Anyone else catch the iverson press conference?

[Guest EI Cubano]

Man, this was one of the best press conferences I have ever seen, I think Iverson asked the press more questions than they asked him. ESPN cut away from it partly because Iverson was throwing out so many four letter words in his answers. Catch the highlights of this one, it was worth it.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I missed it. What was he saying?

[Guest alkeiper]

One of the ESPN stations is showing extended highlights at 11pm.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Please tell me it's ESPN2 and not ESPN News.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I think it's kind of funny that I haven't been able to find his inflammatory comments, but when Tyson makes them, his are damn near put on billboards.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Iverson showed his ass at that press conference.

 

Questioning off season conditioning?

 

Talking about why he doesn't need to take practice seriously?

 

Iverson was making an ass out of himself, and I think the honeymoon between him and the NBA marketing machine may soon be over.

[Guest]

iverson is the best player in the league, bottem line.  No one touches him and the only reason people jump on kobe's nuts is because the nba and every sports network pushes him to the moon.  He did not make an ass out of himsdelf, if anything, I hope the press will respect him more for doing what he did

 

--Rob

[Guest Some Guy]

The NBA pushes Kobe because he is a model citezen for the most part and doesn't have press conferances were he butchers the English language and curse repeatedly.

 

Georgetown should be ashamed of themselves for even accepting a guy who can barley speak coherant English.  This guy is an egosistical, overpayed, Prima Donna, who throws hissy fits at press conferances because his Coach wants him to God Forbid practice with the fucking team!  Jesus Christ how can you guys defend him?  He acted like an ass becasue he was critised for being two thing sthat he *IS* a ball hogger who refuses to practice because he is "experiencing symptoms of a head cold."  My God  Philly should trade him and maybe they'll beat the Celtics next year with the draft picks they'll get who will play team Basketball.  

Jordan didn't win a championship until he figured it out and neither will Iverson.

[Guest DrTom]

"I think the honeymoon between him and the NBA marketing machine may soon be over."

 

I can't understand why it ever began in the first place.  The NBA has people with much better images and reputations to market.  Iverson is a thug and a prima donna, and is me-first atttude is sadly the type that has a lot of individual success in the NBA.  Maybe one day he'll learn the same lesson Jordan did, but he might not get the chance to study in Philly.

[Guest Ripper]

It is almost getting nausiating to watch what the media is doing with this press conference.  Now, through the "Highlights" of it, they are editing out all of the stupid ass qustions that the press were asking him, the 2 or 3 people that basically were outright insulting him and got in a argument with him, and are just showing his answers without showing the reasoning behind them.  

 

I saw the whole interview, beganing to end on NBA.com tv...and Iverson not only was justified in his tirades, he was making alot of great points.  They keep showing when he was saying " But we here only to talk about Practice" but they don't show the part when he said he agreed with practice being important, but was just upset that Brown would say that they lost because his players weren't used to playing with him.  

 

And really, what about Iverson makes him a thug and a prima donna.  I always here people saying this about basketball players, but there is usually no basis too it.  What has Iverson done to be a "thug".  Is it because he has cornrows??Is it because he isn't like everyones god michael Jordan.  Michael Jordan would come off very self oriented in his interviews, but that was ok because he wasn't "a thug".

 

The press conference was completely different than it is being protrayed.  Every Iverson rant had a rhyme and reason to it, but I'm not going to type all of it.  If you are wondering about any part of it, I can explain the entire situation in detail .  

 

At the end of the day, I have more respect for Iverson now.  Throughout all that, he never once said a bad thing about Larry Brown, and he never once blamed his teamates for anything.

[Guest Ripper]

The NBA pushes Kobe because he is a model citezen for the most part and doesn't have press conferances were he butchers the English language and curse repeatedly.

