Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:23 pm EDT

Athletes who would excel in the NFL: #7, Allen Iverson

By MJD

Quarterback/Safety/Kick Returner
Allen Iverson

Michael Vick, Aaron Brooks, and Allen Iverson all came out of the Newport News area in Virginia. You could argue that at the moment, Iverson has the best chance of any of them to be a successful NFL quarterback sometime in the future.

Iverson's size might be seen as questionable, but he's really only small by NBA standards. Stand him next to Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby, and he'll look short. Put some pads on him and stand him next to Champ Bailey and Rod Smith, and he'd look fine. His height is comparable to that of Joe Theismann or Fran Tarkenton, and he'd dwarf Doug Flutie or 4-time Pro Bowler Eddie LeBaron.

I file Iverson under the category of special athletes who could have been legendary at any sport they wanted. Football, basketball, soccer, hide-and-go-seek, Oreo-licking, whatever.

Related: Shutdown Eleven: Non-NFL athletes

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16 Comments

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  1. Anton
    1. Posted by Anton Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:48 pm EDT

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    I doubt he could be a safety. He'd be the oppsite of Cowboy's Williams - can't tackle but can cover. What about power runners? They'd would run over him. I think he would do best at cornerback. Deion Sanders wasn't the best tackler but he was the best shutdown cornerback when he played.
    Kickoff returner- that'd be good. Quarterback - no, he'd probably run the ball more than he'd throw it.
  2. Bunnies will steal your soul
    2. Posted by Bunnies will steal your soul Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT

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    Iverson would take one pop (from a quarterback more than likeky) and would go out crying.
  3. Nick H
    3. Posted by Nick H Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    join my fantasy league on yahoosports.com/fantasy ID# is 125720 and the Password is cbhs
  4. janet m
    4. Posted by janet m Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    He couldn't make it in the NFL because he doesn't like to practice!
  5. rr1
    5. Posted by rr1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:53 pm EDT

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    He ain't s#it........................he played with a bunch of stiffs
  6. uwguy_34
    6. Posted by uwguy_34 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    These are the least coherent comments I've ever seen.
  7. Phil B
    7. Posted by Phil B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:14 pm EDT

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    Another good choice. My friend played high school football in Newport News, and had to compete against all three of those guys (Brooks, Vick, and Iverson). Funny thing is, he said Iverson was considered the best QB of the 3 of them. He just happened to be even better at basketball.
  8. kevin k
    8. Posted by kevin k Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT

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    iverson is an once in a generation type of an athlete. MJD was right on when he said," I file Iverson under the category of special athletes who could have been legendary at any sport they wanted." his speed, agility, coordination, hand-eye, dexterity, and athleticsm is off the charts. Guys like Dion sanders and bo jackson were special too but you watched them and compare to iverson, there is no comparison. There will be more players like Jordan in the NBA but there never will be another Iverson.
  9. Anton
    9. Posted by Anton Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:48 pm EDT

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    uwguy_34 - Your fakeness and pretentiousness is astounding. You don't make any reasonable comment, but rather just denounce the previous comments due to your lack of knowledge to actually make a reasonable comment. Nobody ask you to make such comment. Mine, if any, was the most coherent, more so than yours.
  10. Robin L
    10. Posted by Robin L Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    i've always felt that iverson's rep as a bad nba pointguard is undeserved. he is actually a phenomenal passer, but back in philly, he literally played too fast for his teammates to follow. he'd make brilliant passes that would just bounce off of his teammates hands cuz they weren't expecting it. he would have made a phenomenal quarterback.
  11. smokadeth
    11. Posted by smokadeth Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    15th, how coherent is that?
  12. Anton
    12. Posted by Anton Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:48 pm EDT

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    There you go - smokadeth. What a dumba$$ by uwgay_34
  13. mikey
    13. Posted by mikey Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    Iverson is a beast...yes if he continued to play he would have bulked up some and believe he would have been a great football player...and he is tough
  14. nolucktoday
    14. Posted by nolucktoday Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:54 pm EDT

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    A.I, was the Virginia high school football player of the year, he has a great arm and nobody got around him he was so fast. Vick, was playing at the time at the high school down the street but not Brooks he is older. R. Curry was the Qb around here that was bigger then both of them. All three of them playing each other crazy good.
  15. James
    15. Posted by James Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Vick and Ronald Curry were not playing with Iverson. They were younger. It was A.i. vs. Aaron Brooks. When aaron brooks was playing for the Saints, Iverson stated that he always rooted for New Orleans because of Aaron.
  16. Nick H
    16. Posted by Nick H Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    join my fantasy football leauge on yahoosports.com/fantasy
    ID# is 125720 and the Password is cbhs

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