Ford: Ali's greatest win was standing up for his principles

The hockey game (yes, that one) was played almost two weeks ago, long enough for most of us to have forgotten. After all, it was just a hockey game.

No, it was not. It was realpolitik disguised as sports. It was a triumph for Canada, edging out the USA in the 4 Nations tournament.

For Connor McDavid — arguably the game’s best player now that Sidney Crosby is no longer Sid the Kid — it was a reminder of when Edmonton was the best in the league. McDavid’s overtime-winning goal was a reminder that no matter how good a single player is, he can’t do it himself. One player alone cannot bring home the Stanley Cup. The best players need a cadre of the “almost” best as support.

Canadians know how good McDavid is. Now, so do the Americans.

But this isn’t about hockey, it’s about sports heroes and how they are made, how they come to attract the attention of the rest of us, including all those who don’t spend Sunday afternoons watching the NFL or scrolling through the TV guide to find whatever NHL game is playing. I’m a sometimes fan, although my husband laughs when I yell at the screen questioning a hockey play.

Today is important for reasons other than March 5 being Ash Wednesday, the start of 40 days of atonement before Easter. It’s also the 255th anniversary of the Boston Massacre, which set the stage for The American Revolution.

Trust Americans to conflate reality. Only five men were killed by the British.

But today resonates for me because of two men no one but a sports fanatic would remember — Ernie Terrell and Eddie Machen. On March 5, 1965, they fought in Chicago for the heavyweight boxing championship. Terrell won, but his name is also linked to the one heavyweight champion who stood up for his principles and paid more deeply than anyone else — Muhammad Ali.