 

Georgetown should be ashamed of themselves for even accepting a guy who can barley speak coherant English.  This guy is an egosistical, overpayed, Prima Donna, who throws hissy fits at press conferances because his Coach wants him to God Forbid practice with the fucking team!  Jesus Christ how can you guys defend him?  He acted like an ass becasue he was critised for being two thing sthat he *IS* a ball hogger who refuses to practice because he is "experiencing symptoms of a head cold."  My God  Philly should trade him and maybe they'll beat the Celtics next year with the draft picks they'll get who will play team Basketball.  

Jordan didn't win a championship until he figured it out and neither will Iverson.

Exactly how many people do you know that sound like english scholars when they are pissed off?  Kobe is huge trash talker that if he stands near that mic by the backboard during the game, can go on just as many profanity laced diatribes.  the Lakers are the biggest group of prima donnas in the leage, but its ok because Kobe and Shaq are marketable.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

My God  Philly should trade him and maybe they'll beat the Celtics next year with the draft picks they'll get who will play team Basketball

If they trade Iverson & get draft picks in return, they won't even make the playoffs.  If they do trade Iverson, they'll need to get a superstar in return.

 

Iverson isn't the reason the 76ers lost to the Celtics.  Mutombo has hands of stone, and can't play defense unless he's planted under the basket.  Eric Snow can't shoot.  Coleman was hobbled.  The team doesn't have anybody outside of Iverson and maybe Aaron McKie who can shoot the ball.  The team need to make a lot of changes.  Just trading Allen won't solve anything.

[Guest goodhelmet]

It is almost getting nausiating to watch what the media is doing with this press conference.  Now, through the "Highlights" of it, they are editing out all of the stupid ass qustions that the press were asking him, the 2 or 3 people that basically were outright insulting him and got in a argument with him, and are just showing his answers without showing the reasoning behind them.  

 

I saw the whole interview, beganing to end on NBA.com tv...and Iverson not only was justified in his tirades, he was making alot of great points.  They keep showing when he was saying " But we here only to talk about Practice" but they don't show the part when he said he agreed with practice being important, but was just upset that Brown would say that they lost because his players weren't used to playing with him.  

 

And really, what about Iverson makes him a thug and a prima donna.  I always here people saying this about basketball players, but there is usually no basis too it.  What has Iverson done to be a "thug".  Is it because he has cornrows??Is it because he isn't like everyones god michael Jordan.  Michael Jordan would come off very self oriented in his interviews, but that was ok because he wasn't "a thug".

 

The press conference was completely different than it is being protrayed.  Every Iverson rant had a rhyme and reason to it, but I'm not going to type all of it.  If you are wondering about any part of it, I can explain the entire situation in detail .  

 

At the end of the day, I have more respect for Iverson now.  Throughout all that, he never once said a bad thing about Larry Brown, and he never once blamed his teamates for anything.

While I diasagree with you on the MVP debate, I am in full agreement over this. Regardless of the situation or the topic, the press has their own agenda and will rarely ever put things in its full context, simply to pop a rating or add interest to their product.

 

And the thug moniker given to Iverson is completely unjustified. It's just a misperception by media outlets because of 1) encounters with the law in his youth and 2) because of his choice of dress and hairstyle. Ignorance at its finest. Hey, Jayson Williams was a model citizen until he blew a hole through his chauffer. He is certainly more of a threat to society than Iverson. I don't remember Iverson having domestic abuse charges brought against him like MVP candidate Jason Kidd. I don't recall him choking out his coach like Latrell Sprewell. Oh, he has corn rows too. Guess that makes him a thug.. but.. when he choked out PJ he was bald, so it can't be the hairdo. Hmmmm....

[Guest Ripper]

I'll one up you on the Jayson Williams thing.  

 

Micahel Jordan had a known gambling problem, cheated on his wife, and was known for having temper tantrums at practice...the last being the report of Phil Kicking him out of practice for punching Steve Kerr because he set a hard screen on him, plus the fights with Mille, Ainge, and plenty more.

