NFL
All he was saying was give peace a chance.
He imagined a world where we all lived as one.
He said we all shine on like the moon, the sun, and the stars.
Few before and after him were able to perfectly encapsulate the ethos and sentiments of his generation.
John Lennon emerged as a scrappy kid from Liverpool, England to a once in a lifetime cultural icon.
(Courtesy: Britannica)
40 years ago on December 8th, he was silenced by an assassin’s bullet outside of the Dakota apartment as he and his wife Yoko Ono were returning from a recording session.
John had just released Double Fantasy, his first album after a five-year hiatus from the music industry, an album that signaled the dawn of a new era for him as a musician and a person.
(Courtesy: Amazon.com)
The news of his death put the world on hold.
Fans stopped in their tracks to cry, mourn, sing, and celebrate a man who had represented so much to so many.
Anyone who was alive at that will tell you where they were when they heard.
They either heard it on the radio, via telephone or maybe sitting in front of the TV watching Monday Night Football.
At the same time as John’s murder, the New England Patriots were playing the Miami Dolphins.
Calling the game was none other than the legendary Howard Cosell, known for his brash, charismatic, and outspoken style that revolutionized sports broadcasting forever.
He was the one who made the announcement with such simple eloquence and a smooth cadence.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
The significance of Cosell making this announcement has great meaning when one looks at the relationship that he and John shared.
Both men came of age during the transformative 1960s where those of goodwill challenged the status quo politically, socially, and culturally.
They did just that and more.
The rise of ABC’s Wide World of Sports conceded with the ascendance of the Beatles.
The famed tv program and arguably the most influential rock group in history each challenged conventions broke barriers and expanded possibilities in the world of sports and music.
John and Howard stood out in their respective fields because they were the ones who were unapologetically outspoken.
Howard used his platform to openly support athletes who took a stand for civil rights and against the Vietnam War, most notably Muhammad Ali, whom with he shared a lovable and memorable connection.
(Courtesy: Etsy)
He also publicly supported Tommie Smith and John Carlos after their historic protest at the 1968 Olympics.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
Once he began as the host of Monday Night Football, Howard invoked the wrath of many fans because of his style of calling the game.
All this and more made Howard the voice of sports who famously told it like it was.
At the same time, John was making head-waves himself.
Everything from saying that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus to hosting a famous Bed-In to protest the Vietnam War.
(Courtesy: Time Magazine)
He also organized a concert to call for the release of political activist John Sinclair in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a bogus drug offense.
(Courtesy: IMDB)
John openly stood in support of the Black Panther Party and advocated for the release of Angela Davis in his song “Angela”.
All this led the Immigration and Naturalization Office under the Nixon Administration to draw up deportation proceedings.
So one would hope that these two rebels with a cause would find a way to come together and they did just that.
Famed Beatles Scholar Dr. Kenneth Womack summed it up best.
“They had two interviews. They were two guys who loved to take and chew an idea” he said.
(Courtesy: Youtube.com)
“They had the makings of a public intellectual in their fields and both took risks.”
It is hard to comprehend that it has been exactly 40 years since John Lennon was taken from us.
In many ways, we have never recovered.
But we carry his memory with us and his message of love, peace, and justice remains stronger than ever.
He had those who tried to destroy him, but they were conquered by the admiration of his fans, among them being Howard Cosell.
While they only had two public interactions, they shared a long-lasting common bond.
A bond built on a shared set of principles rooted in challenging authority and using their power, privilege, and public persona for the greater good.
They were rebels with a cause who imagined and told it like it was.
Rest in Power John Lennon.
Give Peace a Chance.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
