“Me, myself and I,” that was the famous line in the 1980s given bythe hip-hop group De la Soul.

However, now that the group has moved on to better things,Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson is still livingby those three words — and only those three words.

Allow me to elaborate for you: Last week it was announced thatIverson was releasing a rap CD about cop-killing, and at the sametime, using vulgar language.

Now, I know some of you are probably wondering: What’s wrong withthis, don’t most rappers do this already? Don’t rockers speak of theDevil and Anti-Christ? Well, maybe they do, maybe they don’t.

But, the situation is a little bit different with Iverson (MikeChmura, Michael Irvin, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and all otherprofessional athletes). Today, in professional sports, like Iversonin the National Basketball Association, athletes need to set somekind of example for tomorrow’s youth. They need to understand,regardless of what they do on or off the field, the public stillfinds out about it. In essence, they actually have two jobs — playprofessional sports and serve as role models for fans.

But, Iverson and the other names of crime-related athletes Iintroduced earlier, have still failed to understand that. Well, maybeGooden has because he’s finally off cocaine.

Even though Iverson didn’t commit a crime, he still proved hisimmaturity and selfishness (me, myself and I) when he told reportersthat his CD was a separate issue and it was part of his other lifewhich had nothing to do with basketball.

Sorry, Allen, but it does.

When I walk down the street, I see so many 76er and GeorgetownUniversity (where Iverson played college ball) jerseys with the No. 3on it — Iverson’s number.

The sad thing is a large majority of these fans are kids. I am nottalking about 19-year-olds, either. I am talking about children atthe age of so much vulnerability, it’s not even funny. Children whowill “do anything” to be like their favorite superstar.

Here, I’ll give you an analogy.

When I was growing up, my favorite player was Earvin “Magic”Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers. I used to watch him every chance Ihad. I used to want to re-enact everything he did on the court. Iwanted to play like him. What’s going to happen when little Johnnyhears about Iverson’s 187 of a police officer at the local 7-elevenstore? Who knows. But don’t you think that Little Johnny, Iverson’sNo. 1 fan, is going to think that what Iverson is preaching on his CDhas some validity to it? Of course he is because it’s his favoriteplayer and everything your favorite player does is OK.

So, what is Iverson’s problem with cops anyway? Does he despisethem so much because every time he commits a crime he gets caught?Well, maybe crime isn’t such a good line of work for him. Should hetry something different and new? Oh yeah, doesn’t he already play forthat … oh what’s it called? Oh yeah, that’s right.

It’s called the NBA.

Chris is a journalism senior and staff writer for The Daily Aztec.He can be reached at C_Bordona@yahoo.com.