 

Shaq tried to punch brad miller in the back of the head, has gotten into altercations with teamates at practice, 'rapped'(and I use that term loosely)  about some of his earlier fights in the league(including Matt Gieger, and Eric Montross) and starred in Shazzam(which doesn't really fit with the rest of the list but should be pentalized.)

 

Kobe Bryant has gotten in fights with Chris Childs(Chris whupped dat ass) and Reggie Miller this year(started by Kobe), has gotten in countless near altercations with nearly every team due to his trash talk.

 

Karl Malone has knocked out and injured numerous players by throwing INTENTIONAL elbow including David Robinson, Elliot Perry, Shawn Marion and even giving Isaih Thomas 22 stitches in the face on a fast break.

 

These guy are considered SPORTSMEN and ambasidors of the game, while Allen Iverson has not to my memory gotten in one fight, never been suspended, and never injured people on the court.  Yet he is the thug and these guys are the sportsmen.  I can go on with most guys in the league(ok, not Duncan, but most of the others)

 

And might I remind you all of what caused this press conference.  Iverson wouldn't comment on what Brown had said on Saturday so what did the philly press do...Print a story saying "Iverson- "I'm gone""  a completely untrue quote.  This led to his daughter getting told by everyone from teachers to pricipals and every one's children that her daddy was gonna get traded and that telling her to tell him not to go any where.  So he calls the conference to set things clear, and was understandibly pissed.  Then the reporters in the room go on to ask some of the most insulting questions(some of them werent even questions.  Some guy jsut said" But allen, you made the team lose.") and pissed him off even more.  Speak you mind allen.  Tell em how you REALLY feel.

[Guest goodhelmet]

True, true. And we didn't even mention those fine upstanding ambassadors of the game the New York Knicks or the Miami Heat. Thank God both of those teams are out of the playoffs. Or the countless NBA guys who got caught up in the Gold Club scandal.

[Guest ant_7000]

At first I didnt like Iverson when he was a rookie, but he started growing on me with toughness, heart, game, and he's not kissing ass to be accepted. so what if he speak slang and not standard english, I wouldnt call him "thug" that stuff in the past, but he is immature, he's needs to be responsible show up for practice and set example for his teammates if he wants to be a leader. And I also fault Larry Brown as well because he wasnt strict enough on him and letting him get away with shit, and letting things go this wouldnt be an issue if Brown laid down the rules on AI in the first place.

[Guest El Satanico]

Well i don't know how you can call him a prima donna. If he was a prima donna do you honestly think he'd play with multiple injuries as much as he does? Hell Kobe sits out for a broken finger or hurt feelings and is the true prima donna.

 

If NBA teams wants to get pissy about team practice and playing as a team. Then just maybe the league should start marketing TEAMS instead of pushing star players. But like David Stern would ever do that when the big money is in star players not teams.

[Guest Some Guy]

Ripper I did hear him say that he thought practice was important and thet he really meant it, but then he went on and on about how it was just practice.  This totally cantradicts his previous statemant and form reports the latter is probably how he feels.  How can a team prepare for a playoff game properly when the star of the team isn't on the court?  It makes it a lot harder to practice your plays when the go to guy doesn't bother to show up.

 

And the Celtics beat the 76ers because the Celtics are a better team who don't quit.

[Guest Ripper]

What he was saying was this.  

 

He said if he is hurt, he's hurt.  If he can't practice he can't practice.  If he can practice, he will be there. He was saying it was just practice meaning that he will show up for the game and give a hundred percent, hurt or not, but if he is too hurt to practice, then he won't.  

 

Larry Brown just assumes that he could have practiced because he played in the game.

