Allen Iverson Hates Bowling

The Philadelphia 76ers held a meet-and-greet for last night at Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes. It was a mandatory team function, but Allen Iverson laughs in the face of mandatory. (He didn't go.) AI was the only Sixers player not to attend the event for corporate sponsors, which is pretty bad considering Dalembert's the one who is "lost". Iverson will be fined by the team.

And oh, he also left practice early. From the Philadelphia Daily News:

A source said Iverson was upset when he left practice earlier in the day, less than an hour after the 11 a.m. start at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

After practice, Cheeks said Iverson had left early because he "was a little fatigued."

Asked whether Iverson had been upset, Cheeks said, "Whatever happened between him and me, I'd like to keep that private."

Can't say I'm real surprised by any of this. I've been preaching since pre-season that this'll finally be the year Iverson forces his way out of Philly. AI knows this Sixers team is headed for the crapper -- have I mentioned their starting center is "lost"? -- and well, I expect this little incident to be the first of many over the next couple of months.

Yeah, unlike those weak S.O.S. signals Kevin Garnett's dispatching from Minnesota, I'm pretty sure Iverson's about to raise the flag, sound the fog-horn, and fire the bright red flares.

(Update: Mutoni brings up a good -- although hilariously far-fetched -- point: Maybe Iverson didn't attend the meet-and-greet because he doesn't "do" bowling alleys anymore. You know, that whole "throwing a chair at a girl" accusation did happen on the lanes. Then again, Webber was in attendance. Why Iverson didn't go just to chuck something at him is beyond me...)