matter changes as he got older—did he still believe this?

Before we idolise and sanctify people it's important we are honest about them.

Hmmm. Do you remember the hateful things that were said about Jerry Falwell, Nancy Reagan and Margaret Thatcher when they died? When famous conservatives die, liberals attack them. When famous liberals and famous nonwhites die, conservatives attack them.

The people who are attacking Muhammad Ali right now aren't factually wrong, of course. But all of them would get very angry if people were just as "honest" about John Wayne.

ireland

the.bear said:

ireland said:

What are you talking about? Some people said he was racist, I didn't for a second believe it. So I search and found a video and he indeed believed blacks should stick with blacks and whites with whites. He's no Trump, but he's hard to label it as anything else. Surely we have to label is as some form of racism?

After all isn't that all racism really is: ignorance. What I'm current less clear of is whether his views on this matter changes as he got older—did he still believe this?

Before we idolise and sanctify people it's important we are honest about them.

Hmmm. Do you remember the hateful things that were said about Jerry Falwell, Nancy Reagan and Margaret Thatcher when they died? When famous conservatives die, liberals attack them. When famous liberals and famous nonwhites die, conservatives attack them.

The people who are attacking Muhammad Ali right now aren't factually wrong, of course. But all of them would get very angry if people were just as "honest" about John Wayne.

I don't get why you bring politics into it? I'm up for talking about anyone who's being idolised and examining them when they are put on a pedestal. John Wayne was a coward, Obama is a coward, I don't care what party they are in.

the.bear

ireland said:

the.bear said:

Hmmm. Do you remember the hateful things that were said about Jerry Falwell, Nancy Reagan and Margaret Thatcher when they died? When famous conservatives die, liberals attack them. When famous liberals and famous nonwhites die, conservatives attack them.

The people who are attacking Muhammad Ali right now aren't factually wrong, of course. But all of them would get very angry if people were just as "honest" about John Wayne.

I don't get why you bring politics into it? I'm up for talking about anyone who's being idolised and examining them when they are put on a pedestal. John Wayne was a coward, Obama is a coward, I don't care what party they are in.

Go look at reply 3, which is where this thread went sideways. Then there was post 11, where someone actually called recognizing a prominent figure "PC." So I stated what was going on, and why it was going on. And incidentally, your bringing up Obama - who has nothing to do with this thread - and then decrying politics is classic.

ncil49

9secondkox2 said:

bobschlob said:

You: Racist whiner. (and stock market loser)

No he's not. 

Ali was racist. There is no dispute. But he wasn't in your face about it. 

There the was nothing good about Nation of Islam either. 

And cheating on your wife is bad. Ali did that too. 

As as a person, everything be has good and bad. Ali had a lot of his good and bad known because he was a public figure. 

To to me he was a man fortunate to make a name for himself and a lot of money in sports. I can't think of anything he did to actually help people at large. 

But it he was larger than life, was not free funny and provided people with tremendous entertainment. 

Hes left behind a family, some of whom ARE trying to help people at large and 

hes he's now gone. And it's polite to pay respect. But he was simply a man, faults and all. No reason to pretend otherwise. 

That said, I see no reason for anyone to point out his faults at this time as its very sensitive to his family and loved ones. No more than we'd like folks to do it to our family members when they pass on. 

I point it out only because I believe most people see only one side and never look for another 

the.bear

ncil49 said:

9secondkox2 said:

No he's not. 

Ali was racist. There is no dispute. But he wasn't in your face about it. 

There the was nothing good about Nation of Islam either. 

And cheating on your wife is bad. Ali did that too. 

As as a person, everything be has good and bad. Ali had a lot of his good and bad known because he was a public figure. 

To to me he was a man fortunate to make a name for himself and a lot of money in sports. I can't think of anything he did to actually help people at large. 

But it he was larger than life, was not free funny and provided people with tremendous entertainment. 

Hes left behind a family, some of whom ARE trying to help people at large and 

hes he's now gone. And it's polite to pay respect. But he was simply a man, faults and all. No reason to pretend otherwise. 

That said, I see no reason for anyone to point out his faults at this time as its very sensitive to his family and loved ones. No more than we'd like folks to do it to our family members when they pass on. 

I point it out only because I believe most people see only one side and never look for another 

Unless you are evenhanded and do this both to people that you admire and support and to people that you dislike then you are pretty much what your accusers say you are. I agree that a lot of the people who are sweeping Ali's failures under the rug are quick to point out the flaws of public figures that they disagree with. I am merely stating that you are no better than those that you accuse.

sidrictheviking

This is tricky. I'm old enough to remember watching many Ali fights and following his boxing career and public life with interest. Here in Ireland there was the same split in attitude to him. Some were put out by his radical Muslim views. Others, though, simply loved his personality. Many here, too, watched his interviews on British TV, especially with Michael Parkinson (they were very influential interviews over here). We saw him change from a cheerful, cheeky and funny sportsman to a strongly opinionated man with narrow, sectarian views. Overall, I think many here still think, on balance, his contribution to this world has been positive, especially his final years as an international sports personality. I watched an excellent documentary about him on ITV over the weekend. It featured all the highs and lows of his career and his personal life. I came away still admiring the man, while conscious of his flaws. Guess what, he was as human as the rest of us!