All's Well That Ends...

As I watched Game 6 of the NBA Finals in my hometown of Dallas, Texas, I was deeply saddened. I was saddened because Dallas shot so poorly tonight, and chose so many ill-advised shots throughout this game. In fact, as I write this, I am fighting back internal tears that I have welled up as a Mavs fan since 1980.

We gave away Game 3. We did. We gave away Game 5, by not making our freethrows. We gave away Game 6, by not going to the hole, and by slowing the game down. Wade was amazing, as was Alonzo Mourning (questionable calls hack and goaltending, but great blocks), Walker and Haslem. Shaq played well too.

Nowitzki never got going in the entire finals. Dahniel Buie, a classmate of mine, questioned why Europeans go ghost during the big games? I wish I knew. He had NO presence in any of the four losses. It was JT's series without question. Even with all of that, Dallas still gave away Game 3 and Game 5...how? Free Throws. I learned that when I was 9 years old, and lo these many years later, it's still true.

I am truly happy as a basketball fan for Alonzo Mourning, as well as for Gary Payton finally winning their championship. I am happy for my second favorite coach of the 1980s, Pat Riley, for winning his fifth championship.

I am happy for Coach Johnson, and the Mavericks as well. This hurts so badly writing this. If you know me, you know that I am extremely passionate about my hometown teams, and their livelihoods. The tears are creeping from the ducts now. You don't know what it's like growing up a Mavs fan, and loving that team through ups, downs, and everything else. You don't know what it's like to support them, and argue and fight for them, just for them to get to the pinnacle of greatness and then not to be able to have what it took to finish things. I don't care where you're from, and what team you support, but BELIEVE me, you don't know what it's like to be a Mavs fan, and have to go through this. To beat the best teams in the league and get to this one man show, and not be able to do it, is unacceptable and thoroughly disappointing.

The problem with the Mavericks was that they had a series of lapses during each game. Those lapses included turnovers, ill-advised shots and defensive breakdowns. Forget the referees, and the bullshit calls throughout the series, because in the end, it doesn't matter. You've got to play focused and maintain your focus and poise the entire game/series. Dallas, didn't do that. That emotional breakdown after Game 5 was uncalled for. The Mavs focus seemed to be on answering the problems from the previous game, instead of concerning themselves with this one.

I love the Mavs, and I look forward to another season, but this will hurt for a very long time. Now, unless you were with Miami from the jump, don't have the temerity to respond to this post. And when I say that, I mean if you said something to me before June 8th...then cool. If not, please save your breath.

I remember being a child in the 1980s when I watched the Pistons finally beat the Celtics before losing in 7 to the Lakers. I remember watching the Bulls finally beat the Pistons before beating L.A. I also remember Dallas beating San Antonio and Phoenix to make it to the Finals, two teams that had a mental hex on the Mavs. So, like Coach Johnson said, "We're defnitely headed in the right direction."

Once again, I really am happy for GP and Zo.

But hey, six weeks until training camp right?

I'm Joe, and that's how I see it.

This Is What Happened

So, we're up by 13 with 6 minutes to play...

*Dallas's body language showed that they were done with the game, and felt that they had won the game.
*The D wasn't nearly as crisp anymore.
*Miami hit their shots.

That's it. Now it's 2-1. We didn't think this would be a shut-out, or at least I didn't think it would be a shut out. Regardless of tonight's outcome, Dallas has to be better in games 4 and 5 in closing out the game. Dallas had every opportunity to be up 3-0 right now, but the lax play late in the fourth, fueled Miami's comeback.

Now the sportswriters will swing the pendulums back Miami's way, but give me a break. Down by quite a bit, Dallas came back on the opposing team's court, something that Miami didn't do in either game in Dallas. In other words, with the right attitude adjustment in the final minutes of the fourth, and Dallas is comfortably ahead with a 3-0 lead. So, what am I saying?

I'm saying that despite tonight's huge game from Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, Dallas is still in control.

A side note, Dirk Nowitzki has yet to have a great game in the Finals. Missing the freethrow at the end, I'm not blaming his game on that freethrow...however, he has been inconsistent, and Miami has done an outstanding job in shackling him and not allowing him to get loose.

Dallas's streak of winning 24 straight games when Josh Howard has 20 points has been snapped. However, Josh Howard was a major bright spot tonight for the Mavs, as was the strong play of Devin Harris, and the surprisingly resilient play of Dampier.