[Guest EI Cubano]

Damn straight Ripper,

Iverson was completely on top of things for the press conference and for a guy who can "barely speak English", I think he did a good job making the press look pretty stupid. "It's your job to sit their and talk shit, but that'c ool, you have to make money, it's your job" was used by Iverson alot and it's the damn truth. He wasn't getting overly upset and he was cracking the media up with some of his Arnold Schwarteneger lines. He talked about his daughter, didn't threaten to beat anyone up and said he "loved" Larry Brown. I really don't see why everyone is so down on the guy. When he is on he is possibly the best shot creator in the league and even though his FGP wasn't stunning for the year, he still played well when he did play. He has never gotten into any real fights and I think people are just way too hard on the guy because he looks the part of a "thug". He has a ton of heart and I think he is going to take the Sixers far next season.

ESPN.com posted a great article blaming larry Brown for this whole fiasco, I would suggest checking it out.here

[Guest ant_7000]

Damn straight Ripper,

Iverson was completely on top of things for the press conference and for a guy who can "barely speak English", I think he did a good job making the press look pretty stupid. "It's your job to sit their and talk shit, but that'c ool, you have to make money, it's your job" was used by Iverson alot and it's the damn truth. He wasn't getting overly upset and he was cracking the media up with some of his Arnold Schwarteneger lines. He talked about his daughter, didn't threaten to beat anyone up and said he "loved" Larry Brown. I really don't see why everyone is so down on the guy. When he is on he is possibly the best shot creator in the league and even though his FGP wasn't stunning for the year, he still played well when he did play. He has never gotten into any real fights and I think people are just way too hard on the guy because he looks the part of a "thug". He has a ton of heart and I think he is going to take the Sixers far next season.

ESPN.com posted a great article blaming larry Brown for this whole fiasco, I would suggest checking it out.here

I read ESPN article too about Brown and I thought Brown was being hyprocrite for telling AI he should go about things the "Right Way" when Brown hasnt doing things the "Right Way". One of these days Brown has stay true to his word and stop making stupid empty threats.

[Guest converge241]

lol

 

i missed the actual first airing, but my local sports radio has been playing the soundbytes non stop

 

"this is practice, were tlaking about practice"

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Iverson's attitude sucks. He thinks he's untouchable because he's a "star." While Larry Brown has tried to manage his "star" he's not free of blame in this situation. When Iverson was missing practices, the team tried to accomodate Iverson by holding the practices later in the day due to Iverson's propensity for staying out/up late. Iverson talks about how basketball is the game that he loves and that the games means everything to him. If that were the case, wouldn't preparation for the games seem important to him? He can do no wrong. When the media confronts him with some of the issues that are causing problems between hi and Larry Brown, he says that they are just "talking shit." I'm tired of hearing about how Iverson is 160 pounds with ink and how he's so tough because he is small and can take punishment. Apparently he can' since he has to play with so many injuries. He asked the media if he would get the MVP award if he came back looking like Schwarzeneger. Why ask a ridiulous question such as that? HE knows damn well he would have to play well to win the award, so he tries to put words in their mouths instead of looking at the truth: he needs off-seasoning conditioning. If he's an athlete, he needs to take care of his body. That's the bottom line.

[Guest Ripper]

Iverson's attitude sucks. He thinks he's untouchable because he's a "star." While Larry Brown has tried to manage his "star" he's not free of blame in this situation. When Iverson was missing practices, the team tried to accomodate Iverson by holding the practices later in the day due to Iverson's propensity for staying out/up late. Iverson talks about how basketball is the game that he loves and that the games means everything to him. If that were the case, wouldn't preparation for the games seem important to him? He can do no wrong. When the media confronts him with some of the issues that are causing problems between hi and Larry Brown, he says that they are just "talking shit." I'm tired of hearing about how Iverson is 160 pounds with ink and how he's so tough because he is small and can take punishment. Apparently he can' since he has to play with so many injuries. He asked the media if he would get the MVP award if he came back looking like Schwarzeneger. Why ask a ridiulous question such as that? HE knows damn well he would have to play well to win the award, so he tries to put words in their mouths instead of looking at the truth: he needs off-seasoning conditioning. If he's an athlete, he needs to take care of his body. That's the bottom line.

that Arnold line was totally in context.  He asked them if it was going to make him a better player.  Well, would it.  He was right, he won the MVP "Boney as hell"  what is putting on 10-20 lbs of muscle going to do.  Would it make his game better??  It certainly can make your game worse(and anyone that knows/played the game knows that you are gambling when you bulk up, widning you shoulders and all, that you could be altering your shot).  I look back at Majic, Bird, Mchale, Worthy and Jabbar, and none of them were bulky mucled bound players.  they actually looked more and more out of shape the better they played . His point was exactly right.  

