"You're smart too late and old too soon," Tyson said. "I just got caught up in that suction cup. I feel like Rip Van Winkle right now."
Tyson reportedly earned $5 million of his last bout, which he ended early and then conceded. The purse will be doled out accordingly:
2 million to his creditors (he is over $4o million in debt)
2 million to the IRS
and $750,000 to his ex-wife.
I've read all the stories and seen with my own eyes the antics of this man who has been an amusement for the boxing world. But still, I feel for him.
Maybe you and I don't fight in boxing rings where we bite people's ears off for fun and profit. Maybe you and I don't sit with Barbara Walters with our (now) ex-wife and talk about how the relationship with our spouse has spiraled out of control. And maybe we don't return to the boxing ring and lose our dignity in front of thousands of unmerciful fans.
There's not much about a Mike Tyson that I'd want to emulate. But truth be known, I probably have more in common with him than I'd care to admit.
I don't take off ears in the boxing ring, but I am sure I've taken off a few heads in my ignorance and arrogance. I haven't been to divorce court but I've sure taken my hits in my own relationship with family members. And Lord knows I've paid more than my fair share to the IRS.
It would be too easy to laugh at a Mike Tyson or other celebritiesand hold myself above them. But I'm not. I'm just as capable of blowing my career, my marriage and my image as he is. And the thing is, most of the rest of us are, too.
Still, we like to look at celebrities and admire them when they are on top of the world...and chastise them when they are at the bottom.
I guess I've reached the point in my life that I have to say, "there but by the grace of God go I..." and really mean it.
So, Mikey, tough fight. I wish you well, man. But most of all, I wish you peace. The kind of peace that has to seep into old bones and make them new. The kind of peace that all of us are looking for no matter what kind of office we keep.
Tyson reportedly earned $5 million of his last bout, which he ended early and then conceded. The purse will be doled out accordingly:
2 million to his creditors (he is over $4o million in debt)
2 million to the IRS
and $750,000 to his ex-wife.
I've read all the stories and seen with my own eyes the antics of this man who has been an amusement for the boxing world. But still, I feel for him.
Maybe you and I don't fight in boxing rings where we bite people's ears off for fun and profit. Maybe you and I don't sit with Barbara Walters with our (now) ex-wife and talk about how the relationship with our spouse has spiraled out of control. And maybe we don't return to the boxing ring and lose our dignity in front of thousands of unmerciful fans.
There's not much about a Mike Tyson that I'd want to emulate. But truth be known, I probably have more in common with him than I'd care to admit.
I don't take off ears in the boxing ring, but I am sure I've taken off a few heads in my ignorance and arrogance. I haven't been to divorce court but I've sure taken my hits in my own relationship with family members. And Lord knows I've paid more than my fair share to the IRS.
It would be too easy to laugh at a Mike Tyson or other celebritiesand hold myself above them. But I'm not. I'm just as capable of blowing my career, my marriage and my image as he is. And the thing is, most of the rest of us are, too.
Still, we like to look at celebrities and admire them when they are on top of the world...and chastise them when they are at the bottom.
I guess I've reached the point in my life that I have to say, "there but by the grace of God go I..." and really mean it.
So, Mikey, tough fight. I wish you well, man. But most of all, I wish you peace. The kind of peace that has to seep into old bones and make them new. The kind of peace that all of us are looking for no matter what kind of office we keep.
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