It has been a sad week, not to mention year for any Philadelphia fan. The Flyers are floundering, The Phillies recently broke many hearts and the Eagles currently arent living up to expectations. Unfortunatley for those tormented Philly faithful, theres some more salt to pour on those wounds.
I know that everyone has talked about this happening year in and year out, but come on who honestly thought the Sixers would really trade away a player that has been the heart and soul of their organization for the past ten years? Well apparently its happening, Mr. Snider has had enough and its time to move on, and in order for this sad team, in a sad conference to move on. Trading Allen Iverson is sadly the only answer. It is such a shame he could never win the big one in Philadelphia. A town he played his heart out for.
Recently whispers around the league have said that Iverson turned down a trade to the Bobcats, which I could understand I mean, Iverson wants to go to a contender cause hes done with pretenders (Sixers past ten years), and The Bobcats have some room to grow still, meanwhile Allen Iverson deserves better. I mean were talkin about a guy here who is definatley going to the hall of fame, ring or not. A true basketball legend, his name will be mentioned with the likes of Bird, Jordan, Barkley, Maravich, Dr. J, Shaq. Iverson currently is a player that although hes gettin a little long at the tooth, the man can still put up at least 25 a night maybe even 30 or 40, and if your a basketball fan then you know what I am talking about.
Me, I am not really the biggest NBA fan, not because of the game play, but because I think the game lacks passion. College basketball is much better, the players have heart and have not been corrupted yet. Although if there is one man who I thought always played with passion in the NBA, that man is A.I. He had enough hart to supply an entire team, a true little giant, but its terribly sad that talent beats heart, and one guy can have all the talent, but basketball is a team game.
Being from the Greater Philadelphia area I saw many athletes get run out of town for many different reasons, Eric Lindross, Scott Rolen, Terrell Owens, even now several athetes are currently in the proccess: Pat the Bat, Chris Webber, heck fans are even calling for the head of Andy Reid. Lets also not forget that if Donovan McNabb comes back next year and plays poorly, he could get shuned away as well. Remember if theres anything to really know about true Philly fans its this, the tar and feathers are always waiting for any athlete outside of the stadium in South Philly. No matter who you are, thats right Ryan Howard you better keep hitting dingers or they will boo you too.
To me the city of Philadelphia has always had passionate fans, sometimes they can be a little too much, but as a Philadelphia fan myself I ask my fellow fanatics to handle the situation differently this time. I am saying let Iverson go, but don't boo him or treat him like he hurt the city or the team. He had no team to hurt, he was the team, essentially he was the Sixers for the past decade, and if you believe that guys like Eric Snow, or McKee, or even Ratliff were, then you need to put the pipe down.
It has been established that I am not a huge basketball guy, but anytime I did watch, which suprisingly when I went off to college I watched the Sixers alot, not because I was into who they were playing or anything, but because they were the home team and I knew Iverson would play his heart out, just like he will for whatever new team is lucky enough to get him. I loved watching Iverson play, to be quite honest there were times I didn't even know names of other guys on the team, I only knew A.I. and thats all that mattered. Its just sad to see this day, but hopefully in the end maybe the Sixers and A.I. can forgive one another, but with King as a GM I doubt that will happen, and one can never forget that Mr. Snider is also no joke, when he steps in, its serious, and when it comes to Mr. Sniders teams The Flyers, and the Sixers theres no messing around. He already shook up the Flyers this year.
When Iverson goes I honestly doubt anyone the Sixers get will really be worth Allen Iverson, sure they might get a couple of kids, or a washed up has been, but thinking back was it so hard to just get someone else on the team who could shoot? I mean, nice try with Chris Webber, but it's like five years to late for him, and I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see that all the Sixers had was A.I. ,who mind you is currently the leagues leading scorer, and you wonder why? Thats simple he is or "was" the Sixers!
So when all the smoke clears, and Allen sadly puts on another teams logo, I won't boo him, he doesnt deserve it. That man played his heart out for Philly not just for himself, I mean he did get a check too, don't get me wrong, but he knew what a Championship ment to this city, and I think he really did try his hardest every night, and if fans couldnt see that, well..... then we never did deserve him in the first place. I mean the guy is certainly no T.O., he would never abandoned his team or show such a lack of class like that, sure a couple of years ago when Larry Brown was the coach they had to deal with the whole "practice" thing, but no one and I mean no one will convince me that at that time true basketball fans didn't know A.I. was right about the whole "practice" thing.
Allen Iverson changed basketball as we know it, some say for the good, others blame him for alot of the hip hop flair brought to the game, but what can never be taken away is the fact that he did it all while wearing that number three Sixers jersey with alot of pride, and Philly fans should be proud of that.
I say next time Allen Iverson walks out on that court to play in the Wachovia Center, he should get a round of applause, but what is sad about the situation is that bitter Philadelphia fans don't and won't appreciate great things when they see them. Belive me there will not and I guarantee will not under any circumstance ever be another player like "The Answer" Allen Iverson. More than likley you will see him get booed in Philly when he makes his return, and its such a shame.
Lets not forget that although Allen Iverson was a little bit of a tough guy in the beginning of his career, and sure he was a confused kid that had many problems, he never under any situation forgot where he was from, and he tried to do alot for the community of Philadelphia, a city that needs more people like him willing to do such charitable things, and I know your response to that will be oh well, he didnt go to the last one because of back "spasms" but lets not forget that Iverson recently also did one of the classiest things I have ever seen an athlete do. He just paid for a funeral of a young boy who was willing to die rather than give up his number three jersey. Your gonna tell me that action alone doesnt represent class? Cause if not I don't know what does anymore.
What I am trying to say to the Sixers fans that read this is that Iverson is just as lost in this situation as those die hard Sixer fans, hoestly he is probabley happy, he finally has the chance to chase his childhood dream of being a champ, are you gonna say he doesn't deserve that? Remember this, in the end when he goes a part of that team is going to die, and a part of Iverson will die with it, if that hasn't happened already.
Philadelphia will miss you A.I., even though it may take time for the bitterness to go away, it's just a shame that in the end like many other athletes, you won't miss Philly.
