Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: NSAC looks into Tyson's head and AFL-CIO snubs Guinn

SATURDAY I WATCHED every minute, about six hours, of the Mike Tyson hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Very simply, Tyson, after being barred from the ring for more than a year, wants to get back and make a living. He believes he has been punished enough and because of aging, his productive years in the ring are coming to a close.

Tyson conducted himself very well before the commission and was his own best advocate. The conduct of the commissioners ranged all the way from being understanding to being aggressive. It was obvious that Commissioner Glenn Carano, a former NFL quarterback, and chairman Dr. Elias Ghanem asked questions in a friendly manner. Commissioner Dr. James Nave asked probing questions in an aggressive manner that caused more than a few sparks.

Well, anyway, after several hours, the commissioners ordered Tyson to submit to a psychiatric and neurological exam to see whether he is fit to fight again. In addition to this, they demanded he set aside his doctor-patient confidentiality rights so all material could be seen by the commission, press and public. This is a good requirement when it comes to the results of MRI, EEG and tests for drugs. Why the commissioners or public would want to see the verbal exchanges between the fighter and a psychiatrist is beyond me. The final results of the psychiatric exam should be sufficient unless some busybody wants to dig even deeper into the fighter's private life.

When all is said and done, I am left wondering about the belief that a psychological study can determine the fitness of a professional boxer. If it ever becomes a requirement for all boxers, we won't have many professional fights to attend.

The results of Tyson's tests, how they are used and what precedents their use will set for future boxers will be most interesting.

In retrospect, I can't recall any fighters who were all smiles and sweetness prior to entering the ring. I've spent my time wrapping hands and working fighter's corners. Once their hands are wrapped and taped it's a good idea to quit talking to most boxers until they enter the ring. It would be laughable to have a psychiatrist give them a mental test during that period of time. Many sensitive doctors would be terrified with the answers.

Show me a pleasant and smiling boxer as he prepares to enter the ring and I'll show you a loser. Fighting in the ring before a large and noisy crowd is almost as stressful as being asked personal and legal questions by an athletic commission.

GOP candidate for governor Kenny Guinn learned a lesson during the recent Nevada AFL-CIO convention when it threw its support behind his opponent, Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones. Now he knows what special-interest advocates mean when they ask, "What have you done for me lately?" This is a common question raised by the actions of many special-interest groups when they determine whom to support during elections.

It was Jan Jones who took a walk on the plight of the culinary workers fighting her friend, Margaret Elardi, the owner of the New Frontier hotel-casino. It was the longest and meanest labor strike in the history of modern Nevada.

Early this year, it was Kenny Guinn who took on some of his own political party leaders when he came out, at great risk, against the so-called paycheck protection act. That was the anti-worker plan to gut the unions' political power. Because of Guinn and some other courageous Republicans, the plan to put it on the ballot failed.

Today Guinn expresses some valid and serious doubts about state employees having collective-bargaining powers because of legislative problems. Jones, on the other hand, says she fully supports legislation that requires her to deal with a state employees union if elected. Similar legislation failed during past sessions of the Legislature.

The Nevada AFL-CIO asked Guinn what he had done for them lately. Evidently not much since he went to bat for them a few months ago against the paycheck protection scheme. This shouldn't be a shock to him because the union leaders took a walk in the primary election on the candidate with the only pure pro-labor record, Sen. Joe Neal. At least in the primary, the AFL-CIO refused to endorse any candidate for governor.

So, what have you done for the unions lately, Kenny? You aren't the first political candidate to scratch your head and wonder how to answer this self-serving question.

Guinn will probably survive this snub, but an even greater danger might be just around the corner. What if Aaron Russo endorses him?

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