Less than a week after Charlie Sheen brought up Allen Iverson’s classic “Practice” presser, news comes out that Iverson’s Colorado home will go the way of Sheen’s BFF Lenny Dykstra’s home.

The bank is foreclosing on the property, which he paid $3.87 million for in 2008. Iverson apparently just stopped paying the mortgage in the six bedroom, six bath mansion located in Cherry Hills, a suburb of Denver.

Allen Iverson's Colorado Home

Iverson originally listed the home for $3.75 million, but was recently asking as little as $2.85 million. If this doesn’t lend credence to the fact that Iverson has potentially gambled his fortune away, I don’t know what does. This also helps make sense of the fact that Iverson chased the money in Turkey. Who do you know just ups and walks away from a nearly $4 million investment?

Iverson will still be responsible for attorneys fees, default interest and foreclosure costs. Maybe Lenny Dykstra has some tips for AI on how to sue the banks.

If Allen Iverson truly went to Turkey to play his way back into the NBA as he would have use believe, the former toast of Philly may want to rethink his plan.

The future Hall of Fame guard is not taking Turkey by the drumsticks. In three games, AI is averaging less than nine points to go with just over four assists per game. He’s scored a total of 26 points, dished out 13 dimes, and committed eight turnovers in 84 minutes of action.

This can’t be the production Besiktas ColaTurka Istanbul had in mind when they handed AI $4 million over two years.

Iverson is still a prime time name who will draw attention among those in the United States. The fact that he isn’t playing in the NBA can be attributed to a number of factors. No matter what, it’s sad to see the guy who filled the basketball stadium in South Philly with enough electricity to energize the region for a decade play out his career in this way.

Since the Philadelphia 76ers pretty much suck, their recent win over the Bucks notwithstanding, The Inquirer sent its beat writer Kate Fagan to Turkey to do a story, presumably with Iverson quotes, on the fallen NBA star as he starts the overseas chapter of his basketball life story.

Allen Iverson's name doesn't ring out in Turkey like it does in Philly.

Iverson apparently is practicing and his coach and teammates love him. Problem is, not many people outside of basketball diehards even know who he is. Fagan recounts a moment when she asked the locals their thoughts on AI balling in their country.

The response? “Where’s that?”

They were clueless that a future Hall of Famer was trying to restructure his bank account and NBA return on their courts.

Granted, soccer is and always will be the No. 1 sport in Europe. Granted, Iverson plays for Besiktas Cola Turka Black Eagles, a subpar team that doesn’t even compete in the EuroLeague. Still, if Iverson were in, say, China, he’d be welcomed like Michael Jackson or Jordan — take your pick.

The fact that Iverson is in Turkey and doesn’t have near the fanfare the media accounts would portray speaks volumes. AI will always be revered in Philly. For now, however, AI is in exile. He’s in basketball hell.

And, he’s not doing himself any favors to regain his stature as one of the world’s best worthy of an NBA return. Not only did he miss his original flight to Turkey and sit his first game. He also doesn’t grant media interviews. He wouldn’t even talk to Fagan who traveled umpteen hours to see the little guy. In essence, he wouldn’t talk to us, the Philly fans who he supposedly enjoys a love affair with.

AI will always have our support because love blinds us all. Still, it’d be nice to be able to know what Iverson is thinking as he balls across the ocean.

Former Sixers stud Allen Iverson missed his first game with his new Turkish team. Are you shocked?

In all fairness to AI, the team’s manager said he didn’t feel ready to play. We’ll actually cut him some slack — this time. Having traveled to Greece this summer, we can attest that jet lag is a bitch to get used to over there.

Allen Iverson sat with the fans during his Turkish "debut."

The other factor, likely, is that his team opens at home on Tuesday and wanted to save the AI hoopla for its fans. And, after spending $4 million over two years, they have every right to do so.

Maybe he really does love us. Why else would Allen Iverson make his grand Turkey entrance donning one of our cities’ sports caps?

No, he wasn’t wearing Sixers gear. And, we know it wasn’t Eagles apparel since he is a Cowboys fan. (Hey, AI, how’s 1-7 and a fired coach look?) Instead, it was the hat of your four-time defending DFC Philadelphia Phillies. OK, so it was a throwback hat that he probably got for free from Big Rube Harley. (I’m sure Rube has some stuff in storage even though he branched out from Mitchell & Ness.)

Allen Iverson may have left Philly, but Philly's still within him. The former Sixer arrived in Turkey with a Phillies cap.

According to Philly.com, Iverson kept bringing up how he loves exciting the fans and playing for and interacting with the fans when he was introduced today. Let’s hope the fans hold his interest long enough for him to finish the year in Turkey.