In this coaching chess match, Avery is still kicking Riley's tail. A couple of free throws, and the death nell would be ringing for Riley all over the country.

I'm Joe, and that's how I see it.

PS
Gary Payton hitting that shot...unbelievable. I don't know whether or not he walked, but it doesn't really matter. He was there when they needed him.

See you Thursday.

MAVS FAN FOR LIFE

The Boys Are Back...

With the impending end of the NBA season, thank goodness that Entourage is starting up again tonight to fill the void.

I'm Joe, and that's how I see it.

PS
Mitch, I have been an on again, off again soccer fan for years. During the 2000-01 school year, my roommate Kasi David, would not stop talking about Trinidad soccer, so other than the U.S., that's my team.

When a tie is as good as a win

Congrats Trinidad & Tobago. Keep it up!

Much Ado About Nothing

Why does America care that Katie Couric has left the Today Show? What has she done for anyone, at anytime? Personally, I could care less, and I've never known what all of the fuss is about.

I'm Joe, and that's how I see it.

"...we band of brothers. For he who today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, be he n'er so vile..." - Henry V

I will admit that I was cursing at the screen. My girlfriend was working on lesson plans for her upcoming school year (already busy at work), while I sat on her couch and agonized over the first half of the game.

I thought that overconfidence had once again raised its ugly mug and taken over on the Dallas bench. I may have been right about that, but as Doug Collins astutely mentioned during the waning moments of the first half, "If Dallas can get it down to 12 or 10 by halftime, they'll be in a good position." Dallas was down by 12 at the half.

I didn't watch the halftime analysis. Instead, I switched over to 'Friday Night Lights' on one of the Encore channels. I watched the championship game instead for inspiration, and I figured if MOJO could go back out there after being humiliated in the first half, then surely I could turn it back to TNT for the second half of this game. In my mind however, I firmly believed, even when down by 18, that Dallas would find a way to win the game. The great thing is that, I don't believe I was the only one. It was quite evident to me that the Dallas Mavericks believed that they could win as well.

On to the second half...

I was getting small ulcers, or what felt like ulcers over the fact that the Mavs could never break the ten point lead the Suns had. Then...it happened. It went to 8, then 6, then 4, then 2, then it was tied up. Before I knew it, we were up by 4. And we never looked back. We clamped down and played defense. We started hitting our shots and the ball was going through Dirk's hands on the offensive side. Long story short...we were in control, and Phoenix was out of sorts. Where was the Nash magic? Where was the MVPness of it all? It must have wafted away with Phoenix's hopes when time after time they came down the court and came up with nothing. Dallas eventually pulled away until there 4 delicious minutes to ruminate over the fact that after 26 very long and painful years, my hometown team, was going to the NBA Finals. Terry came on big in the second half, as did Howard who once again scored 20 points in a Dallas win (24-0 when that happens). DeSagana Diop was huge tonight early, and Jerry Stackhouse played like the wily and alert veteran that he is and provided huge minutes, rebounds, poise and points tonight as well in key moments of the game.

My brother mentioned that Tim Thomas does not come from a tradition of winning, and for all of his antics in game 5, he was simply not there for them when they needed him late in that game, nor in game 6 at all. Jordan, once again, you were right.

Long known as a doormat, and the stepchildren of a city known primarily for its football team, television show and the Kennedy assasination, the Mavericks are now in rarified air. They finally did what has alluded them for so long, and as a very tired and embattled Mavs fan, man it feels good. In 1988, we were one game away, but during Game 7 at the Forum, Magic and Co., made sure that any Finals hopes that I had as a precocious 13 year old, were wiped away. In 2003, Dirk went down, and Steve Nash and Finley (who oddly aren't with the team anymore, and who the Mavs beat in successive series) couldn't beat the Spurs down near the RiverWalk nor in downtown Dallas.

