NBA / Nov 27, 2008 / 6:03 pm
A.I. skips practice, gets fined and benched
A.I. (photo. Gary Land)And once again, here we are, talkin’ about practice, man. Practice.
Allen Iverson was reportedly one of several Pistons who complained when coach Michael Curry scheduled a practice for Thanksgiving morning, but he was the only player on the team who pulled a no-show. That drew an undisclosed fine from Curry, who added that A.I. won’t start when Detroit plays the Bucks tomorrow. He might not even play.
How silly is that?
Source: National Post
November 27th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
kobeef says:
practice? your talking about practice?
November 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
banga says:
lol
November 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
marcus says:
i’m just surprised that Dime is blindly sticking up for AI again.
oh wait.
Why is it okay for him to miss practice but no one else? Man, I sure feel sorry for those NBA players, having to practice on Turkey Day….
Strike!
November 27th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
douchebag says:
4th
November 27th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
wanabballer says:
Practice is honestly what AI needs with his team.. 3-3?!? Answer or not, guy came to Detroit trying to fill a HUGE hole…
November 27th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Coop says:
The day AI has to be worried about filling a gap left by the likes of Chauncey Billups is the day I cover myself in butter and slide down a railway line at peak time.
It’s not silly at all, Dime; it’s team policy. I bet ’sheed complained but didn’t have the stones to follow through haha
November 27th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
jk says:
if i was getting paid what these guys are to turn up and run a few plays i’d even turn up on christmas morning!
November 27th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
ninja cool says:
Say goodbye to that ring AI. Fast forward to 2010!
November 27th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
ninja cool says:
I can hear Chauncey laughing from Denver…
November 27th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
QuEsT??? says:
id choose my family over anything anyday, remember he barely sees his family because he is always traveling, today is a special day and he wanted to spend all the time with his family, so props to him
November 27th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Simon says:
How silly is it that a guy who gets paid millions of dollars can’t spend a few hours of his time playing a game he loves? With dwindling stats Iverson can’t afford to miss practice right now. Professional athletes are a joke. What about the McDonald’s employee who has to work the overnight shift on Thanksgiving for minimum wage? Why is it silly that Allen Iverson is asked to play basketball for millions of dollars on a few holidays when the average person works on holidays for shit pay?
November 27th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Simon says:
And to QuEsT???, why doesn’t he just pay to fly his family to see him? I’m sure practice doesn’t take the entire day.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Big V says:
It’s sillier to schedule a practice on Thanksgiving than it is for Iverson to miss it. People are traveling all over the world trying to spend time with their loved ones.
One practice isn’t going to change the Pistons’ fortunes.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Simon says:
I’m still not going to feel sorry for Allen Iverson or for any other millionaire when it comes to this sort of stuff.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
AY says:
Detroit with AI: 5-5
Detroit without AI: 3-2
Denver with Chauncey: 9-2
Denver without Chauncey: 1-3
AI this year: 6-7
Chauncey this year: 11-2
before you ask about the math, there are games where each player sat out due to the trade taking place. Look, i really want AI to do well (read: i’m AY), but at some point you have to surrender to facts.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
max says:
this dude talks non stop about how hes a great player and only wants to win but at heart hes a prick who can’t even commit and come to practice. how come no other players seem to skip practice? why the fuck does this jerk get paid 20 million?
November 27th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Paufve says:
A.I. is one of the best NBA scorers of all time, but he is also one of the most overrated PLAYERS of all time, there is more to basketball than just gettin yours
November 27th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
baraks says:
AI just stuck it to The Man.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Dennis Castro says:
Rules are rules. If my job asked me to come in today, I’d be unhappy, but they help pay my mortgage.
I’ve been an AI fan forever, but he’s got to man up and bite the bullet. He let his teammates down especially since he was the only one that didn’t show.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
bone0315 says:
How the hell am I gonna make my teammates better by practicing?
November 27th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
hoopsguru says:
WTF? Someone pass the message on to AI, that I will go to practice for him, he just has to break me off a piece of that fat check his is cashing each month…I might even be willing to run lines! All these “for the love of the game” athletes…anyone notice that they are all the $100+ mil contract players, Mr. I Would Play For Free. Damm Steph was even considering practicing with his HS just to get some run.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Scottee says:
Fuck That! It’s not “silly” at all!! Fuck AI! I loved him, I’ll admitt it. I looked up to this dude my entire playing career. I wanted to be him until I realized I was a no-jumpin, much slower than AI, white dude who only fit in as a quality role player on a division 3 team. Regardless, what has AI won during his career? He did make it to the championship series with against the Lakers, which he individually did all himself (and was one of the best game one games I’ve ever seen), but that’s it. He done things his way, is the third leading scorer in the history of the game, but he will NEVER win. I would never want this guy on my team….period. I know Dime is a HUGE AI fan, and so was I, but this is bullshit. There is no indespensible man. If there is a team with no shot of winning, sign AI, but if you have a legit shot of winning DON”T sign him!!!
