However, today we can actually see him speaking and making a good point simultaneously. Yesterday, Allen Iverson commented on the Michael Vick case and said the following:
"You know, I don't think it's fair to say, 'Stay away from the people you grew up with. It's hard to have a relationship with people once you're already rich. You have to have a relationship with the same people you grew up with."
And for once, I sort of have to agree with him. I know it's shocking.
With all the young athletes getting in trouble today, the most common thing everyone likes to say should be done is for them to drop all of their old friends.
But, Iverson is correct is saying that is not always so easy or doable to simply drop your old friends. Whenever massive changes occur in someone's life (and being an instant millionaire is a massive change), it's always natural to reach back to your past to find some since of normalcy. Your old friends are people who wanted to hang with you back when your diet consisted of the 99 cent menu. You feel you can trust them.
To simply tell someone to drop all of their old friends, the only people they feel they can actually trust, is extremely difficult. Other than their new teammates many of whom are older, married, and not looking for someone to hang with, who are these players suppose to turn to that they can trust. Dropping your old buddies, no matter how dumb they are (or cause you to be), is simply not an easy process. They are people you care about. Protecting one's money and integrity are vitally important, but what all does it mean if you have to alienate all your peers who were with you before you moved up in the world?
I'm not trying to defend the actions of Vick (despicable) or the Pac-Man (horrible), but I am saying that Iverson is quite right, throwing the people you grew up with out of your life, during a major time of transition in it, is never quite as easy as the old pundits would like you to believe.
With all the young athletes getting in trouble today, the most common thing everyone likes to say should be done is for them to drop all of their old friends.
But, Iverson is correct is saying that is not always so easy or doable to simply drop your old friends. Whenever massive changes occur in someone's life (and being an instant millionaire is a massive change), it's always natural to reach back to your past to find some since of normalcy. Your old friends are people who wanted to hang with you back when your diet consisted of the 99 cent menu. You feel you can trust them.
To simply tell someone to drop all of their old friends, the only people they feel they can actually trust, is extremely difficult. Other than their new teammates many of whom are older, married, and not looking for someone to hang with, who are these players suppose to turn to that they can trust. Dropping your old buddies, no matter how dumb they are (or cause you to be), is simply not an easy process. They are people you care about. Protecting one's money and integrity are vitally important, but what all does it mean if you have to alienate all your peers who were with you before you moved up in the world?
I'm not trying to defend the actions of Vick (despicable) or the Pac-Man (horrible), but I am saying that Iverson is quite right, throwing the people you grew up with out of your life, during a major time of transition in it, is never quite as easy as the old pundits would like you to believe.