 

Once again, I have to go right back to how they are just playing the "but its only practice" line trying to make it seem like he said I shouldn't have to go because it's not important.  that is not what he was saying in the slightest.  He was upset that he had to come and have a press conference about practice.  Not to say "hey thanks allen for carrying this team by playing hard every night and giving 200% on the court!!"  they were there saying that he doesn't practice and thats why his team lost.  I am more inclined to belive it has something to do with Philly having no long range/mid range shooter or anyone else that can create there own shot or other guys lazying off on defense...but it must be because he missed about 9-10 practices this year.  

 

And you are reaching saying he can't get up becasue of staying out late...That really has never been said to be the case.  They were saying that he was making "lame excuses" like his son being sick.  HOW THE HELL IS HIS CHILD BEING SICK A LAME EXCUSE????

 

I'm sorry, but if you watch the guy play, you can't help but wonder how he can possibly get up in the morning.  He plays more minutes a game than any other NBA guy, and goes to the hole like a man and takes his lumps to give the team a better chance.  It has been said over and over, he did nothing this year that he hasn't done before, even last year when Brown was talking all buddy buddy with him and they were winning 60 games, the Iverson from last year is the same one now.  Same game, same practice habits.  But you didn't hear one thing said about that last year.  Now that they lose due to some shitty general managing there (I mean, seriously, if you are hurting offensively, you think you would at least TRY to pick up another offensive threat) and refusal to admit that the Atlanta trade was a bad move, they are just going to act like it is Iversons fault.  It is a cop out if you ask me.  Larry Brown had a press conference yesterday, which was him basically backpedeling about all that crap he said saturday.  If he had never done it, this whole thing could have been handled.  

 

I would love to see them trade Iverson somewhere and see if whatever they get can get them to the playoffs, let alone to the finals.

[Guest Choken One]

Very few people could carry that sack of shit team that A.I had to carry this year. I can't believe the rumors of A.I/Carter trades...which are nothing but rumors. Carter may be equally marketable and less intolerant but he's nowhere near Iverson in almost every category save for dunks.

 

Iverson needs Brown and Philly Needs Iverson. Not even KOBE could carry the current Sixers team.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Once again, I have to go right back to how they are just playing the "but its only practice" line trying to make it seem like he said I shouldn't have to go because it's not important.  that is not what he was saying in the slightest.  He was upset that he had to come and have a press conference about practice

 

It's the end of the season. There's speculation that either Iverson or Brown might not be back next season. One of the many issues they had was practice. Why wouldn't it be discussed?

 

He asked them if it was going to make him a better player.  Well, would it.  He was right, he won the MVP "Boney as hell"  what is putting on 10-20 lbs of muscle going to do.

 

Nobody said he needed to gain a specific amount of weight. He needs to take better care of his body in the off-season, that's what is being said. If he's getting banged up going to the basket, why wouldn't he want to preserve his body through conditioning?

 

Not to say "hey thanks allen for carrying this team by playing hard every night and giving 200% on the court!!"

 

They said that shit last year, all year long. The party's over. They went from conference champions to first round elimination. Why would he be thanked for carrying them? He was hurt during the final stretch. Who carried the team then?

 

I look back at Majic, Bird, Mchale, Worthy and Jabbar, and none of them were bulky mucled bound players.  they actually looked more and more out of shape the better they played  . His point was exactly right.  