Allen Iverson will always have a place in our hearts. The small guy played much bigger than his size and gave us memories that we won’t see for a long time on any hardwood in these parts.

Still, we also know the other side of AI; the overt defiant side. That’s what Turkey will now see.

Allen Iverson missed his flight to Turkey and will have his introduction to the fans delayed. This will be far from the last time we hear of AI troubles across the ocean.

Iverson has reportedly missed his flight to join his new team in Turkey and we doubt this will be the last time the team will need to readjust around the former NBA MVP. Iverson is simply playing for money at this point to cover his gambling debts. How else can you explain a guy playing overseas on the downside of his career?

AI foreshadowed the fact that he will play by his rules during his two-year, $4 million contract during negotiations. He reportedly wanted a cap on the amount the team could fine him. He has every intent of breaking rules, skipping practices and games. As much as AI needs a support system and his family, don’t be surprised to see him hop on a plane in midseason and disappear to the US for a week here or there.

If AI didn’t confine to rules of NBA hall-of-famers such as Larry Brown, do you really think he’ll stay out of trouble in Turkey?

Yeah, didn’t think so.

Allen Iverson struck gold this week.

Once the most dazzling player in the NBA that everyone admired for his willingness to take his small stature straight into the Land of the Giants, Iverson has become an afterthought in NBA circles. And, rightfully so.

The man has been banished from two teams publicly and one privately in the last fourteen months. His career was on the brink of busting quicker than any blackjack hand he’s had at the casino. While he’s stated his desire to play next year, the overlying question is this: Will a team take a final chance on The Answer?

LeBron James may have cracked the door open for AI to not only play in 2010-11, but cap his career with the ring he covets.

Allen Iverson wants to dive on the NBA hardwood next year. Can he find a team?

With LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all signing with the Heat, and Michael Beasley being driven to the airport with a paper bag on his head, Miami now has four players under contract for next year. Even with their three second round picks, that gives the team seven players. They need more and don’t have much cap room to do it.

Sure, Mike Miller is close to joining the Three Amigos in South Beach. Yes, rumors now persist that Derek Fisher is exploring playing fourth fiddle to James. But, they still need bodies.

Iverson is sitting at home waiting for phone calls. He was sent home from Detroit when the Pistons were struggling for their playoff lives in 2009 because he didn’t see himself as a bench player. He went all summer practically begging for a chance to play. He lasted just three games in Memphis for the same reason.

Rumors of retirement were put to sleep because of a Lou Williams broken jaw. He came back home to Philly — for 25 games anyway. His daughter’s medical condition and his own marital issues apparently kept AI from finishing the season.

In recent weeks, Iverson has restated his quest to grace the NBA hardwood with his sweat one last time.

“I want to return to the NBA this season, and help any team that wants me, in any capacity that they feel that I can help,” Iverson tweeted on July 5. “I’m disappointed, and I owe my fans more than what they have seen of me the last couple seasons. However, now that my family is healthy and rock solid, I can concentrate fully on doing what I do best! At the camp, I will help teach kids some of what it takes to be successful in life. On and off the basketball court.”

When tweeting that statement, Iverson was beginning his second annual summer reality show “Groveling for a Job.” Honestly, nobody was going to take a chance on AI at this point.

The Miami Heat have star power in James, Wade and Bosh. They lack depth and a complete roster. Could AI be in the plans?

Then, he struck gold Thursday with The Decision.

The Heat need AI and AI needs the Heat. It’s a marriage made in Leon Rose’s office.

Leon Rose?

See, Leon Rose is the agent for Dictator James; he’s also AI’s agent. In fact, Leon rose to the top of the NBA agent profession based on his recruitment of Iverson from David Falk, the former King of the Agents.

You don’t think Rose wants Iverson back on the court? You don’t think he’s going to talk to James about AI joining the team?

If there is one team out there that can control Iverson’s ego at this point, it’s the Heat with James, Wade, Bosh and Pat Riley. If Iverson’s serious about just wanting to play and helping a team in any way possible, the Heat is his best option.

Aside from the agent connection, AI playing in Miami makes basketball sense. If nothing else, Iverson showed that he is willing to pass and doesn’t need to hog the rock during his brief layover in Philly last year. He was clearly a different player from the 2001 Iverson we all fell in love with.

If he has the mentality to come off the bench, sign for the veteran’s minimum and be one of the guys, Miami is where he must end up. If he truly wants that elusive NBA Championship, he knows where to go.

Thursday presented Iverson with a golden opportunity. Now, will he sacrifice the way he says he’s willing to? Will he sacrifice like Wade, Bosh and James have? And, more importantly, will Miami give him the chance to make that sacrifice?

