The Question: Would You Take Thomas or Iverson?

So that's it. Allen Iverson is likely retiring sometime in the 09-10 season. All because he won't play second banana to any man. Never has, never will.

In Philly, his style convinced management to surround him with a cast of defense- and rebound-minded players. Assumedly, they didn't care about scoring--only getting the basketball somehow, so that Iverson could fire up thirty-plus shots.

In Denver, he and Carmelo Anthony couldn't quite coexist, or whatever, so on to Detroit, where a promise of starting was reneged upon. Now it's Memphis, where his contract was just dumped. Again he's expected to come off the bench. Again he balked. This time, maybe for the last time. No team is admitting to even considering him.

Easy to criticize this attitude. After all, we are talking about Mr. "We Talkin 'Bout Practice". But I can't fault Iverson too much. Mostly because I loved watching him play.

And partly because--well, why would you be surprised that he may go out like this? The idea of a humble superstar is ridiculous, as you need mad confidence to succeed in any industry on this level. Iverson is one of a few whose ego is mostly unhidden. He is who he is, and we like that. Yea, he seemed to be thinking during his career. I'm that good. In America, you're allowed to be cocky if you can back it.

That's why we like him. His appeal comes from that Everyman quality. He is the same size as the guy working next to you at the office or the plant. He even talks like a few of your co-workers. In fact, he's the colleague who, unlike most people, seems to flaunt his flaws. As if, despite himself, he wants the spotlight. Hey--I gotta be me. Too real?

Fans are beginning to label Iverson "the best little guard ever" to lace it up in the NBA.

A young Isiah Thomas would take issue with that.

Who would you take in a playground pick 'em? Zeke, or AI? The career numbers are very similar. I would go with Thomas. We have short memories. Either that, or we are too young to remember, with only YouTube and spoken word tales to show us.

Back in the day, Thomas was a few inches too short to be as nice as Jordan. (Or at least, closer to MJ than anyone else, including Pippen.) Believe it. Remember--he was a floor general from Day One, unlike MJ, who needed a few years to figure "TEAM" out. He sacrificed his body just as much as Iverson does. He demanded excellence from his teammates; like Jordan, he fought his own guys on a few occasions.

Iverson was just as good, if not better, as a basketball player. People tend to describe Iverson as a liability. Because even if he dropped 35 a night, the assist ratio was usually low. (Kind of like Melo.) But AI's scoring prowess was not a weakness. You simply knew what you were getting. Philadelphia almost won a title building around his specific talents.

But with Thomas on the floor, even Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly could relax, knowing he had a co-coach out there. As much as I love and have defended Allen Iverson... can you give him the same compliment?

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So are we still saying that the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Westbrook is one of the game's best? I don't know if I agree with that, anymore. He had two amazing seasons in 2006 & '07. He blocks and even can play at QB. But we're talking about someone who has never, in an eight-season career, played a full season. And after two concussions in five games, his very playing future is rumored doubtful.

He's got the talent to match anyone in the NFL. But to be considered one of the best, you've got to have durability. It's not his fault that his body breaks down more than average. Nor that he plays at the halfback position, one of the most physically-demanding in the sport.

When we list the best running backs playing today, everything should be taken into account. The statistics. The all-around contributions. The clutch play. And the durability. Sometimes "durability" relates to the size of an athlete's heart (i.e. Allen Iverson); other times to how well his body takes punishment.

Westy's career is not over Not at age 30, with "only" a few concussions so far. At worst, he will sit the 2009 campaign and return next season. Or he might make a tough-guy return for the playoffs--assuming Philly gets in. Aside from the 2006 season, when QB Donovan McNabb went down to injury, and Westbrook willed the team to two playoff wins, #36 seems to fade as winter goes on.

While we're at it, we've got to look at the Chargers' Ladainian Tomlinson, too. Is he still one of the best? Or is he falling off a table?

LT missed a game due to groin injury back in January, and his team lost to eventual Super Bowl champs Pittsburgh. A year before that, he wasn't effective (five yards on two carries) in a playoff loss to New England. You've got to assume that these performances had something to do with the contentious relationship that's developed between San Diego fans/management and Tomlinson. Even in 2007, there were whispers about his toughness. Premature? Perhaps.

LT is the leading touchdown rusher in history. And Westbrook is one of a handful of players to rush for 30 TDs and catch 25.

But all the stats in the world don't matter, next to piling up numbers when it counts. Both of these men, as much as we love watching them at their best, haven't quite stepped up on that count.

Anyway, there's only one "LT" in football. He was on "Dancing With the Stars" a while back...