Tyson and DC?

[Larry Gude]

It just sounds so tawdry. So, I dunno, manipulative and greedy, using Tyson, a guy with serious problems just to make some dough. Something was missing.

Now, with Marion running for city council again, everything seems right again!  

 

[Otter]

Yep, Larry, the absurdity is now in balance again in good ole DC..

 

[Tonio]

Bringing the Tyson-Lewis fight to D.C. makes absolutely NO sense to me. Civil rights leaders worked for years to convince the networks that "Amos 'n' Andy" was demeaning to blacks. And they were right. Doesn't the District realize that Tyson is a sinister Amos 'n' Andy? He is truly an embarrassment for black people and for black men in particular. And for some white people who hold prejudiced views about black men, Tyson only gives them more fuel for their fires.

I read that D.C. residents are VERY racially divided over the Tyson issue. That reason alone ought to be enough justification for keeping Tyson out of town.

 

[vraiblonde]

Tonio!  I couldn't agree more.

 

[Ken King]

It makes sense, you just have to look at it from a fiscal view.  Fact, Tyson will fight again until he is banned from boxing.  Fact, this fight will bring a lot of money to whatever city or country it goes to.  Might as well make some money off of it in DC then to let someone else make it anywhere else.  It would be good money for the city and the businesses that have not been fairing so well.

Is it a venue that benefits how a city is viewed?  Come on, we’re talking about DC.  

 

[Larry Gude]

Ken,

The thing is this: If the fight comes off as is likely, will it have been worth it for just money?

The fight will probably come off as a fiasco. An ear biting. Stopped early for repeated low blows by Tyson. Hell, how about an old-fashioned eye gouge.

There is every reason to believe the fight will be a joke based on Tyson’s recent (last several years) escapades. He has lost it. He needs the money and he is scared to be in the ring, which is the only rational thing about the guy.

These things are fairly normal for Las Vegas or Atlantic City to deal with. They are both associated with sleaze to a great extent. They have the great bouts to balance out the clunkers.

DC does not need, IMHO, the body blow that a rip off fight will shower on the city.

Tyson’s melt down at the last press conference (which put the fight up for grabs in the first place) was sad and pathetic. His violent, racial and homophobic remarks do not deserve the support of our Capital city. ESPECIALLY in DC.

I'm all for the District going after real fights with real fighters in their prime but this is a sad, sad affair.

As a final thought, do we really want to be running events that were BANNED from Vegas?

 

[Ken King]

Larry,

As long as the boxing federations allows him to fight why worry about if he's biting another ear, blurting out his nasty remarks, or going after another ankle.  They say he can be a professional boxer.  Maybe boxing will take the path of the WWF that his behavior seems befitting, who knows.  But if you would sanction any other bout doesn't Tyson deserve the right to bring the heavyweight championship to the city.

 

[grandpa]

Tyson is a throwback to ancient Rome. A real rough gladiator. Like him or not , he stays in the public eye.

 

[Larry Gude]

Fine Ken.

Go ahead. Support the debasement of our beloved city.

Fine, insult WWF by comparing it to boxing (lol).

You're right. I 'm wrong. I'm just trying to restrict free exercise of trade for appearances sake.

He deserves the "right" to bring his circus to town.

 

[Ken King]

Larry,

I still say for him to be banned from the sport that sport’s governing bodies have to do it.  If they don't then any one of a number of cities can rule that he can box.  I see this as a way for the city to get some money flowing into it from legal venues.  Not to mention that if DC can pull this off it might improve their footing for the future Olympics that they are in competition for.

As to if the fight will be worth it, depends, if it results in a DQ, no.  If it goes the full 15 rounds and it was a battle the whole nine yards, maybe so.  If it is a 90 second KO, maybe, maybe not.  But as long as "biting" Mikey is not locked up he should be allowed to work his trade, shouldn't he?  BTW here is a moon back at ya,  

 

[Larry Gude]

Oh yeah,

Well, now we read that Don King is all mixed up in this and it may never happen anyway as Tyson is suing King for $100 mil and King is maneuvering to re-become his manager so Mikey can't sue him! So, DC is getting used!

