While students were studying for finals or away enjoying the winter break, the world of sports saw its share of bizarre incidents.
For example, there were the two ugly bottle-throwing displays by fans at NFL stadiums in mid-December. At a Texas men's basketball game, a man snapped and attacked a Texas University basketball player when the player stumbled into his pregnant wife.
More recently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers humored us when they fired Head Coach Tony Dungy, only to have his courted successor Bill Parcells reject the job offer.
Up until Tuesday, I thought the weirdest story of the break was Shaquille O'Neal's attempted decapitation of Bulls' center Brad Miller in a recent Bulls-Lakers game. Shaq went after the unsuspecting Miller after being hacked by Charles Oakley and whiffed on a monstrous sucker punch. A melee ensued, but O'Neal only received a three-game suspension for his outburst.
But the Shaq attack cannot compare to the latest antics of Mike Tyson.
Iron Mike is no stranger to involvement in bizarre headlines. Tuesday, the ex-champ reinforced what most people already knew about him. Mike Tyson has lost it. Completely.
At a press conference meant to announce his April 6 bout with current WBC and IBF heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, Tyson showed why patience is a virtue he does not possess.
Apparently unable to wait until the scheduled match, Tyson charged Lewis when the two were introduced, sparking a brawl that ended with Tyson shouting profanities at audience members.
This latest incident calls into question why any group or organization would allow Tyson to still be looming over the boxing circuit. I understand that everyone deserves a second chance, but Tyson seems to have squandered all his opportunities for redemption.
After serving three years of a six-year prison sentence for a 1991 rape conviction, Tyson returned to boxing in 1995. He quickly collected the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles before losing his title to Evander Holyfield in 1996.
During the Tyson-Holyfield rematch at the MGM Grand Hotel a year later, Tyson did his best Hannibal Lecter impression and bit off a chunk of Holyfield's ear. The Nevada Athletic Commission rewarded Tyson with a one-year ban and the largest fine it has ever imposed on an individual.
If you are anything like me, a lifetime ban seemed more appropriate. But for some reason, Iron Mike was allowed back in the ring to provide the very worst in sports entertainment.
Not only does Tyson walk the walk, but he talks the talk, as well. However, he does not spit poetry like Ali or merely talk trash. He talks about killing you.
In June 2000, Tyson said he would rip Lewis' heart out and feed it to him. Tyson also told Lewis, \I want to eat your children.""
Now that's just crazy talk to you and me, but it is scary to think that Tyson might actually try it if allowed. Not even Vince McMahon could control this animal.
Tyson continues to box thanks to the greed of those involved in the sport. Let's hope boxing ignores the dollar signs and sends Tyson packing this time. He is a thug and an embarrassment.
