Tweet War: Talking Allen Iverson's Leave Of Absence With Stephen A Smith

Last week, Stephen A. Smith published a column in the Philadelphia Inquirer discussing Allen Iverson’s future (or lack thereof) with the Philadelphia 76ers for the rest of the season.

Iverson’s taken a leave of absence to be with his 4-year-old daughter Messiah, who by all reports (including Iverson’s own Twitter account) is ill with a disease that doctors can’t diagnose yet. 

Personally, I felt that anyone (including Screamin’ A) that wrote an article about Iverson’s basketball future while he was out tending to his sickly child was disrespecting Iverson as a person and as a basketball player.  Personally, I imagined that Iverson didn’t (and still doesn’t) care what happens to his basketball career over these final 25 games of the NBA season, so long as his daughter can recover.  

So I wrote an article about it , right here on Bleacher Report. 

[Note: At the time of Stephen A.'s article, there had been no official news about Iverson's future with the Sixers, one way or another.  Today, the Sixers announced that they would part ways with Iverson , to allow him to devote his full attention to Messiah and his family. ] 

When I posted said article to my Twitter account , I made sure to tag Stephen A.’s name, on the off chance that he’d see his name, read my article, and respond.

Well, mission half-accomplished.

As you’ll see, Stephen A. did take time out of his busy mornings to Tweet back and forth with me about Iverson, his leave of absence, and Smith’s Inquirer column.  But I’m not convinced he actually read my article, given that, well, he doesn’t really respond to many (any?) of my points.

With that said… I present to you, with running commentary: The Great Allen Iverson’s Leave of Absence Tweet Discussion With Stephen A. Smith.

It all began so innocently…

I posted the article to my Twitter with the title and its bit.ly link, just as I always do.  I confess… I may have tried to stir the muck with Smith early (to catch his eye) if I’d give him a shout out like I do.

This one goes out to @StephenASmith ...Ripping Allen Iverson's Leave Of Absence From #Sixers  Is Reprehensiblehttp://bit.ly/d4L6gh 12:36 AM Feb 24th  via web

Smith didn’t like that.

stephenasmith  @ btoporek  I did no such thing. Please be accurate. I said it's totally understandable, but that he's lost a step. He's not what he use to be 6:35 AM Feb 24th  via web in reply to btoporek

Okay… well, Mr. Smith, in my defense, I just said “this one goes out to you” because your column inspired me to write my article.  I promise I will not stoop to the level of the commenters on your article, and I will not make fun of the fact you repeatedly say “use to be” instead of “used to be” in your article and on your Twitter.  Here’s what I fired back:

@stephenasmith  In all fairness, I linked the title of my own article, about why making AI's absence about anything besides family is WRONG. 12:03 AM Feb 25th  via web

@stephenasmith  I also read your article front to back. No mention of absence being "totally understandable." [Ed. note: This is true. Really no mention of his leave being understandable.]  Two mentions of his daughter. 12:03 AM Feb 25th  via web

@stephenasmith  When the front office, player, and teammates are all saying he's gone 'cuz of his daughter, shouldn't you discuss that more?12:04 AM Feb 25th  via web

@stephenasmith  Just sayin - it's about his family. Don't think we should be writing about AI and basketball when his daughter's this sick.12:04 AM Feb 25th  via web 

Nope.  I got a journalism lesson from a true professional.

stephenasmith  @btoporek  Not true. As long as he's signed by a team, he's still a player. That means we have an obligation to talk about him. Respectfully 7:31 AM Feb 25th  via web in reply to btoporek

Let’s consult the tapes for a minute, shall we?  From Stephen A.’s original article:

“But a cricket fan from England wouldn't have a hard time deciphering what's going on here.

Iverson isn't what he used to be.

Iverson wasn't what he was supposed to be, either.”

Mmm. Harsh. Let’s keep going:

“ Iverson's diminished quickness tells a story, along with his inability to get his shot off the way he once did. That, combined with his inability to move without the ball as adroitly, transformed him from a possible asset into a liability.”

Tell me more, Stephen!  Why else (besides his daughter) isn’t he playing?

“ All he needs to do is humble himself to focus on what he can still be (a scorer) and forget about what he can never be again (a superstar). "There's a place for him in this league," Karl insisted.  Just not in Philadelphia.”

‘Put it this way,’ one Eastern Conference official explained. ‘If Iverson was what he use to be, he'd play no matter what. It says something about his inability to play.’

“Discuss his career respectfully.”  Uh huh. 

@stephenasmith  Therein lies my point. Saying he's a shade of his former self and needs to learn humility isn't respectful. 'Specially now.8:34 AM Feb 25th  via web

@stephenasmith  You can say "May AI's kid get better" and end it there. That's respectful. Speculating about bball future now? Not so much.8:35 AM Feb 25th  via web

Here’s where Stephen A. had enough of my insolence and my questioning of his authority:

stephenasmith  @btoporek  No! Speculating about his children and family is disrespectful. Talking about his basketball career is my JOB. 8:52 AM Feb 25th  via web in reply to btoporek

Haha, Stephen!  I got you to turn into Screamin’ A! But you forgot a fatal flaw of Screamin’ A through the internet. I can’t hear you! And more importantly, you can’t out-shout me. 

The internet: Empowering scrawny white guys like me since 1996.

@stephenasmith  How is wishing his daughter to get better "speculation"? He's said she's sick and he left to be with her.9:56 AM Feb 25th  via txt

@stephenasmith  I'm not trying to guess what's afflicting her. Just wishing her health. I fail to see how that's disrespectful in any way.9:58 AM Feb 25th  via txt

@stephenasmith  Talk about AI's career when he comes back to bball. Doing anything other than wishing his fam well now is cheap & desperate.10:10 AM Feb 25th  via txt

At this point, I am 100% convinced that Stephen A. hasn’t read my article. He hasn’t even looked at it. We’re arguing pretty circularly at this point, and it’s becoming more obvious to me that Mr. Smith won’t back down, no matter how many people agree with the other perspective.

[One reader of Smith’s article, Chris1429, left the following comment on Smith’s article. 

VERY little mention of Iverson's daughter, which is the REAL issue here. God Bless his family and I hope his daughter is okay. At this time, I don't even want to think about Iverson's career or anything dealing with NON issues. His daughter is very ill, its obvious, so lets just show our support for a guy instead of talking about his skills on the court. Its a disgrace that nobody even has a soul enough to see the real problem here, it has nothing to  do with the 76ers, Iverson's abilities or anything else, it has to do with a man's family  right now....]  

stephenasmith  @btoporek  That's his business. I wish him and his family the best and don't send anything but prayers their way re: that. But b-ball's dif 11:48 AM Feb 25th  via web in reply to btoporek

Okay. You win. I give up.  I’m not slamming my head against a wall any longer.

@stephenasmith  I know bball is different. Thats my point. Why write about bball (& his possible future?) when he's on leave with his family?10:26 PM Feb 25th  via web

@stephenasmith  I dunno. I don't know AI, obviously. But I think (hope?) that at no point in his career, he'd abandon his daughter for bball.10:31 PM Feb 25th  via web

And now, to respectfully retreat…

@stephenasmith  Agree to disagree 'bout AI, but thanks for taking the time to debate it. I do appreciate it.about 16 hours ago  via web

Your turn, B/R readers.  Am I overreacting about Stephen A.’s article?  Or should people give the man a little privacy in an extremely trying time for his family, and not speculate about his basketball future until something official comes through? 

I’d be happy to share your responses with Stephen A., but something tells me they won’t get through.