The No Blah-G Zone: Dave Kindred

A few weeks ago I posted a review of the book Sound & Fury by Dave Kindred which is about the relationship between Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell.  The book was cool on a lot of levels. 

Something happened recently that was cool in its very own way.  The author contacted me after reading the review telling me he appreciated it.  Then soemthing even cooler happened.  He agreed to come into The No Blah-g Zone.  Score one for virtual connections!

Dave's bio on The Sporting News website which I found quite humorous is:

Dave Kindred has eaten breakfast with Katarina Witt, lunch with Stan Musial, and dinner with Tiger Woods. In between, he has written 7,126 columns, give or take.

Actually, he's been State Sportswriter of the Year 15 times (in 3 states....and I think that's like geographical states..not emotional states..,), National Sportswriter of the Year in 1998, received the Curt Gowdy Award in 2000 and has written 6 books.

For me, what I found unusual about the book is how he felt...real.  Like he cared about the people whose lives he was chronicling and as he did it, he saw them rise, shine and fade to a certain extent.

I'm absolutely blessed that he agreed to let me share you with him.

Dave Kindred steps into the No Blah-g Zone.

If Ali and Cosell were both white and gentile but still a boxer and a commentator, what would be different?

It might be important to state that Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell were uber-stars during their time.  I never realized how much Cosell had to go through being Jewish.  I had a sense as to how much Ali went through as a black man.  But they were both supremely talented and I wondered how that might change if the things that made them different, unnecessarily, melted away.

Dave replied:  "They would have drawn less attention from a viewing public fascinated by the young, fiery black man in a time when the civil rights struggle was at its strongest and in some areas at its most frightening. Neither would have been as intriguing because few white men were as polarizing as blacks and Jews brave enough to take controversial stands."

Honestly, I can't think of the last time, if ever, in my lifetime, an athlete or announcer actually took a stand on things that took true courage.  It's not much that both of these guys did it, it's that they did it at a time when it was not just unpopular, but personally dangerous to do so.

If you could put a soundtrack to these moments, what song would be playing in the background?

First of all, ever since seeing Cable Guy, there are times in my life where I think about soundtracks playing in the background.  (It's a hilarious comment from Jim Carrey as he's battling with Matthew Broderick.)  That being said, Dave let me know that he's practically a musical illiterate.  I'm fairly sure he means here that his music knowledge is limited, but he kept on keeping on.

The night Ali Saw Liston in the casino before the first fight.  (Note:  Before Ali and Liston fought the first time, Sonny Liston was recognized as a brutal violent man.  Ali saw him playing craps in a casino and all of the sudden went nuts.  Ali whoop'd him good in the fight by the way...)

"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown"  Dave, you're sandbagging, that was a good choice.

A night at Cossell's home when Monday Night Football was huge and he was at home by himself having a drink.  (Note:  In his heyday Howard Cossell was far more popular than John Madden and different because of his eloquence and sharp tongue, he rarely backed away from taking a position and EVERYONE knew him and he loved it.)

"My Way"  Beautiful...

The moment Ali didn't step over the line for the draft (Note:  Muhammad Ali as you may know did not go into the draft for Vietnam and was raked for it.  Several of his best potential years were taken from him because of it)"

"Good Night Saigon" a song by Billy Joel about the Vietnam war.

The moment Ali met the Nation of Islam (Note:  Muhammad Ali was heavily influenced by various members and groups within the Nation of Islam, which benefitted hugely, economically from his career.)

"The Times they are A-changing" by Bob Dylan.

The Trevor Berbick-Ali fight (Note:  Ali was a magnificent, poetic athlete in the ring.  His last fight was against a man who, if Ali was even in his half prime, would have knocked him into next week, but when Ali fought him, and lost, Ali clearly should not have taken the fight.)

"Heartbreak Hotel"  Say what you want, Dave, you're good at this game.

Would Ali counsel an average boxer to box?

I do enjoy watching a boxing match now and again.  However, I know it is truly and absolutely a brutal sport.

Dave said "No.  He said he'd never want his son to fight."  I think that's amazing.  You have to remember, Muhammad Ali had EVERYTHING.  EVERYONE knew him.  He could get any lady he wanted. 

The sharp and swift slide down the other side is a price that will eventually have to be paid.  But to me, it's not even the fame, money, etc. associated that seems to be the high.  It feels like the high is the buzz of stepping into a ring to do battle in its most naked form.

Unfortunately, we've convinced ourselves that this is a pursuit of honor.

Would you counsel an average boxer to box?

No. It's the only "sport" in whch the greater you injure the opponent's brain, the greater your reward

Enough said.

What would happen if all coverage (press, TV) of sports stopped?

The games would go on because the instinct for competition is eternal.  And soon enough, because the games also have entertainment value, the coverage would resume.

I agree that it's likely coverage would resume for one reason or another.  I wonder if there just were no money involved.  You see, I think for example in boxing, that people fight because people at some point bet on it.  I just have a hard time thinking about how two human beings would fight...for no reason.

Maybe it would happen.  With money involved it definitely would.

If you could take me and my daughter to one sporting event, anywhere in the world, what would it be?

The Summer Olympic Games.  We'd see the Opening Ceremony March of the Nations.

Certainly interesting given that one of Ali's unforgtettable moments was during that event in Atlanta.  Regardless, it literally gave me chills to think about the possibility of seeing that with Zoe, it would be a blast!

If you could take me and my daughter to any one historical sporting event what would it be?

The U.S. victory in the women's World Cup in 2000. 

OK, I got chills again with that answer.  I hope, somehow, I have the opportunity to show Zoe that women's sports matter.

What does love mean to you?

Unconditional faith and commitment.

Sort of...agapic....

If you could give my 5 year old daughter one piece of advice what would it be?

Dream big.

Given Zoe's proclivity to dream love and connection, if she dreams big, we'll all be the better for it.

To say it's a treat to share Dave with you is an unfair understatement.  To get an even better feel for what I'm feeling, do yourself a favor and check out Sound and Fury, it's a delightful read.

Comments

[Ben Casnocha]

Awesome interview!

Looks like Bob Costas will have to be next given this trajectory...

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks bud, now if I can just get Dorothy to throw a bucket of water on me to shrink me and become a little more humorous than I am I may actually become Bob Costas.

[Bob Reising]

I want to identify the Dave Kindred column in THE SPORTING NEWS (back page) in which he mentions the contemporary sports mind as being able to recall for only five minutes, for being so fixed on the present-day, and its sports stars, that greats like Joe Louis aren't even a distant memory. Can someone get me the date and volume number of the issue?
Thanks!
Bob Reising
rreising@ucumberlands.edu
606-539-4518

[molly]

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