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I Miguel Indurain 1964Spanish cyclist P erhaps one of the most physically grueling of all sports, cycling requires incredible physical endurance and the ability to withstand searing pain for hours on end. Miguel Indurain has the ability to endure this pain, and then some. In the world of cycling his name rests alongside those of Eddie Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and, in recent years, Lance Armstrong. Indurain’s unmatched feat of five consecutive Tour de France victories in the 1990s made him a hero in his native country of Spain, and it has made him a legend in the world of cycling. Growing Up Miguel Indurain-Larraya was born July 16, 1964, in the small village of Villava, Navarre province, Spain. He grew up on a farm with a brother and three sisters, and were it not for his natural aptitude for the bicycle, he may well have been very happy as a farmer (he has since retired to a modest house and a quiet life in his home village). Though he would give cycling a try when he was eleven, he was not yet ready for the dedication the sport takes, and instead followed his interests in soccer and track. Less than five years later, however, he would get back on the bike. Indurain won the Spanish Amateur Road Championship in 1983, and began his training program with Eusebio Unzue, who coached the local racing team. Indurain was nineteen at the time, and the next year he won 14 races, enough to convince him that it was time to turn professional. He joined a team in Pamplona headed by the former Spanish national team coach. The training rides were grueling, and Indurain, as he prepared for the many races he would participate in, logged tens of thousands of miles to increase his endurance. Though he would not make it into his first Tour until 1985, Indurain had the ability to become a competitor in the Tour, and his coach and teammates knew it as well. It Miguel Indurain would take time. The three weeks the Tour de France entails requires riders to sit on their bikes for five to seven hours a day nearly every day, often requiring years of cycling experience before a cyclist will even be able to complete his first race. Many riders drop out before the finish, and Miguel, in these early years, was no exception. In 1986 he pulled out of the race after the 12th stage. A Matter of Time But as the eighties progressed, so did Indurain’s strength and endurance. As he moved into the 1990s, he was now a veteran in the world of cycling and had ridden in enough Tours to know how to compete. Indurain began his string of five consecutive Tour de France victories in the 1991 race, defeating defending champion Greg LeMond of America. He stood on the podium in Paris wearing the yellow jersey. 729 Indurain Notable Sports Figures Chronology Awards and Accomplishments 1964 1975 1978 1992 1994 2000 1983 1984-89 1986 1988, 1991-92 1989 1990 1990 1991 1991 1992 1992-93 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Born in Villava, Spain, on July 16 Takes up cycling, but then quits to play soccer and track Having returned to cycling in his teens, Miguel receives his official card as a “cadet” in the Spanish Cycling Federation Wins the Spanish Amateur Road Championship at age 19 Signs contract to ride for the Reynolds team Wins 1st place at Tour of Murcia; also takes first at Tour L’Avenir Winner of the Tour of Catalonia Wins first of two consecutive victories in Paris-Nice Signs contract with Banesto, the Spanish team with whom he will win 5 Tour de France victories Wins San Sebastian Classic Wins Tour of Valcluse Wins first of five consecutive Tour de France victories Wins the Spanish National Championships Wins the Tour of Italy Wins Castilla-Leon Trophy Wins Tour de L’Oise Wins Tour of Rioja, the Tour of Galicia and the World Time Trial Championship Wins Tour of Asturias and the Olympic Time Trial Championship Retires from the world of professional cycling in January Velo News Cyclist of the Year World Hour Record (53.040 km) Voted Spain’s Sportsperson of the Century to be considered among the true greats of the sport.” Indurain responded to this by saying, “I respect all opinions, but I cannot accept Guimard’s. After all, what have the French racers managed to do in recent years?” Many believe his accomplishment speaks for itself. Indurain chose to retire in 1997. Many fans were expecting the announcement, since two weeks prior the Spanish press had leaked the news. With the money he earned from cycling, Indurain still leads a relatively simple life, choosing to live with his wife Marisa and family in his homeland in the Spanish Basque region. Spain voted Miguel Indurain their Athlete of the Century in 2000. CONTACT INFORMATION Address: Home—Villava, Navarre Province, Spain. Indurain’s tall and thin body was well suited for two parts of the three main aspects of the Tour, and he used them to full advantage. He was an excellent climber when the Tour reached the mountains, and he also had tremendous speed, which helped him take many of the individual and team-time trials in the Tour (the one aspect he did not excel at, the sprints, is not