Relationship Counseling: Allen Iverson Returns to Philadelphia

It felt good watching Allen Iverson get cheers upon cheers of a standing ovation heaped upon him last night in his return to Philadelphia, the type of "welcome home" that enough athletes don't receive in our booing obsessed fan culture. As I watched A.I. soak everything in, pounding on his heart, holding his hand to his ear to absorb every last voice, I really appreciated that sports fans can be good people, and that our heroes can need us and love us as much as we do them.  It was as warm and mushy as it gets. As the spectacle went on though, I started thinking what a Denver fan must feel like watching their superstar's lovefest in another city.  Iverson's trade to the Nuggets was a big deal. He was a superstar getting a new start in an attractive situation, alongside Carmelo Anthony and with a fan base excited to get him.  Pundits debated the availability of shots in Denver's now star-laden lineup, but no one really predicted the trade would fail.  Things looked ... [link]