My love for sports are defined by numerous occurrences and moments. In recent years I have been lucky enough to enjoy a Super Bowl championship for the New York Giants, and a World Series title by the New York Yankees. But even when my favorite team is not playing in a big game, a Sunday afternoon regular season contest between two random teams may come down to a polarizing figure.
Sometimes this figure is the same for everyone. Tiger Woods, Albert Pujols, Peyton Manning, and Roger Federer create interest that even my mom, who is the definition of a casual fan, feels the buzz leading up to the event. These figures keep us fans at the edge of our seats throughout the game or match, as we wait for that one moment where they make us scream in excitement. These athletes spark our love affair with sports every time they step on the field.
Tonight on ESPN there was a 30 for 30 documentary on Allen Iverson that reminded me about polarizing figures in sports and why they mean so much to fans. Although it was not the best made documentary, or even the best made 30 for 30 show from ESPN, it focused on a man who I believe is misunderstood.
I'll admit I have no personal knowledge of Allen Iverson the man, the athlete, or the role model. To be completely honest, I knew little about the fight at the bowling alley portrayed throughout this ESPN piece. I was aware that he was in trouble growing up and nothing else, including nothing about the jail time. But as I watched the show I was struck by, what I believe, is a level of innocence throughout his life.
Iverson grew up in a tough, poor neighborhood. Although he was seen arguing with coaches and teachers throughout his high school life, it was common knowledge by those around him that Iverson carried a lot of responsibility in his private life. There were over 60 days of school documented on the show that Allen did not attend during his junior year because he was at home taking care of his little sister.
On the athletic field, Iverson fought to make his mark. Part of this I believe was arrogance and his desire to be the best. The other part, in my opinion, was his desire to carry his family out of Hampton, Virginia. He understood the difficult life that his family faced in those neighborhoods and, more importantly, understood the gifts he received that could help his family.
Maybe my belief in Allen Iverson is far-fetched. With his recent leave from the Philadelphia 76ers, and the common belief that he will not return to basketball, I do not know if we will ever get a close look at his personal life. Recent reports say that he is gambling and drinking away everything he worked for during his career. I hope there is more to the story.
I also hope to see Iverson out in the public sphere in the future. Certain individuals are the face of their organization or league. Iverson achieved both. He also became the face of a culture that dominated professional athletics for about ten years. This "hip-hop culture" as stated by ESPN is not a bad culture. It is not a dead culture. Instead, it was a culture of hope, an example that a kid from Hampton, Virginia could make it to prime-time. I hope he returns, and I look forward to the next polarizing athletes' game on television.
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