Dave Rawske

Sports Correspondent

As humans, we are taught not to bite the hand that feeds us. Unfortunately, this phrase says nothing about ears. Fifteen months after the infamous ear biting incident when Tyson maliciously chomped the upper ear of World Champion Evander Holyfield, the Nevada Athletic Commission voted 4-1 that Mike Tyson be given his revoked boxing license back.

“I’m sorry, very sorry. I screwed up. I am so sorry. You just don’t know how sorry I am. I want to establish my life. I want you guys to feel the smallest increment of my pain.” Excuse me as I recycle my late night snake into this garbage can. Does he think we feel sorry for him? Is the whole world supposed to weep for a man who spent five years in jail for rape, had numerous altercations with police officers, stands accused of physically abusing women, and now has proven that he truly can be classified as an animal (or should I say cannibal)? Does the public really care about the financial problems Iron Mike is supposedly dealing with?

Ego-centric promoter Don King, who we all have had our share of laughs about, was robbing Tyson blind. His close friends had warned him, the media probed him, and he continued to follow the path to trouble by placing trust in somebody whose track record and reputation had little value.

I guess the real picture is evident. The key word is POLITICS. Let’s put two and two together here for a second. In the past ten to twelve years, Tyson has been one of the greatest sources of revenue for Las Vegas. If Tyson were to not regain his license back to fight in Vegas, their financial prosperity would be threatened.

Does Mr. Trump have any impact on this? First, let the record show that there is no proven documentation that one of the world’s richest men has influenced the decision of the Nevada Athletic Commission. But I think it’s awfully safe to say that the head-honchos of the gambling capital of this country realize that if Tyson is gone, so are many of the monetary rewards that come along with him.

The guy is a marquee fighter. People want to watch how badly he can really hurt somebody in the ring. They are willing to pay the $49.95 Pay-Per-View fee for a 90 second fight against some no-name who would have better luck defeating Johnny Cochran in a criminal suit.

I guess it’s also safe to say that the five doctors who were chosen to analyze the psychological state of this madman were not persuaded in any fashion to give the go-ahead. During his five days of evaluation last month at Massachussetts General Hospital, Tyson reportedly had been quoted in a recent article as “wishing” to hurt one of the doctors. Hmmmmmm. This sounds like a man who’s not even suitable for society. Lock this man in his cage, and keep children at a distance. The sickening excuse one of the doctors made was that it was nothing more than an “expression of fantasy.” Nice fantasy.

Not much more can be said about the disgusting attempts of Tyson’s PR people to involve one of this country’s most flamboyant leaders, Muhammad Ali. Not being able to even read his statement to the Commission due to his Parkinson’s disease, Ali’s wife read that her husband believed Tyson deserved another chance and that he should not be condemned for his past record. Does Ali even know the half of it? Does Magic Johnson know what he is getting himself into?

I don’t know, but one thing is for certain — he’s down to his last chip. People have stood by his side for too long. It’s time for this man to accept responsibility for his own actions.

Deep down, Mike Tyson has a good heart. The problem is that it’s very deep down, and often he is very shallow. He’ll be remembered not as one of the greatest boxers of our time, but rather for the wrongs he did, because they, by far, outweigh all of the rights.