I will keep this relatively short and sweet.
I want the Atlanta Hawks to sign Allen Iverson.
He needs a team. He has a home in Atlanta. An Iverson Hawks jersey would be bananas!! He'd help with ticket sales. And last but not least.... He's still better than every other guard on the Hawks roster. He just is.
People would have you believe that last year was a sign of him slowing down and not having "it" anymore. I couldn't disagree more. That Pistons team never even gave it a chance to work out with AI. Rip, Tae and Rasheed were so devastated when Chauncey got traded they didn't even bother to try afterwards. There was a whole lot of standing around and pouting and it was never going to work because the remaining Pistons were just as vigilant as Chauncey in their efforts to show Dumars he shouldn't have traded him. They never embraced AI so it was doomed from the beginning.
AI is not completely blameless. He didn't respond well to coming off the bench. Yes he could have handled it better, but I certainly understand why he felt the way he felt. Well I understand it as best as someone who hasn't talked to him can understand it.
Anyway, if the Hawks can sign AI for around the MLE then they should do it. Why not? We all know there's no way in hell Woody is going to play Teague so they can bring AI in and since he has this thing about coming off the bench, they can let him start and bring Bibby off the bench.
They need to do this. Allen Iverson has overcome throughout his entire career and now he's in a situation where much like when he was a rookie everyone is doubting him. He can be very dangerous and at the very least it would be interesting to watch. Pretty much everything involving the Atlanta Hawks this off-season has been less than exciting. I'm actually bored with the fact that we are bringing back the same team. The same team to be coached by a man who doesn't have a guaranteed contract after this season.
It's just disheartening that other teams are genuinely making moves that they think will make them better, meanwhile the Hawks are making lateral moves. I have nothing against Mike or Za Za or Marvin, but we needed to do more and we didn't. They've now proven to me beyond a shadow of doubt that they are not trying to win a championship or even compete for one. They want to be just good enough. That should not be good enough for fans. It's not good enough for me.
Do I think Allen Iverson is The Answer? No I don't. As a fan I'd have every hope that he would be, but as a realist I know he probably isn't. I want Iverson here because of all the reasons I listed way back in the beginning of this relatively short post. If those reasons aren't good enough, the last thing I can offer you is, he's Allen f*cking Iverson. That's reason enough for me.
Tell me why you're for or against it.
9 comments:
I normally like your train of thought, but the idea of JJ, AI, and Jamal Crawford in the same backcourt pretty much ensures that you'd never see a shot for Horford or Smith until 2010-2011. To which I can say - we probably can then say goodbye to Al Horford.
So, I couldn't disagree more - we have to get the focus off the backcourt and on to the frontcourt. Ramon Sessions is the answer, I say. Sign and trade for Bibby...who's with me?
Larry, I can't even make an argument against Ramon Sessions because I've never ever ever paid attention to him when the Hawks played the Bucks. Look I'm not even trying to be funny, but he plays in Milwaukee. I'd almost be willing to bet money no one watches the Bucks unless they're playing against their favorite team. (or unless they live in Milwaukee) Maybe he's one of those under the radar studs. I don't know. They don't get nationally televised games like that so the only time I see him is when the Bucks play the Hawks. I can honestly tell you that I've never paid one bit of attention to Ramon Sessions. So again, I can't make an argument for or against him. However the team we have now pretty much already ensures no shots for Al. Let's first acknowledge the fact that our offense does not focus on the post. We are a jump shooting team. Period. Their (bigs) main job is to rebound missed shots by our guards. You know and I know that ball movement is non-existent and the offense is basically the 1 on 3 iso. Having acknowledged that, it makes even more sense to have a player like AI who can create his own shot. I think you're thinking in terms of the team you want to have as opposed to the team we actually have. Based on what we know about this team and this head coach, adding AI to the mix wouldn't do any harm that I can see. He'll fit seamlessly into the Mike Woodson offense.
I'm bored with this team. If we are going to be a middle of the pack team (which we are) then the least we can be is fun to watch.
i see you have a picture of ai's philly jersey. can i assume we will be getting the 2003 version of iverson?
Hahha. I'd settle for the 07-08 version of AI.
AI has never been on a good team outside of the one in Philly when he was surrounded exclusively by role players.
Every other team he has been on was better before or after his arrival and actually made worse by his addition.
AI loves the game of basketball more than many of the more "accepted" players out there and that made me respect and like him even more than his obvious ability to score the basketball.
One of my all time favorite players.
I really thought you were kidding, but your serious. I will just say that Allen Iverson will always be AI. If that means ball hog then we really don't need that. We do need a ball hog, but a reserve ball hog a flip murray, jamal crawford, or j.r. smith. We need someone who needs to get their shots, can get their shots, but won't throw a sissy fit when they don't get the number they want. (not deserve). What happens when all the players see Mike Woodson get yelled at and disrespected by Allen Iverson and then even after a suspension get what he wants because it is AI. I don't want to go through 4 years of Josh Smith picking up on AI's practice beliefs or ego.
Well Jonathan, the players see Mike Woodson get yelled at by lesser players like Josh Smith. I'm very bored with this team. They are going to be a middle of the pack team, they should at least give us something to talk about. I'm sorry but this season already has disaster written all over it. Letting Mike Woodson (without a contract) coach a team with players who have minimal respect for him is a disaster in the making. When the season starts I will no doubt have high hopes for the team, but it's the offseason and I'm bored.
yeah he gets yelled at by lesser players, but then their is punishment and I assume the players fall in line. I don't think Allen Iverson is going to fall into anybody's line he never has.
And the first year we went to the playoffs he was in a contract year. I must believe Woody when he says this will not be a problem. If the players were going to mutiny they would have already done it and if they do it now I doubt they will be doing it thinking lets tank some games so fans can stop believing in us and we can go back to not being on television and being considered relevant especially in the contract years for Joe Johnson and Al horford.
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