If this doesn't get you into the holiday spirit, nothing will: This past weekend in Las Vegas, 57-year-old Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was awarded the World Boxing Council's belt as middleweight champion of the world.
The coronation came 27 years after Carter, on the brink of what appeared would be a cinch title, was sent to prison for a triple murder at a bar in his hometown of Paterson, N.J. - a murder he never committed.Carter spent 19 years in prison proclaiming and fighting for his innocence. Finally, a federal court reviewed his appeal in 1985 and overturned a racially-charged verdict that turned out to be a blatant miscarriage of justice.
In awarding the belt to Carter during the WBC's 30th anniversary convention, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said to Carter, "You wrote in your autobiography ("The Sixteenth Round," written in prison) that you went from No. 1 (contender) to No. 45472. Tonight you are coming back from 45472 to No. 1 and you're getting the championship belt that you won in life."
Carter's incarceration was characterized by an indefatigible spirit that was as evident as ever during the belt presentation ceremony. "I can't do anything about the past," he told the crowd as he held the belt high above his head. "It's gone. Tomorrow? I can't do anything about that. All I want to look at is right now, because that's all that exists. There is only the eternal now."
"That's one of the things you have to conquer when faced with a triple life sentence," he said. "You have to overcome the object of time. There is no time. Only the eternal now."
Displaying an amazing lack of rancor and bitterness, Carter, whose story is being made into a major motion picture, said winning the belt "is sweeter this way. Had I won the championship, I don't think I'd have been able to appreciate it like I can today. Today, I know what appreciation is. Plus, this way, I don't have to defend it."
MORE HOLIDAY CHEER: In Atlanta, the Atlanta Falcons football franchise, in conjunction with the NFL, announced this week that next month it will "blitz build" four homes for low-income families during a 10-day stretch that will conclude with Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30.
Falcons guard Chris Hinton was one of many celebrities who swung ceremonial hammers at the announcement ceremonies. After nearly breaking a 2-by-4 in two with one hammer blow, Hinton, himself a product of Atlanta's inner-city poverty, said, "I can relate to how happy the families are going to be to get houses and they're probably happy I'm not going to be building them."
CRUEL WORLD DEPT.: But don't count the Los Angeles Lakers among the charitable this Christmas season. This past week they waived Kurt Rambis after just 20 games by asking him to get off the team bus in Philadelphia. In two more days, Rambis, who helped the Lakers to four NBA titles, would have qualified for a $250,000 bonus.
Asked if he deserved a better ending, Rambis told the Los Angeles Times, "Everyone deserves better. Everyone deserves to be treated like a king. I just look at it like we're in an aerospace plant and one of the guys got laid off. It's happening to everybody these days."
CRUEL WORLD DEPT., PART II: Then there was Kevin Butler's experience as the Chicago Bears' kicker did a charity appearance this week with Santa Claus.
A girl in the crowd raised her hand and asked Butler how he felt after missing field goals of 21 and 30 yards in a one-point loss to the Raiders.
"Bad question," said Butler. "Santa, remove her from your list."
QUOTES OF THE WEEK: BYU president Rex Lee, on the Cougars playing heavily favored Ohio State in the Holiday Bowl instead of a lesser opponent in a lesser bowl: "For $750,000 I'd play the Dallas Cowboys."
Orlando Magic guard Scott Skiles after being booed in Orlando, "Basketball is like church. Many attend but few understand."