Joined: Aug 26, 2002 Posts: 28 Location: Hampton, Va
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2002 12:39 am Post subject: SIXERS 02-02 CHAMPS
HERES AN ARTICLE ABOUT WHAT SACRFICES AI IS GONNA MAKE TO WIN THE RING!!!
He has changed. After a tumultuous off-season full of headlines, hearings and humiliation, Allen Iverson swears he has changed.
He wants to be a leader, a captain, a solid citizen and a winner. He might not want to practice, but he will. He might not want to lift weights, but he is curious to see how doing so will make him better.
At least that is Iverson's stated approach as the 76ers' 40th season, and Iverson's seventh, begins today with the opening of training camp at Penn State.
"Let's just wait and watch him," Sixers coach Larry Brown said. "Hopefully, it's his time."
Weary from negative publicity, and worn down by unmet expectations, Iverson said his motivation is "shutting a whole lot of people up, because that's all I've been hearing is talk, a bunch of talk."
The "talk" began after the Sixers unceremoniously bowed out of the playoffs in May with a first-round loss to the Boston Celtics. It continued after Iverson's fiery news conference when, fueled by speculation that the Sixers would trade him, he devalued the importance of practice. His July arrest on charges related to an incident with his wife did not help, even though all the charges eventually were dropped.
So here he is, 27 years old, angry, and out for redemption.
It could be the best thing to happen to the Sixers since their 1983 NBA title.
"I think Allen's going to have his best year," Brown said. "After what he went through this summer, I think there's a tremendous commitment and a tremendous opportunity for him."
From the sound of it, Iverson is not taking the opportunity lightly. He said he has been playing pickup games with his teammates for nearly a month, as well as lifting weights. Although disappointed by the loss of Dikembe Mutombo, he is excited to play with Keith Van Horn, likes free-agent acquisitions Monty Williams and Greg Buckner, and is glad to have Todd MacCulloch back in the fold.
And like Derrick Coleman, Aaron McKie and Eric Snow, Iverson has heard Brown's plea for more leadership from the Sixers' core group. He vowed yesterday to provide it.
"If everybody's going to watch my every move, then it's just important for me to do whatever it takes to make me and my team better," said Iverson, who would not discuss his summer skirmish with the law. "If there are 100 things that I need to do, I don't want to do 99. I want to do the whole 100."
It isn't all up to Iverson. During one summer visit to Philadelphia, Coleman met with Brown. They talked about many things - Coleman's knee, the team's chemistry, the opposition.
Then Brown slipped in this zinger, talking about Coleman, Snow and McKie last season: "You guys didn't help me like you should have."
"I understood what he meant by that," Coleman said yesterday. "Some days, with the injuries and everything, we did take a backseat... . So we have to be the leaders on the court."
That leadership role begins today, even though McKie and Coleman continue rehabilitating from off-season surgeries and likely won't be ready for up-and-down action for at least a few more weeks. The Sixers open training camp with 18 players, 11 of whom were not on the team last season.
The veterans' responsibility is to teach the newcomers the Sixers' mentality: tough defense, hustle, playing "the right way," and playing together.
"It's a challenge to help [Brown] out," McKie said. "I respect what he does. He's a great coach... . We have to communicate with one another."
"I think there's a commitment from everybody that we want to get back to the level of play we played two years ago," Brown said. "I think, and I sense, the guys are willing to sacrifice to see that we do get better."
For the record, Iverson said he does not have a problem with practice, and will practice, any potential injuries allowing. And he assured everyone that there would be no more nasty fights with Brown, although Brown acknowledged that over an 82-game regular season, disagreements are sure to arise.
Brown said he is not so concerned about Iverson living in the weight room. He just wants him to be "a leader," and to "act like a captain."
"You guys might not know it, but I'm a basketball player," Iverson said. "I can adjust. I think I can play this game better than anybody in the world, and I can adjust... . I've told you all a million times - I've won scoring titles and got all kinds of individual awards. I want a championship, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get it."
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2002 2:04 am Post subject: SIXERS 02-02 CHAMPS
i have always wanted to sixers to take the championship but i want them to take it now just as much as allen wants it cuz just like he said there is alotta talkin goin on. a title will mos def shut they hatin asses up
