Out of the ring, Tyson made a spectacle of himself. He was, and still is a freak show. In a way, I feel sorry for him, because I believe he suffers from a low grade mental illness. But he’s also a bully and a coward (as demonstrated by several people, boxers and non-boxers alike). And that I can’t look past. He’s not even a G; just a punk with a personality disorder. Or maybe someone who never grew up. That’s why it’s really difficult for me to wax romantic about Mike Tyson’s unfulfilled potential, or find philosophical depth in anything he has to say. The probability that he’s psychotic renders moot whatever morsel of insight he can possibly glean from reading Mao or Nietzsche in a jail cell.

I don’t deny a lot of people still find his persona entertaining. A lot of folks are sick like that.

Then there’s the fact that we – I can only speak for myself, but I know I’m not the only one – were SO intoxicated by his power; the fact that he was, in fact, or at least really did seem to be the Baddest Man on the Planet makes the story that much more of a draw. Yeah, Ali was The Greatest and he belongs to everybody, but Mike was our champ; his ascent came during our coming of age. We were too old to believe in fairy tales, but not old enough to be jaded. You plug a young, frighteningly powerful, seeming force of nature into that nexus, and you get true believers. That’s why I know people who STILL TO THIS DAY swear that Tyson in his prime was the GOAT. I’ve never thought that type of foolishness, but I understand why people did. It’s as much about Tyson the mythology as it is about Tyson the fighter. In retrospect, maybe moreso.

But thinking about it a little more, I think Tyson, short of a religious experience, was one of the last things we thought we could really and truly believe in. Not everybody, obviously, but many of us. Or at least me.

What else is there?

But being emotionally disturbed doesn’t make a person any less interesting. In fact, to me, it amps up the interest.

Also, I think Iron Mike’s openness about his failings, some of which are indeed the result of mental illness, adds a lot to the public conversation about those issues. Lots of people have struggled with those demons but few have been so honest about it.

at one point, tyson had the potential to be mentioned in that company; in hindsight, when he probably the heavyweight division, it was probably at its weakest point — at least, considering times when the division was competitive.

A great documentary was HBO’s Thrilla in Manila. It’s almost obscene to mention a film about Tyson in the same category as one featuring Frazier or Ali.

But with Mike, I feel like it would be quite the opposite. I really don’t think he’s gotten enough credit for being open, honest and raw about himself and his life. In some ways, I wonder if it would be too much for people. Too off-putting.