EXCLUSIVE: A look at Allen Iverson’s retirement speech

By NOTSCWill
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Updated: October 17, 2013

Allen Iverson will be announcing his retirement on October 30th at a Sixers/Heat game. Yes, he actually hasn’t retired yet, it was a surprise to us to. But, in an exclusive to NOTSC, we have managed to obtain a piece of Allen Iverson’s retirement speech (you know Allen can’t resist an opportunity for a speech). Some of this may sound familiar.

“If I can’t play, I can’t play. It is as simple as that. It ain’t about that at all. It’s easy to sum it up if you’re just talking about playing. We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be playing, and we’re talking about retiring. I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about retirement. Not a game…not a game…not a game, but we’re talking about retirement. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last but we’re talking about retirement man. How silly is that?

Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that and admit that I should’ve practiced more. I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything. I know practicing is important, I honestly do, but we’re talking about retirement. We’re talking ’bout retirement man. We’re talking ’bout retirement. We’re talking ’bout retirement.

We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking ’bout retirement. When you come to the arena, you’re supposed to see me play and you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about retirement right now because a bunch of shitty teams won’t sign me.

Hey I hear you all saying “Why are you retiring?” It’s funny to me too. Hey it’s strange to me too but we’re talking about retirement man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about retirement. Is it possible if i practiced I could’ve played longer? How in the hell can I make myself better by practicing? So my game deteriorated because I didn’t practice? My game got worse? I’m asking you, my game got worse? So what about my game?

Is my game going to get better playing against of old out of shape white men, I mean, do that hurt me? Do you think that hurts me? I’m being honest, I could go play against a bunch of office superstars but do that hurt me? Does that hurt me when the Sixers go out there and suck without me, does that hurt me as a player? Does that hurt me if this person is hurt or that person is hurt and they still won’t sign me? Do it hurt me?

I don’t want to deal with this man, I don’t want to go through this shit man. This is where I want to be. I love the NBA, I love my old teammates, I don’t have any problems with Coach Brown at all. I mean I haven’t talked to him in like 10 years but I love coach Brown. I do not know about this thing with practice because I have not been missing any practices. I haven’t missed an NBA practice in over 3 years. And now we’re talkin ’bout my retirement. How silly is that?”

Now that he’s retiring, he’s got an opportunity to focus on his other job he got earlier this summer: (http://notsportscenter.com/mciverson/) Plus, he seems to be repeating himself a lot, perhaps he should pract…ah, never mind.