a necessary requirement for being able to finish and win the Tour). In 1992, coming off a victory in the Giro d’Italia and the Spanish National Championship, Indurain repeated his Tour victory, as he would for the next three Tours. Each year he dominated the field. His fellow cyclists (and teammates) often hurt themselves as they tried to keep up with him in the mountains. End of an Era Though Indurain is not the only cyclist to have won five Tour de Frances, he is the first person to win five consecutive Tour victories. He slipped back in the 1996 Tour and many of his fans waited for a comeback that never happened. His feat, however, is still considered by many to be one of the major performances in sporting history. Some of his detractors claim that Indurain, unlike Eddie Merckx or Jacques Anquetil, trained solely for the Tour and avoided the many other races in which Merckx and Anquetil consistently competed even as they amassed their five Tour victories. One of France’s top coaches, Cyril Guimard, was quoted in the Washington Post as saying that Indurain “never really accomplished any great individual physical exploits, other than a lot of winning races. For that reason, I don’t think he deserves 730 FURTHER INFORMATION Books Abt, Sam. Champion: Bicycle Racing in the Age of Indurain. Bicycle Books, Inc., 1993. “Miguel Indurain.” Newsmakers 1994. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. Periodicals Atlanta Journal-Constitution (August 4, 1996). The Austin American-Statesman (TX) (January 3, 1997). Bicycling (July 1992; September/October 1992; July 1993; November 1, 1996). Crothers, Tim. “End of an Era.” Sports Illustrated (July 29, 1996). “Indurain Retires From Pro Racing.” International Herald Tribune (January 3, 1997). Los Angeles Times (August, 4, 1996). Murphy, Austin. “A Test of Heart.” Sports Illustrated (July 31, 1995). “My Tour With Miguel.” Sports Illustrated (August 1, 1994). New York Times (July 20, 1994; July 25, 1994). Nicholl, Robin. “Matchless but Modest Miguel.” The Independent (London, England) (January 3, 1997). Outside (July 1995). Powell, David. “Indurain’s winning cycle draws to a halt.” The Times (London, England) (January 3, 1997). Sports Illustrated (August 3, 1992; August 2, 1993). Notable Sports Figures Irvin USA Today (August 4, 1996). Washington Post (July 25, 1994). Sketch by Eric Lagergren Michael Irvin 1966American football player D uring his twelve-year career as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, Michael Irvin was one of the National Football League’s (NFL) most flamboyant players. Blessed with lightening speed and soft hands, he helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in a four-year span. Flashy both on and off the field, Irvin, often weighed down with diamonds and gold, led a free-for-all life of drugs and sex that resulted in his arrest on cocaine possession in 1996. His is a see-saw story of rising fame, falling from grace, and searching for redemption. Always Hungry Michael Irvin was born on March 5, 1966, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Walter and Pearl Irvin. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children. His father brought two children from a previous marriage and his mother had six; together they added nine more. Irvin’s house on 27th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale only had two bedrooms until his father converted the porch and the garage into extra living space. Still, Irvin never had his own bed until he went to college. Irvin’s father was a hardworking roofer who worked long hours six days a week. Irvin’s mother took care of the house full of children. Irvin’s family was poor, and he was often without shoes that fit, but his father refused to allow his children to complain. Irvin’s main problem as a growing boy was getting enough to eat. With little food in the house, Irvin would scheme to fill his rumbling stomach. He would often wait until everyone went to sleep and then sneak into the kitchen to polish off a whole box of cereal, usually softened with tap water as milk was often not to be found in the refrigerator. When there was nothing else, he would eat mayonnaise or ketchup sandwiches. Christmases often passed with no presents, and Irvin dreamed of an easier life. By the time he was a teenager, he was determined to make things better for both himself and his family. He began hanging out with a rough crowd and, by his own admission, made some poor choices. After he was suspended at the end of his sophomore year at Piper High School, his father decided his son needed a more positive environment and in 1982 en- Michael Irvin rolled him at St. Thomas Aquinas, a private Catholic school. Piper High, which didn’t want to lose the school’s star athlete, protested the transfer. A court ruling determined that Irvin could attend St. Thomas but would be required to sit out of athletics his junior year because Piper had refused to sign a waiver allowing him to participate. The Playmaker Irvin lettered in football and basketball at St. Thomas. His football team went undefeated and won the state championship when he was a senior. However, his