I know I've written quite a bit about the Mavs this past season, but my pride in them knows no bounds. This feels as good as the Super Bowl XXVII berth for the Cowboys in 1993. It's new ground though for a town that supported the Mavs through those terrible years during the 1990s. And hopefully, the Mavs who built up the organization; Jay Vincent, Brad Davis, Mark Aguirre, Ro Blackman, Derek Harper, Sam Perkins, Dale Ellis, James Donaldson, Detlef Schrempf, Roy Tarpley, Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn, Jim Jackson, Michael Finley, Steve Nash...will know that it couldn't have happened without them. This is as much about the current guys as it is about the guys of the past. This is about a team that not only fights for respect in the league, but in its own hometown. And no more will that be a question, because Dallas loves a winner, and in this edition of the Mavericks, Dallas has a winner again.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the historical significance of the fact that the head coach, Avery Johnson, former player and this year's NBA Coach of the Year, is the first African American head coach in the NBA Finals since 1987. The last African American head coach to win the Finals was K.C. Jones in 1986. He coached for a little club called the Boston Celtics, led by a tall shooting forward (eerily reminiscent, huh?) from French Lick, IN named Larry Joe Bird. The historical significance of Avery Johnson's presence in this series should not be overlooked whatsoever.

I think there is another commentary that for all of his greatness and bluster, Coach Don Nelson COULDN'T and DIDN'T get the Mavericks to this place where they are now. Debate me if you want to, but it's true.

Say what you want to about the Mavs, their excitable owner Mark Cuban, and the rabid Dallas fans, but this is such a long time coming, that we are going to enjoy this thing...truly. Right now, the Mavs have won 72 games and have lost 27 this year. I think our chances are pretty good at the next level.

We've already handled the Suns, so it should be no mystery that we're ready for the Heat.

I'm Joe, and that's how I see it.

The Top 25 Played Songs On My Ipod Nano...Right Now

In no particular order...

I'M A KING - T.I. F. BIG SCRAPPY AND BIG KUNTRY
A song that always gets things going. This is the song that Vince Young played before each game this past NCAA football season, and I think we all know how well that all worked out.

DEAR SUMMER - JAY-Z
Jay's goodbye to summer. Essential listening.

1 THING - AMERIE F. JAY-Z
The beat is contagious.

WHOOP THAT TRICK - DJAY
DJay's original street anthem...intoxicating.

LOVE RIDDEN - FIONA APPLE
If you haven't listened to it, please do. "No, no baby anymore, if I need you I'll just use your given name. No more kisses on the cheek from now on, and in a little while..."

NUMBER ONE STUNNA - BIG TYMERS
Ipso Facto.

NEXT LIFETIME - ERYKAH BADU
Erykah's brilliance from the beginning of it all.

HOT 97 FREESTYLE - JAY-Z
Jay went up to Hot 97 and reminded all of those out there why he is the king. "I had to take off the blazer, loosened up the tie, step inside the booth, Superman is alive."

NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU - SINEAD O'CONNOR
A beautiful love song, simple and plain.

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE - KELLY CLARKSON
Jamming on the one.

WE GON' MAKE IT (REMIX) - JADAKISS F. EVE
Theme music for any one of my senior years.

I WANT TO LOVE YOU GIRL - THICKE
You can't stop playing this song once you've heard it once.

THE PANTIES - MOS DEF
George got me into this from the original production of 'Any1Man.'

SELFISH - SLUM VILLAGE F. KANYE WEST
Rest in Peace Jay Dilla.

HOW WE DO - THE GAME F. 50 CENT
"I've got Lamborghini doors on the Escalade..." Why he does, we don't know, but man is it catchy.

I HAPPEN TO LIKE NEW YORK - BOBBY SHORT
I happen to love the music of Bobby Short.

BLACK WOMAN - GEORGE A. PETERS, II
Future Star.

DEAD PRESIDENTS 2 - JAY-Z
"You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song..." You definitely did Jay.

BEAUTIFUL - DAMIEN MARLEY F. BOBBY BROWN
Damien Marley is truly a great talent, and with Bobby singing the infectious backup this song is truly something to behold.

THESE ARE THE TIMES - DRU HILL
I love the video, and the song is cool too.

GIRL - DESTINY'S CHILD
I love this video too. The video helps the song out and makes it that much more entertaining.

IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A PIMP - DJAY F. SHUG
The Oscar winner.

CAN I TAKE YOU OUT TONIGHT - LUTHER VANDROSS
Great video. Great song. Luther was still the man at the end.

HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME - BRITNEY SPEARS
Spring 1999. I can still hear Tash singing in his baritone in the Tiger office.

ALL I DO - STEVIE WONDER


I'm Joe and that's how I see it.