Bill Simmons Sums Up My Feelings Toward Allen Iverson via Manny

I know it goes against popular opinion of sports bloggers to praise Bill Simmons, but I've always liked the guy. He really touched a chord with me when he first got to ESPN, and I've enjoyed reading him immensely. Sure, there have been many, many occasions, especially with Boston's recent string of success, where he pissed me off to no end comparing everything to the Patriots and the Celtics. But still, the guy is a fan who writes like a fan and will always be a fan.



Say what you will about the guy. I won't be offended. But I must say, his long, detailed piece about Manny Ramirez struck an striking resemblance to how I feel about Allen Iverson. Certainly, Manny and Iverson have been different in so many ways, but like Simmons, I don't blame Allen for the way his departure went down. That guy gave me so many great memories, put up historically crazy numbers and helped the Sixers reach heights they've never seen in my lifetime.

I suggest you read it if you have a bit of time. It certainly is a long one. And my favorite line of the entire article is this:

You love sports most when you're 16, then you love it a little bit less every year. And it happens because of things like this.

Really great read.