senior year was marred by the death of his beloved father from cancer. Staying close to home, Irvin attended the University of Miami, playing for the Hurricanes under head coach Jimmy Johnson. As Irvin began receiving attention for his outstanding athletic abilities, he also began being noticed for his mouth and his ego. But Johnson and the Miami coaching staff gave Irvin a wide berth, knowing his background and correctly assuming that his ability and enthusiasm could lead the team to a national championship. During his three years as a starting receiver for the University of Miami, Irvin, who had become known by the nickname “Playmaker,” set Miami records for most career catches (143), receiving yards (2423), and touchdown receptions (26). He was selected as the eleventh overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cow- 731 Irvin Notable Sports Figures Chronology Awards and Accomplishments 1966 1983-84 1991 1984-88 1988 1989 1993-94 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Born March 5 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Star football and basketball player for Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale Star football player for the University of Miami Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as the eleventh pick overall of the National Football League (NFL) draft Jerry Jones buys Cowboys, drafts quarterback Troy Aikman; finishes season with only one win Wins back-to-back Super Bowl titles Loses Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49ers Wins third Super Bowl ring; arrested and charged with possession of cocaine; falsely accused of rape Cuts a teammate with a pair of scissors during a scuffle Announces retirement Arrested for possession of marijuana; charges later dropped Experiences religious conversion Hired by Fox Sports Net as an analyst on “NFL This Morning” boys had been struggling, finishing the previous season just 3-13. Despite Irvin’s reputation as an egomaniacal trash talker who was potentially trouble off the field, Dallas was desperate for an influx of fresh talent. As a rookie Irvin became the team’s starting wide receiver. He used his $1.8 million contract to buy his mother a four-bedroom house with a swimming pool in Fort Lauderdale and supplied her with the first credit card she had ever carried. In his second year, Irvin was reunited with his college coach when the Cowboys’ new owner, Jerry Jones, fired long-time coach Tom Landry and hired Jimmy Johnson. Irvin, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the sixth game of the 1989 season, missed the remainder of the season. Returning to play in the fifth game of the 1990 season, Irvin led the team in yards-per-carry, but the Cowboys still finished with a losing record of 7-9. The following year the team started off 6-5 before winning the last five games of the season and earning a spot in the playoffs. The 1991 season proved to be Irvin’s break-out year. In his fourth season in the league he caught ninetythree passes for 1,523 yards, compared to a combined total of seventy-eight receptions for 1,445 yards during his first three seasons. As the leading receiver in the nation in 1991, Irvin was invited to his first Pro Bowl and selected as the game’s most valuable player. Typical of Irvin’s demeanor and emotion, he ranted on the sidelines of the Pro Bowl, which is commonly a laidback affair, because he felt he should be getting more receptions. His Pro Bowl teammates shrugged their shoulders, and Irvin ended up with eight receptions for 125 yards. The Cowboys’ powerful offense, led by Irvin, quarterback Troy Aikman, and running back Emmitt Smith, rolled through the next two seasons, winning back-toback Super Bowls. Irvin had seventy-eight receptions for 1,396 yards in 1992 and eighty-eight receptions for 1,330 yards in 1993. He thrilled Cowboy fans in the 732 1991-95 1993-94, 1996 Received National Football League (NFL) Alumni award as Wide Receiver of the Year Named to the NFL Pro Bowl Wins Super Bowl as member of the Dallas Cowboys 1994 Super Bowl XXVII by making two touchdowns on receptions in the span of just fifteen seconds, leading the Cowboys to a 52-17 romp of the Buffalo Bills. Following the team’s second storybook season, owner Jerry Jones shocked the sports world by announcing the firing of Johnson. Irvin, who was personally close to his coach, was livid and demanded to be traded. Yet in the end, he decided to remain committed to his teammates and stay in Dallas. Hopes for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl ring following the 1994 season were dashed when the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cowboys, 38-28, in the National Football Conference championship. Irvin had outdone himself in the game, catching twelve passes for 192 yards, setting new championship game records, but the devastated wide receiver was crying on the sidelines at the end of the game. Despite his legendary showboating, winning, not personal glory, was his main objective. Irvin posted the best statistics of his career in 1995, catching 111 passes for 1,603 yards and ten touchdowns. His eight straight 100-yard games