Oddly Emotional Day

It wasn't until I saw a photo from a friend from my bookstore days, posted from the Dallas Mavericks celebratory parade that I actually considered watching from home. As season ticked holders (we buy a partial season with my husband's law firm), we were invited to the special party at American Airlines Center following the parade, but given crowds of 250,000 were expected along the parade route with many thousands crowding into the area surrounding the arena, we had no plans to attend. Frankly, for me, watching the game, the awards ceremony, then ESPN long into the night Sunday night, then listening to various radio hosts talk about the win, I thought I'd had enough of what I needed to move on. I'm glad I didn't.

I started watching the parade from my computer, then moved to the TV within a half hour, and was about to enjoy about 3/4 of the in-arena festivities before needing to leave with Rachael. I did miss Mark Cuban's emotional speech, but I caught it on NBC DFW's website a few minutes ago.

I also found a video the Mavs organization put out earlier this afternoon; I've already shared it on Facebook and Twitter, but here I'll have it for posterity.

But back to the in-arena celebration...it really was great to listen to the coach, the players, and Mark Cuban share their happiness. I discovered Jason Kidd really hates public speaking and that Tyson Chandler, my newest sports crush, is a natural. I left before Peja Stojakovic had a chance to speak, but now that I've found an audio clip of his Q&A at the arena, I've been able to experience all of it.

So now that I've heard from all the players, the coach, the owner...and watched Dirk lead his team in an a cappella rendition of the chorus to We Are the Champions from the AAC's balcony...and experienced the joy of being a fan for a winning team, I'm happy, and for the most part, sated.

I don't need to be pumped up for a repeat next year—capturing lightning in a bottle is ephemeral by nature, and I'm fine with that. I'd actually like to leave it at that.

Oddly Emotional Day

Good Day, Dallas!

Feeling plenty rowdy, proud, and loud this morning after last night's win over Miami, making the Dallas Mavericks the NBA Champions by a margin of 4-2. As with the entire series, this one was a nail biter. Early on...and for the first time in the finals...Nowitzki found it hard to score points, but he came alive in the second half, initially with some tremendous defensive plays, then by sinking some beautiful shots. Jason Terry was terrific—I've always been a fan of the Mav's sixth man, even when he was Nick van Exel back in the day— and Tyson Chandler throughout this series against the Heat was an unsung hero.

My only gripe? NBA Commissioner David Stern mispronounced Dirk Nowitzki's name while awarding him the Finals' MVP. Really...really? OTOH, Mark Cuban stayed mum throughout the post-season, showing some real maturity.

Here's what I love best about this win:

• Vindication over the Heat after the humiliation of 2006
• An NBA Championship win not by a team of stars, but by a team of players ably led by a star who stuck by his team during the lean years
• Proof that an NBA team can win without thuggery or poor sportsmanship, but instead through stalwart determination and a will to win.

Woot!

Good Day, Dallas!

Hey, A-hole, Say It with a "V," Not a "W"!

Last night the Dallas Mavericks had one of their infuriatingly thrilling games. They did what they've done so many times this post-season—come from behind in the last moments of a game to score a major, tremendous, splendiforous upset. This is what it's like, folks, to be a Dallas Mavericks fan. For the most part it's "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." This year, though, it might actually be different.

What's so annoying as a fan, though, and I don't think I'm being too sensitive, is that the Mavs are like the Rodney Dangerfield of basketball; they don't get no respect in the press. How much of that has to do with the antics of Mavs owner Mark Cuban? Who knows. All this fan knows is that the focus is almost always on the other team, even when the Mavs win the game, as they did last night. The post-game press conference on ESPN featured the Mavs head coach for a minute or so, but they covered the coach for the Heat for at least three times as long. I notice stuff like that.

The most egregious offense, though, is that to this day members of the press do not know how to pronounce the name of Dirk Nowitzki...the "w" is pronounced as a "v," and just last night, they did it again. The man was NBA MVP the last time we played the Heat in the finals, for god's sake. Get it right!

