<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Before the 76ers played the Portland Trail Blazers last night at the Wachovia Center, team highlights were shown as usual on the giant screen that hangs over the basketball court. For the first time in 11 seasons, Allen Iverson was not included in the footage. The star guard was put on the Sixers' inactive list for the second straight game as the team attempts to trade him. He is in limbo as he awaits his next destination. The fans noticed Iverson's absence from the pregame video. "Somebody must have worked real fast to get all of the clips out, of Allen and all the exciting things he has done here - even this season," said Steve Palis, a 49-year-old health and physical education teacher in the Upper Darby School District. "They cut out and spliced out all of those clips, just had the guys who are going to play tonight. It was little odd and a little different. You know, I kind of missed him." A team official said that what fans saw last night was a new highlight tape. "We were already in the process of doing another video, and when it became clear he would no longer be with the team, we made the appropriate change," said Lara Price, the Sixers' senior vice president of business operations. Although Iverson initiated the trade talk by reportedly asking Sixers president Billy King last week to move him, at least one hard-core A.I. fan still did not want the high-scoring player to leave. "I want to see them keep him," said Stephen Richie, a 35-year-old general contractor. "They can't get anybody for him. There's nobody like him. He's the wrong player to move. Who are you going to bring in his place to sell tickets?"</div> Source
I don't blame them. I always had respect for Iverson, but he gave up on his team. Regardless of whether the 76ers had a chance or not, you never give up on your team. I think this trend of requesting trades has to be stopped someway. From Carter, Mourning, Jim Jackson, Shaq, this has gotten out of hand. The pregame highlights should be for the players on the team - not for players who don't want to play for the team.
How did he give up on his team? They didn't do A SINGLE thing to improve and give him a chance to win. Iverson has poured his heart and soul into the team and he's gotten nothing back. They should've traded him in the off-season and left on somewhat good terms, now things are ugly. I don't blame Iverson at all. Carter? Yes, Mourning? Yes, Shaq? Yes, Iverson? No. He's done all he possibly could to win with this franchise, he's carried them for so many years and they still fail to put good players around him and give him a chance at winning.
I don't blame AI for requesting a trade.Sixers shopped him during the summer and they would've done it again if AI wouldn't have requested a trade.Team lost a lot of games after starting well and still hasn't shown any heart to this point.AI saw that this season could be lost for the Sixers and they probably are gonna trade him away after this season so he decided to take a better road for himself and request a trade to a team that has a better record and get a chance at the title this season instead of waiting till the season ends and he's gonna get traded no matter what.It would've been a thrown away season for AI
<div class="quote_poster">TheBlackMamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">How did he give up on his team? They didn't do A SINGLE thing to improve and give him a chance to win. Iverson has poured his heart and soul into the team and he's gotten nothing back. They should've traded him in the off-season and left on somewhat good terms, now things are ugly. I don't blame Iverson at all. Carter? Yes, Mourning? Yes, Shaq? Yes, Iverson? No. He's done all he possibly could to win with this franchise, he's carried them for so many years and they still fail to put good players around him and give him a chance at winning.</div> It doesn't matter. Any time you request a trade, you do give up on the team. Although management didn't do a good job surrounding him with good talent, as a player you just have to live with it. Coming into the season Iverson said he had no problems working with the team he had and now when they're struggling, he demanded a trade. That's giving up on your team. I respect everything Iverson has done for the organization, however, a few years of struggles never justifies a trade demand. What's the difference between Iverson and someone like Carter? Carter was facing bad management in Toronto as well, so does he have the right to demand a trade? Mourning also didn't want to have anything to do with Toronto's losing and their management, so what about him? As I said, Iverson has been phenomenal during his tenure with the 76ers, but anytime you demand a trade, you're giving up on your team. If you had any doubts about management, then you should have never re-signed with the organization. If their management changes after you re-sign, then tough. That's a part of the sports life. Still baffles me how anyone can give up hope playing in the Atlantic division where every team is below .400.