 

If that's the case, Charles Barkley should come back right now regardless of his heftiness. The more out of shape you get, the better you play right? Shawn Kemp was a fat fuck after the lockout. Where's his MVP trophy? The older players could play for so long because they had the fundamentals of the game down. Reggie Miller can still play because he knows the game. Jordan could come back and score so many points because he knows the game and is a fundamentally sound player. Iverson isn't a fundamentally sound layer, his game is based strictly on quickness. His reluctance to take better care of his body will start to show up when he continues to get injured and his quickness wanes. He's been in the league for 6 years now, I'm not saying whether or not that's long enough to be a veteran or not, but he hasn't really shown that he is as knowledgable about the game he loves thus far. He knows what he's doing, but he hasn't shown the smarts that Jason Kidd or any of the other veterans that are at the top of the league have.

 

I am more inclined to belive it has something to do with Philly having no long range/mid range shooter or anyone else that can create there own shot or other guys lazying off on defense...but it must be because he missed about 9-10 practices this year.  

 

What about a 30% shooter trying to take over the game? What about having to let a %30 shooter shoot the ball 30+ times a game? Look at the Pistons this year, they were the second best team in the conference. What if the 76ers still had him? They don't because there was only room for one player who can take 30 shots a game. Stackhouse took less shots this season and along with Ben Wallace doing Mutombo's job, they managed to make it past the first round of the playoffs.

 

And you are reaching saying he can't get up becasue of staying out late...That really has never been said to be the case.  They were saying that he was making "lame excuses" like his son being sick.  HOW THE HELL IS HIS CHILD BEING SICK A LAME EXCUSE?

 

First of all, nobody is reaching for anything. It is a fact that the team had to schedule the practices later in the day to accomodate Iverson's love of staying up all night. That's a fact. Does his son have leukemia? Why does Iverson need to miss work whenever his son gets sick? If Iverson can pay $12,000 a year for a hairstylist, you would think he can afford to pay for someone to take care of his son when he is sick. His son only started getting sick when Iverson was asked to give better excuses for missing practices. Iverson doesn't care about practices. It's not just his attendance, it's his effort at practice and the things that he does in practice (knocking down people's shots with basketbals while they are shooting). HIs son being sick becomes a lame excuse when it becomes his get out of jail free card.

 

I'm sorry, but if you watch the guy play, you can't help but wonder how he can possibly get up in the morning.  He plays more minutes a game than any other NBA guy, and goes to the hole like a man and takes his lumps to give the team a better chance.

 

He can get up in the morning because it's his damn job. Reggie Miller spends an entire night running around screens and still manages to hit shots late in games. Going to the hole wouldn't be such a hazard for Iverson's health if he lifted some damn weights. Jordan started lifting weights the offseason before he won his frist championship. He said he did so because he was sick of taking the beating the Pistons dished out to him every year. Did his strategy pay off?

 

It has been said over and over, he did nothing this year that he hasn't done before, even last year when Brown was talking all buddy buddy with him and they were winning 60 games, the Iverson from last year is the same one now.  Same game, same practice habits.  But you didn't hear one thing said about that last year.

 

Actually there was talk about how Iverson was going to be traded to the Clippers before last season started and Larry Brown was considering retirement last year. One good year doesn't vindicate Iverson's habits. That was the one year where they were able to accomplish anything, and they still didn't really get the job done. How long is Iverson going to talk about last year's MVP award? He can score all the points he wants and get an MVP award too, but he hasn't really won anything yet.

I would love to see them trade Iverson somewhere and see if whatever they get can get them to the playoffs, let alone to the finals.

 

See if they do it with Iverson again. I doubt they will. As long as you are being observant and in favor of experiments, see if Iverson leaves the team and wins anything anywhere else without changing his ways. Iverson wants the glory that comes with being a leader, but he doesn't want the other stuff that comes with it. If you are going to be in the spotlight, you have to take the praise as well as the criticism. Last year he got his praise, this year he didn't.

