Allen Iverson

[TonyG]

Well, Allen had HIS say yesterday about all the things bothering him. He held a press conference of his own. Here is some of what he said...


"If I can't practice, I can't practice. If I'm hurt, I'm hurt. It's not about that. It's easy to sum it up when you talk about practice. I'm supposed to be the franchise player and we're in here talking about practice. Not a game -- we're talking about practice. How silly is that?

"I know I'm supposed to be there, I know I'm supposed to lead by example, I know that. I'm not shoving it aside. I know it's important, but we're talking about practice."

"It's strange to me, too. We're not talking about the game, the actual game when it matters. How can I make my teammates better by practicing? They are supposed to be used to playing with me anyway."

"If I'm supposed to be the best in the world, why am I in here, why am I dealing with this?"

The coach gets his say today.


Any thoughts?

 

[lavender]

 

[medjay]

Allen Iverson = Childish asshole.

You'd think after all these years he'd learn something. But then again, I heard his so-called rap debut. He's got a long way to go.

 

[Liontamr]

I'm siding with A.I. on this one...

He's supposedly the best if not one of the best in the world and from where I sit is the only reason the Sixers have half a chance to win on any given night.

He's proven - more that he needs to - that when the chips are down he will suck it up and CARRY Philly. He did last year in the playoffs and almost did again this year.

Steve Yzerman isn't practicing for the Red Wings because he's hurt.. But he's showing up at the games.

I'm not seeing anyone get on his ass like they are Iverson's.

I think - pardon the pun - A.I. gets a bad rap because of his image, but take away all that crap and you have a player tha shows up and plays his heart out night in and night out and is never one to roll over and die.

If it was MJ, no one would question it because he's a golden boy.. It's Iverson though and everyone thinks he's some jackass spoiled punk.

Maybe he is.. But he's - for my money anyway - the best jackass spoiled punk basketball player in the world. I think Brown should have given his best player the practices off without even hesitating for a split second.

 

[Weird Harold]

If it was MJ, no one would question it because he's a golden boy..

If it was MJ, there wouldn't be a problem -- MJ shows up for practice.

 

[badasschick]

I think everyone already knows why I can't stand the twerp/

 

[Private Vasquez]

can I just borrow his lips for a little while, though?

 

[badasschick]

if you boil those motherfuckers first.

 

[Private Vasquez]

I just wanna look...no touchy

 

[badasschick]

Then I would suggest tongs, and a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves.

 

[Private Vasquez]

you so wanna have like, 10,000 of his babies...

 

[badasschick]

it was already a failed attempt from the start.

besides he already got 10,000 babies, that's why he's running out of real estate on this arms.

 

[JazzManJim]

I have to side with AI on this one. The man was th eMVP last year, if I'm not mistaken. He's an incredible player.

He's small and thin, yet takes the ball to the rack better than most guys a foot taller or 75 pounds heavier. He's fearless, scores amazing points, and gets his ass beat in nearly every game.

Hell, last year he won a whole series for the Sixers playing on one leg!

AI has a bad rap because of how he was when he was younger. I don't hear them raking on Shaq because he can't his a free-throw. I mean, how tough is that? The man doesn't practice them, but no one gets on his ass.

AI plays hard and takes a beating every single game he plays. He never stops playing that game, though, because it's his. They need to cut him some fraking slack and try to work this out without mucking him through the mud.

He should never had to defend himself publicly.

 

[Private Vasquez]

oh, but he's a happily married man...MVP!

 

[badasschick]

That twerp definitely ain't the ANSWER.


yes, I can carry a grudge.


BTW have you seen Mrs. I lately? nuff said.

 

[Weird Harold]

He's small and thin, yet takes the ball to the rack better than most guys a foot taller or 75 pounds heavier. He's fearless, scores amazing points, and gets his ass beat in nearly every game.

Maybe if he showed up at practice and knew the game plan was more than "give the ball to Iverson," he wouldn't need to take so much punishment?

