Tyson

I know I haven't been updating my blog lately. Between my aunt's funeral and moving into a new place, my mind has been wandering... maybe that is why I really enjoyed James Toback's recent movie about Mike Tyson, who was filmed in a monologue style. I felt like I can relate to what Tyson says. As a journalist, it's obvious why Toback chose the former heavyweight boxing champion. Toback interviewed Tyson for five straight days while Tyson was in drug therapy. Like Tyson, I see myself as brutally honest and very self critical. And like Tyson, I live my life in extremes, going from high peaks to low valleys.

The most compelling part of the movie was Tyson's relation to an old Italian trainer named Cus D'Amato. From the Brooklyn projects, Tyson moved to D'Amato's mansion in Catskill, N.Y. when he was an adolescent. Tyson credits D'Amato for changing his life and making him the champ. D'Amato reminded me a lot of my Grandpa Dan. Maybe if he had lived longer things might have turned out better...