We've seen Allen Iverson as many things: fearless ball player, controversial figure and, of course, a man who simply disputes the importance of practice. But before last week, deep thinker was not one of them.
Iverson spoke out about the NBA's push to brighten its image and the place of athletes as role models when he talked to a Washington Post blog during the All-Star break. Although Iverson has long been seen as the archetype of the NBA ""thug,"" his comments come across with a level-headedness to them and really have an important level of truth.
First the man calls the NBA's charity work (you've seen the ads where Dikembe Mutombo is reading books to little kids) ""fake."" This is probably not an enormous surprise, but seeing that level of honesty and frankness in sports is not all that common.
Then Iverson attached a religious element to the acts of charity.
""I just look forward to doing it. I don't need all the publicity that comes with it. I don't need that,"" Iverson said. ""When it's time for me to get toward that gate, either He [is] gonna say, ‘Come in,' or He [is] gonna say, ‘Turn around.' And a camera won't decide whether I get in or not.""
Um... wow.
The sports world is overpopulated with athletes who confuse their God-given gifts with some sort of divine backing. Iverson is not only saying that he cedes any final judgments to a force he believes higher than himself, but he also disavows the notion that others need to know about his faith.
This is the polar opposite of a player like Reggie White, who made sure everyone knew about his positive religious actions but still was unfaithful to his wife.
But the final and possibly most important thing Iverson said related to the way athletes are treated as role models.
""We have more impact on the world than people may think, than even we might think, you know what I mean? When I was younger, when we talk about role-model-type situations, I never knew that we were important like we are,"" Iverson said.
""We are role models, regardless if we like it or not. It is something that we got to accept, but it is something that people should know that we're human and we make mistakes and we are not going to be perfect. You can want to be like Allen Iverson, but I don't think people should try to be like Allen Iverson. I think people should be better than Allen Iverson.""
Take a couple of seconds to soak that in.
It sounds almost like Charles Barkley's famous statement, ""I am not a role model,"" which was a harsh criticism of parents who encourage their kids to idolize athletes.
What Iverson is going for is a far more complex look at the place of athletes as role models. He accepts the responsibility, but questions it at the same time.
Really, what makes athletes worth imitating?
Hard work and perseverance are both good things, but there is some part of the mental make-up of a top-caliber athlete that seems undesirable.
Whether it be the insatiable competitiveness of Michael Jordan, the aloof arrogance of Barry Bonds or the youthful stupidity of Alex Rodriguez, great athletes are often flawed.
Look at Iverson. He spent time in jail as a youth and threw his wife out of their house, but he is warning others to not just idolize athletes, but also to understand that they are never perfect.
This is an introspective moment from one of the most stigmatized athletes in modern sports. And on all counts, he's probably right.
Of course, this does not earn much coverage, since it features a thoughtful commentary. Instead the national focus is Rodriguez's inability to tell a coherent version of the truth.
It's just too bad that Iverson's reflective words have been all but drowned out when he really does have something to say.
Wish more athletes would come up with intelligent commentary? Talk about it with Ben at breiner@wisc.edu
