關於 all back cornrows ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

News broke that Pistons star Allen Iverson has cut off his trademark braids.

Of course, the Internet has since been abuzz with discussion of Iverson's new look.

Shaq went as far as calling it "cute" (an odd choice of words if you ask me).

So why is the media covering this story, showing video clips of Iverson's new look? Why are there some 20 blog posts on the subject, even though it happened just yesterday?

I can't answer all these questions. But I can tell you why I'm writing this particular article.



The Questions that Led to "The Answer"

Growing up in Philadelphia, my favorite sports were hockey, basketball and baseball.

The Sixers were and will always be my favorite team. As I was growing up, guys like Dr. J and Moses Malone were my heroes.

Then came Sir Charles Barkley. I definitely recognized his greatness, but never did I idolize him like Malone and Erving.

Then, those lean years for the Sixers came. If you're a Sixers fan, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Shawn Bradley and Reese Witherspoon were our "stars".

Oh wait, I have Reese confused with someone...

I have to be honest, it was tough to stick with the team through that era.

I stopped watching. Management and owners seemed to care less about putting a winning team on the court and more about the bottom line.

It was a bad period from 1992 to 1996.

I actually stopped caring, and I hate to say it, but a lot of other Philadelphians did too. If you think I'm exaggerating, ponder this fact:

The Sixers couldn't even sell out the Spectrum at the time, nor could they unload season tickets.

Then that fateful day came: the day Allen Iverson was drafted by the 76ers.

He may have not have won an NBA championship for Philly during his tenure here, but he did something no other star or player since Dr. J had done.

He reinvigorated the fan base and recaptured the love for the Sixers. He got the entire city to care again.

By his second year, Iverson had the whole town talking. It soon became popular again proclaim your fandom. Even people from other cities were wearing Iverson jerseys.



Then the celebs starting coming to Sixers games: I remember seeing Will Smith at the game after Thanksgiving Day in 1997, against the Lakers. The place was packed with a sell-out crowd, and you could feel the electricity.

AI had even put a disenchanted fan like me back into the Sixers' fold. He had made basketball in Philly exciting again.



The Questions Came with "The Answer"

Yet somewhere along the line, as the years passed, the love affair between Philly and Allen ended. Like so many other times with countless other players, the fickle fans of Philadelphia chased yet another star out of their city.

The list of such victims is as long as you can imagine.

Eric Lindros, Randall Cunningham, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, more Phillies than I care to remember...sadly, Iverson became just one more on that list.

But I still thank the man for bringing me back to Sixers basketball.

What made Iverson so special at the time was he was different, from the cornrows to the tattoos to the extra-long shorts. Iverson was always true to himself.

I'm sure the corporate types of the NBA were having nightmares, but the fact of the matter is fans from all over the world embraced Iverson.

I got so tired of hearing statements like "he's a hoodlum" based solely upon his appearance. I'll tell you as a Caucasian that Iverson having cornrows and tattoos didn't make me think he was a thug. I hated that the media thought they could speak for others.

I remember having a Iverson poster up on my wall in 1997, when I was in college. I remember my best friend coming over and, noticing the poster, sarcastically saying:

"What, is Iverson your homeboy?"

"No," I replied, "Iverson is 'The Man'."

I can't imagine the prejudice Iverson faced through his life or because of his color and image. But I know just how stupid and prejudiced some people acted towards me for being a fan of his.

What I respected the most about Iverson was that he was true to himself and was loyal to his family and friends, even when the media was tearing him apart for his loyalty. He was the real deal on and off the court.

Even when Iverson got in trouble with the police here in Philly (some story of him looking for his wife and pulling a gun on someone at a door), I stood by him and never wavered.

I saw the big picture: So many people wanted a piece of him, hangers-on and people thinking they could make a quick buck at his expense. And I hated that the media used his image agaisnt him every time something bad happened in his personal life.

Allen Iverson cuts his hair. Could it be true? The famous cornrows are gone? Yes, yes and yes. Indeed, when Allen Iverson cuts his hair, it makes the headlines. That's how closely associated cornrow braids have been with Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson.

Allen Iverson Cuts His Hair: A brief History of Cornrows

When Allen Iverson sported cornrow braids, he was in a sense paying homage to his ancestors, for the cornrow hairstyle originated in Africa. Historians believe that the hairstyle dates back as far as 500 B.C., in fact. Various styles served to transmit a variety of attributes, including social status, age, and religious affiliation.

