A.I. whines

In his first game with the Grizzlies, Iverson came off the bench to score 11 points in 18 minutes against the Sacramento Kings in a loss. It seemed like a solid debut given the circumstances surrounding his lack of time with the team, and the questions around his ability to play at a high level.

Yet, somehow Iverson still managed to stir up his first controversial moment as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Following the loss to the Kings, Iverson told the media that he did not have a problem with his hamstring, but rather with the limited minutes he played.

He told Matt Steinmetz of AOL Fanhouse “I had no problems (with the hamstring). I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That’s the only thing I got a problem with.”

He went on to tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo!, “I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. If we’re winning, I can play 10 minutes and I’m happy. When we’re losing, that’s when I trip out.”

He's the NBA's version of T.O.

Here we go!!!!

Who would be surprised by this? The biggest selfish a-hole in the league.

What IS nice to see is a head coach with the guts to stand up to this whining crybaby, unlike gutless Curry last year. Check Lionel Hollins comments. "He'll fit in nice with the second unit" and replying to how Iverson didn't expect to come off the bench by saying well I didn't expect him to miss the entire preseason, practices and the first three games. HAHAHAHAHA Hopefully Hollins makes this washed up, me-first has been's last NBA season a nightmare.

What would be seriously great, if their coach only played in 8 minutes in the following game, and cut his time every time he whined about it.

I'm sick of this, seriously. No, not sick of hearing AI, because he's being mistreated. He played for a garbage Detroit team, and a garbage Memphis team. There's no reason he shouldn't be getting 30+ MPG on Memphis. The only logical reason I can think of is to prevent stunting OJ's/Conley's growth.

I'll admit, there's a better way to go about handling these situations. But the fact that he was playing behind Stuckey, and Bynum is almost sickening. Now he's playing behind a bunch of chucking non-efficient Grizzlies.

Don't sign him if you don't intend on playing him. For a 20 win team to bring him off of the bench, that's a smack in the face.

quote:

He went on to tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo!, “I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. If we’re winning, I can play 10 minutes and I’m happy. When we’re losing, that’s when I trip out.”

Little man get over yourself. Retire already.

quote:

Originally posted by Black Thought:
I'm sick of this, seriously. No, not sick of hearing AI, because he's being mistreated. He played for a garbage Detroit team, and a garbage Memphis team. There's no reason he shouldn't be getting 30+ MPG on Memphis. The only logical reason I can think of is to prevent stunting OJ's/Conley's growth.

I'll admit, there's a better way to go about handling these situations. But the fact that he was playing behind Stuckey, and Bynum is almost sickening. Now he's playing behind a bunch of chucking non-efficient Grizzlies.

Don't sign him if you don't intend on playing him. For a 20 win team to bring him off of the bench, that's a smack in the face.

But starting him doesn't make them or efficient or less of a chucking team. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said they didn't want to stunt Mayo or Conley's growth.

At least you have someone who is chucking the ball with some experience. He can score. He can still win games for that team which should be the tip top of their expectations.

They're not going to contend for anything other then worst record this season, why not give him some playing time?

You can work it out. If anything, have Conley be the odd man out (Memphis was trying to trade Conley not too long ago).

you think he should start even though he's missed all the prep with the starters (chemistry), let alone his own rust from coming off an injury.

Coaches don't want to push their "star" player back out there and risk re-injury. Whats wrong with gradually getting him back to playing speed/starting/building team chemistry. I don't he comes off the bench forever, but does he really have to complain about it immediately my goodness.

Even more whining...

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Memphis Grizzlies started their game against the Golden State Warriors with Allen Iverson(notes) still on the bench. And after the Grizzlies lost again, Iverson’s feelings about not starting also remained unchanged.

Iverson totaled 18 points, seven assists and four turnovers in a respectable 27-minute performance during the Grizzlies’ 113-105 loss on Wednesday. But while his playing time increased by 10 minutes from his debut two nights earlier in Sacramento, Iverson still wasn’t happy about two things:

Allen Iverson totaled 18 points and seven assists in 27 minutes in the Grizzlies' loss to the Warriors.

He came off the bench.

And the Grizzlies lost.

No one, Iverson said, should be surprised by his frustration, even Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.

“The focus is on it because everybody in this whole world knows that I have a problem with it,” Iverson said. “That’s why it’s an issue. It’s easy to say I’m selfish. My response to that is it’s something I’ve never done. And if we had success with us doing it than obviously I’d want to do it because we are winning basketball games. But if we had no success when we do it, than obviously I would have a bigger problem from the beginning.

