10 years ago, these two players were arguably the best in their respective leagues.
Iverson's size (6'0 and 165 pounds), his toughness, and the way he embraced the hip-hop community made him an instant fan favorite with many fans, including myself. While Moss had freakish attributes, such as jumping ability, speed, and hands to go along with his 6'4, 210 pound frame.
However, their cavalier attitudes accelerated their downfalls.
Before the 2000-2001 season where Iverson single-handedly carried the 76ers to the NBA Finals, he had a love/hate relationship with his coach Larry Brown. Things were so topsy-turvy that he was placed on the trading block and almost could have been sent to the Clippers. His MVP season in 2001 changed all of this.
Yet, instances such his repeating of "practice" 22 1/2 times (give or take) and numerous others wore out his time in Philadelphia, and he was traded in 2006. After failing to get out the first round with Denver, he went to Detroit for Chauncey Billups. The result was that Denver advanced to the Western Conference Finals with Billups, and the Pistons floundered with A.I. not wanting to come off the bench and quitting on the team. The same happened after three games in Memphis and he "retired", only to go back to Philadelphia and leave midway because of his daughter and family situation.
The same goes for Moss, who fell to the 21st pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Moss is one of the best receivers to ever play the game, but his work ethic has always been questioned, especially if his team is losing or he's not having a great game.
He has been known to say, "I play when I wanna play," and demonstrated that when he walked off the field before a game was over in the 2004 regular season finale against the Washington Redskins as a Minnesota Vikings. Also this happened in 2006, when on Monday Night Football, Moss looked uninterested in the Oakland Raiders' game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Other situations include numerous drug problems, him bumping a police officer with his car, complaining that Tom Brady got a new contract and he did not, and now allegedly criticizing food in his second stint with the Vikings made his act tired.
Now as both players near the end of their careers, one can wonder why these two are not even wanted, yet still proving that they have more than enough in the tank.
Moss eventually was picked up by the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 3, while Iverson has now been exiled to Turkey.
Although they both have been great athletes, had their attitudes been better...would they have a ring and a solid job right now?
It has been a sad downward spiral since they both wowed us as young players.
The more that things change, the more that they stay the same.
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