Allen Iverson bobblehead night a sad statement

Allen Iverson bobble head night seemed like a decent enough idea. Sure, it was an obvious play by ownership to put some fans in the seats, but there's worse ways to do it than honoring an all-time great and giving away a free bobble head.

But when it all boiled down, Allen Iverson bobble head night at the Wells Fargo Center was more sad than anything, and the sadness is layered.

Mainly it's sad that the Sixers have to use an ex-superstar, who hasn't played in several seasons, to sell tickets. How many times can you dive down the same well. Iverson deserves all the adulation that is given to him, but having him trot out to midcourt and wave to sell some extra tickets just seems, well, sad.

The organization hasn't had much to celebrate since the days that A.I. wore an actual Sixers jersey on the hardwood, rather than an over-sized Phillies pullover, and that became increasingly evident as the Iverson highlight montages that played during timeouts quickly became the most exciting aspect of the Sixers/Bobcats contest.

And that's the problem. It's fine to glance backward as long as you're focused forward, and after years of consistent inconsistency, it's tough to see where the Sixers are staring.

Despite that at least sixty percent of the crowd was only there to pay tribute to A.I., the WFC was still a Red Sea of empty seats, and that reflects poorly on both parties.

It's sad to see Iverson as a retired relic, rather than the dynamic superstar, and the fans have made it clear that they could care less about any current player compared to Allen.

Iverson played his part, soaking up the cheers while sporting several gold chains, assuring fans he's fine financially, even if he isn't.

For a second it was almost like 2001 all over again. But then it wasn't, for either Iverson or the 76ers.

At this point, both parties need to pocket the past, and focus on the future.