So the word from somewhere is that Allen Iverson is retired from the NBA. Jut like that, without so much as a Farewell Tour that the true greats like Kareem and Doc had, the self-proclaimed "The Answer" is off to kick back on the back porch or terrorize hourly-wage casino workers at a riverboat near you.
Then again, was there ever a better way for Iverson to go out? A simple word-of-mouth--or in this case, word-of-blog--and it was finished. No sloppy ending, no tears, no more practice.
And that's a good thing. Unlike most athletes, Iverson always called the tune. He didn't want to come off the bench, adjust his game or mentor younger players with the last-place Memphis Grizzlies, so rather than sulk and pout, a talent as deadly as his crossover once was, Iverson just quit.
Good for him.
Maybe he heard about Willie Mays falling on the ground during the 1973 World Series while finishing up his career back in New York for the Mets. Certainly he remembered how silly Michael Jordan looked in that Washington Wizards uniform in his last two seasons.
Why put himself through that?
No, Iverson claimed he was a starting player. He was MVP of the All-Star Game twice and MVP of the league in 2001. He won the scoring title four times and until the Pistons and Grizzlies cut his minutes during the last two seasons, he averaged close to 30 points per game for his career. Why should he change? Why should he admit that he's just the same as everyone else? Time, that great equalizer, finally caught up to Iverson just as it did for all of the NBA greats. It happened to Larry Bird in his early 30s just like it happened to Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and every other NBA player with a lot of miles and games on the legs.
Iverson is 34 and that's the magic age for NBA players. That's the age when players have to figure out how to adjust or go home.
Iverson decided to go home.
It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of though the word leaking out is that Iverson still regards himself as a top-level player. Apparently the fact that he had just one taker during a summer of free agency and not even the hapless New York Knicks wanted him when the last-place Grizzlies placed Iverson on waivers.
Sometimes the end comes faster one last drive to the hoop. At least it seems as if Iverson gets that even if reluctantly.
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So how will we remember Iverson? Certainly in Philadelphia it will be as the most controversial and polarizing athlete to hit town.
At the same time he very well might have been the most exciting and electrifying Philly ballplayer. Every night was a highlight film waiting to happen even if they didn't all result in wins or championships.
Oftentimes it was the little things that were most impressive about Iverson. Like the time when he played 41 minutes and scored 29 points with a separated shoulder against Golden State in 2001. Or that week in 2002 when he had a triple-double in one game and 58 points in another. Nevertheless, in a pile of superlatives, Iverson's best game was Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals in Los Angeles.
That was the one that culminated with this:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grXws5m11SA&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
So if it's over for Iverson, it sure was fun. Still, it's not difficult to wonder if it could have ended a little better (or happier) for everyone.