No Answer?

The Kufere Laing Lounge

As a small, skinny 6-0 guard Allen Iverson captured the attention of basketball fans around the world for a decade. Mixing a genuine, funny persona with a great handle, explosive hops, and an unique style Iverson was seemingly everyones favorite player. Playing in a league that encourages imitation and consequently comparison (seriously how many next Jordan's/Magic's/Isiah's have we seen) Iverson was different, a first. It wasn't that he was such a great scorer, it was how he scored. Fade aways over taller defenders, floaters in the lane, finishing over 7 footers, step back 3's, god awful shots that somehow managed to drop, and who could forget his crossover that left guys reaching, step sliding the wrong way, calling for help, and even sometimes falling to the ground; Iverson did it all. However, none of that seemed to matter early this season as every NBA team passed on the opportunity to sign one of the greatest scorers in the history of the NBA. His critics claim he's lost a step, and he should be a bench player and while the assertion that Iverson has lost a step may be true, the idea that he is now a bench player is utterly ridiculous (Iverson backing up Mike Conley Jr? seriously?). There's no way there are 60 better guards in the NBA, furthermore, there's no way all 30 NBA teams couldn't use a scorer who could get 20-30 points a game. In a reduced role, while battling injury last season Iverson still averaged 17 points per game last season and during his time in Denver Iverson proved he could still produce as the second option. Hopefully the Sixers do the sensible thing and resign Allen Iverson, the "gamble" will pay off immediately.

Tiger's Image Now Fuzzy?

The Kufere Laing Lounge

After first hearing the news of Tiger Woods' car crash, I was shocked; the Twitter post said he had suffered serious injuries and was still in the hospital. I immediately wondered what it meant for his career, what exactly serious injuries meant, I even questioned if it was true. As I did more investigating and found out that the accident consisted of him hitting a fire hydrant, then a tree, then a miraculous rescue thanks to his wife and a nine iron something didn't seem right. Aside from the obvious questions of: how did he hit a fire hydrant and tree, why didn't the air bags come out if the crash was so serious, and why did his wife need a nine iron to save him? To say the least, I was skeptical, but even with this doubt of Woods' account of his car accident my view of him has not changed. Furthermore, I don't see why anyone's view of him should change. He wasn't driving drunk, if there was domestic violence as I suspect, Woods did not harm anyone, and most importantly what has Woods done to be a public icon? Sure he's a great golfer who stays out of trouble, but with the exception of John Daly what golfer isn't a goody two shoes? Yes, The Tiger Woods Foundation is a nice charity that aims to help impoverished children, but what successful athlete doesn't have a charity or give back in some way? Woods has been given too much credit as an ambassador for the world for simply being a great golfer, who doesn't run afoul of the law. Still, even if you view Tiger as a hero or role model why should this accident change your view of him? He hasn't done anything that should make you believe he's a great person, and this accident does nothing to defame his character. The true problem lies in the fact that Woods has been wrongfully considered a great role model, despite doing nothing to earn this honor.