and eleven 100-yard games overall tied the NFL records. Irvin’s numbers take on added significance considering many teams tried to stop him, or at least slow him down, with double coverage. Although it wasn’t a perfect season for the Cowboys, the team’s 12-4 record carried them easily into the playoffs, where they won a record third Super Bowl in four years by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17. Falls from Grace At the top of his game in 1995, Irvin’s world came crashing down in 1996. On March 3, 1996, two days before his thirtieth birthday, Irvin was arrested in a room at a Residence Inn in Irving, Texas, where cocaine and marijuana were found. Known for his heavy indulgence, Irvin was in the company of teammate Alfredo Roberts and two young women whose professions were noted as topless “models.” Police found close to three ounces of marijuana and nearly four ounces of cocaine on two dinner plates, along with rolling papers, razors, other drug paraphernalia and sex toys. According to Sports Illustrated, when the police officers pulled out the handcuffs, Irvin rebuffed them saying, “Hey, can I tell you who I am?” From that moment Irvin’s life became a media circus, with Irvin himself adding fuel to the fire by showing up to court in a full-length black mink coat and dark sun- Notable Sports Figures Irvin Where Is He Now? Career Statistics Receiving Yr Team GP REC YDS AVG TD 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL 14 6 12 16 16 16 16 16 11 16 16 4 32 26 20 93 78 88 79 111 64 75 74 10 654 378 413 1523 1396 1330 1241 1603 962 1180 1057 167 20.4 14.5 20.7 16.4 17.9 15.1 15.7 14.4 15.0 15.7 14.3 16.7 5 2 5 8 7 7 6 10 2 9 1 3 159 750 11904 15.9 65 TOTAL DAL: Dallas Cowboys glasses. The whole ordeal became even more unbelievable when a Dallas police officer was arrested for conspiring to murder Irvin. The officer’s common law wife was called before the Grand Jury to testify because her name had appeared in the motel’s log along with Irvin’s on numerous occasions. Another topless model, the woman testified at length about Irvin’s drug and sex habits. Irvin found out about the testimony and allegedly threatened the woman. The police officer in turn reportedly paid $3,000 down on $30,000 to put a hit on Irvin. Following retirement, Irvin was working on a deal with Fox Sports as a pre-game analyst; however, in August of 2000, he was found with a woman in a North Dallas apartment raided by police, who discovered marijuana. Although Irvin insisted that he hadn’t touched drugs since 1996, Fox Sports terminated the talks. Then in early 2001, with his wife by his side, Irvin went to a church and underwent a religious conversion experience. Taking to Jesus with the same compulsive enthusiasm that he took to the football field, Irvin has professed to be a new man, spending a good deal of his time in his church and in prayer. Although Irvin continues to have detractors who doubt his sincerity, his spiritual rebirth has redeemed his image sufficiently for Fox Sports to find him a spot in front of the camera. After appearing as a regular panelist on Fox Sports’ “Best Damn Sports Show,” in June 2002 Irvin was given a permanent spot on the network’s studio show, “The NFL Show.” 1999, Irvin announced his retirement. Over the course of his twelve-year career in a Dallas Cowboys’ uniform, Irvin was the city’s biggest hero and its biggest villain. When asked whether he thinks he will make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, according the Knight Ridder Newspapers, Irvin reflected, “I don’t know. The things I experienced off the field could be held against me. But the things I accomplished on the field cannot be taken away. Say whatever, but when you fix your mouth to talk about me as a football player, you will say, ‘He played football.’” CONTACT INFORMATION Irvin went to trial on drug-related charges, but before the decision was turned over to the jury, he agreed to a plea bargain, pleading guilty to cocaine possession, a second-degree felony, that cost him $10,000 and 800 hours of community service. On July 17, 1996, the day the trial ended, Irvin held a news conference and was, for the first time, contrite. His wife was at his side although she had never appeared with him in court, and Irvin publicly apologized to his family, fans, teammates, and the Dallas organization. Suspended for the first five games of the 1996 season, Irvin spent time in Florida trying to make amends with his family. Address: Fox Sports, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213. Irvin continued to make periodic headlines. In December of 1996 he and a teammate were falsely accused of rape, and in 1998 he was involved in a bizarre incident during training camp when he allegedly inflicted a two-inch cut in the neck of Dallas guard Everett McIver while some team members were getting haircuts. Whether it was assault or “horseplay,” McIver did not press charges, and rumors swirled that Jones brokered a six-figure settlement with McIver to drop the matter. Periodicals Retires Irvin suffered a serious neck injury early in the 1999 season and was advised by doctors that returning to the field could be risky. After playing just four games in FURTHER INFORMATION Books Newsmakers, Issue 3. Detroit: Gale Group, 1996. Sports Stars 1-4. Detroit: U•X•L, 1994-98. Who’s Who Among African Americans, 14th ed. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Bamberger, Michael. “Dropping the Ball.” Sports Illustrated (April 1, 1996): 36-37. “Big D, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?” Esquire (September 1997): 66-71. Dent, Jim. “Air Traffic Controller.” Sporting News (September 1, 1997): 34. Galloway, Randy. “Television Show Captures Irvin’s Glory, Agony.” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (August 31, 2002). Hill, Clarence E., Jr. “The Transformation Isn’t Complete, but Michael Irvin has Gone from Partying Hard to Praying Hard.” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (November 30, 2001). 733 Irvin Notable Sports Figures Hoffer, Richard. “The Party’s Over.” Sports Illustrated (July 8, 1996): 30. Hollandsworth, Skip. “Michael Irvin.” Texas Monthly (September 1996): 110-113. Horn, Barry. “Irvin Back in Front of Camera.” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (June 3, 2002). Horn, Barry. “Irvin’s Exposure Increasing.” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (July 1, 2002). Jenkins, Sally. “The Mouth That Roars.” Sports Illustrated (October 25, 1993): 72. Leland, John, and Ginny Carroll. “The Cop, the Cowboy, and the Topless Dancer.” Newsweek (July 8, 1996): 61. “Michael Scissorhands?” Sports Illustrated (August 17, 1998): 18-19. Wagner, William. “A Warrior Departs.” Football Digest (October 2000): 6. Other “Michael Irvin.” National Football League. http://www. nfl.com/ (December 28, 2002) Sketch by Kari Bethel Allen Iverson Allen Iverson 1975American basketball player A t six-feet, 160 pounds, Allen Iverson is one of the smallest players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). But opposing teams can’t stop what they can’t see, and by all accounts, Iverson is as fast as they come. His lightening speed, prolific scoring ability, and tough competitiveness took his Philadelphia 76ers to the 2001 NBA championship series. Yet Iverson’s image as a hip-hop “bad boy” follows him around like a shadow. Covered in tattoos, dressed in baggy clothes, weighed down by diamonds and gold, and never seen with his hair out of its tightly braided rows, Iverson’s unconventional and controversial style is unmatched in the NBA. Tough Beginnings Allen Iverson was born on June 7, 1975 in Hampton, Virginia. His mother, Ann Iverson, was fifteen years old when her son was born. Iverson’s father, Allen Broughton, never had much contact with his son. Iverson’s childhood was filled with constant hardship. As an infant he and his mother depended on his maternal grandmother, but soon after his birth she died from complications after surgery. Michael Freeman, who moved in with the family when Iverson was young, served as 734 Iverson’s father and taught him the game of basketball. But Freeman moved in and out of jail after a work-related accident caused him to lose his job, and he turned to distributing illegal drugs. Iverson and his two half-sisters lived with his mother in a poverty-stricken neighborhood of Hampton. When his mother couldn’t afford to pay the bills, the family would go without water, lights, and heat. A ruptured sewer line under the house filled it with a noxious smell and would sometimes seep onto the floor. Iverson spent his childhood dreaming of making things better for his family, but everything around him pulled him back into the ghetto. During his youth eight of his friends were murdered, including his best friend. Despite poor school attendance, frequent confrontations with teachers, and troubles at home, Iverson kept it together just enough to be eligible to participate in sports. Football was his first love. As quarterback at Bethel High School, Iverson, nicknamed Bubbachuck by his friends, led the team to the state Class AAA football title in 1992. Only after his mother encouraged him did Iverson agree to try basketball, and the game soon replaced football as his favorite sport. Early on Iverson believed that basketball would be his ticket out of the slums. He had what he called “the Plan,” to make it through high school, get to college, and earn a place in the NBA. Most warned him of his slim chance for success, but Iverson was determined. Notable Sports Figures Iverson Chronology Southern Discomfort 1975 1992 1993 1994-96 1996 1997 Last Saturday 150 protesters marched through Hampton, chanting, “Free the Hampton Four” and “No justice, no peace,” and singing, “Which Side Are You On?”