November 27th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Linn says:
here we go again.
last season and he still wants to get his ass kicked?
November 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
dagwaller says:
This was funny the day he got traded.
Now it’s just pathetic.
November 27th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
the_don_mega says:
this is not about what he did was right or not…AI did man up… for him his family is more important… and for standing up0 to his beliefs…i also do give him props for that…
November 27th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
gooooai!!! says:
he will get fined and punished for what he did. it is disappointing though because now the AI haters will be out in force.
November 27th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
S-SiN says:
I say fuck ya’all, GO AI! as much as mike “pine journeyman” curry
November 27th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
S-SiN says:
would like to make it a point scheduling practice on a thanksgiving morning like he’s spitting in all these players faces, what i say u do, fuck ur families bla-bla-bla. u a man and think otherwise u gotta do what u gotta do homey! i never worked jan.1st or none of these holidays either. ya’all know that’s bullshit. that’s what i believe in. so this isn’t about 20M or minimum wage, this about standing up for your beliefs like a man and cutting that bullshit. fuck that, i ain’t wit it, and if it means facing the consequences so be it. just ask Muhammad Ali.
so all u haters out there get off the man’s dick. happy holidays
November 27th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
S-SiN says:
and ANYONE who says i USED TO BE an AI fan is a punk biaaaach
November 27th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Obama said to McCain "How my @ss taste" says:
I agree that it is only silly because it gives the Iverson haters something to complain about. When Iverson was in Denver, Coach Karl said that out of all his players..Iverson was the one he had the least problems out of. But the media doesn’t want to talk about that…what they would rather do is take some BS Karl said out of context and make it seem like Karl didn’t like Iverson, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. And they are eating up this practice situation. SMH
As far as Chauncy in Denver is concerned…the Nuggets have only played about 3 teams with winning records so far this season, and have only won one game out of those three teams with winning records, they have arguably had one of the easiest schedules to start the season while Detroit has probably had one of the hardest (and have played most of their games on the road with little practice). While I understand a win is a win..Chauncys record with his new team vs Iversons is a little scewed, there is more that goes into it then just that. And if we really want to get into it we can talk about how people were claiming once Iverson left Melo was supposed to “get his shine on”…yet Melos scoring average has dropped dramatically and he is still jacking up shots with the best of them, he is also having trouble dealing with those double teams because he no longer has AI there to help out with that and keep the defense honast. So if we are going to evaluate Iverson what Iverson supposidly doesn’t bring to a team….then lets make it fair and evaluate what he does bring to a team. Iverson wasn’t brought to Detroit to “take Chaunceys place” he was brought there to be who he is.
With that said…although I dont think it is necessary to have practice on Thanksgiving for teams, I do think that Detroit needs to continue to gain their chemistry with AI and him missing practice being the “new guy” is not going to help him in the media. They said the practice was for only an hour..he should know better. I think a fine would be enough..but they are doing the most with possibly making him sit out a game, its not that serious…well maybe to them it was.
November 28th, 2008 at 12:32 am
solomon says:
i dunno… the situation goes just like this:
“are you committed to winning? then lay it all out and sacrifice your thanksgiving morning for a practice session”
that tough?
it’s not like scheduling a pick-up game @ the park with you homeys – you’re being paid insane money that half of the world’s population wouldn’t even earn in their entire lifetime… go practice and maybe you’d get your rhythm back and get better chances of winning…
damn…
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November 28th, 2008 at 3:58 am
knocks says:
“How silly is that?”
What’s so silly Dime? That Piston’s management holds him accountable for not doing what he is supposed to do? That’s what the fuck is wrong with America nowadays…nobody feels they should be held accountable for anything. Whoever from DIME wrote that silly-ass piece: think about some of the stupid shit that be flowing out your fingertips onto this here blog. You got a lot of shorties reading your site, and you have a lot more influence and responsibility than you think…
To “Obama said to McCain”: “I dont think it is necessary to have practice on Thanksgiving for teams?”
Who are you, anyway? Iverson’s mama? What the hell do you know about coaching in the league? What the hell would you know what is “necessary” for an NBA team to do?
Y’all think that it’s actually RARE for teams to practice on Thanksgiving??? You think Detroit is the only NBA team that practiced today? NCAA basketball teams practiced today, and them dudes aren’t even getting paid.
