Iverson dealing with alcohol and gambling issues (Merged)

[celticsclay]

Let's see you very condescendingly called us "perfect people" and said "it must be nice".....that's pretty patronizing

You inferred we weren't willing to help people with the "As long as it's someone else helping them. Uh-huh ... guess you made my point for me." line......that's pretty patronizing

And then you accuse people of not allowing you an opinion when it has been you that's been patronizing us about our opinion

I am surprised you are surprised by our reactions to what are clearly antagonistic posts by you

Very surprised

I thought it was pretty impressive when AI carried a team to the finals with just a few other solid starters and a bunch of players to the finals. I have to look up who else was on that team.

[PLamb]

Let's see you very condescendingly called us "perfect people" and said "it must be nice".....that's pretty patronizing

You inferred we weren't willing to help people with the "As long as it's someone else helping them. Uh-huh ... guess you made my point for me." line......that's pretty patronizing

And then you accuse people of not allowing you an opinion when it has been you that's been patronizing us about our opinion

I am surprised you are surprised by our reactions to what are clearly antagonistic posts by you

Very surprised

I thought it was pretty impressive when AI carried a team to the finals with just a few other solid starters and a bunch of players to the finals. I have to look up who else was on that team.

AI the player was an impressive thing

Never particularly liked his game as I think it's very self centered and not team oriented but thought he was an impressive player and he gets respect from me for his game

His attitude towards authority figures, rules, and other things is not something I respect or like and so I don't like him

I hope he gets help or helps himself before more bad happens to him

But I don't feel sorry for him

[Bahku]

Let's see you very condescendingly called us "perfect people" and said "it must be nice".....that's pretty patronizing

You inferred we weren't willing to help people with the "As long as it's someone else helping them. Uh-huh ... guess you made my point for me." line......that's pretty patronizing

And then you accuse people of not allowing you an opinion when it has been you that's been patronizing us about our opinion

I am surprised you are surprised by our reactions to what are clearly antagonistic posts by you

Very surprised

Sorry, not going there ... this is a post full of assumptions you've made, not facts. Assume what you want, but I apologized and moved on. Please don't accuse me of being antagonistic, however, because that was not the intent. God bless.

[LB3533]

I feel bad for AI and his family.

It seems a lot of things are hitting AI at the same time in his life.....his career is in shambles, his family has issues etc.

It has to be rough on a rich person to go through all that and not be able to enjoy his blessings.

I am not saying that it isn't rough for poor people or middle class people.....just saying if you were rich wouldn't you rather be enjoying life instead of having to deal with negative pains, trials and tribulations?

[celticsclay]

As I take a moment to look back, here is the roster for the 2001 Easter Conference Champion Philadelphia team that Iverson led to the NBA finals. This was clearly the highlight of his NBA career. The only other star on this team was Mutombo, who at the time was 34 (I know he played for a number of years after this, but just pointing out he was not in his prime). I think it is pretty crazy to look at this team later and think it went to the finals, won a game against kobe and shaq and lost two other games by single digits. This roster actually looks inferior to the celtics eastern conference finals team several years later that I feel overachieved.

 
Allen Iverson
Dikembe Mutombo
Aaron McKie
Eric Snow
Tyrone Hill
George Lynch
Matt Geiger
Rodney Buford
Jumaine Jones
Todd MacCulloch
Kevin Ollie
Roshown McLeod
Raja Bell
Anthony Miller

[Donoghus]

Has Iverson issued any sort of comment or statement on this?

[celticsclay]

Has Iverson issued any sort of comment or statement on this?

Umm I hate to get into this level of reporting cause I think tweets are ridiculous. However, Iverson (according to espn) reported that he thanked his fans for supporting him and the allegations against him were untrue and disappointing. Something to that effect. Additionally, on the interview I saw this morning Stephen A Smith backtracked off some of his comments saying he has heard Iverson has not been in a casino in months and that he never claimed he was an alcoholic. If this story turns out to be a lot of bull, I would like to see Stephen A Smith never able to write for a newspaper again, but am realistic enough not to expect this. (At least he already got his show canceled)

[Fafnir]

Has Iverson issued any sort of comment or statement on this?

Yes he has:

To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with "rhino" thick skin. Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren't true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God's help I will overcome. God Bless You All.

Its from his twitter account, I found it on Ball Don't Lie.

[PLamb]

Has Iverson issued any sort of comment or statement on this?

Yes he has:

To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with "rhino" thick skin. Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren't true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God's help I will overcome. God Bless You All.