Reports surfaced today that future Sixers Hall of Famer Allen Iverson intends to lace up the Reebok’s in the NBA next season.

“Allen is working out and he’s getting himself prepared to make his return,” Iverson’s personal manager/untrained flack Gary Moore is quoted as saying. “He absolutely will try and play next year.”

The last part of that is the key — “…try and play…”

There’s one major problem with Iverson’s intentions — nobody wants him. If that isn’t clear to Iverson and Moore, it’s about to become a giant piece of Swarovski they can place on top of the TV to look at during commercials on NBA games they’ll be watching next year.

Allen Iverson is pondering a return to the NBA next year. Will anyone give him a chance?

Look, I loved Iverson and appreciate everything he did for the City of Philadelphia. He gave me and countless other Sixers fans one of the best springs of our lives in 2001. We even agreed with the Sixers bringing AI back last season. They needed him to provide a spark when Lou Williams went down, and he needed them to resurrect his image after being shown the door by three teams in a little more than one calendar year.

Yet, AI did nothing to make teams want to sign him. And, it has nothing to do with his 13.8 points and four dimes per night, all major drops from his career numbers.

After basically being banned from Detroit’s locker room as the Pistons were fighting for their playoff lives because he didn’t want to come off the bench, he went all last summer practically begging for a chance to play. The Memphis Grizzlies gave him a shot, and then severed ties with the former All-Star after just three games for the same reason.

Iverson was staring retirement in the face before the Sixers desperately came calling. Hell, even the New York Knicks passed on Iverson.

AI’s return was something special and, likely, the last great moment Sixers fans and he will share. In fact, we’ll go out on a limb and say that will be his last great NBA moment, period.

After appearing in just 25 games, Iverson was finished as a Sixer due to personal problems. His daughter was very ill and nobody could figure out what was wrong with her. We’ll never question AI’s love for his family and he was where he needed to be. However, he also announced (or the Sixers announced) he was going to stay home for the year a day or two before his wife filed divorce papers.

The timing was questionable.

Iverson played just 28 games in 2009-2010 and saw his numbers drop to 13.8 points and 4.1 assists per night. Will he accept a role as a bench player for an NBA squad?

Then, Stephen A. Smith reported that AI’s close associates were very concerned for one of the top three little men in NBA history due to excessive gambling and drinking. It’s no secret, especially in Philly, that AI liked to party. Just ask Friday’s on City Line Ave., or the AC casinos.

And, that is all part of the problem. Iverson loves to party, but that — along with all the hits he’s taken driving the lane with the big men — have taken a toll on his body. Combine that with the negatives relating to gambling, and his outspoken nature when it comes to being a starter on a team and we just don’t know which team will sign him.

Remember, he sat all last summer before Memphis gave him a shot. He was ready to retire before the Sixers gave him a chance.

Who do you see stepping up to the plate for a declining 35-year old guard with AI’s baggage?

We love Iverson more than any Sixer fan and appreciate all he did earlier in his career. We were in favor of bringing him back this season. However, AI spent more time away from the team than with it. He appeared in just 25 games and was produced a lackluster body of work. Sure, he had his moments and put on a throwback AI effort against Kobe and the Lakers.

However, personal issues kept him from cashing in on the promise his return provided when Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan brought him in. In the end, his addition was just another story in a truly forgettable season.

Seriously, watch the video below. Besides his return against the Nuggets and the Lakers game, how many true “AI highlights” do you see?

If reports and rumors are accurate about Larry Brown wanting to find a job that gives him coaching and GM duties, the Sixers would be idiots not to pursue the well-traveled coach.

Brown, who has taken the Charlotte Bobcats to their first playoff appearance in franchise history this year, apparently wants to go somewhere closer to his family, who just happens to love the Philly area. Kate Fagan points out a report that Brown would be a good fit for the Sixers.

Larry Brown may be the only man capable of helping the Sixers recreate this scene in South Philly.

We couldn’t agree more. The Sixers have been searching for an identity since Brown left in the middle of the night to coach the Detroit Pistons. He brought a tough, defensive-minded presence to the team and is the only coach to get an Allen Iverson-led team to the NBA Finals.

The fact is, if anyone can turn this franchise around, its Brown.

Eddie Jordan is a goner when this pathetic season ends this week. GM Ed Stefanski should be right behind him. The question is, how long will Brown be coaching in the postseason, and will Ed Snider decide to go after and recruit his friend.

We’ll explore this situation more when the Sixers have played their last game, as well as an exit strategy for Brown when he is ready to retire. Let’s just say some of his former players are part of our plan.