Community Voices The talk of the town: Allen Iverson

The following are excerpts from the hundreds of pages of online discussion about Allen Iverson at philly.com. Participants in the online chat have given permission for their comments to be reprinted here.

Sooner or later Allen Iverson has to realize what a wonderful situation he has in being able to do what he loves to do for so-o-o-o much money. Just think how good he could be if he would practice.

H. Ron McClellan

Middletown, Pa.

Wednesday, 2:22 p.m.

I understand that Allen Iverson comes from a poverty-stricken background, so do I. But as an adult, I know better than to be carrying a gun looking for my wife. ... People do things out of anger, yes, but the mentality that it is OK to behave in that fashion is utterly unacceptable, no matter who you are or where you come from. ... If you don't want to be a public figure, stop playing professional sports. However, the million-dollar paychecks will stop coming as well.

Y. Miller

Philadelphia

Wednesday, 3:44 p.m.

It is just time for Allen Iverson to ... realize that he has to start acting like a real grown-up.

Wednesday, 4:04 p.m.

I used to like him; now he's just bad for Philly.

Eric Offner

Bluffton, S.C.

Wednesday, 4:13 p.m.

Have you ever told someone, say a family member, that you were going to kill them - but then you're brandishing a gun, saying that someone is going to die and it isn't going to be me? Then, my friend, it goes from a domestic dispute to making a terroristic threat.... If he was a normal person like you or me, the police would have said to the wife, "Get a restraining order," and to the guy at the apartment, "We can't prove it." But because he is a star, they make an example out of him, so that people will think, if they came down on Iverson like that, maybe I better check myself.

Wednesday, 4:29 p.m.

I honestly don't think he is a thug. I think he's trying to be a thug and that's even worse. A true thug wouldn't be going through this because the victims would be scared to death to discuss the situation. ... They aren't scared. Allen Iverson is just a nut. He should be trying to elevate his social standing, not trying to pretend to be a thug. ... If kids see that even Allen Iverson gets into trouble when he does something wrong, maybe they will realize that no matter who you are, if you do the crime, you do the time.

Wednesday, 4:43 p.m.

Why don't you start a petition asking for the trade of Allen Iverson? I would be the first to sign.

Wednesday, 5:16 p.m.