“Can this Reputation Be Saved?”
The Standard's practical guide
to reputation management.

This month:

Allen Iverson

The short answer: Mr. Iverson will be in the game for a long time.

“It was so hot that women were dating Allen Iverson just to get thrown out of the house naked.”

“Of course you’ve heard, Allen Iverson is in trouble. Over the weekend he was held under ‘mansion arrest.’ He had a huge party over the weekend. He had to turn himself in today at his convenience when his lawyer got back from his European vacation. So you see, it’s just like the way they treat the little guy.”

– Jay Leno, monologue, July 16, 2002

When Jay Leno uses your name twice in his monologue, it’s a sure sign your reputation is either on the rise or in real trouble. In the case of Philadelphia 76er’s Allen Iverson, it’s a toss up. When he was arrested for allegedly breaking into an apartment armed with a handgun (throwing his wife out of their house naked was apparently also part of the hijinks), there were many who said that this was just another example of a bad-boy athlete setting a bad example for our youth and getting away with stuff the rest of us would be sent to jail for.

But Iverson, who’s seen more men in blue at his doors than the average Dunkin’ Donuts, can’t be pigeon-holed that easily. When, as a teenager, he was sent to jail for a bowling alley brawl, friends and neighbors lobbied successfully to have his sentence shortened. The Reverend Jesse Jackson cites Iverson as an example of why we need to give black youth in our country a better chance. And even the Sunday New York Times wrote an amazingly sympathetic profile of him.

The reason for all this positivity in the face of some pretty serious charges is the extraordinary ability of people to see through the words and focus on his deeds. The foundation of his reputation is no doubt based on his stunning displays on the court and his determination to make it in a sport where he’s a foot shorter than the average player. But added to his skills as a basketball player is his financial and emotional support for his friends, and his plain speaking on the issues that matter to his community, as well as to his friends and fans. He is seen as the “John McCain” of professional athletes, and as such has won extraordinary support.

Which is why we’re convinced that, once Leno runs out of Iverson jokes, Allen Iverson’s reputation will be firmly intact.