... The moving force behind the demonstrations is a group called SWIS, an acronym for Simmons, Wynn, Iverson, and Stephens. To a large degree, the group is responsible for turning the case into a national cause celebre. Tom Brokaw, USA Today, The Washington Post—they’ve all gone down, as have the SCLC and the NAACP, which set up a local office to monitor the case. . . . Some SWIS supporters—and there are more than 3,000 throughout the country—describe the case as a “judicial lynching” of “uppity” blacks by the white establishment. “Let’s be honest,” says Joyce Hopson, the Hampton teacher who heads the SWIS, “if this weren’t Allen Iverson, these kids don’t go to jail. That’s it.” 1999 2000 2001 2001-02 2002 Born June 7 in Hampton, Virginia Star quarterback for Bethel High School; wins AAA Division title Arrested for assault; spends four months incarcerated Star point guard for the University of Georgetown Hoyas Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as first overall pick Arrested for marijuana and weapons charges after being pulled over for speeding Wins National Basketball Association (NBA) scoring title but conflicts on and off the court lead to trade rumors Release of single from debut rap album is criticized for treatment of women and gays Leads 76ers to NBA championship series; marries Tawanna Turner Earns NBA scoring title in back-to-back years Faces assault charges after an altercation with his wife; charges are later dropped First Legal Troubles It appeared that Iverson’s promise to someday buy his mother a red Corvette would go unfulfilled after the seventeen-year-old was arrested on February 14, 1993 for being involved in a mob scene at a local bowling alley. Iverson was hanging out with friends when a confrontation quickly developed into a large brawl divided along racial lines. Accused of throwing a chair that hit a woman, knocking her unconscious, Iverson was charged and tried as an adult. Although he had no previous criminal record, he was sentenced to five years in prison and denied bail pending an appeal. Of approximately fifty people involved in the incident, only four arrests were made; all four were black, causing accusations of racism. Iverson, who denies any direct involvement in the incident, spent four months in prison before being granted conditional release by the governor of Virginia. Two years later the conviction was overturned in a state appeals court due to insufficient evidence, and the crime was stricken from Iverson’s record. Refusing to be detoured from his plans for the NBA, Iverson continued to hone his basketball skills and spent five days a week with a tutor to earn his high school diploma. After passing his final exams in 1994, Iverson accepted an athletic scholarship to Georgetown University. As a member of the Georgetown Hoyas, Iverson immediately became the team’s star. During his freshman year he averaged twenty points, 4.7 assists, and 3.5 steals per game and was named the 1995 Big East Rookie of the Year and Big East Defensive Player of the Year. His performance was equally impressive during his sophomore year, and he was once again named Big East Defensive Player of the Year as well as named to the Associated Press’s 1996 First Team All-American. Rookie of the Year Selected as the first overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Iverson quickly became Source: Sports Illustrated 79 (October 25, 1993): 46. the team’s leader and one of the premiere point guards in the country. His $9.4-million contract was an instant ticket out of poverty for him and his family. During his rookie season, he led his team in per-game statistics, including points (23.5), assists (7.5), steals (2.1), and minutes played (40.1). During the final eight games of the season he averaged thirty-nine points per game, and on April 12, in a 125-118 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he became the second youngest player in NBA history to score fifty points in a game. (Iverson was twenty-one years, 310 days; Rick Barry scored fifty-plus at the age of twenty-one years, 261 days). He was named Rookie of the Year. In his second season, Iverson moved from the point guard position to shooting guard, which provided him with even more opportunities to score. In his third year in the NBA, he clinched the NBA scoring title for the 1999 season with 26.8 points per game and was named to the All-NBA First Team. Questions about “The Answer” While Iverson, who became known as “The Answer,” was developing a reputation for his lightening speed and cross-over drill that could break down most defenses, he was also receiving his share of negative attention. On the court Iverson was criticized for selfish play and poor decision-making that led to off-balanced shots and turnovers. Critics pointed to Iverson’s poor shooting percentage and large number of turnovers. Charles Barkley ruefully called him Allen Me-Myself-and-Iverson. He also came under fire for a perceived lack of respect for the NBA’s veteran players. His cockiness and trash talk on the floor only added fuel to the fire. During his first years in the NBA, Iverson was notorious for missing practices, showing up late, and leaving early. His choice of clothes—baggy pants, pounds of gold jewelry, and a ‘do rag’—fueled the media’s talk of Iverson’s past and annoyed his coach Larry Brown, who was also concerned about the friends Iverson chose to hang out with off the court. The public’s reaction to his attire, braided hair, and twenty-one tattoos frustrated Iverson. He told Sports 735 Iverson Notable Sports Figures Awards and Accomplishments 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2000-02 