Whaddya think about that?

 

[Ken King]

Larry,

Don King and boxing's heavyweight championship fight seems only natural as King has had his hand in big event boxing for years.  If he promotes it here in DC or later elsewhere you can bet his hands will be in it.  If Mikey is stupid enough to let this leach back into his life that is Mikey's problem, as is the lawsuit.  At issue now is whether or not the city can get a sponsor for the venue, if King does it who cares.  I believe they have until the 25th to make it happen or the fight goes away.   I just think it would be a good thing for DC when looking towards the future.  Maybe if they pull this off in a manner that doesn't embarrass the city other fights will come to town.  

 

[PmoneyandTT]

Frankly - I consider anyone an embarrassment to themselves..I don't give Mike enough power to represent the black community as a "whole"  thats like saying David Duke represents the white community as a "whole"  thats totally bullcrap.. Mike is a fighter - thats what he has been bred to do.. Its tough world.. Now if we start putting morals into boxing - then it wouldn't be called boxing.. Hey Mike is screwed up - but so is alot of people.. He should be allowed to fight - thats what he does best.. Im not paying to watch him - but if it comes on TV then Im watching it..  Mike is nothing but a big ole pit bull - and someone else is his owner..  Since when hasn't boxing been under cut?  Meaning when has it been legally fair?  Probably never..  

 

[Larry Gude]

P$,

Glad you said that!

 

[Tonio]

PmoneyandTT, I agree with you that Mike Tyson doesn’t represent the black community. But there are many white people who don’t see it that way.

Americans seem very racially divided over Mike Tyson, like they were over OJ Simpson and Marion Barry. Why has most of the criticism of these three come from whites and not from blacks? Some of it may be white racism, sure. But I suspect most of the difference is cultural.

A whole generation of Americans has grown up with no direct experience of Jim Crow. Being white, I believe most white Americans know the brutalities of legal segregation only from history books. I’m only guessing here, but I suggest that in the black community, memories of Jim Crow are handed down from older relatives. This may keep alive the idea that a black person could be "kept down by the Man," because it happened for decades in this country. This doesn’t sound farfetched when you consider that the Irish still harbor grudges from 800 years ago.

So what does that have to do with Mike Tyson? Many white people only see his reprehensible behavior, and laugh at the idea that a rich man like Tyson (or Barry or OJ) could be the victim of racism. They don’t accept the idea of hating the sin but loving the sinner. Of course, part of the problem is that the media puts a huge spotlight on Tyson and his immoral behavior. It’s a shame that the media can’t show more black men doing good things.

Again, those attitudes don’t represent racism; they simply represent a different cultural perspective. Racism would be some bigot watching the Tyson press conference and exclaiming, "See, I was right, black men are animals." It angers me that Tyson, like Barry, acts in ways that only provoke the bigots. That doesn’t excuse Tyson’s or Barry’s immoral conduct, but it doesn’t excuse the racism either.

 

[PmoneyandTT]

I don't know what side of this your looking at - whether you are a white person or a black person.. If the fact you are white - would be like a man explaining to a group of pregnant women - how it feels go through labor..

I see your point - in how people tend to walk around with blinders - and believe totally on what they media quotes to them.  Unlike - some of my "white" friends I hear different.. Since they know blacks - hang out with blacks - they know media likes to hype up more then what is actually out there - and they know because of commonsense - all "black males" and "black females" don't have that same behavior.  

But to those groups that don't have black friends - or come in contact with black people - then they ofcourse are going to believe such crap..  Its sad - we still live in a society that takes in what the media puts out.. But I suppose if your going to have a closed mind about race issues - then you most likely live in a closed life..  Not only does the media attack race issues - it attacks all sorts of issues.. Bias - I would think so.. But as for me - I base my judgement on the content of character - not what I see on the outside..

Just a thought - There are alot of fools out there - white or black..  And definately broke. Does it bother you that these fools happen to have money - and have pull in the political scene?