Sports Radio Interviews

From September 10th: I Wonder if AI Still Feels This Way…Allen Iverson: I Feel Like I Can Win A Championship In Memphis

Below is a post I wrote on September 10th of this year.  I knew this wouldn’t work out, but I sure thought it would take a month to six weeks before Iverson started complaining.  It took exactly one game.  One game!  Some guys are just delusional.  Iverson is clearly in that category.  This was his last chance to avoid going the Marbury route (at least from a basketball perspective).  There were no teams outside of the Clippers and the Grizzlies that showed any interest in Iverson and the truth is both these teams were looking for a box office buzz.  And neither of these teams needed him.  The Grizz have two young high draft picks starting in the backcourt in Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo and the Clippers are set as well with Baron Davis and Eric Gordon.

If guys like Shaq, Dr. J, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler, and Reggie Miller could adjust their games as they aged for the betterment of the team, why can’t Iverson.  He will be a basketball pariah after this.  No one will touch him.  He could have been a scoring machine coming off the bench like a Vinnie Johnson or Jason Terry.  I think it’s too later for that now.  He’s too proud to not be a starter.  Iverson is currently on personal leave with the Grizzlies.  Who knows if it’s really personal; either way I don’t expect him to return to the Grizzlies.

I decided to listen back to this interview AI did immediately aftter signing with the Grizzlies to hear if he spoke about coming off the bench and if it would cause a problem.  Here’s what he said back on September 10th when asked if he’d be fine with it if they asked him to come off the bench and become a sixth man:

“Obviously they’d think would be the best thing for the team, so I’d have to be fine with it.  I wouldn’t be fine with it, but you wouldn’t see it in my play. I’d play the same way.”

They followed that up with what is the biggest misconception about Iverson:

“That it’s all about me.  That’s all.  That it’s all about me.”

After Iverson’s most recent behavior, it sure is hard to believe that it’s a misconception.   (Below this is Sept. 10th post)

Have to love that headline!  He feels like he can win a championship in Memphis just like I felt like I could get Alyssa Milano (back in the ”Who’s the Boss” days) to be my girlfriend if she ever met me.  Have to love adolescent stupidity.  Truth is, my chances were better than AI finally winning a championship and in Memphis no less.

Other than his practice soliliquoy, Iverson has always represented himself well in press conferences and interviews.  He typically says the right thing and gets you rooting for him.  Maybe this time he’ll be sincere when he says he’ll adapt his game.  His reputation is sullied after the Detroit debacle and the demand for Iverson this off-season has bordered on non-existant.   Memphis said it wasn’t box office related, but if you go to their website, you get a free Iverson replica jersey for buying season tickets. 

I know he’ll adapt his game for the first month of the season, but the real question is will he be able to accomplish that for a season.  Iverson joined WHBQ in Memphis after his press conference for an extremely rare sports radio interview. 

How are you all gonna get your shots in Memphis?

“It’s not about shots, it’s about winning.  I’ve had four scoring titles, and been to All-Star games, and MVPs, I’ve done all those things, only thing missing from my resume is a championship.  And, that’s the only thing I’m trying to accomplish.  For me to be trying to win a scoring title right now would be crazy.  The only thing that’s gonna solidify me as one of the top players in this league is to win a championship.”

How does Memphis’ welcome make you feel?

“I really don’t have any words to explain it.  I mean, I’ve been through a couple press conferences and I’ve never seen this many people, this many fans.  It’s just a great feeling, it just gives me goosebumps inside, just to know that these people welcoming me to the town.  I’m just ready to give them everything that I got.”

Why do you feel you have to prove yourself again?

“Just for the fact that, for Allen Iverson, last year in people’s eyes was unacceptable.  Just for a normal player, 17.5 (PPG) that’s a good season, but for me, to people is unacceptable.  It was just a bad situation I was in, it wasn’t a good fit for me, and it just makes me hungrier, to get that fire back, and that desire to win.”

What do you expect to accomplish in Memphis?

“I expect to win and that’s gonna be the best part of this ending of my career, hopefully, and this will be the end right here in Memphis, that I can come in and contribute and turn this team in to a winner.  And, I’m not just saying playoffs, and I know people will be thinking I’m crazy for feeling like I can win a championship with this team, but in my heart, I do.  If I didn’t feel that way, I would be cheating them, I’d be cheating the fans, I’d be cheating the organization.”

Listen to Allen Iverson on WHBQ in Memphis

Tags: "The Answer", Allen Iverson, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA interviews