“This media thing is so big. Coach played the game before. He’s seen the things that I’ve done. He knows that I’ve never come off the bench ever in my whole career. So he knows that’s something I’m not accustomed to or something I would want to do. He listens to talk radio and TV, what people say, family members, friends – everybody knows that it’s not something I want to do.”

Hollins was visibly frustrated while talking with reporters before the game. He initially said he didn’t want to discuss Iverson’s situation, but later answered some questions.

“My frustration is that I have to talk about Allen Iverson at every press setting,” Hollins said. “I want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies and us as a team. And even when Allen was out, I was happy to talk about Allen. So, that’s my frustration. I just want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies. If Allen plays well and you guys want to ask me about Allen, that’s great. Or if he plays poorly and you want to ask me how poorly he played, that’s great, too.

And the ship is starting to burn. The thing with AI is that you need a really strong coach to be with him. The Pistons didn't have one, the 76ers at the end didn't have one and the Grizz sure don't have one.

no one can say hollins didn't say the right things, at the end of that most recent story on the thread

It's gonna get worse.....!!!!

Grizzlies owner backs coach!

Every time I read an A.I. interview I can only relate this dude to a child. An undisciplined, spoiled, delusional child trying to get his way at all cost.

"And if we had success with us doing it than obviously I’d want to do it because we are winning basketball games."

Really? How much of a chance has he given it? The last two times he's been asked to do so, he filled his diaper.

quote:

Originally posted by Black Thought:
I'm sick of this, seriously. No, not sick of hearing AI, because he's being mistreated. He played for a garbage Detroit team, and a garbage Memphis team. There's no reason he shouldn't be getting 30+ MPG on Memphis. The only logical reason I can think of is to prevent stunting OJ's/Conley's growth.

I'll admit, there's a better way to go about handling these situations. But the fact that he was playing behind Stuckey, and Bynum is almost sickening. Now he's playing behind a bunch of chucking non-efficient Grizzlies.

Don't sign him if you don't intend on playing him. For a 20 win team to bring him off of the bench, that's a smack in the face.

You know, I thought long and hard before responding to this post, in large part because I was a little surprised to see you sticking up for AI... And than it occurred to me: I see where you are coming from, even if I disagree with you. I used to say the exact same things about Dennis Rodman when he was on his way out with the Lakers and the Mavs. I mean, almost the exact same things... It is uncanny just how similar my position was on Dennis and how he was being treated.
So, despite myself, I will hold back from outright bashing your post because I have been there before, and there might be more than a speck of truth there...

thank you ^

I stayed out of the conversation last season, as far as AI and the Stones are concerned. I am, and always will be an Allen Iverson fan. I don't think he's handling this in the right way, but I also don't think he's completely out of line.

Knowing what happen last season, signing him to play a low minute 6 man role is a smack in the face. Should have just let the guy retire. I know he doesn't have that extra gear anymore, I can't blame him for wanting to keep going through.

But again, handling this in the worst way possible, and like before (and every other time this has come up) he lacks professionalism. We can't deny AI's talent, he's still got more than a lot of people in this league. More than OJ Mayo right now. Mike Conley hasn't done much of anything to deserve minutes.

Seeing as it was his first game back, and his next he played 28 minutes, his complaints were a bit premature.

If this is true about him leaving on 'personal business' then I would imagine he's going to retire.

I can understand you thinking that AI is better than Conley but I don't think he is better than OJ. I would rather see him getting playing time than AI if I were a fan of that team. If AI wants to run the point then fine but we all know AI and his demands on the ball. That could ruin a team.

Signing he had to know that PT was going to be an issue. I even thought it was a wierd place to go. Even with playing AI the Griz aren't going to win anything anyway so why not play the youth? That's always the plan for every team. It's AI's fault that he signed there.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4633226

Looks like AI has left the team. It say for personal reasons. We will see if he ever comes back.

BT while you pposted that did you ever think A.I. would make a difference in wins for that team? We had a more established team and when he started we had a 9 game losing streak. Now imagine he starts and they still lose? Then what?

AI hasn't done anything in the last year to deserve minutes either, unless you count being a locker room cancer. It is no surprise that he leaves Denver, adds Billups and they are in the Conference Finals.

I have always hated him as a player. He is the epitome of the me first guy...him and Marbury who incidentally came into the league the same year.

It pleases me to no end that the coach is taking a stand and not letting the little prima donna run the team.