Detroit Free Press

When F. Scott Fitzgerald said there were no second acts in American lives, he could have been talking about pro ...

PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson had the look, and Chucky Atkins tried to square in front of him. Atkins leaned in. He stayed on his toes. He went to swipe the ball -- and instead knocked Iverson's headband down over his eyes.Well. There's an idea. Maybe if they make him play blindfolded. . . .Short of that, the Pistons had better come up with something. Because there's even in games and there's even in edge. And while this series may be tied at 2, the Pistons on Sunday night had their heads down for a reason.

PHILADELPHIA -- I land at the airport. I make a phone call. A local sports talk show has asked to speak to me. I ...

Chris Webber promised to buy each of his teammates a brand-new Mercedes if Sacramento won the NBA title last year. ...

He is either an old man in a young man's body or a young man in an old man's face. Appearances are deceiving with Mehmet Okur. He is a rookie, but he looks like he could have four kids and a minivan. He is a strong rebounder, but his body looks like the "before" ad for one of those muscle gyms.

The lights came on. The lights went out. The lights came on again. And then, in the fourth quarter, the lights ...

Tracy McGrady was surrounded by doom. He tried to lose Michael Curry on a screen, but Chauncey Billups slid over. He tried to lose Billups, but Cliff Robinson slid over. He tried to go past Robinson, but here came Curry again, with Ben Wallace on the way, and McGrady fell, grabbed at the ball and, with no other option, looked desperately to the ref and called time out.

As kids, when we got in trouble, we blamed a sibling. As adults, we blame a disease.A guy gets caught with hookers? He's a sex addict. A guy gets caught shoplifting? He's a kleptomaniac.A college coach gets caught drinking beers with coeds? He's an alcoholic.Naturally.