The Clock's Ticking
Some thoughts on Game Six and the Mav's first title:
-- Don't touch the fucking trophy if you haven't won it yet, boys.
In the NHL the players have an awesome tradition of not physically touching the Stanley Cup if their name isn't on it. I think all the players on the Heat and Mavs whom Disney photographed with the trophy for use before and after commercials looked foolish. It isn't yours to play with if you haven't won it. Tell ABC and ESPN to fuck themselves if they beg you for the photo op.
-- With 4:10 left, with the score still manageable, Wade took a loose ball downcourt. By himself. His other four teammates weren't even in the picture, though four Mavs were back on D. I knew then the game was over. Looking back, Dallas was outplayed in the first half of the series but managed to close out the winnable ones. Miami could have easily been up 3-0, but, as they have done all season, didn't get it done in crunchtime and let Dallas stay in the series. It's easy to say that that 1 on 4 by Wade showed that Dallas just wanted it more tonight and all series, and honestly I can't think of any other explanation for the lack of intensity by Miami.
-- Shawn Marion's D must be credited for LeBron's dismal showing in this series. Marion worked extremely hard despite giving up many pounds. The man was great on the defensive end.
-- It's great to see Diggler, Jet, and Tyson Chandler get rings. These three are so much fun to watch. I fell in love with Terry when I read years ago that he slept in his Arizona uniform sometimes. That's the goofy shit I love to know about these guys. And Jason Kidd, despite being one ugly looking dude, is a damn winner, and always has been. He was born to play this game.
-- LeBron has always claimed MJ as his idol. Well, it's time to go full-Jordan and shave the do. No shame in losing a little up top. A lot of guys have issues with the hairline. Michael was never more beautiful than when he was sleek and panther-like in the second half of his career. Probably increased his vertical by shedding a few ounces, too. (Maybe not)
-- LeBron James is no longer a young man. He is a veteran. A veteran without a ring. He will never be better physically than he was this year. He will never have a better teammate than D-Wade (the perfect basketball player). And it flat out wasn't good enough. He can spend the summer getting richer, or he can spend the summer getting better. Can't have it both ways. Antoine Walker proved that it's possible to run through $100 million dollars in just a few years, and that shows me that money is so fleeting, so temporary, so ultimately unrewarding. It's having his name in the record books under "NBA Champion" that will feel good when LJ is bouncing his grandkids on his knee forty years from now. If he's not hurting so bad right now that he can barely speak, something is terribly, terribly wrong. The Heat must get better. LeBron must get better. It can happen, but there's no law that says LeBron HAS to win a title. Nothing is written. We make our own futures.
-- Don't touch the fucking trophy if you haven't won it yet, boys.
In the NHL the players have an awesome tradition of not physically touching the Stanley Cup if their name isn't on it. I think all the players on the Heat and Mavs whom Disney photographed with the trophy for use before and after commercials looked foolish. It isn't yours to play with if you haven't won it. Tell ABC and ESPN to fuck themselves if they beg you for the photo op.
-- With 4:10 left, with the score still manageable, Wade took a loose ball downcourt. By himself. His other four teammates weren't even in the picture, though four Mavs were back on D. I knew then the game was over. Looking back, Dallas was outplayed in the first half of the series but managed to close out the winnable ones. Miami could have easily been up 3-0, but, as they have done all season, didn't get it done in crunchtime and let Dallas stay in the series. It's easy to say that that 1 on 4 by Wade showed that Dallas just wanted it more tonight and all series, and honestly I can't think of any other explanation for the lack of intensity by Miami.
-- Shawn Marion's D must be credited for LeBron's dismal showing in this series. Marion worked extremely hard despite giving up many pounds. The man was great on the defensive end.
-- It's great to see Diggler, Jet, and Tyson Chandler get rings. These three are so much fun to watch. I fell in love with Terry when I read years ago that he slept in his Arizona uniform sometimes. That's the goofy shit I love to know about these guys. And Jason Kidd, despite being one ugly looking dude, is a damn winner, and always has been. He was born to play this game.
-- LeBron has always claimed MJ as his idol. Well, it's time to go full-Jordan and shave the do. No shame in losing a little up top. A lot of guys have issues with the hairline. Michael was never more beautiful than when he was sleek and panther-like in the second half of his career. Probably increased his vertical by shedding a few ounces, too. (Maybe not)
-- LeBron James is no longer a young man. He is a veteran. A veteran without a ring. He will never be better physically than he was this year. He will never have a better teammate than D-Wade (the perfect basketball player). And it flat out wasn't good enough. He can spend the summer getting richer, or he can spend the summer getting better. Can't have it both ways. Antoine Walker proved that it's possible to run through $100 million dollars in just a few years, and that shows me that money is so fleeting, so temporary, so ultimately unrewarding. It's having his name in the record books under "NBA Champion" that will feel good when LJ is bouncing his grandkids on his knee forty years from now. If he's not hurting so bad right now that he can barely speak, something is terribly, terribly wrong. The Heat must get better. LeBron must get better. It can happen, but there's no law that says LeBron HAS to win a title. Nothing is written. We make our own futures.
posted by joe sweeney at 11:17 PM
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