I see where they are lining the streets in New York to buy tickets to the Mets’ games with Atlanta this week. And you can believe that if Rocker strays just a bit off the straight line he needs to walk, his playing days will be history.

Saturday, Mike Tyson added another chapter to his charming career by hitting an opponent late and talking about eating Lennox Lewis’s children.

Hardly a clamor was heard from sports fans across the nation.

At Shea Stadium this week, spectators and fans will be watching the Braves-Mets game in the same way some people watch auto racing waiting for a crash.

Rocker will return to New York for the first time Thursday after telling Sports Illustrated last December that &uot;the biggest thing I don’t like about New York are the foreigners,&uot; among other off the wall comments he said were intended as &uot;a joke.&uot;

Rocker was originally fined $20,000 and suspended for the first 28 days of the baseball season before an abitrator cut the fine to $5,000 and the days suspended to 14.

Rocker continually jawed with Met fans during Atlanta’s National League Championship Series last year.

They may have to bring out Dennis Franz and his NYPD Blue cohorts if Rocker goes off on the fans or even hits a batter.

I’m no big John Rocker fan, but how can this guy be so abused while someone like Tyson can continue saying and doing whatever he wants and no one seems to care.

Is it because we’ve come to expect it out of Tyson? Or is it because boxing needs Tyson? Are we watching too much professional wrestling?

The man has had more warnings and reprimands than Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Bobby Knight combined.

Tyson’s latest stunt came in his fight – make that onslaught – against Lou Savarese last Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland.

And, yes, British boxing authorities intend to review Tyson’s 38-second bout and his taunt that he wants to eat the children of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. That will satisfy those who were appalled with this outrage until it’s swept under the rug like every other Tyson rampage.

Then again, if a prayer were held before the bout, we’d be talking Supreme Court.

Tyson was separated from Savarese by referee John Coyle, then went around the referee and hit his opponent twice. Coyle fell as he was elbowed aside, but he quickly got up and pushed Tyson away as cornermen charged into the ring.

Boos rang loudly from the crowd of 20,000, probably more because the fight was too short rather than Tyson’s cheap shots. After all, they do it on WCW all the time.

Savarese, who will be 35 on July 14, got up at a count of five and was hit by four or five more punches. Coyle stopped the fight, but didn’t stop Tyson. Somehow this image of Mr. T in a Rocky movie comes to mind.

A match with Lewis is Tyson’s goal, and he saved his best for last for the British champion.

”I want your heart,” he said in comments aimed at Lewis. ”I want to eat your children.”

Tyson said when he does fight Lewis, ”I will rip out his heart and feed it to him.”

Please be sure to save me a front row seat. I wonder if that means the pay-per-view will cost more.

”I am the most ruthless, brutal champion ever,” Tyson said. ”I am Sonny Liston and Jack Dempsey. There is no one who can match me.”

No, Mike, you are Hannibal Lecter. No one can match you, that’s for sure. And you shouldn’t be allowed to have another match.

Joey Martin is sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached by calling 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.

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