Michael, Michael, Michael....

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 6:32 pm

Laird

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

Lennox's bodyguard? Why does he need a paid bodyguard?

Perhaps you are a touch naive on this subject, Laird. Ask any celebrity how easy it is to walk in public with all the whackos out there. Now add a world-class fighter - worth many millions - into the equation. What do you think is going to happen if I, John Q. Public, initiate a fight with a world class boxer? Regardless of who is at fault, I'll have the law offices of Dewey, Chetham, and Howe calling me up in a New York second. Ca ching!! Sometimes it doesn't pay to be famous. DeBecker would have much to tell you from his line of work, both from the standpoint of whackos that stalk the famous to the unscrupulous among us that smell money and want it at all costs.

Did you know that Mr. T used to be a bodyguard for Muhammad Ali?

Whether you realize it or not, even folks that you know in the martial arts have others around them (albeit unpaid) that come to their rescue when things get rough. Sometimes the more you know, the more handicapped you become. Many a male karateka (I know a few) has been helpless when assaulted by a spouse or girlfriend, knowing how it would appear if any attempt at self preservation was made. The same goes for the talented martial artist vs. the naive jerk on the street.

Yes, professional boxers need to be protected. Mr. Lewis's bodyguard did the right thing; he tried to keep his employer out of trouble. That's what he's paid to do. That's what Mr. Lewis needs.

- Bill

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 8:17 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill Glasheen:
Laird

Perhaps you are a touch naive on this subject, Laird.

Perhaps I find humour in it and you don't see it. So it was not funny no problem.
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Did you know that Mr. T used to be a bodyguard for Muhammad Ali?

Many of us are trying to forget MR. T.
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Niave: Having a simple nature that lacks worldly experience, artless.

Was it your intention to insult me Bill ?
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Laird

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 9:20 pm

No it wasn't. I apologize if I came across that way, and I understand how you could have perceived that.

- Bill

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 10:04 pm

Sorry I asked Bill,just struck me the wrong way. Guess thats one of the down sides to keyboard communication,can't see your face so I might take your words the wrong way.

Back to Tyson:

In an interview in the paper his trainer is saying that Mike will self destruct after boxing. He thinks he will return to street crime after boxing and says he'll die on the streets.

I think that he may be headed back to prison for a long time if these rape charges have any merit. Mike's track record leads me to suspect that sooner or later he's going to be put away for a very long time. I suspect that he may meet his end inside on the end of a shim.

It's too bad, he was this hero kid when he first burst on the scene. Street punk turns good. Gus had taken him under his wing and turned him around. At least that's how the media marketed him.

We were entranced buy his violence. Never had the boxing world seen such an aggressive
KO machine. One after another his advisaries
fell. We couldn't wait to his next fight.

Then things turned bad,wife beating, divorce,rape,prison,ear eating,suspension,new rape charge, this latest incident. And now we hear of leg bitting. It does appear this individual should not live among us.

However I stand by my original post. Tyson from what I saw on the tube threw one punch at a guy who was moving on him. He missed. They were facing each other.

Shaq threw two sucker punches at the back of a guy's head . No one wants to take away Shaq O'Neil ability to make a living.

Mike threw one and were talking about banning him.

Still seems like a double standard.

Please no one get me wrong here. I don't condon any of this guys actions. He had the chance to be the peoples champion. Now most people buy a ticket in the hope that they will witness Mike getting what he deserves.

A terrible waste of a life and a tremendous talent.

If Mike doesn't get to fight the big loser will be Mr Lewis. He's wanted this fight for a long time. Before Tyson went to prison he wanted to fight him. In Lewis's mind he won't really be the champ until he defeats Tyson. Tyson was the guy to beat before he went to prison. Lewis feels like he has the belt by default. He won't be satisfied until he defeats Tyson. Then he will feel like the world champ, maybe the boxing world will acknowledge him as well.

Laird

[This message has been edited by uglyelk (edited January 29, 2002).]

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 1:40 pm

Well it looks like Lennox Lewis is going to miss his chance at millions.

Tyson denied license to fight in Nevada

In answer to your questions about double standard, Laird, I think it is a matter of frequency and degree. Perhaps the legal eagles (student et al) can speak some to this. Consider Tyson's rap sheet.

* A convicted rapist.

* Bit off the ear of an opponent (Evander Holyfield) in a fight. After that fight, the Casino that held it had to close down all of its facilities because of riots.

* Several of Tyson's most recent fights have resulted in riots afterwards.

* Knocked down his most recent opponent (Norris) after the bell had rung, resulting in the fight having to be stopped (and ruled a no contest).

* He will likely be indicted for another rape within the next 10 days.

* Involved in at least one road rage incident.

* Allegedly a spouse beater.

* Bit Lennox Lewis in the thigh after starting the melee last week.

Yes, Shaq swung at another basketball player and lost control, but this was a spontaneous thing after a bit of rough play with an opponent. I don't know what the result was, but I'm betting he was fined for the incident (as he should have been). If this is an isolated incident, then there is no consistent pattern of violence.

Frequency and severity do count when it comes to delivering a sentence. Tyson has been given many chances to demonstrate reformed behavior. He has squandered all of them.

- Bill

david · Post by **david** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 3:25 pm

Don't cry for me World Boxing Council...
There's always Argentina, or Mexico...
Unless I'm in Jail...

