Pull that number 3 jersey out of the closet, the Philadelphia 76ers are relevant again!
The Sixers signed future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson this morning after days of rumors floating around that it was a possibility. Well it's official now, and we can start buying tickets. Or trying to buy tickets I should say. They're going fast depending on the game and the section you want to sit in. The website was actually down for 20 mintutes today because of the traffic that was created thanks to Bubbachuck's return to town.
But what does it all mean?
For starters, I'm not going to be stating anything too groundbreaking in this blog. Everyone who knows anything about basketball and the Sixers current predicament is aware that:
1) This move wouldn't have happened if Lou Williams didn't get hurt
2) AI's Philly comeback will sell tickets (and has already) in a city that was at the bottom of the NBA in attendance and create a buzz around the Sixers that was definitely not there before
3) There are only a handful of contenders and the Sixers aren't one of them, with or without Iverson
Don't get me wrong, do I dream about Allen magically taking this team on a deep playoff run and turning the city on to hoops again? Of course. But I also dream about having a hit single and dating Anne Hathaway, so I certainly am not getting my hopes up. Still, just having him back in town is enough for me to make an effort to get to some NBA games this year.
A few things I have to say to all the Iverson haters out there:
For starters, he is the most unique basketball player (maybe even athlete) of all time. He is undeniably entertaining. Between his lightning quick speed, his untouchable crossover, and his ability to be undersized and take a constant pounding while still delivering the goods, it's not a surprise that people buy tickets to see him play.
Everyone says he's not a team player, yet there isn't a guy in the league who wouldn't want him on their squad. The problem is he's difficult to fit in the structure of a winning team. It's nearly impossible to find a system that someone his size with his particular skill set can easily fit into. When he was on the team that was the perfect fit, he had mulitple playoff appearances and would have a championship under his belt if he didn't run into one of the greatest teams in basketball history.
Now he comes back to Philly after a few failed stops. But who expected a title to come out of any of those stops? It wasn't likely that a guy who you have to build around would come into a situation with his best years behind him and be the final piece to a championship contender. Love him or hate him, you can't blame him for being an undersized guy who takes alot of shots. That's just what he is. Defensively I will say he has never come close to reaching what he could potentially be on that end of the floor given the speed he possesses. Then again, the idea of not reaching potential as a defensive player applies to 80% of the league, so he's not alone there. He does disrupt passing lanes, steal alot of balls and start breakaways but certainly you don't want him one-on-one defensively in the post with a bigger guard. Again, that's what he brings, take it or leave it.
As far as who he is as a person and off the court issues, you could debate it till his eventual induction into the Hoops HOF. People probably will, because AI is a polarizing figure, one whose mere name sparks more conversation in the Delaware Valley than the rest of the Sixers roster combined.
It is what it is, and if nothing else, it got me to write a blog post about the Sixers, which definitely would not have happened if the Answer hadn't come back for round 2.
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