Columnist Steve Carp: Commission must do right by Nevada

ROUND TWO is set for Saturday. Hopefully, both corners will come up with something better than they exhibited in the first round of Mike Tyson's relicensing hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The first round Sept. 19 lasted what seemed like forever as the jabs flew in both directions with few landing effectively. Between rounds, there has been enough time for both Tyson and the commission to make the necessary adjustments so each can claim victory -- Tyson to regain his license, the commission not to come across looking like bumbling fools in front of the world.

The five commissioners need to attack the heart of this matter, that being whether it is in Nevada's best interests for Tyson to return to the ring. It needs to address this man's disturbing violent pattern by which he seems to live his life and decide if he indeed can hold it together in a prizefighting ring without flipping out.

Forget the other things. This isn't about Tyson's finances or the company he keeps. It's not about whether his kids eat steak or Spaghetti-O's for dinner. It's not about his problems with the Internal Revenue Service or his myriad lawsuits.

It's one simple question -- Is Nevada best served by having Mike Tyson licensed to fight in this state?

So far, it's a toss-up. Tyson, pleading poverty and a need to be a pugilistic Dale Carnegie, still hasn't proven he can get through a few hours in a meeting room without uttering a few profane words or overcome something as simple as his motorcycle not starting without throwing a hissy fit.

A couple of days of psychoanalysis at Massachusetts General Hospital won't cure that. The shrinks at MassGen can proclaim him mentally fit and that still won't address the issue of whether or not this guy is capable of refraining from biting someone's ear when things get tough inside the ring.

The commission needed to take a long, hard look at the Maryland automobile accident incident and perhaps wait until that is cleared up before rendering its decision. But the commission won't know the facts in that case in trying to rule on Tyson by Saturday. That hurts.

Amid all the machinations of the phalanx of lawyers, doctors, accountants and advisers will say he'll behave himself, the commission has to ascertain whether or not Tyson deserves to be reinstated.

To that end, it should let Dr. Elias Ghanem run the team. The commission chairman seems to have the best clue among the five-man panel.

It's about understanding why licenses are issued and denied in the first place and seeking a guarantee that Nevada, not boxing, isn't subjected to another display as was seen June 28, 1997, at the MGM Grand Garden. Ghanem seems to grasp that.

If Tyson isn't capable of being accountable for his actions, don't relicense him. It's that simple. If they feel Tyson isn't a risk to lose it again, then give the man his license back.

So what will it be come Saturday? Which agenda will prevail?

We know Tyson's agenda. But the commission's should be to best serve the people of this state. Anything less is unacceptable.

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