{With apologies to Sir Loyld Webber)

david

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 6:19 pm

I don't know, it seems most of the hockey fans I know go to the games mostly for the fights! So maybe the fighters are actually the ones doing the job they were paid to do!

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Glenn Humphress
Lincoln, NE

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 6:21 pm

You've got a point with the game of hockey. I think the problem there is that the fans actually like the fights. The NHL can straighten that out if they want; they choose not to. Fans cheer the fights on. Folks joke about boxing matches breaking out into a hockey game.

This is similar to the "sport" of professional bodybuilding. Men and women have anabolic steroids and growth hormone oozing from their pores. Women all have silicone breasts, while the men are getting their's removed (gynecomastia as a result of anabolic steroid abuse). The judges and officials could straighten it out if they wanted to. Instead, they reinforce the behavior by rewarding those that engage in modern pharmacology and plastic surgery. Even the bodybuilding magazines have given up hiding the behavior, and openly publish articles on proper use of illegal substances. Then when someone is busted for distribution, everyone is shocked as in the classic scene from the movie Casablanca.

I'm not going to openly say anything that might get me sued, but I look at a recent photograph of a certain individual, and the phrase "steroid-induced psychosis" (a.k.a. 'roid rage) comes to mind. We all reap what is sewn by those in charge of various sports.

Your points are not lost on us, Laird.

- Bill

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 6:33 pm

By the way, did anyone catch Lewis' comments after the commission's ruling? In the same vain as Laird finding irony in the issue of a boxer needing a bodyguard (as do I), I also find something ironic in Lewis asking "Who's going to protect me in the ring? Who's going to guarantee that Mike Tyson doesn't bite me in the ring?" Shouldn't he be protecting himself in the ring?!

As for where the fight might eventually be held, the folowing paragraphs are from the CNN website:

If the fight doesn't happen in the United States, Danish promoters Mogens and Bettina Palle said they would be happy to stage it in Copenhagen -- where Tyson defeated Brian Nielsen in October.

"We don't mind to take (Tyson) back," said Palle, who said she was contacted by the Tyson camp last week. "He behaved and was nice when he was in Copenhagen so we don't have any problems with him."

Rodney Berman, who staged Hasim Rahman's stunning upset victory over Lewis in Johannesburg, South Africa, last April, also would like to put on the fight.

"We would safeguard the event with a watertight contract structured to bridle Tyson's belligerent antics," Berman said.

"Make no mistake, we will not be party to anything outlandish that would bring the sport into disrepute and any disgraceful charade like the one we saw recently in the U.S. would be totally unacceptable."

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Glenn Humphress
Lincoln, NE

[This message has been edited by Glenn (edited January 30, 2002).]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 7:51 pm

From Tim Dahlberg,The Associated Press,Las Vegas:
{Asked if he thought there would be a fight somewhere on April 6, Tyson said,"No,it doesn't look like there'll be a fight. I don't know. I think Lennox is a coward. I'm going to fight him any time I see him on the street."}
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It would appear that Tyson has learned nothing from this incident.

With millions at stake,as long as this guy walks among us free folk there will someone willing to cash in on him.

I suspect that the only way Lennox would be safe from the mighty mouth is via dental intervention(extraction). Then again maybe Anthony Hopkins is not using that mask these days.

All over the world street punks are experimenting. Now how did that combination go? Was it jab jab chomp,or was it jab cross chew? Should you brush your teeth before the big event?Would you be more effective if you file them to points?

I only hope that next time I board a plane I'm not told to check my teeth with the rest of my bags.

Laird

[This message has been edited by uglyelk (edited January 30, 2002).]

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Thu Jan 31, 2002 5:09 am

On a side note, has any noticed that basketball players fight like...er... Let's just say I've never seen a basketball player do significant damage to another when in a melee. Obviously the skill sets between B-ball and the martial arts are different.

- Bill

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 31, 2002 5:33 am

Didn't expect there would be a rush of people trying to defend Tyson.For the sake of argument I had to try. I hope no other boxing commision ever grants him a license.

This man has put the reputation of boxing back fifty years.

I suspect that Iron Mike will soon reside in an iron cage.

Yes BBall players leave a lot to be desired when it comes to fighting

.

Caught some stats on the sports network last night. They keep stats on everything these days. These stats were on the most active hockey fighters. One of these guys had 23 fights in 45 games. Another had 22 in 39 games. These individuals don't play 60 minutes of hockey every game. More like 15.

I think this crap does nothing for the sport.

Sure would be nice to see multimillion dollar athletes stick to doing the job they were paid to do. Shoot hoops,box in the ring,shot the puck.

Laird

Mary S · Post by **Mary S** » Thu Jan 31, 2002 6:55 pm

"It would appear that Tyson has learned nothing from this incident."
On the contrary Laird

It seems that Mr. Tyson has learned that Nevada Athletic Commission licences aren't worth the paper their printed on and he's also learned that in the end there will be promoters and there will be pay per view and there will be lots and lots of money and he can keep behaving the way he does because the crowd - while they think his behaviour is horrible -has a great fascination that he keeps getting away with it. He's the flavour of the moment we love to hate. There's nothing like a good villan.
It seems to me that Tyson is doing just fine (unfortunately)

[This message has been edited by Mary S (edited January 31, 2002).]