A.I. is doing a good job of what many “haters” thought of him all along: selfish. All of you A.I. lovers give him props for putting his family first? What? You think that anyone else who showed up to practice DOESN’T put family first???
Every ball player who practiced today probably didn’t like it…every single one was probably pissed about it. The difference between them and A.I. is that “The Answer” believes that he doesn’t need to abide by decisions made by his employer. The difference is that A.I. believes he is above something as “insignificant” as practice (“We talkin’ about PRACTICE?!”). Everyone other ball player (including Rasheed Wallace) sucked it up for a few hours, DID THEIR JOB, and THEN went home to spend time with their family.
But hey….let’s give props to A.I. for being a “man.” Stupid.
November 28th, 2008 at 4:43 am
Austin Burton says:
@knocks — I see the joke went over your head.
November 28th, 2008 at 6:17 am
solomon says:
well austin, can’t blame knocks (whose probably a working man) for hating a primadonna athlete, and to some extend, those who “patronizes”…
“Everyone other ball player (including Rasheed Wallace) sucked it up for a few hours, DID THEIR JOB, and THEN went home to spend time with their family.”
i feel you, bro
November 28th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Damon says:
how silly is that?
lol @ Austin for bringing something in from ai’s “practice”-press conference and nobody getting it…
at least I think you were joking with that…
November 28th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Austin Burton says:
@Damon — THANK YOU
November 28th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Sweet English says:
If A.I is the answer, it must have been a pretty f**king stupid question.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Sweet English says:
What was it Curry said about A.I after that conference Burton. Something like ‘If he turned up to practice as much as he just said practice in the last sentence, there wouldnt be a problem’
Ha Ha not exactly Shaq-like-wit but still made me chuckle;.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Damon says:
np austin. I have seen that press conf. like 50 times its so funny, so wasn’t hard. why no one else got it…
November 28th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Borgs says:
I thought that the Pistons immediately became first-round fodder with this trade. Nothing that has happened since AI joined the team has convinced me otherwise. Bad move, Joe. Bad move.
November 28th, 2008 at 9:39 am
dagwaller says:
AB – I got your joke, it was pretty good.
knocks – couldn’t agree more, good post.
November 28th, 2008 at 10:56 am
johnny says:
@AY, The Pistons are 4-0 without AI this year. 2-0 with Smooth. And 2-0 with neither.
@everybody….their practice was only one hour and their utmost need is getting AI and the others used to each other.
November 28th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Lee says:
Why does anyone think this was because “He wanted to spend time with his family”. BULLSH*T. This guy threw his wife out of his house when she was naked … and it’s not like he never missed a practice when it wasn’t a holiday. I hope he get traded to the bobcats .. or trade him to utah and let Sloan deal with him … ain’t nothing to do in Utah BUT practice !!
November 28th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
gooooai!!! says:
Totally agree, everyone giving props to Denver right now but look at who Denver played since the trade…and compare to who Detroit played since the trade. Denver has had soft schedule since while Detroit has played many top teams.
AI will get punished, he will pay some fines and not start tonight. He was dumb to skip an hour practice but at the same time people like to blow everything he does out of proportion. Why have an hour practice on a holiday anyways? The whole situation is dumb.
Detroit is a contender with AI and will end up with better record than Denver. Karl was the problem in Denver not AI. All the AI haters can have their jokes now but what AI did is nothing compared to what Lebron is doing right now basically spitting in his fans faces for free agency 2 years away from now. What a joke Lebron is a God when he is acting a fool lately and no one is giving him shit really. Yet AI misses a 1 hour practice and is the worst player ever?
November 29th, 2008 at 1:33 am
QQ says:
Hey FED, might as well be a Denver fan. Haha.
November 29th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Obama said to McCain "How my @ss taste" says:
@knocks
Are you A.Is mamma? Because you sure are sounding like her right about now getting your panties all in a bunch over his missing practice. I am on here giving my opinion about the situation the same way you are giving your so-called opinion. Obviously im not the only one that doesn’t think it was necessary to have practice on Thanksgiving considering it was reported that the entire team was irritated by it…only Iverson was the only one gutter-butt enough to stick to his word and not show up.
Dont let my opinion hold you up, take it from the actual players playing with him. Tashawn Prince had a live interview about it and he was more irritated at the media for blowing it out of proportion then he was about the situation…he basically said the same thing everyother person in here is saying, he said that Iverson has been punished by Curry and that it has been put behind them and that he wish the media would do the same and leave Iverson alone about it. So my point is, if his own teammates aren’t angry about it…why the hell are you? You on here acting as if Iverson is on your payroll or something, as if its YOUR money that is going into his accounts. He got fined and benched, WTF else do ya’ll want from him?
