WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Local reaction to Muhammad Ali’s death: “Everybody has an expiration date. Everybody’s going to die, but it’s so real when it actually happens. For somebody with so much mettle as Ali, it’s like we almost think that he’s beyond that, that he’s immortal. But he’s really just a man like everybody else . ... You had a lot of people thinking he’s more than that.” — Hasim Rahman, ex-heavyweight champion ——— “He made you believe it. And he backed it. That’s what made him the greatest. … He backed everything he said he was going to do. He talked the game, and he walked it.” — Jake Smith, Baltimore Boxing Club owner ——— “He was a great father, and he was the greatest boxer of all time. There are a lot of cats that go around calling themselves the greatest, but when you hear that term, you only think of Ali. I’m not just talking about as a boxer, but as a person. He meant so much to us as a people. He was a great humanitarian who worked hard for others even as he struggled with his illness late in his life. There will never be another Muhammad Ali. There aren’t many people that die and it causes the whole world to stand still. I’ve thought about that for a while. Who else would pass away and it would have this much effect on the entire world? I’ve tried to think of someone, but there is no one else. His impact will last forever.” — Jonathan Ogden, Ravens Hall of Fame offensive tackle ——— “Muhammad Ali’s style and grace were truly unique. As a once-polarizing force early in his career, he became one of the world’s most loved ambassadors for peace. His legacy will be everlasting.” — Ozzie Newsome, Ravens general manager ——— “He was a guy who stood up for his rights ... stood up for what he truly believed in, and lived a pretty good life. It’s a pretty good [legacy], one that is going to be passed on for years and years to come.” — Adam Jones, Orioles center fielder ——— “I was a huge fan of his growing up in a time and part of the country [Century, Fla.] where it wasn’t popular to be a Cassius Clay [Ali’s original name before he declared his allegiance to the Nation of Islam] fan. My dad was a huge fan of him, and I followed suit. I followed every fight.” — Buck Showalter, Orioles manager — From Sun staff reports