What Allen Iverson's Foreclosure Tells Us About the State of the Black Athlete

It appears that life just got more complicated for former NBA star Allen Iverson. It is being reported that Iverson's 6,848 square-foot home in Cherry Hills, Colorado is now in foreclosure. Iverson is an 11-time NBA All-Star and former MVP. He purchased the home in 2008 for $3.88 million and now owes $2.5 million to Wells Fargo.

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George Foreman Professional Profile

Black Voices takes a look at the professional career of George Foreman, considered by many one of the greatest boxers of all time. The Olympian's skill helped him stage successful comebacks into the twilight of his fighting career. Foreman's smile and nice-guy demeanor eventually launched as one of the most recognized product pitchmen in the game. Foreman's also a preacher, a philanthropist and an entrepreneur. Recently, the father of 10 opened his family life for a reality TV show called "Family Foreman."

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The Record

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George Foreman Professional Profile

Street Fighter Turned Olympian
The Marshall, Texas, native was raised as a street fighter, but by the age of 19 he cleaned up his act and won a gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Next, he would amass an unheard of amateur record of 27-0. He turned professional the following year.

George Foreman Professional Profile

"Rumble in the Jungle"
Perhaps one of the most famous boxing match of all time, Muhammad Ali vs. Foreman would go down in history as "The Rumble in The Jungle." The heavyweight bout went down in 1974, in an unlikely venue - a stadium in Congo, Africa. It was Don King's first gig as a boxing promoter. In the eighth round, Ali landed a knockout blow that sent Foreman flying across the ring. A punch that cemented Ali as the Greatest of All Time.

George Foreman Professional Profile

Foreman's Faith
Foreman is an ordained minister and he started his ministry after a religious experience that took place in his dressing room after losing to Jimmy Young in 1977. The experience marked his first retirement from the sport. He still spreads the gospel today in Houston at the Church of Lord Jesus Christ. He says his favorite scripture is Psalms 1.

George Foreman Professional Profile

Foreman Comebacks
Foreman first retired from boxing in 1977 to become a preacher. On the verge of bankruptcy a decade later, overweight and 38, Foreman returned to the ring to fight a few more times before he retired again. A few years later, Foreman skipped retirement again and became the oldest man in history to re-capture the Heavyweight crown on Nov. 5, 1994, knocking out Michael Moorer.

George Foreman Professional Profile

Boxing Commentator
In 2003, George Foreman decided to hang up his headset and leave HBO after twelve years of boxing commentating for the network. In the beginning, fans forgave the fact that Foreman was not exactly well suited for the announcing job, but leading up to his departure, Foreman was criticized hard and often, for his sloppy analysis.

George Foreman Professional Profile

Foreman Books
Foreman has published four books and countless cookbooks. His most recent book is a spiritual memoir called "God In My Corner." His 1995 autobiography, "By George,' was well received and he also authored a children's book called "Let George Do It."

George Foreman Professional Profile

The Foreman Grill
In 1994 the boxing champ introduced the George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine. The Foreman Grill quickly became a must-have appliance and can be found in more than 100 million homes. In 1999, Foreman sold the naming rights to the grill's manufacturer for $137.5 million.

George Foreman Professional Profile

Endorsements Galore
"I love selling," Foreman says "People trust me. I sell sincerity." KFC, Doritos Chips, The Foreman Grill, Meineke and McDonald's, Casual Male Big & Tall clothing and HBO were among his first endorsement credits.

George Foreman Professional Profile

George Foreman Enterprises
Today, According to The New York Times, George Foreman Enterprises has most recently endorsed his new shake (George Foreman's Life-Shake) a shoe line (InStride), UFood Grill, a health-food restaurant chain and a British line of frozen meats. Next on the list are George Foreman vitamins.

George Foreman Professional Profile

I am not sure if this foreclosure is part of a broader financial trend in Iverson's life, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised. For some odd reason, the last five years have produced one of the fastest slides of any player in recent memory. Just a few years ago, Iverson was an NBA beast; slashing, leaping and sprinting his way to magical performances. As the years went by, we saw more and more reports that Iverson's personal life was starting to unravel. Stories about alcoholism and gambling problems were accompanied by an embarrassing drop in his on-court statistics, leading America to conclude that Iverson was becoming an aging also-ran.

Allen Iverson's slide is not the first to occur among prominent black athletes. It seems that this kind of thing happens every year, with the culprit being a mix between bad personal choices, poor money management and a lack of preparation for life after basketball. Last year, former NBA star Lorenzen Wright was found dead in the woods after some accused him of becoming a drug dealer. We witnessed the sudden fall of Michael Vick, and countless other athletes who've ended up dead, on drugs, broke or in prison. These are the stories that make it to into the media; there are quite a few other disturbing tales about men who sacrificed all of their educational opportunities for a hoop dream that never came to be. The media isn't going to report on how many of these men find themselves in places that we don't want our sons to end up.

What many black athletes can learn from Iverson's problems both on and off the court is that even if you are a successful athlete, you must always ensure that you have an education and are equipped to make good choices. I don't blame Iverson for leaving college early, but I do blame him for not getting an education later on in life. It also takes time to realize that even if you can have everything you want, it may not be good for your soul to pursue all that is offered to you (check out the book, "Dorian Gray" as an interesting tale about how having all he wants can poison a man's soul). Far too many prominent black male athletes have the platforms of kings, but the mentality of court jesters. They've become convinced that the pursuit of women and bling should override the necessity to use their vast power for the larger public good (for example, these brothers could take a tremendous stand for their friends who are victims of the mass incarceration of black males that has taken place over the last 25 years). Additionally, we all grow tired of seeing one uneducated black athlete after another being left broke by his agent and attorney, both of whom have law degrees from Ivy League schools. The bottom line: A wealthy fool and his money always part ways. So, any athlete, black or otherwise, who insists upon allowing himself to drown in ignorance is begging to be exploited by others.

I can't describe exactly what's happening with Allen Iverson, but something inside me says that Iverson's story is going to end tragically. This makes me sad, because Iverson's talent, courage, brilliance and relentlessness on the court were virtually unprecedented. I am going to sincerely miss this man's play.

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