Why should I be concerned about Allen Iverson’s personal life spiraling out of control - after all we knew this was how it was going to end right? All the late night drinking and gambling slowly ate away at his game, his career and his marriage. I’ve got my own problems, Allen hopefully has several millions left to make it – several million more than myself. So why am I even concerning myself with A.I.?

Because even in his darkest hour, I won’t stop pulling for him.

This is hard to watch and even harder to write.

Allen Iverson is one of life’s great comeback stories, we’re all dealt a hand when we leave the warmth of the womb and enter the coldest of worlds. Iverson’s road to the NBA has been paved with sleepless nights in a prison cell, sewer filled floors and a fatherless youth. Iverson entered the League young, gifted, unapologetic and proud. He is exiting the League older, skills declining, unapologetic and proud.

In recent weeks Allen Iverson has dealt with the illness of his youngest child, a pending divorce from his wife Tawana and now his alleged struggles with alcohol and gambling have been made public. These are Iverson’s darkest days – darker than any trade rumor or any 6 for 24 shooting performance.

My words to him are simple (In my John Thompson baritone): Allen, now is the time when you have to reach past the Cristal, past who you feel loves you and who doesn’t, way past those nights when you spent the salary of five men just hangin’ out. You have to go back to that sewage filled living room in Virginia, back to those nights when you stayed with the neighbors – and yes Allen you have to go back to that prison cell. You know why?  That’s what made you a survivor, not putting that 2001 Sixers squad on your back, not playing with numerous injuries, not even outlasting Larry Brown in Philly. We all have a special DNA Allen, and yours is self-preservation. You’ve overcome the jungle of your youth which was beyond your control,  you bobbed and weaved your way through the Sequoias that David Stern’s League set before you. Now as you leave the twilight of your career and enter the dawn of your life after basketball, life’s lottery has again pulled your number.

This time around, you set the conditions and with the exception of little Messiah’s illness you have to make this right. You can’t make up Tawana’s mind for her, all you can do is better yourself. I know you’ve heard it before but this isn’t about basketball Allen, this is essentially your life and God forbid your demise. People have written about this and hoped for this day since you walked out of that Virginia prison - they’ve been keeping that cot warm for you. That demographic out there that has been after you will not rest until you’ve gone the way of Michael Ray Richardson, Roy Tarpley and the dozens of others. Right now their sentiment is, “Why should I shed a tear for Allen Iverson, he has millions of dollars - and besides he brought this on himself.”  All that’s left is for you to go off the deep end.

Don’t give up now man, this is the greatest of your tests – when everything is falling down all around you, stand still. Do what you need to do to get your family back, every man needs his wife if there is true love there and every man damn sure needs his children.

I speak on behalf of many when I say that you’re not admired by people because of what you can do with a basketball, you’re admired for what you can do with a basketball at your size, you’re one of us, the common man who overcame much to gain much more while not forsaking your roots.

When a plant struggles in it’s growth, the problem is never it’s roots – sometimes it just needs new soil.

Malcolm X

This may seem a bit capricious when compared to how I usually write, however its quite the contrary. A quiet storm has been on the horizon for a few years…its just that I do not talk nor write about the trouble on my mind very often. This is a message to the BLACK journalist, about how and why we are essential to the media.

‘Sheed and AG at their best in North Philadelphia

I am not going to give the negativity within the media against black people in America any love or support by mentioning them. If you have been paying attention you would know exactly who and what I’m trying not to talk about.

Nevertheless my problem is based upon the fact that as a sports correspondent, why is it that people such as Michael Tillery (owner and operator of this site) and I are frozen out of major publications and websites? I have had the liberty of working along side Tillery during the 2nd half of the past NBA season and we make a great team.

There are 2 reasons why I believe this to be true.

1. We actually do our job as writers. You should hear some of the dumb questions we hear from other reporters…meaning before we arrive at the arena, we have researched games, stats, lifestyle, and upbringing of the players, making for great question and answer sessions.

2. He and I are both black men. This fact is important because ALL the top athletes in the NBA are also black. Let’s see Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, shall I go on? Rasheed Wallace, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Brandon Roy, Andre Miller, Allen Iverson, Baron Davis, Michael Beasley, and many more.

The fact that I used to play basketball growing up in Philadelphia, gives me an edge twofold: not only do I understand the game from both guard positions, but I also grew up playing with and against Kobe Bryant, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Marc Jackson, Eddie Jones, Aaron McKie, Rick Brunson, Ashley Howard, Alvin Williams, Cuttino Mobley, Mike Tabb, Jason Lawson, Tyrone Weeks, Jeffrey Myers, Rasual Butler, Kyle Morris, Michael Jordan (University of Pennsylvania), Arthur “Yah” Davis, Marvin O’Connor, Lynn Greer, and 10,000 other people you don’t know.

The other side of my acumen is that since I am a black male, the players and I understand one another before I even walk over to their locker. Yes I always come correct to the games…as I’m the one usually dressed in something fly from Brooks Brothers, and that is because I respect the game, the players, and myself. When people see me, they are looking at the dedication of my mother and father. I represent the Gilbert family everywhere I go, especially at work. During the NBA pre-season I buy new suits and ties for the upcoming year. Not too get too far off the subject, but if I don’t know the person I am interviewing, and I usually do…said player welcomes me because we have the same face, and the more than likely the same life experiences.

How many white reporters have had the luxury of driving while black?

Oh okay, that’s what I figured. And how many of them REALLY understand the power of the movie Hoop Dreams? I am sick of begging to eat at their lunch counter for their crumbs. It is now time that we have to do the things that we did as a people during the days of Jim Crow…and start our own media outlets, restaurants, hotels, banks, and the like. The only good thing about segregation is that it made our people self-sufficient and independent.

Now its time to get back to those basics and do things for us, by us. This is why I am thankful for a site such as the Starting Five, because I can log on and tell our story without the glass ceiling and excuses.

I have recently taken a page out of the Michael Tillery book and I started my own little piece of the Internet. I have a blog that coincides with my sports brief for BET News. My logic is, if we do not write about our people and happenings, then we cannot be too upset when things get lost in translation.

On Monday, June 30, 2008, Michael and I ventured to New York City to cover the Nike Team USA Men’s Basketball presentation. The best feeling aside from the great interviews, was the fact that he and I were working with our respective assignments, as well as for The Starting Five…yes…we won the battle that day, but not the war.

Peace.

The most known unknown.