Ivo...

There are a distinct few moments that will forever play out in my head, from the births of my younger siblings to the catastrophic events which touched the at very core of all the values Americans hold close, and it was these types of events which have helped me develop into the person I am today. Perhaps some of these events were blown out of proportion due to my environment, but all-in-all their precedence remains.



Indiana, for all intents and purposes is a state where young men are bred with one hobby - basketball. From an early age its all I can remember.

Maybe it was our fathers living vicariously through us?
Maybe it was an outlet to get out our dreams in a state where being ordinary was the goal?
Or maybe it was just something to do?

Regardless we gravitated towards our heroes on the television...

For my generation the defining moment for so many occured in the spring of '97. For so many years fundamentals had been emphasized, but for whatever reason a recent first round draft pick polarized us with his ability to make defenders look helpless to his handling of the basketball. Allen Iverson, a name that will forever live in infamy to those who grew up in a basketball environment, was one of the premiere rookies in the league, but much like everyone else there was that one person who made his play seem like child's play. That one person who had filled up highlight tapes and given other players nightmares was Michael Jordan. Arguably the greatest player ever to play the game of basketball, the first meeting between Jordan and Iverson set the stage for what would go down in history as a symbolically defining moment.

Jordan won the game and had more than 30 points, which was very Jordan-esque; however the real story was the killer crossover that took place at the top of the key, in which Iverson carefully rocked left, then swiftly switched to his right hand, catching "His Airness off balance, for a pull-up jumper. This moment in the grand scheme of things may seem insignificant to some, but to my friends and groups of friends abroad it made the impossible possible. On the adverse side, it demonstrated a youthful rebellion to what truly mattered.