If you retire AI's #3, it better go up with Velcro ...

The major news report this evening came from Philadelphia where former NBA columnist Stephen A. Smith released a statement from former NBA All-Star Allen Iverson, announcing Iverson's plans to retire from the NBA. The 10-year NBA All-Star guard, who made stops in Denver and Detroit before playing only three road games for Memphis this season, walked away from his contract with the Grizzlies and was later waived by the team.

I will believe that AI is "officially retired" when he is still un-signed come the "dog days" of the NBA season this January or early February, a few weeks after the 10-days contracts are open season. Instead, I would predict that Iverson signs up with an NBA team desperate for help in the scoring and attendance columns.

It's been all downhill for the former 76ers star since he forced a December, 2006 trade to the Denver Nuggets. In that deal, the 76ers acquired guard Andre Miller and forward Joe Smith, along with two first-round draft picks used in the 2007 NBA Draft. Surprisingly, the two draft picks were for marginal players acquired and quickly shipped out during draft day deals where one provided Philadelphia with forward Jason Smith. Smith, the only player left standing from the blockbuster Iverson trade, started his first game on November 25 when the Sixers had two veteran starters sidelined and Smith filled in for power forward Elton Brand.

After the move to the NBA's Western conference outpost in the State of Colorado, Iverson failed to meld with Denver's offense which was full of motion schemes favored by Coach George Karl. The Nuggets figured to be a perfect match for Iverson's high-octane, jump-shooting skills but he joined the team immediately after suspensions to Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, then never found the chemistry necessary to blend in with Karl's offensive sets. Then, after the unsuccessful stint in the Mile High city, Iverson was shipped to Detroit.

In a surprising move in November, 2008, Detroit's Joe Dumars sent forward Antonio McDyess and guard Chauncey Billups to Denver is a deal that plotted some $20-$22 million in cap room after the Pistons left forward Rasheed Wallace (Wallace signed with the Boston Celtics).

Iverson is left with very few options. The logical spot to sign was with the New York Knickerbockers, only an hour and 19 minutes from Philly's 33rd Street Amtrak Station, where a stress-free train-ride would bring him and his family straight under New York's Madison Square Garden. But, when NYK GM Donny Walsh passed on signing Iverson (at the veteran's minimum salary of about $1.4 mil), the music stopped and the 10-year all-star was left standing without a chair. After he cleared waivers and no NBA team stepped up with an offer, the only move to make was to "officially" announce his retirement with the caveat that he would cherish the time with family. However, the message posted was pretty clear, as Iverson believes he can still contribute at a high level.

In other NBA locales, the only option for AI to consider would be a stint with the New Jersey Nets. Iverson has a lot of respect for Nets team president of basketball operations Rod Thorn and could establish a solid relationship with Nets no-nonsense coach Lawrence Frank who undoubtedly would appreciate some instant offensive fire-power from the 10-year vet who could limo straight up the famed New Jersey Turnpike for games at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands.

The only other possibility to consider would be a headline grabbing "AI to Europe" manuever where Iverson would return to "Rock Star" status in the Euroleague where he would surely sell plenty of tickets and attract plenty of attention, especially if he were to join the baloncestro-crazed Spanish fans of FC Barcelona or Real Madrid. Iverson and the 76ers sold-out the Palau Sant-Jordi in Barcelona during the NBA Europe Live Tour of 2007 when FC Barca defeated the Sixers in a preseason friendly before some 20,000 fans.

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Tranquility Base...

The voice of NASA, the voice of "Mission Control" has passed on.  The  AP Report reads:

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. – Paul Haney, who was known as the "voice of NASA's Mission Control" for his live televised reports during the early years of the space program, has died of cancer. He was 80.

Haney died Thursday at a nursing home. Kent House, owner of the Alamogordo Funeral Home, confirmed that Haney died of complications from melanoma cancer, which spread to his brain and was untreatable.

Haney became NASA's information officer in 1958, three months after the space agency was formed and went on to manage information from the Gemini and Apollo flight programs. He pioneered a real-time system of reporting events as they happened in the first manned flight program, Project Mercury.

George House, curator of the New Mexico Museum of Space History, said Haney helped work on the museum's oral history program. He also conducted tours of the museum and worked with the museum foundation.

