Only the Strong Survive, The Odyssey of Allen Iverson (pgs 201-262)

Summary: In the conclusion of this book, AI has to adjust to new types of things on his team, the 76ers. Instead of being a defensive-minded team, the team became more offensive-minded because of the addition of players who could shoot from the outside and they were looking to score alot more. This would affect Iverson greatly since he is just a pure scorer and can simply put the ball in the basket. Now he was surrounded by people who were more like him. What this conlcusion also holds is the infamous case that involved AI and his possesion of guns. Although there was a witness that said AI possesed a gun, the character of that witness was not mature and also, there were no present victims and nobody was harmed.
Quote: "Within weeks of the Sixers' ousting from the playoffs, the Iverson-Brown saga, one of sports' most interesting psychodramas, came to a sudden close" (Platt 262).
Reaction: Well I also think that this has been an interesting psychodrama because just watching this on actual TV a while ago was just really exciting in a way. What this pretty much was was that AI and coach Larry Brown had a lot of disputes and it would have an affect on the team. As far as right now, they have a good relationship but back then, they would have their disputes and AI would disobey team rules. One for example was not showing up ti practices without any type of warning. I do agree with the part of the quote where they said it came to a sudden close. This actually did come to a sudden close and everything was all well again between coach Brown and AI.

Only the Strong Survive, The Odyssey of Allen Iverson (pgs 151-200)

Summary: These 50 pages focus on AI's NBA life. Also, it focuses on his normal life after he is in the NBA. A famous rapper named "Mase" invited AI to Atlanta, where Mase would record. AI must have been excitied because he also loved rap music. When AI was on the Philadelphia 76ers, it was deemed questionable whether head coach of the sixers at the time Larry Brown and AI would coexist peacefully.
Quote: "It was for six years and $71 million." (Platt 157)
Reaction: This has a really huge impact on AI in some different ways. First of all, with this kind of contract he is being offered, he can take care of his family which is something he has pretty much made his goal to do. His state of mind was to take care of his family and with this money, that would soon happen. This would also change AI in a way that might impact just how he is and would make him realize that it is a true blessing to be in the NBA and make that type of money.

Only the Strong Survive, The Odyssey of Allen Iverson (pgs 51-100)

Summary: The next 50 pages really focuses on some AI's basketball life and also some other situations with one where he does get into trouble off the court. He is actually found guilty of three felony counts of maiming by mob. What people might interpret from that is that he was hurt by a mob. What it really means was that he was hurting others while in a mob. What also happens now is that Allen Iverson is declared a man and he had to take care of his mother and sisters at this point. Allen interpreted that as he needed to start making money in order to take care of the family.
Quote: "You're the man now" "You've got to take care of your mother and sisters." (Platt 66)
Reaction: My reaction to this was that AI took that to heart. I think so because he really did try and start to take care of them by trying to find a job. AI did used to think that the only way he could make money for the family is to sell drugs. I find it interesting how he is balancing this and the summer leaugue, which is basketball played during the summer with people on the pro level.

Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson (pgs 1-50)

Summary: The first 50 pages of the book really produced a lot of concrete background information about Allen Iverson, or "AI". AI was raised in Newport News, VA, which was a small Southern city with a strong migratory connection to New York City. Contained inside of these first 50 pages are AI being compared and spoken to by many people who were popular in pop culture in the 90's. One of those people were Tupac.
Quotation:
" In a sense, Allen Iverson is Tupac with a jumpshot" (Platt 7)

Reaction: What I first thought of when I saw this quote was that the quote was trying to say that AI was extremely gifted. I thought of that because when I think of Tupac, I think of someone who was very skilled and gifted as a rapper. This quote is comparing AI with Tupac and Tupac was a huge hit in the 90's as a rapper. This quote shows that AI is extremely gifted when it comes to the sport of basketball.