Leave Allen Iverson Alone

Everyone remembers the crying dude from the "Leave Britney Alone" video in 2007 when she had hit rock bottom and the media was climbing all over what looked set to be her corpse.

Like everyone else at the time, I laughed at the video.

Fast-forward three years and I'm thinking about following in his footsteps.

Only in my case, it wouldn't be for a seemingly washed-up popstar. No, my tearful tribute will be dedicated to Allen Iverson. The Answer to the question "can a 6'0", 160 pound guy with the heart of a lion become a superstar in the NBA?"

I guess I should share my story first.

In my entire life of watching basketball (basically since I was able to use the potty), there have been two moments that have totally resonated within me. One was Vince Carter's dunk in the 2000 Olympics, which I was lucky enough to witness live.

The second was A.I's immortal crossover on Michael Jordan.

To say it was an eye-opener doesn't even cover it. I was about seven at the time, and I know that as soon as I saw him score the basket, I ran to the garage, grabbed my brother's ball and started trying to nail the crossover. (Fast forward 12 or so years and it's still a work in progress).

A.I. was an icon to little guys balling around the world. My practice and P.E. class gear all through primary and high school was a No. 3 Sixers jersey (which became an Iverson Nuggets jersey in my final year of high school), even though I'm a lifelong Golden State fan. Every time I played, I dreamed of being able to score in the manner of The Answer. My hero worship got to the point where my mates nicknamed me The Question, as in "what happens when a guy's hero worship goes so deep that he actually thinks he's a lightning fast NBA superstar rather than a snail-pace guy on a suburban court?"

When he left Denver for Detroit, I knew it would not end well. The Pistons had become perennial contenders throughout the 00s by playing team ball and hard-nosed defense- neither of which A.I. was known for. Despite what the media would have you believe, he tried to fit in. He took less shots and shortened his minutes, even agreeing to play off the bench while watching Rodney Stuckey (surely one of the most overrated players in the NBA and an NBA bench player at best) bumble along. Yet, as he has been made out through his career, he was made the fall guy for the Pistons and they didn't resign him.

Then he went to Memphis at the start of this year, and we all know what happened there.

He was supposed to resurrect his career back where it all began in Philadelphia, but then his daughter got sick and he had to leave the team to care for her.

Unfortunately, as they say, when it rains, it pours.

In the space of a couple of weeks, the Sixers have cut ties with A.I., his wife has filed for divorce, his little girl still isn't getting well, and to cap it all, Stephen Smith wrote an article detailing how his alcohol and gambling problems are threatening to derail his career.

Unlike a lot of people, I don't doubt Smith's motives for writing about A.I. I've been reading his articles on him for years and it's quite obvious that at the very least, he has deep admiration for A.I. as a baller, loves the guy, and wants the best for him, whatever that may be. He clearly believes that by bringing these public, it may just get Allen the help he needs.

However, what does get under my skin are all the recent talking heads who are looking to put the boot into A.I. during his troubled time.

It's no secret that the old men of basketball don't particularly care for him. He hogs the ball and doesn't make his teammates better-neither does David Stern's life partner Kobe. He's too flashy-so iss Stern's kept man LeBron. He's a team cancer and a coach killer- Kobe again. Yet these guys are the worldwide face of the NBA while A.I. is the media's favourite punching bag.

When he was putting up 30 points per game and taking a team of scrubs (and Dikembe Mutombo) to the NBA Finals, it wasn't important what the media said-A.I. was winning. But now that the man is clearly going through some personal struggles, surely they should have the decency to let him be and do what he needs to in his personal life without having to justify himself to a bunch of computer jockeys?

I hope that A.I. is able to get the help and the support he needs to get his life back on track before he finishes as a ballplayer. Because nothing would be a greater gift to all his disciples around the world than to see him make a comeback a year or two from now, even if he has to play on the bench, and wrap up his career with a ring.

In the meantime, all of you should ask yourselves this:

If Allen Iverson was your brother, or your friend, or your neighbour, and you knew what he was going through, would you be so willing to kick him when he was down?

Yeah, I thought as much.