Allen Iverson RETIRES

I’m completely speechless.  Allen is one of my all time favorite, most amazing, and complete  players to ever hit the hardwood.  He is also way under-rated and completely under appreciated.  Is a majority of it his fault?  Of course!  He never mastered the PR game, he was never a great public speaker, and he failed to capture the hearts and minds of the quasi-fans that people like Jordan owned.   Let us not forget that Jordan had fans who never saw the game, just rode his public persona.

Well Iverson’s public persona was that of a bad boy.  Not that he did much that was badd, but the company he kept, and the fashion in which he led his life was always in question.

I am a super lucky fan.  I saw Iverson out and about all the time.  Even when he was shot at, the next morning I was being interviewed at my home office because I had just walked away from him moments earlier before the shooting.

But we also had a weird relationship.  Although I took photos of all the happening events in Philly and he was always there, I respected his privacy and would keep the camera off him and let him just enjoy himself.

But now he’s walking away form the game and I’m feeling a bit sad.  Sad as the day he left Philly and Philly just never felt the same after.

He was always this amazing talent, playing this game he loved and dominated, but in an environment that he never seemed to be completely at ease with.

In the end, this may be his best move ever.  He proved himself, made a ton of money, but now he may be getting himself back and the freedom to be himself while still being among the best there ever was.

-Alex