NBA: Does Iverson deserve the “Rocker” Treatment?

Take yourself back a few months to the lawless days when men were men and said what they meant. To a time when they pulled no verbal punches until the national media picked up on it and made it a nationwide scandal. Then maybe they apologized and took all of their words back. Whimps!

That’s exactly what happened to John Rocker, Atlanta Braves relief pitcher, when he said what he felt about the people of New York City. The fine folks that had cursed him, questioned his family tree, thrown batteries at him, suggested that he perform unsafe sexual acts with them and said innumerable bad things about his mother. John Rocker had taken enough and he spoke his mind.

Unfortunately he did so to the ear of a Sports Illustrated writer with questionable ethical standards. Instead of warning the young fellow that those words might get him in pretty hot water, he put them forth for consumption by a national audience and a gigantic over reaction began. Rocker had opened his big mouth and inserted an Imelda Marcos closet full of shoes. Would you like cheese with those, young man?

Young Rocker made disparaging remarks about the offending New York baseball fans, referring to them as particular brands of foreigners, minorities and gays. He did not figure these remarks would ever see the light of day. Especially, let alone the pages of Sports Illustrated. Well, this immediately brought outcries from varying groups of citizens. Who did John Rocker think he was? How dare he align them with New Yorkers? Poor naïve John Rocker.

The American public expects its sports figures to understand that they are heroes to our children and they just can’t say things like this. And besides, what he said just wasn’t right. Rocker was dragged over the coals. He was suspended. He was fined. He was demoted and told there was no place in baseball for that kind of immature talk.

Now we are visited by the violent rap lyrics of young Mr. Allen Iverson. The Philadelphia 76’er has put together a new rap CD due for release in February. Advance reviews are suggesting that the lyrics are violent and contain unseemly remarks about women, blacks, gays, drugs and sex.

The edited version of one of the CD’s rap songs contains the lyrics “Man enough to pull a gun, be man enough to squeeze it.” Is Iverson condoning violence? Is this the kind of talk we need to hear from our children’s role models? Where is the John Rocker reaction to this? Where is the public cry of outrage?

Iverson explained the lyrics by saying that he lived in the projects all his life until he joined the NBA. He lived with sex, drugs and violence every day. This is nothing new or shocking to him. He explained that these lyrics came from his personal experiences, that “…my music is the way I express myself.”

Iverson publicly extended his “profound” apologized to gays and women that might be offended. “If a kid thinks that I promote violence by the lyrics of my songs, I beg them not to buy it or listen to it,” he said. Iverson also commented that this was an entertainment art form not intended for listeners under age 21.

76er president Pat Croce commented that what was said in the album had nothing to do with Allen Iverson performing on the basketball court. “I’m not qualified to evaluate the lyrics”, Croce said, “I don’t know if what John Rocker did was different but in no way am I going to suspend Allen Iverson.” Maybe we should only hope that the NBA looks at this situation in much the same light.

I for one don’t want to see another John Rocker reaction here. I for one think things went way overboard last time. I agree that these young men are role models to our kids, but these are also young men still finding their way in their own lives. They still have a lot to learn and they still just don’t know any better.

For every cry of outrage I heard this spring, I bet I read 3 or 4 letters of disbelief at how carried away everybody was getting over the whole “Rocker” thing. After all, they were only words, not really meant as they were portrayed, spoken by a young man a little out of his element. John Rocker finally did apologize and the world has gone on from there. He felt sorry that anyone had ever heard those words. We hope he will know better next time.

Young Iverson has expressed his thoughts about the experiences that shaped his life. Experiences that we would never wish on any child. Life can be harsh. Just listen to his words. Perhaps Allen Iverson can grow from his experiences and help mold a better America where our children don’t have to cower in their homes, alone, in fear of what’s out there.

Maybe there’s a better way for us to react to Iverson’s rap. Perhaps public outcry is wasted, unless it’s directing our societal energy towards fixing the problem instead of just fighting the words. Maybe America has matured a little and maybe Allen Iverson has to.