The cornrow braid hairstyle survived the ravages of slavery in America. Maintaining the hairstyle was one of the few ways that slaves could remember and celebrate their native culture's rich traditions. The cornrow styles that black slaves fashioned were an amalgamation of African, European and Native American hairstyle trends. And, interestingly, among some runaway slaves, flamboyant cornrow styles were worn as blatant acts of defiance.

After the Civil War, more and more African Americans began to straighten their hair. Among black children, though, the cornrow style remained a place where the tradition was enthusiastically continued. Oftentimes, in fact, little girls would get their first cornrow braids while sitting at the knees of their grandmothers.

Allen Iverson Cuts off his Cornrows: Whatever Happened to Cicely Tyson?

When Allen Iverson first decided to rock cornrows, he may have been indirectly influenced by actress Cicely Tyson. Back in 1963, she wore cornrows while she co-starred in the television drama "East Side/West Side" with George C. Scott and Elisabeth Wilson. Arguably, it was Cicely Tyson who helped kick off the "Black is Beautiful" movement in America during the late 60s and early 70s, which was a time when black women began to eschew hair straightening in favor of more "natural" styles.

This may be the moment we look back on as the exact time and place where Allen Iverson finally got it.

The mercurial superstar of the Philadelphia 76ers had just been named Most Valuable Player of the 50th NBA All-Star Game. He had just led the Eastern Conference to the greatest comeback in All-Star annals and was physically spent.

Iverson was just miles from his hometown, minutes from his alma mater and in front of dozens of friends and family. There were a million emotions tugging at a very emotional man.

Oh, yeah, did we mention that Iverson was standing right next to NBA commissioner David Stern? Iverson has been called on to Stern's carpet several times, including twice this season. David's not exactly one of Allen's homeboys.

And when Stern offered a nice little pun about Iverson's rap music, it was as if Iverson didn't even hear him. As Stern handed him the MVP trophy, all Iverson could think of was one thing when he was asked to speak.

"Where's my coach at?" he asked. "Where's Coach Brown?"

It was a nice touch by Iverson to seek out Larry Brown, his coach for the past 3 1/2 seasons. For a player often described as selfish and immature, it was a giant step toward superstardom.

"It's special, and it's a tribute to my coach and my teammates," said Iverson.

"I've always felt that whether these guys know it or not, kids watch them and want to be like them and today was the greatest thing for basketball," Brown said. "There were so many lessons to be learned, from him in what he's accomplished."

It was a moment about a million miles removed from Iverson's rookie year, when Charles Barkley called him "Me-myself-and-Iverson."

It has been a long and bumpy road for Brown and Iverson. When Brown took over the 76ers in 1997, he was inheriting the NBA's problem child, a trigger-happy gunner with no respect for authority.

There have been countless clashes. Over shot selection, which Iverson still is learning. Over defense, which Iverson once considered an afterthought. Over playing time, which Iverson wants at all times. Over practices, which Iverson long considered optional.

This summer, the 76ers considered exiling Iverson to the Los Angeles Clippers. Maybe that was the moment. Iverson promised to improve his attendance at practice and be more understanding of Brown. He even asked for the captaincy to show his commitment.

Yeah, sure, Allen. We'll believe it when we see it.

But a funny thing happened this season. Iverson came to practice all the time. His shot selection and decision-making improved. He dug in on defense harder than ever before.

And the Sixers started winning. A lot. They won their first 10 games and have never really slowed down, despite a series of debilitating injuries. As they enter the stretch run, their 37-13 record is in the best in the NBA.

"I think you see in him, like you do in a lot of players, as they mature in the league off the floor, they mature on the floor," said Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman, who watched Iverson dismantle his Western Conference All-Stars in the fourth quarter. "They understand what it is all about. Allen seems to have done that."

No one ever has doubted Iverson's skills or his competitiveness or his toughness. It is what has stamped his game with superstar quality.

But there is more to being a superstar than playing at a level where your skill and desire are unmatched by anyone on the court. It also is determined by how you carry yourself off the court.

Iverson has no plans to unbraid his cornrows, surgically remove his tattoos or give up his secondary dream of being a rap star. But he does seem as if he finally is committed to accepting all of the responsibilities of being a true superstar -- something the NBA desperately needs.

"It's going to be beautiful for years to come," Iverson said of his moment.

Perhaps Iverson finally does get it, even if we don't quite get him.