<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"The Philadelphia 76ers will fine Allen Iverson and Chris Webber for not being at the arena 90 minutes before Tuesday night's game against the New Jersey Nets," according to an Associated Press report on ESPN.com.</div> http://www.nba.com/news/284299.html
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise4Ever:</div><div class="quote_post">You can get fined for not being at the game before it begins? NBA has some stupid rules....</div> It's not the NBA, it's the Sixers, I guess every team/coach have their own rules.
What an end to probably one of the worst seasons in recent history (2002-03 was the worst). Now we can officially begin the rumors about where AI is going to be next season, and what this team is going to looks like. I hope AI is back next season, but from the looks of it this ten year relationship is about two months from being over. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Were they supposed to play? If not that is a pretty weird fine.</div> It’s all about respect bro. A coach has to establish a certain level of respect amidst the players in the locker room, and has to show that no one is better than anyone else. Even if your not going to play at the game the team rules should still apply to you.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I hope AI is back next season, but from the looks of it this ten year relationship is about two months from being over.</div> NO! Anyway, this fine kinda came out of nowhere. Random.
GOOD! It's a disgrace to the organization that these two "superstars" aren't even in attendance on fan appreciation night. They both should be traded, Billy King should be fired, and this team should start over.
From what I've read and seen on espn.com highlights I can say that AI and Webber are gone,or atleast one of them.I've never seen King so furious.Also I've seen some fans who never ever thought about trading Iverson wanting him gone.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting C.K.:</div><div class="quote_post">GOOD! It's a disgrace to the organization that these two "superstars" aren't even in attendance on fan appreciation night. They both should be traded, Billy King should be fired, and this team should start over.</div> Yess i agree.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Martin:</div><div class="quote_post">From what I've read and seen on espn.com highlights I can say that AI and Webber are gone,or atleast one of them.I've never seen King so furious.Also I've seen some fans who never ever thought about trading Iverson wanting him gone.</div> King was pretty steamed, but theres no reason he shouldn`t be. He even let out some harsh language which I was pretty suprised by, King usually keeps his cool.
I'm not surprised Chris Webber pulled a stunt like this, he's always been a vindictive person. I'm waiting to see what Allen Iverson has to say about the situation. He's injured, and the other 7 games he's missed due to injury, he didn't show up on the bench. It's possible neither even knew it was fan appreciation night. There's a lot of speculation about the incident, but this just seems like a fitting end to the 76ers season.
Webber and AI apologize <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Allen Iverson and Chris Webber apologized Wednesday for their actions a night earlier, when they didn't arrive to the arena until just before tip-off and then didn't sit on the bench during Philadelphia's victory over New Jersey. The players were on the bench in the first quarter for the 76ers' game at Charlotte, although Iverson returned to the locker room in the second quarter. Coach Maurice Cheeks blamed Tuesday's episode on a lack of communication. "I definitely wasn't trying to disrespect Mo in any way, or the fans, as everybody is talking about," Iverson said. "I've been here for 10 years, and to deliberately try to disrespect the fans, I would never try to do that in any way. I'm upset it came across that way." Team officials also said they should have informed the media and fans the two stars would not play on Fan Appreciation Night in Philadelphia. Iverson, who has been battling an ankle injury, said he told the team trainer on Monday that he wouldn't play against the Nets. Webber, who has a sore back, said he knew moments after the 76ers were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday that he would sit out. "It was hurting to play," Webber said. "So when our goal was terminated in making the playoffs, I knew then I wasn't going to play. "I think this is just a big misunderstanding. We didn't try to shun the fans or whatever is being reported. When you're not necessarily loved by the media, the fans are all you have."</div> <div align="center"> Source</div>
Yes, they apologized. The funny thing was seeing Billy so mad... I mean, I guess all the media scrutiny about his poor job as a GM is finally getting to him. I hope he and Webber have the first tickets out of town... hell, I'll personally buy Billy a plane ticket out of town.
It only took them two days to apologize, they should have apologized THAT NIGHT. They can't even sit on the bench? They can't even come out and give a waive to the fans? This is a side of immaturity by both Iverson and Webber. You can't show up late to a game no matter if your team is out of it or not. Heck, the Knicks have been out of it since game 10 (no offense) and their players kept showing up. I was told a story by someone who went to the game that he saw a kid, around 4-6 years old that was crying when he found out that Iverson wasn't playing, and asked his dad to take him home after the first quarter. The same fans that pay their $20 million salaries each year were waiting and that's who I feel bad for. Now I'm happy that I didn't support the two @$$holes by not going to a game this year...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brian:</div><div class="quote_post">does someone have a video of billy king's ramp? ive got to see that</div> Here's a video of Billy King's ramp. Billy King's ramp
What a great way to act on fan appreciation day. Especially since I've heard that the fans were told that AI and Webber would be playing that day. If you really have a love for the game and for your fans you should be out there playing. They weren't in the playoffs, so they had no reason to be resting.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Here's a video of Billy King's ramp. Billy King's ramp</div> ok, thanks shape.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">What a great way to act on fan appreciation day. Especially since I've heard that the fans were told that AI and Webber would be playing that day. If you really have a love for the game and for your fans you should be out there playing. They weren't in the playoffs, so they had no reason to be resting.</div> Well, then whoever told the fans that the two would be playing lied to them, because both Billy King and Maurice Cheeks had knowledge that the two were not going to be playing regardless of whether they were late or not. I've heard that that was a decision made by the organization.
