It's official--Allen Iverson is once again a Philadelphia 76er. And it's like welcoming an old friend home.
True enough, AI isn't always the nicest person to have around. But the fact is, neither are Philly sports fans. It's a match made in Heaven. or Hell. or Philadelphia.
Regardless of whether he would have never played another 48 minutes or played on for 48 more years, AI was meant to retire a Sixer. The one year he got in Philly may be enough for him to get his swan song and maybe even bow out gracefully.
This seems to be essentially a cut-buddy situation that both sides know about. I don't think either side has the delusion that AI + Sixers = championship. The East alone is too strong for that, and it would have taken a lot more work from the Sixers in the off-season to even be competitive. But AI'll get to be a starter and get adulation as long as the Philly fans can stand him (and let's face it, even once that's up, there'll be love in the boos), and the Sixers will get the butts in the seats that come along with the last Sixer we ever truly loved.
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