Haney became the public affairs officer for the Office of Manned Space Flight in 1962 and moved to Houston to work in what became the Johnson Space Center. During his time there, he worked in the Mission Control Center, where he broadcast live to television viewers nationwide and media covering the launches, and became known as the "voice of NASA's Mission Control."

Haney retired from NASA in 1969 after the Apollo 9 mission, and worked in London for Independent Television News and The Economist.

The New Mexico Museum of Space History's Web site said Haney "set the standard for all subsequent NASA information efforts."

Haney was born in 1928 in Akron, Ohio, and earned a journalism degree from Kent State University in 1945. While in college, Haney worked nights for The Associated Press.

He also worked at newspapers in Erie, Pa.; Memphis, Tenn.; Charleston, S.C.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Houston and El Paso, Texas, and at the Evening Star in Washington, D.C.

Haney served in the Navy for two years during the Korean War.

He is survived by his wife, Jan; two daughters from a previous marriage; a stepson; a sister, and seven grandchildren.

Information from: Alamogordo Daily News, http://www.alamogordonews.com

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For info see:

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Game On in Boston is a lot of fun.  See:  http://gameonboston.com/all-star-club/

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Wrong Dream Team?

MADRID (AFP) – The 2008/09 season will live long in the memories of Barcelona fans as Pep Guardiola guided the club to a unique league, Kings Cup and Champions League treble in his debut season.

Barcelona had gone two years without a trophy but swept all before them to seal a historic treble that no Spanish team, not even the great Real Madrid, had previously managed.

With Spain's Euro 2008 heroes Xavi and Andres Iniesta feeding the striking trio of Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, Barcelona destroyed teams at home and abroad with a scintillating brand of football that harped back to Johan Cruyff's 'Dream team'.

Every Barca side since has been measured against Cruyff's great side, captained by Guardiola, that won four successive league titles between 1991 and 1994 along with the 1992 European Cup.

However, Guardiola wrote his own history by guiding Barcelona to the treble, leaving Real Madrid and Manchester United in their wake.

"We have demonstrated that we are the best," said Messi. "I?m also happy because everyone seems to enjoy our football, whether or not they are Barca fans.

"All over the world, I?ve heard people saying that they have been enchanted by us. This type of football deserves to be rewarded with titles.

"I think it will be very difficult for something like this (the treble) to be repeated."

Real Madrid were humilated 6-2 by Barcelona at their Santiago Bernabeu and the result summed up a nightmare season.

Starting off as double champions Real had high hopes of a third successive title and having an impact on Europe but from the get-go they were clinging to Barcelona's coat-tails.

Bernd Schuster, moaning about referees and injuries, was axed in December and Juande Ramos came in with the task of reeling in the leaders.

Ramos helped claw Real back into the title race but when it mattered most his team were outplayed with Barca running rings around them in that 6-2 win and they were hopelessly outclassed by Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League, losing 5-0 on aggregate.

With Barcelona playing sensational freeflowing football, Real's jeering fans wanted the same but instead they got a pragmatic approach.

Even Real's players didn't like what was on show with French winger Julien Faubert, on loan from West Ham, pictured sleeping on the Real substitutes bench in their 3-2 defeat by Villarreal.

From an early stage it was clear that it would be a two-horse race with the other big sides competing for the Champions League.

Sevilla's approach, specialising in 1-0 wins, won points if few plaudits for coach Manolo Jimenez who guided the club into the top four and secured Champions League qualification to earn a new contract extension.

Atletico Madrid had another inconsistent season with their defence a shambles but their prolific forward line of Sergio "Kun" Aguero and Diego Forlan bailed them out, firing the club into fourth and a second successive season in the Champions League.

Forlan took the 'pichichi' crown for the league's top-scorer with 32 goals after netting in the final eight games of the season.

Valencia and Villarreal both had chances to make fourth their own but paid the price for poor run-ins and had to settle for a place in the Europa League, the re-branded UEFA Cup.

Valencia must now try to persuade Spanish stars David Silva and David Silva, both bound by long contracts, to stay at the club and forego another season in the Champions League.

Villarreal just want to hang onto their highly-rated coach Manuel Pellegrini who has been touted for the Real Madrid job.

At the bottom of the table, Espanyol produced a minor miracle to stay up winning eight of their final ten games to climb off the foot of the table and survive when everyone had written them off.

Numancia and Recreativo Huelva were relegated from the top-flight along with Real Betis who dropped into the second division on the final day of the season as Osasuna and Sporting Gijon both won to save their skins.

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