[Guest Ripper]

"They said that shit last year, all year long. The party's over. They went from conference champions to first round elimination. Why would he be thanked for carrying them? He was hurt during the final stretch. Who carried the team then? "

 

Nobody carried them...they lost.  Without Iverson they are garbage.  With him, you have a bunch of worthless players on offense.  He has to carry the team.  

 

"If that's the case, Charles Barkley should come back right now regardless of his heftiness. The more out of shape you get, the better you play right? Shawn Kemp was a fat fuck after the lockout. Where's his MVP trophy? The older players could play for so long because they had the fundamentals of the game down. Reggie Miller can still play because he knows the game. Jordan could come back and score so many points because he knows the game and is a fundamentally sound player. Iverson isn't a fundamentally sound layer, his game is based strictly on quickness. His reluctance to take better care of his body will start to show up when he continues to get injured and his quickness wanes. He's been in the league for 6 years now, I'm not saying whether or not that's long enough to be a veteran or not, but he hasn't really shown that he is as knowledgable about the game he loves thus far. He knows what he's doing, but he hasn't shown the smarts that Jason Kidd or any of the other veterans that are at the top of the league have."

 

Jeebus, I was joking about the more out of shape line!!! But my point still stands that adding bulk has never made anyone a better player.  It makes you bigger, true, but if you are a jump shooter, adding bulk alters your shot.  Low post men can add bulk becasue that is not really a faucet of their game.  You can't possibly be questioning Iversons condidtioning because he runs off screens all night JUST like Reggie Miller does, plus he hussles about 100 times more than miller on defense. He is the leage leader in minutes, how is his conditioning bad??? Brown has said he doesn't like how he doesn't hit the weights hard enough.. My argument goes to the conditioning.

 

 

"What about a 30% shooter trying to take over the game? What about having to let a %30 shooter shoot the ball 30+ times a game? Look at the Pistons this year, they were the second best team in the conference. What if the 76ers still had him? They don't because there was only room for one player who can take 30 shots a game. Stackhouse took less shots this season and along with Ben Wallace doing Mutombo's job, they managed to make it past the first round of the playoffs. "

 

Um, detroit has the best bench in the league, Cliff Robinson giving you a perimeter presense, Corless Williamson with a strong back to the basket game, Chucky Atkins shooting 43% from 3's, Jon Barry shooting 47% from 3, Damon jones shooting over 40 and Ben Wallace having 1000times more hussle than Mutumbo desplayed all year.  I think those things MIGHT have made the Pistons record better.  Jon Barry and Cliff Robinson added 30 pts a game for the Pistons, that will add to your win column.  You like to point out Iversons percentage all the time, Kidd shoots a worst percetntage than him, are you saying he is making the Nets worse??? Iverson more times than not doesn't even get the ball until 7-10 seconds are left on the shot clock and is expected to bail them out because they have no other offensive outlet.  Jerry Stackhouse wasn't half the player in Philly he is now,(or the last 2 years) It wasn't until 3 years ago that Jerry started living up to his potential, so that argument has nothing behind it.  Besides, Brown didn't like Stackhouse because he didn't play defense.  You want to look at percentages, how about his percentage when it comes to big shots? How about his 4th quarter percentage.  You can not honestly say that Iverson is making this team worse.

 

"Does his son have leukemia? Why does Iverson need to miss work whenever his son gets sick? If Iverson can pay $12,000 a year for a hairstylist, you would think he can afford to pay for someone to take care of his son when he is sick. His son only started getting sick when Iverson was asked to give better excuses for missing practices. Iverson doesn't care about practices. It's not just his attendance, it's his effort at practice and the things that he does in practice (knocking down people's shots with basketbals while they are shooting). HIs son being sick becomes a lame excuse when it becomes his get out of jail free card."

