People dislike SAS on tv but you cant dislike his articles.
Stephen A. Smith | Time to Kiss and Make Up
By Stephen A. Smith Inquirer Columnist
Sixers find their game, but not an elusive victory
The Sixers entered last night's game in San Antonio with the NBA's second-worst record, having lost 10 consecutive games, nine in a row away from the Wachovia Center, and 14 of their last 15 games overall.
So we see how well Allen Iverson's exile has worked out for them thus far.
Life without Iverson has been a bad joke, exceeded in insanity only by its cruelty, doing nothing but pushing Billy King's back to the wall and highlighting the stupidity of club chairman Ed Snider.
Stupidity may be a strong word, but when you consider Snider's "we're going to trade him" declaration, it's absolutely accurate.
Snider's comments did nothing to give King leverage with other teams, and indeed actually did the contrary by stripping the Sixers' president and general manager of negotiating power.
Considering all the deals offered, and teams' reluctance to grab Iverson, it appears only one solution to this entire mess will suffice:
A reconciliation with Iverson.
Even if it has to take the form of an apology.
To put it in Dr. Phil terms, you don't have to be sincere or genuine if you're just trying to get through the night. In Iverson's case, all the Sixers are trying to do is make sure they get a return on a 10-year investment.
So apologize to the man. Bring Larry Brown to the party. Have everybody hug. Even get a few mea culpas from Iverson, too.
If the Sixers can't make a deal soon, they should just make sure they get Iverson back.
The fans, especially the season-ticket holders, deserve better from the Sixers. And from Iverson.
An Iverson return, undoubtedly, would remind the basketball world of his greatness, providing a visual perspective for what he brings to the table, allowing executives to salivate and stew and ponder what life would be like if a competitor got its hands on him.
This is something Iverson should be receptive to.
He won't flinch once it's established that too much nightlife, a tendency toward belligerence, and not enough practice are the reasons he's perceived as this year's Ron Artest. In fact, Iverson should consider it the proverbial bone being thrown his way, a gratuitous gesture by the Sixers.
Iverson's return would not only rekindle whatever value he's presumably lost, it would actually make the Sixers look smart. And, let's face it, they've looked far from brilliant for quite some time.
Teams don't become associated with brilliance when they've missed two of the last three postseasons, their biggest off-season move was firing the media relations director, and they're on their fifth coach before deciding their superstar just might not fit in.
There's no doubt the Sixers have valid points in this argument. From Iverson challenging coach Maurice Cheeks in front of the team, to his missing a team event and being fined $20,000, to his sitting on the team bus talking on his cell phone until 50 minutes before a game in Chicago two weeks ago - with television cameras right outside the bus - it's understandable why this franchise would finally make a move.
Attendance has plummeted. Executives' jobs are on the line and other jobs (custodial, concessions, etc.) have already been lost because most of the guaranteed dollars are reserved for a bunch of ballers who simply can't ball well enough for our liking.
Iverson's behavior is wrong, and someday, perhaps, we'll all look back on the Sixers' organization and say, "Way to take a stand with Iverson. That took a lot of guts."
That can't happen now, though. Not as long as the chairman is shooting off his mouth, attracting the kind of attention juvenile behavior often does.
Perhaps the Boston Celtics would've surrendered a first-round pick if Iverson were still playing. Maybe the Clippers will give up Shaun Livingston. Maybe the Sixers wouldn't need Portland to get involved to make a multi-team deal work with Denver if the talking was left solely to King, the man hired to be the face of this organization.
Walt "Clyde" Frazier once told me that the great former Knicks coach Red Holzman always said, "A royal pain in the [butt] on your team is your pain in the [butt]. Never, ever, devalue your own guy."
The Sixers failed miserably in that regard. They played themselves. Now they have to recognize there's still time to save themselves.
Get Iverson back.
Then at the right time, for the right offer, send him packing and make both sides happy.
People dislike SAS on tv but you cant dislike his articles.
Stephen A. Smith | Time to Kiss and Make Up
By Stephen A. Smith Inquirer Columnist
Sixers find their game, but not an elusive victory
The Sixers entered last night's game in San Antonio with the NBA's second-worst record, having lost 10 consecutive games, nine in a row away from the Wachovia Center, and 14 of their last 15 games overall.
So we see how well Allen Iverson's exile has worked out for them thus far.
Life without Iverson has been a bad joke, exceeded in insanity only by its cruelty, doing nothing but pushing Billy King's back to the wall and highlighting the stupidity of club chairman Ed Snider.
Stupidity may be a strong word, but when you consider Snider's "we're going to trade him" declaration, it's absolutely accurate.
