The recent passing of the legendary Muhammad Ali and the recent release of ESPN’s multi-part documentary, O.J. Made in America, has generated a re-examination of these two individuals’ lives and legacy.
Muhammad Ali and O.J. Simpson are similar in that their notoriety transcended their exploits as superstar athletes in the boxing ring and on the football field. Yet, they are dramatically dissimilar in that Ali lived a life linked with principled action whereas Simpson lived a life linked with public relations.
When Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. military in 1967 based upon his religious beliefs (as well as his critique of American racism), he endured a firestorm of criticism, along with a dramatic drop in income. Conversely, at the same time that Muhammad Ali and other African American athletes were unequivocally stating their intent to participate in the larger civil and human rights struggle, O.J. Simpson consciously sought to distance himself from this movement. For his efforts in this regard, Simpson soon received unprecedented financial opportunities with Hertz and other corporations.
Ironically, as time went on, it became clear, even to his earlier critics, that Muhammad Ali was on the proverbial right side of history. Consequently, he was buried as a national icon. On the other hand, revelations about O.J. Simpson, since the 1990s, have transformed him from a darling of Madison Avenue into a national disgrace.