 

[JazzManJim]

Maybe if he showed up at practice and knew the game plan was more than "give the ball to Iverson," he wouldn't need to take so much punishment?

That's always been his game, though, even when he was at Georgetown. The Sixers knew exactly what kind of player and person he was when they drafted him. That Larry Brown hates him is no real surprise.

 

[Weird Harold]

That Larry Brown hates him is no real surprise.

[sarcasm]
Gee, I can't understand why a coach wwould hate a ball-hogging, glory-grabbing, individualist on his TEAM -- especially one making several million dollars who is too good to go to practices.
[/sarcasm]


I have no sympathy for anyone who accepts a seven figure salary who won't meet the job requirements.

 

[bored1]

Basketball is a team game,At least it was when I played. I no longer watch the NBA, AI is paid big money to be part of a team yet, like so many of the newer generation of players its all about him. The rules dont apply to him. MJ practiced all the time in his prime as did Magic and Bird, they were part of a team, the goal was to win for the team. What a concept. See how many rings he has on his fingers when his career comes to an end. In a few years he will be nothing more than a mere footnote in NBA history.

 

[fanzee1]

If it was MJ, there wouldn't be a problem -- MJ shows up for practice.

AI said he missed one practice this year. brown did not dispute that claim. So what's this really all about?

 

[fanzee1]

it was already a failed attempt from the start.

besides he already got 10,000 babies, that's why he's running out of real estate on this arms.

there has NEVER been a report or even a suggestion of iverson being one of these nba sperm donors who has a baby in every league town. He has two or three children and, by all accounts is quite the stable father. You're dealing in some stereotypes here, BAC. not facts.

 

[JazzManJim]

[sarcasm]
Gee, I can't understand why a coach wwould hate a ball-hogging, glory-grabbing, individualist on his TEAM -- especially one making several million dollars who is too good to go to practices.
[/sarcasm]

It's a pretty simple equation:

With Iverson, the Sixers win. Without him, they lose. He gives that team everything he has, every single game. He doesn't take himself out of the game for wimply injuries. He doesn't beg out when he's hurt. They literally had to force him not to play several games this year when he was hurt because he wanted to play so badly. He's tough in the way that most athletes are not these days. He's tough in the way that Willis Reed, and Wilt Chaimberlain, who were also individualists, were.

Now they're going to knock him publicly for missing an undefined number of practices for medical reasons? Brown was upset that Iverson begged off so many practices because of medical reasons. The man deserves some freaking support from his team. Period. He's earned that much in blood and sweat. I'd be pissed, too, were I him.

And as far as the team concept of basketball goes - that went out the window ten years ago. Nowadays it's super single players putting up super single numbers. Very few players are true team players and very few coaches manage a team with that in mind. I'm not saying I like it. I'm just saying that it's that way now.

 

[fanzee1]

Maybe if he showed up at practice and knew the game plan was more than "give the ball to Iverson," he wouldn't need to take so much punishment?

again, apparently he is going to practice. So maybe you should get your facts straight.

AI is NOT a golden child who can do no wrong in my eyes. I don't even like the nba anymore. I watch the conference finals and the championship each year and that's it because there is too much crap going on. But i'm here sticking up for iverson because i'm tired of people trying to make him the poster boy for all that is wrong with the nba. Look at his track recording. And i mean everything, up to and including this tirade of a press conference he just held. I say his record as a "good citizen" holds up MUCH better than a lot of other guys who NEVER get slammed for being the ingrates and buffoons they are.

You, and a lot of people like you, need to get your facts straight.

 

[Private Vasquez]

no need to get in a huff

 

[badasschick]

there has NEVER been a report or even a suggestion of iverson being one of these nba sperm donors who has a baby in every league town. He has two or three children and, by all accounts is quite the stable father. You're dealing in some stereotypes here, BAC. not facts.

Are you the dirty judge that hangs around him all the time?