Snider's comments did nothing to give King leverage with other teams, and indeed actually did the contrary by stripping the Sixers' president and general manager of negotiating power.
Considering all the deals offered, and teams' reluctance to grab Iverson, it appears only one solution to this entire mess will suffice:
A reconciliation with Iverson.
Even if it has to take the form of an apology.
To put it in Dr. Phil terms, you don't have to be sincere or genuine if you're just trying to get through the night. In Iverson's case, all the Sixers are trying to do is make sure they get a return on a 10-year investment.
So apologize to the man. Bring Larry Brown to the party. Have everybody hug. Even get a few mea culpas from Iverson, too.
If the Sixers can't make a deal soon, they should just make sure they get Iverson back.
The fans, especially the season-ticket holders, deserve better from the Sixers. And from Iverson.
An Iverson return, undoubtedly, would remind the basketball world of his greatness, providing a visual perspective for what he brings to the table, allowing executives to salivate and stew and ponder what life would be like if a competitor got its hands on him.
This is something Iverson should be receptive to.
He won't flinch once it's established that too much nightlife, a tendency toward belligerence, and not enough practice are the reasons he's perceived as this year's Ron Artest. In fact, Iverson should consider it the proverbial bone being thrown his way, a gratuitous gesture by the Sixers.
Iverson's return would not only rekindle whatever value he's presumably lost, it would actually make the Sixers look smart. And, let's face it, they've looked far from brilliant for quite some time.
Teams don't become associated with brilliance when they've missed two of the last three postseasons, their biggest off-season move was firing the media relations director, and they're on their fifth coach before deciding their superstar just might not fit in.
There's no doubt the Sixers have valid points in this argument. From Iverson challenging coach Maurice Cheeks in front of the team, to his missing a team event and being fined $20,000, to his sitting on the team bus talking on his cell phone until 50 minutes before a game in Chicago two weeks ago - with television cameras right outside the bus - it's understandable why this franchise would finally make a move.
Attendance has plummeted. Executives' jobs are on the line and other jobs (custodial, concessions, etc.) have already been lost because most of the guaranteed dollars are reserved for a bunch of ballers who simply can't ball well enough for our liking.
Iverson's behavior is wrong, and someday, perhaps, we'll all look back on the Sixers' organization and say, "Way to take a stand with Iverson. That took a lot of guts."
That can't happen now, though. Not as long as the chairman is shooting off his mouth, attracting the kind of attention juvenile behavior often does.
Perhaps the Boston Celtics would've surrendered a first-round pick if Iverson were still playing. Maybe the Clippers will give up Shaun Livingston. Maybe the Sixers wouldn't need Portland to get involved to make a multi-team deal work with Denver if the talking was left solely to King, the man hired to be the face of this organization.
Walt "Clyde" Frazier once told me that the great former Knicks coach Red Holzman always said, "A royal pain in the [butt] on your team is your pain in the [butt]. Never, ever, devalue your own guy."
The Sixers failed miserably in that regard. They played themselves. Now they have to recognize there's still time to save themselves.
Get Iverson back.
Then at the right time, for the right offer, send him packing and make both sides happy.
After you've gotten what you want, Mr. Snider.
Not before.
At this point, I'm starting to think that Stephen A. is right. The Sixers were far to brash in their response to Iverson's trade demand and as a result, lost away some of their leverage.
At this point, I'm starting to think that Stephen A. is right. The Sixers were far to brash in their response to Iverson's trade demand and as a result, lost away some of their leverage.
They were brash it seems... especially because they did not know what they could get for him.... look what Indiana got for Artest.... history should have told them.......
Not happening GoBB. There hasn't been a time in history where a chairman says "We will trade him" and then takes it back.
Not the point, if the Sixers dont have a deal and continue to play games without him. Ed and Billy look like idiots. You either play him or trade him. You cant let games pass and not play him. If you dont like any offers? Suck it up, swallow your pride and play the guy and continue to work on a deal.
Not the point, if the Sixers dont have a deal and continue to play games without him. Ed and Billy look like idiots. You either play him or trade him. You cant let games pass and not play him. If you dont like any offers? Suck it up, swallow your pride and play the guy and continue to work on a deal.
You can play him, but who's to say he'll show up to the games.
You can play him, but who's to say he'll show up to the games.
And whos gonna put him back into the videos?
If worse came to worse AI would show up and he would play ..But Philly wont do that ..they pretty much tryd to erase his existance from the franchise ..so dont expect to see him back in a philly uni not happening...Sixers management are Beyatches
