When Athlete Role Models Went on the Decline

It seemed that we were about to witness Allen Iverson retire from the game of basketball, but according to Real GM Basketball, he may make another come back in a different uniform after his official departure from the Memphis Grizzlies. Iverson's dilemma is becoming a rollercoaster ride for basketball fans and AI fans in particular. They do not want to see the future hall of fame player suffer the same fate as Stephon Marbury and Latrell Sprewell did. Sprewell could have easily provided a major impact for championship contending teams such as the Spurs and Mavericks had he accepted a realistic contract offer. Once a professional athlete reaches his thirties, his value will automatically drop in the free agency market unless you are Kobe Bryant.

I do not understand why these athletes who are considered heroes by some can pull tantrums in front of the media and expect fans to sympathize them. Guys like Ron Artest, Terrell Owens, and Stephen Jackson come to mind and they are possibly the main reason why fans are fed up with professional sports. I'm assuming these guys believe the whole world revolves around them, but that's okay because once they retire from their sport they will realize how much they miss the attention from their fans. In this current economy people need to be grateful for what they already have especially when there are people struggling to survive on the streets with no money or food. This is another reason why I think the program NBA Cares is just too ridiculous to swallow. How the heck can you believe any of these guys actually care about their communities? Sure, there are excellent individuals such as Dikembe Mutombo and David Robinson who actually care about them, but that's only a tiny portion of the already small population of respectable athletes.

According to the New York Daily News, Knicks President Donnie Walsh is seriously considering the signing of Allen Iverson to their roster once he decides to clear waivers. This is surprising news after what Iverson recently did to the Grizzlies organization and its fans. Anyway, this move by Walsh would be total genius because it may prove to be critical in the signing of LeBron James to the New York Knicks next summer. I strongly doubt James would want to play the Nets since they are currently the worst team in the league at 0-10.

Recent information regarding Allen Iverson's departure from Memphis was published at www.espn.com.

News regarding the New York Knick's interest in AI was published at New York Daily News.