2001 2002 Big East Rookie of the Year, Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and Big East All Rookie Team Big East Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All American, and First Team Big East; selected first overall in the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft by the Philadelphia 76ers NBA Rookie of the Year and All Rookie First Team First Team All NBA and led the NBA in scoring with 26.8 points per game (ppg) Second Team All NBA Selected to the NBA All Star Team NBA Most Valuable Player and First Team All NBA; NBA leader in scoring with 31.1 ppg NBA leader in scoring (31.4 ppg), steals (2.80 per game), and minutes played (42.7 per game); named to Second Team All NBA Illustrated, “I got rows, but that don’t mean I’m no gangbanger. I ain’t never been in a gang. Why do people want to judge me like that?” For Iverson his appearance is simply part of who he is, and serves as a reminder that he will not forget where he came from. While the NBA establishment shakes its collective head in disbelief, Iverson is a hero and an idol to youth around the nation who don the same oversized clothes and braid their hair into rows. His endorsement of Reebok products was highly successful, and Reebok’s signature Iverson shoe was a hot seller in the mid-1990s. Although he insists that he has often been unfairly judged, Iverson’s arrest in 1997 on marijuana and firearms charges did little to enhance his image. Iverson was pulled over for speeding, and the trooper discovered a marijuana cigarette and a .45-caliber pistol in the car. Iverson insisted that the joint belonged to the two other men in the car, but admitted that he had used very poor judgment. By the end of the 1997-98 season Brown was fed up with his young star’s poor work ethic, increasing focus on off-court matters such as his Reebok responsibilities, and his aspirations as a rap artist. Rumors began to circulate that a trade was in the works. Eventually Iverson and Brown, both known for their stubborn, determined natures, developed a working, if sometimes volatile, relationship, and in January of 1999 Iverson re-signed with the 76ers for $70.9 million over six years. “When I first got him, I couldn’t tell him anything,” Brown told Sports Illustrated. “He went crazy on the court. Now he’ll listen a little bit.” After winning the 1999 NBA scoring title with 26.8 points per game, in October of 2000 Iverson was once again the center of controversy when he released a single of a rap album he cut under his artist name Jewelz. “40 Bars” came under fire for numerous derogatory references to women and gays. Eventually Iverson agreed not to release the full album. 736 New Focus During the 2000-01 season Iverson showed a new sense of maturity. He arrived for practices on time, fulfilled team obligations, and began involving his teammates in the offense. He averaged 31.1 points and 4.6 assists per game. Because his teammates were also getting their shots, thanks to Iverson’s decision to pass the ball sometimes rather than shoot every time it touched his hands, the 76ers began to see themselves as a team, a team with a shot at an NBA title. They made it into the 2001 NBA finals, but lost the title bid to the Los Angeles Lakers. Iverson was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. The following year he improved to 31.4 points and 5.5 assists per game, and for the second year in a row and the third time in his career, Iverson won the NBA scoring title. In August of 2001 Iverson married long-time girlfriend Tawanna Turner, with whom he already had two children, a daughter Tiaura, born during Iverson’s days at Georgetown, and a son, Allen II, born three years later. Once again Iverson made the news in July of 2002 when he faced arrest on criminal charges stemming from an altercation with his wife that allegedly resulted in Iverson carrying a handgun on a hunt to track down his wife, who had failed to return after Iverson kicked her out of their house. Charges were eventually dropped. Iverson has more than proven himself as a basketball player, but how history writes the final chapters of his life in the NBA remains an uncertainty. Some view him a “bad boy” from the ghetto who could never leave trouble behind; others see a basically good person who occasionally makes bad decisions and has been unfairly vilified by the press. Iverson has, certainly, fulfilled his “Plan.” He bought his mother a red Corvette, as well as a new house, and financially supports an extended family. Evidence of his ongoing impact on the American culture is Reebok’s decision in 2002 to extend Iverson’s $50 million, 10-year endorsement contract. CONTACT INFORMATION Address: Philadelphia 76ers, 1 Corestates Complex, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148. Phone: (215) 3397676. FURTHER INFORMATION Books Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 24. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Newsmakers Issue 4. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Sports Stars. Series 1-4. Detroit: U•X•L, 1994-98. Who’s Who Among African Americans, 14th ed. