Anybody who knows me knows that I am a huge sports fan. Growing up in Dallas it was hard to not get caught up in the frenzy. We're a city known for champions and franchise teams. People are never bandwagon fans, they're hardcore, ever so dedicated Dallas Maniacs, and I'm proud to call myself one of them. It’s probably because I’m a Daddy’s Little Girl- I always joined him by the TV to watch whatever game was on and quickly picked up the rules of each sport with his help. People are often surprised how much of a fan of sports I am and how much I actually understand. This past month alone I've counted 4 guys completely shocked to admit that I know more about professional basketball than they do. Don't underestimate me, folks!
I'm extremely excited to have just moved back to Dallas with all the sports excitement going on right now. The Mavericks are in the NBA Finals against the Heat right now- for all of you who have been living under a rock. For those who know nothing about the Mavs or the playoffs let me give you a little background…
The Mavericks were founded in 1980. Although they’ve been around for three decades, they have yet to win a Championship. This has become a bit of a sore spot for many fans and a point hounded on by Mavs-haters (I’m looking at you Spurs fans!). In 2006 the Mavericks won the Western Conference and made it to their very first NBA Finals Series. After taking a quick lead in the series 2-0, they lost the next 4 games, beginning with losing their massive lead in Game 3. I’ll always remember those Finals and watching the Mavs lose it all while quietly sitting in my basement with my dad. I was only 16. It was heartbreaking. It was humiliating. We had just won our first Conference Championship, and we were all really confident that we would win the NBA Championship too.
Nobody expected the Mavs to be in the finals this year. Although they’ve been a consistently overall good team, they’ve been known for falling apart when Playoff season rolls around. This year we’ve taken everyone by surprise, even Mavs fans! Instead of crumbling under the Lakers like everyone expected, we swept them. We’ve shown that we’re a full 48-minute team, often winning games in the fourth by surprise.
The phrase everyone is saying all over town is “The Time Is Now,” and I truly believe in it. Dallas has been waiting for a ring. If not for the fans, Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki, who have played stayed with the Mavs since the 90’s, deserve a ring. It’s obvious the Mav players aren’t just playing for themselves, they’re playing for the city, for the fans who have stuck beside them and have believed in them throughout the years. Like I said, Mavs fans aren’t bandwagon fans- they’re always there through the thick and thin. I think it’s amazing to see the connection the team and fans have with each other, you unfortunately don’t see that everywhere.
I’ll admit it, I was hoping we wouldn’t have to see the Heat in the Finals and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Obviously their team is stacked, they’ve been able to acquire a ‘Dream Team’ with Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh on the forefront. But honestly, it’s not the players which have me concerned the most, it’s what happened in 2006. Physical physique is only one aspect of sports and talent is another- but you should never underestimate the importance of mental play. In 2006 we lost to this team. Not just lost- but like I said earlier, we were humiliated. We were crushed. I’ve been having flashbacks to that Finals ever since the series was officially decided. Can we get our revenge? Can we finally Beat the Heat? Or are we going to crumble… again.
It’s been interesting seeing who is rooting for who. It wasn’t too long ago when the Mavs were one of the most hated teams in the NBA. It wasn’t necessarily the players who had everybody on edge, but instead it was the owner Mark Cuban. Known for his extreme opinions and loud mouth, Cuban unfortunately overshadowed the team for years. He was the only thing people chose to focus on, and boy was he hated. The Cuban from 2006 is much different from the one we see today. The biggest comment made about him nowadays is actually in regards to his habit of wearing tight shirts! He has shut up, sat back, and let the players lead the team. After the Mavs won the Western Conference Title it was great to watch him thank the fans for sticking alongside the team before handing the award to Dirk. Instead of the Mavs being the most hated, it’s actually become the Heat. Lebron upset a lot of people, actually an entire state, when he abandoned the Cavs for the Heat. It was in very poor taste how he made his career announcement an entire television special. The Heat is seen as a group of cocky players who really only care about themselves (no bias here whatsoever… I promise!). According to a poll done by ESPN, 48 of the 50 states are rooting for the Mavs to win. Cavaliers fans, still bitter about Lebron, have started their own campaign, “Cavs for Mavs.” Stories are popping up everywhere about people who don’t care about basketball rooting for the Mavs out of their own personal principle. I’m glad the Mavs, and especially Dirk, are getting the respect that they deserve.
It has been tough so far. It’s been a full out brawl on the court, and unfortunately it’s looked more like a brawl than real basketball. The intensity you see in the players’ eyes, both the Mavs and the Heat, is absolutely crazy. Both teams want it real bad, and both teams have something to prove. I’ll take a 1-1 going in to Dallas for the next 3 games.
Both teams want to win, but I do believe the Mavericks want to win it more. I hope they do. Dirk deserves it. The Mavs deserve it. The entire city of Dallas deserves it. The time is now.
Oh, and JJ- Once you get sick of Miss Universe, give me a call! K?
