philly

I've been meaning to type this for a few days but been busy. Now I think this entry may be voided cause word broke that the Sixers may be bringing Allen Iverson back to Philly. It only makes sense--Iverson can still hoop; the Sixers stink and need help; and most importantly--Iverson was the real life Rocky for Philadelphia from the late 90s to December of 2006.

But still, let's go about this as if AI ain't coming back. As if his self-imposed retirement is for reals. Let's go about this as if we've seen the last time Allen Iverson has stepped foot on the basketball courts as an NBA player.

AI decided last week that if no team will let him start, then he will retire. He could still be a valuable player coming off the bench, but because his days as one of the best players in the game are over, he has decided to quit. He's walking away instead of settling for a smaller role. His pride too strong. His ego too big.

Yes, it's a selfish move--his refusal to accept a lesser role means he's putting himself ahead of the team. He's putting personal accolades over victories. Many people have been badmouthing him over this--including me.

But in his defense--that's how he's always been. That's what made him one of the most popular basketball players ever. Sure--his hip hop hood/street image helped. But if he talked the talk (swagger of a gangster) but didn't walk the walk (be motherfuckingly bad ass), Philly fans would have picked him apart for being fake--remember Philly is the same city that booed Santa Claus, ripped apart Kobe in the early part of this decade because he's too preppy, etc.

If AI didn't have this ego, this swagger, this can't-nobody-tell-me-different attitude, we wouldn't have loved him so. And he wouldn't have been as good as he was.

The dude is 5'11 and 160 pounds. The amount of punishment he absorbs and shrugs off is amazing. Some people are just born badasses and some pussies and AI is the former. Look at Yao Ming breaking his foot and he has to sit out 18 MONTHS. Tracy McGrady is always aching and ailing (poor Houston, their two superstars are softer than a Korean pop star). Vince Carter drops to the floor like he's been shot each time he rolls an ankle.

AI? he tears a hamstring and sits out a week. He played through the 2001 playoffs with a thigh contusion, bruised tailbone, dislocated finger, broken toe, etc.

The man is the real life Rocky Balboa--smallest man on the court taking it to the big boys every night. The epitome of an underdog.

I've already written about this before but his 2001 Finals run remains one of my favorite basketball memories ever. That year's team was lacking in talent besides AI and Mutombo. Everyone was a roleplayer and average-NBA talent at best (Aaron Mckie, Eric Snow, George Lynch, Tyronne Hill, Todd McCalloch, Raja Bell, Kevin Ollie), but they made up for their lack of natural talent with hard work, toughness, and endless hustle. That was a beautiful team to watch.

Anyway, if AI is really gone, we've just witness the end of the career of a top 30 player of all time. As Scoop Jackson wrote in his ESPN piece (he been an Iverson homer dating back to his Slam days)...he is perhaps, pound for pound, the best player ever.

And then there's the hip hop influence. Iverson brought cornrolls, heavy tats, ridiculous crossovers to pro sports, which basically meant he brought it to mainstream America on prime time TV.