Same Old Story/"We Will Win The Game" - Jimmy Johnson

Growing up in Dallas, and being a fan of the home teams, you get used to defeat. I moved to Dallas in December of 1977. Early in 1978 the Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl 27-10. They didn't win another Super Bowl until I was a senior in high school in 1993. Those fifteen years between Super Bowl wins were brutal, and everyone loves to hate the Cowboys. Losses were always tough to deal with as a fan, but it seemed that whenever we did lose, the world was laughing.

On to baseball...

The Texas Rangers have won two pennants in the history of the organization. The only bright spots when I was growing up were when Nolan Ryan pitched there. I probably saw Nolan pitch ten times, and true to form, he won all of his games. However, the overall ineptitude of the Rangers led to my total disdain for the game of baseball. I loved playing the sport, but as the MLB goes, I couldn't have been more disinterested.

On to basketball...

The 1987-88 Dallas Mavericks took the 'Showtime' L.A. Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. We lost that game 7 115-102, but it was one great run. Flash to 15 years later...yes FIFTEEN YEARS later, the Mavs once again make the Western Conference Finals, but lose to the hated Spurs in six.

Now, facing elimination, the Dallas Mavs have given up a 3-1 lead to the wounded, undermanned and not nearly as talented San Antonio Spurs. In game 6, Harris was not involved seriously throughout, and the only person who played consistently the whole game was Dirk Nowitzki. This cannot happen on Monday night. This will not happen on Monday night.

12 years ago, before playing San Francisco in the NFC Title game, Cowboys head coach (I had to pause to watch Bonds at the plate...he struck out) Jimmy Johnson said, "Make no doubt about it, we..will win the game. Print it bold letters." I agreed with him then, and the quote has never been more relevant now. We will win the game.

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

Much Ado About Nothing

My beloved Dallas Mavericks, 67 wins and all, lost tonight by one point to the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio. Listed below are my thoughts and reflections on the game as well as things that I learned watching games 4 and 5.

*Avery Johnson, with just under 100 games under his belt, is outcoaching Greg Popovich...and NO ONE IS MENTIONING IT. Why is that? And no, the Coach of the Year trophy is not enough. That's a great angle that a former player is outcoaching his former coach...hmm, I guess it's not popular at TNT or anywhere else I've been reading. Once again, why is that?

*The only person who can stop Tim Duncan, is Tim Duncan.

*However, I don't like Tim Duncan. I didn't like him at Wake, I like Randolph Childress instead. I didn't like him in SA, I liked Robinson. But more importantly, I don't like him now. He's a whiny one too. But then again, so is Dirk, and the whole NBA. According to the players, they are fouled on every play...which is probably true.

*Manu Ginobli flops around...A LOT. But he's also an amazing player. This duality makes him difficult to watch.

*Bruce Bowen is whiny. He cries and makes faces the whole game. He reminds me of co-eds from college when they didn't get their way in homecoming meetings. Here's a tip Mr. Bowen, close your mouth. It is in poor taste to constantly be whining and bemoaning each and every play. You must get tired of doing that. To his credit, he at least acted as though he'd been there before after tying up Dirk late in the game.

*Dirk Nowitzki gets a lot of calls. Facts are facts. He's first team all-NBA though so...

*The Mavs overall did not play well in Game 5, and still only lost by one point. Only Nowitzki played well consistently tonight. Terry never got going, nor did Stackhouse or Harris. They played well enough, but they never played well consistently, nor did they get in any semblance of a rhthym, and thus they lost the game...by one point.

*In Game 5, the Spurs had done enough collective whining to limit Dallas's trips to the line.

*Dallas should've worn green tonight. They probably would've won.

*Steve Kerr is a pathetic announcer. His analysis is sub-par at best, and his observations are of the most obvious things that anyone with some working knowledge of a game called basketball, can see. He also used several points that Kobe Bryant made about the Spurs during halftime. Oh yeah, and Kerr is a bit of a homer. He was visibly smiling when the Spurs won tonight. I have two words for him...Tommy Heinson. Heinson used to call games for CBS way back when, and was a former Celtic player and coach. His bias was so obvious that as a young 9-12 year old I was annoyed to apopletic proportions.

*Finley still has a little left in the tank. However, he NEVER hits the big shot in the BIG game. That was the problem with him in the first place. For all of his ability and greatness, when the game is on the line, Mike disappears.

*Dallas will win the series. Even when we played horribly, we still only lost by one, and San Antonio was scrapping like crazy just to stay in it.



From Dick Motta, Norm Sonju and Don Carter...from Jay Vincent, Brad Davis and Mark Aguirre...from Derek Harper, Ro Blackman, Sam Perkins, Detlef Schrempf, Roy Tarpley and James Donaldson...from Jimmy Jackson, Jason Kidd and Jamal Mashburn...from Michael Finley, Steve Nash, Dennis Rodman and Dirk Nowitzki...from Marc Cuban...from Green to Blue...from Reunion to the AAC...I've been a Mavs fan. From Lower Level, Section 116, Row 2, seats 4,5,6,7...I've been a fan.

I'm so tired of the trite...WE/I BELIEVE. I'm changing that slogan to "WE/I KNOW."

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

On the cusp...

It's so close that we can touch it. Just get it done fellas. It's long overdue.

Michael had to learn how to beat Larry.
Isaiah had to learn how to beat Larry.
Isaiah had to learn how to beat Magic.
Michael had to learn how to beat Isaiah.

Get it done.

From your number one fan since 1981.

JOE FROM DALLAS

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