Iverson Shafted

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A pretty great headline on the back of the Daily News today.  It looks like Allen Iverson got the shaft from playing in the 2008 Olympics for team USA.  I can't say I am surprised, but I am a little disappointed.  It is still unclear as to why Iverson wasn't given the nod, but it should be interesting to see which players will actually represent America in Beijing.

I'm willing to bet there will be a number of players who you will look at and know, for a fact, Iverson is better than.  Perhaps they are worried that A.I. and his small frame will be even more beat up 2 years down the road.

Whatever the case may be, it's unfortunate we won't get to see A.I. play representing red, white, and blue.

Wednesday UPDATE: The list of players who did in fact get invites is out, and Ashley Fox is pissed:

No one wanted to play in Athens. Not Shaq. Not Kobe. Not Kevin Garnett or Vince Carter or Tracy McGrady or Jason Kidd or Ray Allen or Jermaine O'Neal or Kenyon Martin or Karl Malone or Elton Brand or - sheesh, I'm out of breath - Rip Hamilton or Ben Wallace.

But Iverson did. He committed. And he played. It was a simple transaction. Iverson stood by his word when just about every other elite player - save for Tim Duncan - came up with an excuse to bail.

So how does USA Basketball reward Iverson now that it is sending out invitations - 22 to NBA players - to try out for a team that will begin preparing for 2008 this summer? By telling Iverson thanks, but no thanks.

The more I think about all of this, the more pissed off I get.  Don't check out the list of players who did get invites unless you want to start your Wednesday off in a bad mood.

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