Did you even read my post or did you just stop at the not having practice on Thanksgiving part? Nowhere in my post did I condone Iverson missing practice..infact I thought it was a crazy move on his part because he is part of a new team that needs to gain as much chemistry a possible…but the second reason why I thought it was a silly move was because it gave the media and HATERS like yourself a reason to talk a bunch of sh*t. This situation shouldn’t even had gotten past the Pistons lockerroom…why is this even a story? If this was anyother Star in the league this wouldn’t have even been a story…and half of you probably wouldn’t have anything to say, but since its Iverson some of you are up in here having a heart attack. Its not that serious, some of you up in here acting as if he missed a game or something. Iverson isn’t perfect, no player is, but some people go above and beyond hatin on that dude. Instead of people coming up in here giving ratios of what the Nuggets record is with or without Iverson and what Detroits is…why dont some of you do something constructive that has to do with this topic and go find out what the ratio of how many practices Iverson has been to vs how many he has missed…all of us would probaly die of shock from the answer.
Out of all the practices that man has been to, ya’ll continue to make a big deal about the practices he hasn’t. I read somewhere that MJ missed more practices throughout his career then Iverson has, did anyone say anything about that? Hell no. And I dont want to hear about MJ being the G.O.A.T, we know that…but why do people hold Iverson to a different standard then other star players? Just a bunch of hypocrits…why is it okay for you to come up in here assuming that Iverson missed this practice because he’s “selfish”…yet its not okay for others to assume he missed the practice for other reasons? Your so simple minded that you didn’t even realize Austin was telling a joke by saying “how silly is that”… just come on here ranting. GTFOH with that BS. Iverson aint no more “selfish” then anyother star in the NBA…Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade, Shaq and many more, all of them are selfish in one way shape or form. The only star that I think isn’t selfish is my all time favorite Tim Duncan…other then that, just about everyother star in the leagues history has some type of selfishness, some more then others..but they all are.
And for the record: NO I DO NOT THINK IT IS NECESSARY TO WORK ON THANKSGIVING, the same way millions of other people around the U.S don’t have to work on Thanksgiving no matter how much they get paid. Have you been living under a rock or is people not working on Thanksgiving something new to you? As far as the “Iverson lovers” BS goes…yeah im a fan of AI and proud of it, the same way I stayed a fan of KG even through his tough years as a Timberwolve when just about everyone was calling that man a loser, now those same people that called him a loser are either A.) on his nuts since he’s been a Celtic or B.) have the nerve to say he’s a dirty player or acts cocky just because he is now a champion. Half of you on here are a bunch of bandwagon fans, some of the same screennames on here that are mad at Iverson for missing practice are the same ones saying “AI is sick” when he drops 40 pts in a game. Oh the hypocrisy. Im out.
November 29th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Obama said to McCain "How my @ss taste" says:
goooooai said:
“Totally agree, everyone giving props to Denver right now but look at who Denver played since the trade…and compare to who Detroit played since the trade. Denver has had soft schedule since while Detroit has played many top teams”.
^I think Chauncy is good for the Nuggets simply because he helps that team be more balanced, thats what a PG is supposed to do. But people seem so desperate for any team Iverson leaves to be better just so they can throw it up in his face, the fact of the matter is the Nuggets record against winning teams is like 1-5 so far this season. So while people are throwing out ratios lets throw that one out. The Nuggets still arent a top four team in the West and when I watch them they still have some of the same problems they were having last season, Players still playing crazy offense.. low-IQ basketball. Chauncy at least brings some commen sence to that team. But the fact is anytime your team cant win more then 1 game in the playoffs five strait years (went 1 and done three years in a row before Iverson) thats a problem and is more of a reflection on that organization then it is on Iverson.
Same thing with the Sixers, people sit around acting as if the Sixers were soooo much better without Iverson. When the fact is they were garbage the season he left and it wasnt untill during mid season last season that they put together a stretch and made the playoffs being just a few games above .500. They were supposed to be so much better with Brand this season, yet they are still just an average team at best. I think their younger players have had more of a chance to develop and the ball movement was better…but thats about it. People barely even show up to a Sixer game anymore. Ill give them time the same way every team needs time, but at least they had a training camp with Brand, Iverson just got thrown into the Pistons system. So while Iverson can’t take part of the blame with the Sixers situation..that Nuggets mess wasn’t his fault.
Just like “Borgs” said the Pistons became first round fodder after the trade…WTF? Why because Iverson is on the team now? Who are they exactly first round fodder to? The only team that will really cause the Pistons problems in the East are the Celtics, and hell the Hawks cause the Celtics problems…they dont match up well, so does that mean they are fodder too? Give me a break. It amazes me how people just allow the media to control their mind and how easily they use Iverson as a scapegoat for everything.