The Allen Iverson saga has turned from bad to worse. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephen A. Smith reported that after being released from the Sixers, Iverson's wife and high school sweetheart filed for divorce. The NBA superstar has been also battling alcohol and gambling issues related to his family problems. I have never been an Iverson fan more so because I thought he was the anti-Jordan but I've always had a healthy respect for his game and what's he's done. When he towed the Sixers to the Finals against Los Angeles in 2001, I thought that was one of the most incredible feats in sports. That was literally David versus Goliath.
There's this developing trend where we see former stars with a troublesome reputation being cast out or being given a doubly hard time in securing a slot on a team. I figure that's the owners closing ranks and saying, enough is enough. I know the NBA has seminars for its rookies on money management, public relations, and stuff but I wonder, especially with the Players Association if they are also looking at studying cases of their players with problems off the court. The Iverson photo by the way is by Gary Dineen of Getty Images.
Is Matt Barnes going to bust a blood vessel? Or is this the UFC? The rough Lakers-Orlando Magic game yesterday? I like it. Nothing like some good old trash talking and bad blood right between a couple of teams before the start of the playoffs. As for Barnes, I've always thought he was a tough and intense player but I wonder if that eventually wears off his teammates seeing as to he has bounced around with after making a name for himself with the Golden State Warriors -- Phoenix and now Orlando (well, he did hook up with four other NBA teams before helping the Warriors in their giant-killing spree of 2007. No word whether Barnes is on Kobe's X'Mas list for the year.
Yoann Gorcuff. Okay, let me not second guess Carlo Ancelotti for benching him in Milan, but the French midfielder is enjoying a renaissance with Bordeaux and not with his beloved Rennes. Yep, I'm a fan of Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus, the Los Angeles Galaxy, Lyon, and Ajax Amsterdam, but if there's any league I enjoy watching it's the French Ligue 1. Before you snicker yourself into oblivion, know that Les Bleus are my fave national squad (outside the Azkals). And that has perpetuated my interest in French football squads. Gorcuff is a national player and has bounced off compliments between Karim Benzema and himself at their heir to Zizou. Check out this link to youtube and have a cow. It was from last season between Bordeaux and Paris St. Germain. I still go wow every time I see it. Exceptionale!!! Gorcuff... magic!
And yep, this is my ticket to go meet the Dream King. Not going to miss this opportunity this time around.
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