Category: Philadelphia 76ers

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Philadelphia 76ers

A.I. reminiscing on the good ol’ Philly days


Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary since Allen Iverson left Philadelphia for Denver. So, now that some time has passed, why don’t you tell us how you really feel about the trade A.I.

I know they didn’t get enough”” Iverson, 32, said. “In my heart, they know they didn’t get enough. The fans in Philadelphia know they didn’t get enough. . . . (The 76ers) just wanted me out of there.”

“If I was still in Philadelphia, I don’t think they would be in the predicament that they’re in right now,” Iverson said. “The way the East is, I would think that we would be right there in the hunt. . . . I look at (Philadelphia’s) games right now, and it looks like a rec league game or an AAU game when you see the attendance there. It just looks dull.”

“I always said I wanted to end my career as a Sixer,” Iverson said. “And I wanted that so bad for my fans. . . . We had lost a lot of games. . . . I came into a meeting and I told them that I didn’t think, the way we were going, we could win. And I voiced my opinion on what I thought we could do to help us win. And they didn’t care what I thought.”

Wait, didn’t get enough? What’s next? Are you going to try and tell us the Minnesota didn’t get enough for Kevin Garnett either? There was no way to replace the Answer on that team. Philly could have received 10 players in return for A.I. and they still wouldn’t have the same heart.

And since we mentioned K.G., we’re still not over the fact that Minnesota let Iverson slip through their fingers when Garnett and the Timberwolves were their lowest low. We love watching the Celtics and the Nuggets with their new faces, but, damn, Garnett and Iverson would have been a match made in heaven.

Links:

[RockyMountainNews.com]: Denver, Philadelphia remodeled by Iverson deal

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Philadelphia 76ers

"A.I. gone, Brown may return to Philly"


Here’s what’s wrong with sports media today. The headline, from MSNBC/AP would have you think that Larry Brown might return to the Sixers now that Allen Iverson is gone because he has a huge problem with AI. This is simply not true and completely irresponsible. This is like saying that Britney Spears became a fat hillbilly mess after meeting Kevin Federline… wait no… that actually is true. The point is: just because one thing precedes another doesn’t mean it caused the other. But that is what the headline is screaming.

First of all, Larry Brown has been acting as an unofficial adviser to Billy King and might just go back to the Sixers in an official capacity. Second, Larry Brown and Iverson had a lot of famous clashes but LB is probably the only coach the Sixers had that AI ever respected. Third, if LB had such a huge problem with AI that Iverson’s presence in Philly kept him from going back to the Sixers in an official capacity, then why would George Karl ever take on Iverson? Karl and Larry Brown are good friends — so good in fact that LB’s dismissal from the Knicks is what caused the brawl at MSG a week ago as Karl tried to rub it in Isiah’s face for his handling/firing of Brown. Of course Karl got the green light from LB before the trade was made.

We usually don’t get so fired up about sports reporting anymore. Hell, just this week Desmond Howard starting analyzing a nonexistent bowl game and ESPN claimed a scoop that they didn’t actually scoop… Oh well, what can you do.

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Philadelphia 76ers

Chris Webber wants out of Philly


According to the Sacramento Bee (way to get the scoop Philly newspapers…), Chris Webber wants to be traded since his new offensive role this year involves sitting during 4th quarters of tight games.


I’m not going to keep playing like this,” Webber told the Bee after scoring six points in 23 minutes Wednesday as the Sixers beat Seattle, 96-90. “I don’t like this role. So you can take that however you want.

So basically, one of the two untradable players under Billy King’s stewardship wants to be traded. Webber is slated to make $20.7M this season and $22.3M next year.

But wait… this is the NBA so that means by the trade deadline in February, he will be tradable because GMs will be willing to take on $30M of salary because Webber goes off the books after the 2007-2008 season. The NBA salary cap rules are almost as silly as Major League Baseball’s lack of a salary cap. Then of course, there’s always the the retarded GM willing to sign huge stiffs to long term contracts. (Hello Chris Mullin, Isiah Thomas, Danny Ainge, Kiki Vandeweghe…etc…etc…)

Links:
[Sacramento Bee]: With a reduced role, Webber wants trade

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Philadelphia 76ers

Iverson is a good guy


There are so many negative stories involving athletes that it’s good to point out these good guy stories every once in a while. Even though we make fun of Allen Iverson a lot (the practice?! video is really funny), he is one of our favorite athletes. Sure he’ll get arrested over a trumped up charge and his boy will get fined for parking his Bentley in a handicap spot, but then he’ll turn around and do something like this:


Allen Iverson will pay for the funeral of a man who died three years after he was shot in southwest Philadelphia because he refused to hand over his Iverson jersey to a group of teens.
…
The shooting left Johnson paralyzed, in a wheelchair and eventually on a ventilator. Last week, the ventilator failed, and Johnson suffered irreparable brain damage. The family chose to take him off it.
…
“If they were that serious about that jersey I would have given them 100 jerseys if they wanted it,” Iverson said. “It was just tough, just to see somebody die for something senseless like that, over a jersey, over something material.

Links:
[Philly.com]: Iverson offers to pay for funeral

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Philadelphia 76ers

Allen Iverson plays all 48 minutes


In a new autobiography, Carmen Bryan, the Pamela Des Barres of hip hop (Jay-Z and Nas), reveals that Allen Iverson was the best she ever had in bed. You can go read the sordid details at the NY Post but we couldn’t help but imagine an exchange between AI and Carmen:

I mean listen, we sitting here talking about foreplay, not sex, not sex, not sex, but we talking about foreplay. Not sex that I go out there and die for and have sex like it’s my last but we’re talking about foreplay man. How silly is that?

Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that but I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything. I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about foreplay. We’re talking about foreplay man. We’re talking about foreplay. We’re talking about foreplay. We’re not talking about sex. We’re talking about foreplay. When you come to the bedroom, and you see me play, you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about foreplay right now!

Links:
[The Big Lead]: Allen Iverson, the NBA’s Pablo Neruda (More Romance, Less Writing)

[The 700 Level]: Rumored Tale of Iverson with Nas’ Woman

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Philadelphia 76ers

Nov 9 in Sports History: Larry Bird vs Dr. J


In 1984: Usually in sports, if two teams don’t like each other, they’ll let the scrubs fight it out. Not on this night, as Larry Bird and Julius Erving went toe-to-toe against each other on the court. At the Boston Garden, the Celtics were pounding the Sixers, and a frustrated Erving (who was held to six points) and a red-hot Larry Bird (who had 42) began throwing punches at the end of the third quarter. Both were ejected and fined $7,500 each. Players on both teams were fined for their involvement, including a rookie named Charles Barkley, who scored 27 points off the bench up to that point. The Celtics won 130-119.

In 1961: If you thought baseball was bad, it never touched golf in terms of racism. Baseball had an “unwritten” rule that blacks were not allowed to play in the major leagues. Golf, on the other hand, actually made sure to include it in their constitution. Only in 1961 did the PGA finally remove it’s “Caucasians only” clause. Charlie Sifford was the first African-American to play on the PGA Tour, and he was soon joined by Lee Elder, Jim Thorpe, Calvin Peete and Pete Brown. Sifford became the first black player to win a Tour event in 1964 at the Greater Hartford Open. Tiger Woods is the only African-American on tour today.

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Philadelphia 76ers

Allen Iverson is not a lottery ticket



Jackie Chiles can get you $600,000

Four guys are suing Allen Iverson and his manager for negligence because they got their asses kicked by security personnel. The four plaintiffs contend that Iverson and his manager negligently hired “dangerous individuals” known as “The Horsemen” for security at an event.

According to the lawsuit, two of the four plaintiffs, Priest Brown and Robin Isman, were attacked by The Horsemen as they left the club, and the other two were assaulted while dancing. They are suing for $600,000 each. Man, it pays to get your ass kicked every once in a while.

Links:

[Philly.com]: Iverson sued over security team’s actions

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Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers fan unappreciation night



More like F YOU!

The Sixers might have a PR nightmare on its hands; that is, if anyone cared about the Sixers. To cap off a disappointing season, both record and attendance wise, Allen Iverson and Chris Webber sat out last night’s game with “injuries”, which happened to be Fan Appreciation Night.

Compounding the problem, both showed up late to the game and didn’t sit on the bench. The sole reason anyone goes to a Sixers game is to watch AI play. Announcer after announcer talks about the toughness of AI and how he’s such a gamer. The least Mo Cheeks, Billy King, and Iverson could have done was put Iverson in there for 5 minutes.

A video clip of Allen Iverson urging fans to enjoy the game was booed. This is probably the first time that AI personally has been booed at the Wachovia Center. Despite the Sixers terrible seasons since the NBA Finals in 2001, Iverson has been pretty much beyond reproach. And now he gets booed in perhaps his final game as a Sixer.

Billy King (who shouldn’t even have a job) displayed some ersatz anger and promised the situation would be dealt with. What exactly is Billy King going to do to his meal ticket? He is the one who keeps building the team around Iverson and who traded for Chris Webber. In the end, this story will just fade away and the Sixers can quietly build another sub-.500 team next season. Fan appreciation indeed.

[Philly.com]: No-Show Sixers
[Sixers.com]: (Video) Highly ironic Sixers thank you message to fans.

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Philadelphia 76ers

The long suffering Philly fans


It wasn’t like Philly fans were counting on the Sixers to deliver the parade down Broad Street but being ousted from the playoffs means yet another season without a Philly championship. That’s 23 years without a championship, folks.

The Flyers are the last of the 2005 teams to be in contention but anyone who has watched Flyers hockey this year or even in the past two decades knows their propensity for coming up small in the playoffs. (Blowing a 3-1 lead in the ECF against New Jersey comes to mind.)

Of all the cities with four big league franchises, Philadelphia has the longest drought, with the last one being the 1983 Sixers. Only Cleveland, with 3 major teams, comes close with a 35 year championship drought. There are single teams (Yankees, Celtics, Canadiens) haven’t gone that long without winning a title.

And you wonder why Philly fans are so surly.

Links:
[Philly.com]: Philly’s sports drought unprecedented?

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Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers trade Tickets for Guns



My shooting % is up

I knew the Sixers were having trouble selling out the Wachovia Center this year but filling up the arena with gun owners doesn’t seem like the smartest idea.


Anyone bringing an operable gun to a specified Philadelphia police station will receive a voucher for two upper-level tickets to a selected 76ers game in March. Limited tickets to the following games are as follows: March 9 vs. Denver; March 14 vs. Toronto; March 22 vs. Atlanta; and March 24 vs. Orlando. There will be no questions asked about the firearm; it will simply be collected at the station, melted down and refurbished into playground equipment. Collections will take place from Feb. 22-March 1, at all Philadelphia Police district locations, 24 hours per day.

Two upper level tickets are about $80. Hmm, it’s been a while since I bought a gun in Philly (ok fine, a Super Soaker) but I think you can get more than $80 on the street for a handgun. Still, I guess gun owners aren’t very smart because last time the Sixers did this, they collected about 900 guns. Oh right, it’s to get rid of guns on the street, not to get a good deal. Gotcha.

Note to self, avoid Sixers game on March 9, 14, 22 and 24th.

[Sixers]: Philadelphia 76ers Announce Anti-Violence Campaign