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Notable Sports Figures Iverson Career Statistics Yr Team GP PTS PPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG TO 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL 76 80 48 70 71 60 1787 1758 1284 1989 2207 1883 23.5 22.0 26.8 28.4 31.1 31.4 .416 .461 .412 .421 .420 .398 .341 .298 .291 .341 .320 .291 .702 .729 .751 .713 .814 .812 4.1 3.7 4.9 3.8 3.8 4.5 7.5 6.2 4.6 4.7 4.6 5.5 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.1 2.5 2.8 337 244 167 230 237 237 405 10908 26.9 .421 .318 .756 4.1 5.6 2.3 1452 TOTAL PHIL: Philadelphia 76ers. Periodicals “Allen Iverson Clinches NBA Scoring Title.” Jet (May 24, 1999): 48. Ballantini, Brett. “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Iverson.” Basketball Digest (May 2001): 26. “Basketball’s Bad Boy.” Newsweek (November 6, 2000): 58. Bradley, Michael. “Can He Last?” Sporting News (April 2, 2001): 40. D’Alessandro, Dave. “Iverson Hasn’t Changed; He Has Changed Us.” Sporting News (June 18, 2001): 26. Edelson, Mark. “You Don’t Know The Answer.” Sport (April 2000): 28 Montville, Leigh. “Flash Point.” Sports Illustrated (December 9, 1996): 58. “NBA Rookie of the Year Arrested on Marijuana and Firearm Charges.” Jet (August 18, 1997): 53. Pearlman, Jeff. “It’s About Time.” Sports Illustrated (November 13, 2000): 44. Reilly, Rick. “Counter Point.” Sports Illustrated (March 9, 1998): 82. Rushin, Steve. “No. 3 with a Bullet.” Sports Illustrated October 23, 2000): 21. Samuels, Allison. “Will Iverson Foul Out?” Newsweek (July 22, 2002): 32. Smallwood, John, Jr. “Brotherly Love Like.” Basketball Digest (March 2001): 46. Smallwood, John, Jr. “The Right Answer.” Basketball Digest (Summer 2001): 26. Smith, Gary. “Mama’s Boys.” Sports Illustrated (April 23, 2001): 54. Starr, Mark, and Allison Samuels. “Going Hard to the Hoop: Allen Iverson is Talent and Tumult: Which Will Win?” Newsweek (October 27, 1997): 52-53. Taylor, Phil. “A Turn For the Better.” Sports Illustrated (March 15, 1999): 42+. Tyrangiel, Josh. “Little Big Man.” Time (September 17, 2001): 65. Zeman, Ned. “Southern Discomfort.” Sports Illustrated (October 25, 1993): 46. Other “Allen Iverson.” National Basketball Association. http:// www.nba.com/ (December 11, 2002) “Allen Iverson.” Sports Stats.com. http://www. sportsstats.com/bball/national/players/1990/Allen_ Iverson/ (December 10, 2002) Sketch by Kari Bethel 737 J Bo Jackson 1962American football and baseball player A lthough not the first professional athlete to participate in more than one sport, when Bo Jackson decided to play both professional baseball and football concurrently, he became the most recognized person ever to do so. In the late 1980s, all of America knew who Bo Jackson was. They knew him simply by his first name, “Bo,” due to a hugely successful national advertising campaign with Nike, the “Bo Knows…” series that made his face and name common in living rooms across the country. Jackson’s speed and power on both the baseball diamond and the football field were legendary, earning him awards as well awe and respect. Growing Up Bo Jackson was born November 30, 1962, in Bessemer, Alabama. He was born Vincent Edward Jackson, the eighth child of Florence Jackson Bond’s ten children. His mother was barely able to support her family with her job as a housekeeper, since Jackson’s father, A.D. Adams, never wed Florence and in fact had a family of his own on the opposite side of town. The name Vincent quickly disappeared as Jackson entered adolescence and gained a reputation as a troublemaker. He seemed unable to stay out of trouble, breaking windows, stealing bicycles, and beating up the other kids in the neighborhood. As Jackson wrote in his autobiography, Bo Knows Bo (co-authored with sportswriter Dick Schaap), “I even hired kids to beat up other kids for me [because] I didn’t have time to beat all of them up myself.” His brothers started calling him a “wild boar,” because it was the only animal they felt he compared to. They soon shortened the nickname to “Bo.” Jackson’s life as a hoodlum was short-lived, however, when at thirteen he was caught throwing rocks at the Baptist minister’s hogs. The boys had killed several of the pigs and the minister made them pay back the loss. Jackson had to take on odd jobs in order to earn his portion of the three thousand dollar loss. His mother, at her Bo Jackson wit’s end and unsure of what to do, was encouraged by the preacher to send Jackson to reform school. Jackson realized that he needed to change his ways or be sent away. He decided to focus his attention on sports. Athletics proved to be what Jackson needed to stay out of trouble. He proved a natural talent at baseball, but he also had an incredible work ethic that allowed him to surpass his peers. At thirteen years old, he had already moved up to the Industrial League in Bessemer, where he played against grown men. A Father Figure Appears Prior to entering high school, the neighboring community’s track coach, Dick Atchinson, asked Jackson to join their team. Atchinson would become Jackson’s mentor at McArdory High School, serving as his coach in both track and football, and later becoming his guid- 739