This year's post-season presents a Mavs team that finally, in their old age, (I think they are the oldest NBA team), has become aggressive in its pursuit of the win. They are in no way the thugs that many other NBA teams are, and I cannot imagine anyone on the Mavs behaving as Odam and Bynam did during game four of the series with the Lakers. But they've "manned up," so to speak, and most remarkable has been the change of Dirk Nowitzki himself.

I've spent at least five years defending him against my husband's tirades. The DH has a point...to a limit...but he's never given Dirk his due, which means he has refused until now to add a "Mr." in front of the man's name, as he does with Mr. Chauncey Billups or Mr. Dwyane Wade. He finally agrees, now that Dirk has grown a pair, that Dirk may actually lead his team to victory. I think he's finally prepared to alter his "mister" stance because of Dirk's clutch play this post-season.

I mentioned earlier that I've got a bridesmaid's mentality when it comes to post-season play and the Mavs. I have very low expectations because I've seen them throw it all away before. Which means that I've been constantly, pleasantly surprised so far this post-season. I'm glad to go to games or watch them on TV, without overly high expectations because, even though this is likely the last year they can win before needing to start over, even though they seem on track to finally pull it out this year and not choke at the last minute, I don't expect them to actually win. But it sure would be sweet.

Hey, A-hole, Say It with a "V," Not a "W"!

L Isn't Just for Losers...It's for Lakers

To call game three of the second round of NBA playoffs last night between our Dallas Mavericks and the L.A. Lakers (the team of my youth) a nail biter is putting it mildly. We got on the train after an early dinner at Mockingbird Station with plenty of time to walk around and soak up atmosphere...which last night meant listening to live music, looking at a couple of Ducati bikes on display, and watching a few crazed fans in wacky outfits (if you dress up crazily enough, they let you stand in a section for the entire game for free).

Once inside we put on our "The Time Is Now" blue t-shirts everyone was asked to don (and those who wouldn't were embarrassed into it by the "shirt cam" that relentless honed in on the scofflaws).

As for the game itself, the Mavs got off to a bad start, but eventually came back to lead.

Then they went down again, and with scant moments left, began to come back as a result of a couple of game-changing three-pointers, the first by Peja Stojakovic, the second by Jet Terry. Nowitzki, who scored 32 points, was named "player of the game," but without that shot by the wish-he-still-looked-like-this Serb, I don't think things would have turned around.

In the end the Mavs won by a healthy margin. At the start of the game the chant was "Beat the Lakers." By the end it was "Sweep the Lakers," in reference to the now 3-0 lead we have over Bryant et al. I hope that's the case, but at this point it's nearly impossible for the Lakers to come back. No team has ever been down 3-0, and I should know. The Mavs almost came back a few years ago, but didn't. That was the year they choked less than usual during the playoffs.

Watching the game was incredibly frustrating because even after losing year after year after year in the playoffs, the Mavs continue to stick with their same outside game. I've watched several coaches come and go, and it doesn't matter; the Mavs refuse to shoot within the paint. Yes, when their 3-point game is on, it's fantastic, but is it too much to ask that they be able to add some lay-ups into the mix? Honestly, I don't think so.

When we got on the train to go home, a gaggle of adorable teen-age girls got on at the West End, with a guy, probably one of their dads, and though they hadn't been to the game, they knew all about it. Everyone was in such a party mood that the smack talk began when one of the girls mentioned she was going to "Cali" for the summer. (Note to cute girls everywhere...us "Cali" natives don't call it Cali.)

Even after that faux pas, we were all having such a good time together that after she said she was a Lakers fan, I felt confident enough to tease her in return. In my very first ever bit of smack talk, while making the L is for Losers sign on my head, I said, "L isn't just for losers...it's for Lakers!" The whole back section of our train car—including the cutie—erupted in laughter, and then we were back at Mockingbird Station. The perfect end to a really fun night.

On Sunday we'll be watching game four, this time on television, to see if the Mavs make a clean sweep. With Ron "I need anger management" Artest back from his one-game suspension for hitting J.J. Barea in the face, who knows what'll happen?

L Isn't Just for Losers...It's for Lakers