| God Made a Mistake |
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| Written by Chip Crain |
| Tuesday, 17 November 2009 14:38 |
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Does anyone else remember when Allen Iverson told the media that God told him to sign with the Memphis Grizzles?   "God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career," Allen Iverson-  I do and as much as I would like to say I am shocked, upset and surprised by the sudden departure of Allen Iverson from the Grizzlies roster, I can't do that. I saw this coming from before day one. Even after he signed I wasn't exactly thrilled with the deal but at least I was hopeful he would adapt his game for the betterment of the team. I was wrong. I've been wrong before but this time I wasn't alone. God was wrong as well. His agent has been twittering since the announcement about how Allen Iverson is working out hard and how he hopes to sign a new contract very soon. Apparently AI is telling teams he is willing to come off the bench and just wants to help his team win, whatever team that is. I don't know if anyone reminded AI about his message from God. Apparently that won't stop his agent either way.ÂWhat a load of bull. Allen Iverson is only concerned with Allen Iverson. Only a terrible team desperate for something to excite their fans would even look sideways at signing the cancer. He just blew off one of them. So naturally Allen's agent is twittering that the Knicks are interested in signing AI. The Knicks are nearly as bad as the Grizzlies and have a far larger need to improve with the difficult NYC fans. Just to remind some upset fans, this isn't the Grizzlies fault either. This entire situation was created, manipulated and orchestrated by Allen Iverson. Does anyone believe God realized his mistake and told AI to make up a family emergency and then accept the buyout so he can try and fool people in the Big Apple to pay him to play there and disrupt their team? After all, if it took AI one game to complain about not starting ahead of Mike Conley how long will it take for him to complain about plaing behind Chris Duhon? Or is it more likely that AI simply saw Memphis as backwood religious hicks who would respond positively to his mentioning God? MAybe bringing up God was in some way a marketing ploy by AI to attract Southern Baptists who don't usually follow the NBA (or dance or drink for that matter). Does anyone believe God told Allen Iverson to sign with Memphis so that he could abuse the team, ignore the coach nor adapt his game or his attitude to make the team better? Maybe God never got around to telling AI why he was supposed to come to Memphis. After all, the role he was supposed to play with the Grizzlies never came up when Heisley, Wallace and Hollins talked to him in Atlanta. Maybe God just never got around to telling him why. Or maybe God just felt it wasn't necessary to tell him the obvious. Memphis has a gaping hole in scoring off the bench. They team is not built to win right now with the youngest roster in the league. What they needed, and still need for that matter, is a veteran leader who can help educate and encourage the team while accepting his role with the team. Allen Iverson could see this as easily as everyone else. Maybe God, Heisley and the rest didn't believe that this would need to be explained to Iverson. Apparently they were wrong.  One can only hope that the Grizzlies discussed the role Jamal Tinsley will play on the team.  Or at least God mentioned it when helping Tinsley decide to sign with Memphis. |
Comments
In order to fulfill God's will, one must first SUBMIT to God's will. Clearly, Iverson's ego would not allow him to do that. How does the phrase go? EGO stands for "Edging God Out."
I, too, wrote about how Allen could have helped this team by submitting to the team concept. I, too, am disappointed that the fuse on this experiment was so short.
Here's hoping that Jamal Tinsley provides what Allen Iverson refused to: maturity, professionalism and a team-first attitude.
I need to find a place that wants to win now and enjoys having sellout crowds. That ain't Memphis!!!
The Grizzlies are the worst team in the league. They have NEVER won so much as a single playoff game in their entire history!!
They employ idiots like Wallace & Hollins who do nothing but drag the team back to the lottery year after year.
I am better than EVERY SINGLE PLAYER ON YOUR AWFUL TEAM. But in Grizzlyland, that means a player like me (an 11 time allstar & league MVP) plays backup to a stiff like Conley.
Wallace & Hollins are idiots & Conley has no hope of ever being better that A.I. is right now.
I enjoy winning & sellout crowds, but then again, I'm not from Memphis.
Now the irony of the whole thing, for someone who believes in God, is that maybe he ended up in Memphis to be taught a little humility, and he failed miserably, MISERABLY.
AI wanted to be the center of attention and he didn't get it except when he was introduced by the Grizzlies. He came into to camp out-of shape and under prepared. Then he when he became injured, he acted like that made no difference when he could finally play.
Iverson lives in the past and is not at peace with reality of today that he is not the same player he was even 5 years ago. Wake up to reality Alan Iverson! All the NBA teams, GMs, and head coaches see you as you really are -- a great player of the past who needs to take a new role on a team just as some other great players have done when they were way past their prime.
We are sorry that your days with the Grizzlies did not last longer. Who knows, if you had stayed around longer, you might have started. But you didn't give it a chance by quitting only 3 games into your playing season with the team.
Good bye.