Allen Iverson: Why Won't You ANSWER?

If you're an Allen Iverson fan, it's kind of rough these days. With each game that passes that ends with a L, the criticisms veiled as questions grow louder.

Is AI a winner? Is AI finally showing his age? Is AI the franchise-killer some have always known him to be? What's up with AI?

The stock answer from any A.I. fan is that he's never really had a chance to win. He resurrected a Philly franchise that was dead in the water. He simply over-stayed his welcome after capturing lightning in a bottle that one time. In Denver, he led them to a 50 win season with no point guard and their best front court player battling cancer for a year.

Yada, yada, yada.

The excuses are many and we've heard them all.

So now he's in Detroit, seemingly powerless to halt the Pistons collision course with the lottery. And the fans are hard pressed to explain the missed practice, the horrible shooting percentage, and obvious inability to stay in front of any guards with a green-light to attack.

Everyday, AI fans pour over Detroit message-boards blanketing forums with the usual AI propaganda. Instead of Larry Brown, now we are blaming Curry. Instead of Chris Webber now we're pointing fingers at Rip Hamilton. In place of Denver, now we've inserted Detroit as the place that should turn over the reigns to the second best offensive player of this era.

But I for one am tired of speaking on his behalf, defending all the mediocrity. I still watch YouTube clips of AI in the nineties and get goosebumps watching him destroy defenders night after night. But, it's a new day. This isn't 2001, it's 2008 and AI is bordering on irrelevance.

AI has to answer his critics head-on with the same dominance and out-right swagger you either love or hate. But this silence in the media, and silence on the court is unacceptable.

So if I may be so bold, let me speak to AI directly on behalf of all his fans.

Get your swagger back. They are going to hate you regardless. Falling back amounts to nothing but an admission that "they" were right and "your way" was wrong. You've been you this long for better or worse. If its a failing strategy than so be it. But, trying to recreate yourself as this pass first point guard isn't making you any new friends. Its just giving more ammo to your critics.

Answer you have to be the ANSWER.

Drop fifty on them, and dare your team to give away a seventeen point lead. Get in those passing lanes, and rack up steals like that's defense. Miss three shots, but take three more right after that. It'll even out in the end. Attack the basket and get to the line twelve times a night. Make your teammates believers. Because right now they don't believe in you. You haven't shown them anything.

Be the Answer.

Many of us still believe.

Hopefully you do too.

-AI fan