 

Um...its his son!!!! Its not his hair.  God forbid he want to be there for his child.  How is that a lame excuse.  Are you saying he should be put down for taking care of his child instead of just paying someone else to do it.  You can see how much he loves spending time with his kids.  In basically every post game interview, who is on the court, at the press conference with him.  And him staying out late is not a fact.  he has been called a dedecatied family man by everyone from his coach, to his teamates.  The only people that said anything about staying out late was the media and their "sources".  The same sources that "quoted" Iverson saying he was leaving Philly.  I truley hope you don't invest too much into the ethics of the sport media...

 

"He can get up in the morning because it's his damn job. Reggie Miller spends an entire night running around screens and still manages to hit shots late in games. Going to the hole wouldn't be such a hazard for Iverson's health if he lifted some damn weights. Jordan started lifting weights the offseason before he won his frist championship. He said he did so because he was sick of taking the beating the Pistons dished out to him every year. Did his strategy pay off?"

 

So you are saying it would be better for him to play at the level he is playing(which is lightyears above the effort alot of his teamates give on the court, BTW) and getting burned out as the season goes on, huh.  While you like to use miller as a excuse, it is a known fact that Miller acts almost as a coach on alot of days at practice(this is from Miller himself, not the oh-so-reliable press) to make sure that he can keep up that pace all year.  So is he not leading by example?  Iverson is 6'1 thin guy with narrow shoulders, Jordan was a 6'7 guy with a naturally wide build and his lifting weights didn't change his shot much.  Do you remember how good a outside shooter Alonzo Mourning used to be?  he gained all that muscle and now he has that incosistant 15 foot jumper.  And with all the weights Jordan lifted in the off season, I think his first championship MIGHT, and I mean just might have had something to do with Scottie Pippen improving in every aspect of the game, Phil Jackson impementing this radical new offense that the Pistons(the perverbial pimp to the bulls bitch for years) had no idea how to counter, and playing a sub par Laker team in the finals.  

 

"Actually there was talk about how Iverson was going to be traded to the Clippers before last season started and Larry Brown was considering retirement last year. One good year doesn't vindicate Iverson's habits. That was the one year where they were able to accomplish anything, and they still didn't really get the job done. How long is Iverson going to talk about last year's MVP award? He can score all the points he wants and get an MVP award too, but he hasn't really won anything yet."

 

He was dismissing the MVP in the interview.  He talked about how the individual awards meant nothing and he wanted a championship. There was talk about trading Iverson before the season, then they won 13 in a row and they were happy as hippys with Iverson.  There were no complaints about him doing the exact same thing he was always doing from management.  There were no complaints inthe offseason this year.  It wasn't until they got eliminated in the first round that they are saying "Hey we lost because of his habits." But if he had the same habits the year they went to the finals and they year they didn't complain, they can't possibly not see the hypocracy in saying tis all his fault they lost.  

 

Im not saying Iverson is a angel here.  If he is missing a substancial about of practices, then he should shape up, but the Sixers management(mostly Brown) are being hypocrites and are attempting to blame a subpar season on Iverson, and not the horrible team around him.

[Guest Ripper]

And BTW, Iverson shot 39.6% for the year, not 30%.  A near 40% shooting percentage is very good when everyone on the court knows that you are the only one that can score.

[Guest Perfect_Bo]

Why is people getting on AI?  I mean, are you mad because he speaks the truth, he say what he feels regardless if it,s propper english or not?  AI is one of the best players in the league, and so what if he speaks, that's how he feels, dont judge him by the way he is, judge him by the game he plays and he plays great game...

 

KOBE being pushed because he's a kiss ass, plain and simple...  AI dont play that shit, he do what he wants because it makes him feel good, and what makes you think he wont give 100%

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

People bitch out A.I. because he misses some practices, and yet when the chips are down and real games are on the line, he's out there playing hurt while 99% of the guys with "good attitudes" would be sitting up in the luxury box getting a therapeudic massage or riding the bench because they broke a toenail or something.