@ESPN @miketyson #2pac
Over the past few months ESPN has been airing a documentary series called 30 for 30.  The series features thirty films about moments in sports history that not only impacted the sports landscape but the world surrounding.  I really got into the series when the profiled the documentary the Two Escobars about the connection between Pablo Escobar‘s Columbian Drug Cartel and the murder of disgraced Colombian soccer giant Andres Escobar. Its interesting because it shows how sports impacts current events and the impact that a game has on our lives.

Last night ESPN aired their latest installment, “One Night In Vegas” about the Tupac Shakur murder in Las Vegas and his interesting relationship with then Boxing superstar, “Iron” Mike Tyson who was fighting at the MGM Grand that night.  To say the series is groundbreaking is an understatement and this latest installment is a MUST SEE for any boxing, hip hop, Tyson or Pac fan.  Here’s a little snippet.

The film draws some very interesting parallels to the two fallen giants lives.  It shows how both were characterized as uncontrollable, both very talented and both convicted of sex crimes that would eventual lead to their eventual and respective demise.  2Pac in the grave, and Tyson to endure a disappointing career end and subsequent psychological torture and emotional anguish.

While on the surface the two would seem to be the farthest from similar especially during the times of the East Coast/ West Coast Beefs.  It would seem unconscionable for a Brooklyn Bred Fighter to have fraternized with a Los Angeles emcee but the two were friends.  “One Night in Vegas” examines that friendship and the depths of their relationship.   It even shows clips from an interesting episode of the Arsenio Hall Show where Pac almost describes Tyson as his mentor.  HIS MENTOR.  To imagine that one of the premier lyricist of all time would look up to the seemingly uneducated mindless Mike Tyson for advice.

While the piece opened my eyes to a lot of things it did beg many questions.  Not the least bit of which is whether the Pac murder was the reason for Tyson’s eventual demise and what impact Tyson and specifically his incarceration played on 2Pac’s murder. Really interesting.