Its from his twitter account, I found it on Ball Don't Lie.

He doesn't really go out of his way to say that Smith's allegations are lies, which I find weird

All he says is that he is used to people saying things about him that are not true

I understand the inference but it seems very carefully worded, almost politician/lawyer-like

Say something around the subject, don't say anything directly about the subject and let people make their own assumptions

[Finkelskyhook]

I feel bad for the coaches, players, and organizations that this jerk left in his selfish wake.

[budMovin]

He has had a million chances to grow up. The whole thing about his child being sick is awful and I express nothing but my heartfelt condolences for that. As far as everything else, I have never seen an athlete try harder (in my short lifetime) to throw away all the achievements he has worked so hard for.

[Donoghus]

Well, from what was written on his Twitter, I honestly don't know what to take away from the whole situation.  He doesn't really address anything head-on and comes across as pretty vague.  Who knows what's really going on. 

[indeedproceed]

If he's really struggling with alcohol than I feel very bad for him. An internet msg board isn't really the place for discussion on it, but my father struggled with alcohol. Not as in he went out gambling and drank a lot but as in he wouldn't leave his bed for weeks at a time, unless it was to get more booze and went through the detox and rehab process half a dozen times before he finally got clean.

I can tell anyone who has not truly seen this kind of thing first hand, it is one of the toughest things a family can go through. I feel for AI's family and hope he finds some kind of peace. People have all kinds of motivation to self medicate, whether its alcohol, drugs, or whatever. I won't deny that it is wrong, but I will absolutely dispute the "he made his bed now he can sleep in it" kind of thinking. You will never find a person in your life who feels more alone, worthless, and self loathing than someone who is really deep in the clutches of alcoholism, and if you have really seen it, you know that thinking "well if they don't ask for help screw them" is just blind thinking.

I don't begrudge anyone that line of thought. I went through a whole gamut of emotions when helping my own father and my family though his addiction. I'm just saying from experience, there are many more reasons these people don't ask for help then pride or hubris. Once I understood that, there wasn't anything left to feel besides pity.

[celticsclay]

If he's really struggling with alcohol than I feel very bad for him. An internet msg board isn't really the place for discussion on it, but my father struggled with alcohol. Not as in he went out gambling and drank a lot but as in he wouldn't leave his bed for weeks at a time, unless it was to get more booze and went through the detox and rehab process half a dozen times before he finally got clean.

I can tell anyone who has not truly seen this kind of thing first hand, it is one of the toughest things a family can go through. I feel for AI's family and hope he finds some kind of peace. People have all kinds of motivation to self medicate, whether its alcohol, drugs, or whatever. I won't deny that it is wrong, but I will absolutely dispute the "he made his bed now he can sleep in it" kind of thinking. You will never find a person in your life who feels more alone, worthless, and self loathing than someone who is really deep in the clutches of alcoholism, and if you have really seen it, you know that thinking "well if they don't ask for help screw them" is just blind thinking.

I don't begrudge anyone that line of thought. I went through a whole gamut of emotions when helping my own father and my family though his addiction. I'm just saying from experience, there are many more reasons these people don't ask for help then pride or hubris. Once I understood that, there wasn't anything left to feel besides pity.

Thanks for sharing this. I have had some experiences with my life that has changed how I view things like this as well. It doesn't mean me or you are necessarily wiser or more smarter, just have a different perspective. I hope things are going well for you and your family. This blog is an interesting place, I know I have shared a few things on here before that I wouldnt normally expect to say on a sports message board.

[Finkelskyhook]

A lifetime of me-itis.

Should have caught up to this jerk a long time ago.

can't disagree more. i think the rap iverson gets a lot of the time is absurd. he is one of the last players, and people, i would ever claim to be suffering from a case of me-itis. oh well, this has been debated ad nauseum before and one side never seems to sway the other so let me simply say i'm look forward to the forthcoming 30 for 30 on the iverson fight/trial by steve james, director of hoop dreams:

http://30for30.espn.com/film/no-crossover-the-trial-of-allen-iverson.html

the next run of 30 for 30's are looking excellent. a bunch of films i am psyched to see. winning time, which i have heard is excellent, the iverson above, westhead/gathers/loyola, the founding of fantasy (or rotissere) baseball, ice cube on the raiders in l.a. looking forward to a bunch of these.

Yes, you're right.  That paragon of virtue who has tanked for two teams, gotten multiple coaches fired, alienated and undermined coaches, teammates, and organizations is the antithesis of me-itis.