The memories of losing were quickly cast aside, however, when I made my way through the center field entrance, and a stadium worker handed me one of these:
Oh yes. I had no idea, but Monday was Nelson Cruz bobblehead night at the ballpark. Talk about awesome.
Cruz responded by going 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, and the Rangers clobbered the Astros, 8-3.
My friend Drew Love from high school has season tickets for two seats in the home run porch in right field, and was generous enough to offer me his spare ticket for Monday. The view was pretty stellar. Third row, right field home run porch:
The highlight of the night was Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland devouring a solo home run 450+ feet in the eighth inning. The ball was hit so far that we watched it literally sail over our heads and into the second deck. I've seen live, second-deck shots before, but watching the ball sail over my head from my seat in a home-run area was pretty bizarre. Towering blast.
Derek Holland earned the victory, pitching 7 1/3 innings, surrendering six hits, three earned runs and three walks, with four strikeouts. I started him in my fantasy league that night, so double points. Craig Gentry impressed with three stolen bases in a spot start, and Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 to lead the offense, which produced a solid 12 hits.
I enjoyed a Bud Light and an oversized bucket of popcorn. Even better, after the game, we went into the Rangers store, where they had a sale on last year's AL Championship gear. I picked up a red American League champions T-shirt for $6.99. Talk about a steal. Drew also had a coupon for a free weekly program, so I came away with quite the haul.
An overall awesome time at the ballpark. Hello win column.
Dallas — My friend Brett called me the other day and asked me a simple question as I picked up the call.
"So you still reflecting over there or what?" he asked.
Sounds about right. It's been six days since the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA title, and I'm still basking in the glory of championship euphoria.
I'm not even in full Texas Rangers mode yet, which is a rarity for me, considering spring training usually represents the time I'm in full baseball mode. But that's the power that this championship brings with it.
I'm heading to Dallas tomorrow for Father's day, and I'll be attending the Rangers game against the Houston Astros at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night. Maybe that will get me back into Rangers mode. Don't get me wrong. I'm still watching pretty much every game. It's been a while since I've blogged about DFW's pro baseball squad, though, because of the magical run by DFW's pro hoops squad.
I think Tuesday will be a good day to start blogging about the Rangers again. I'll have pictures from Monday night's game, along with a few thoughts from the matchup against the in-state rival Astros.
For now, though, it's still all about the reflecting.
This prophetic story, written by ESPN columnist Marc Stein on March 1, is fun to go back and read now. Another column from Stein, capturing the championship feeling from inside the locker room, and particularly from Dirk. My personal favorite of all the ones I read.
Dallas — In an attempt to predict how much of a chance the Dallas Mavericks have of repeating as NBA champions next season, I wanted to take a look at how the roster might look in 2011-12.
These players, from the primary rotation, are set to return: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood, Rodrigue Beaubois.
These players, from the primary rotation, will be free agents in the summer of 2011: Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea, Caron Butler, Peja Stojakovic, Deshawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal.
If I'm Mark Cuban, my first order of business this offseason, aside from continuing to enjoy the heck of out the NBA Championship, would be to start negotiating with Chandler. The 7-foot center is in the prime of his career at 28 years old, and was one of the most instrumental pieces to the championship puzzle. Chandler personifies coach Rick Carlisle's new philosophy of Mavs basketball, one that prides itself on lockdown defense. I expect Chandler to be back.
Barea's stock has flown through the roof after his incredible performances in the playoffs. It should be interesting to see how much money he will be offered this offseason, along with how many years. At age 26, the 6-foot speedster is just entering the prime of his career.
Butler's story carries some intrigue as well. How much money and how many years will the 31-year-old be offered after knee surgery? He should be ready to go to start next season, and the Mavs could be at an advantage to sign Butler if other teams shy away from the injury.
I think Cuban does what it takes to keep Chandler, but I'm not so sure about the rest. With Kidd due back to play out the last year of his contract, Barea would likely be a back-up next season in Dallas. He could certainly start somewhere else.
A sure-fire starting five next year would look like this:
1. Jason Kidd 2. Jason Terry 3. Shawn Marion 4. Dirk Nowitzki 5. Tyson Chandler
An optimal starting five next year would look like this:
1. Jason Kidd 2. Caron Butler 3. Shawn Marion 4. Dirk Nowitzki 5. Tyson Chandler
Check out a potential second unit:
1B: J.J. Barea 2B: Jason Terry (and Rodrigue Beaubois) 3B: Deshawn Stevenson (and Peja Stojakovic) 4B: Brian Cardinal 5B: Brendan Haywood
This could be a loaded roster if Beaubois, still only 23, matures into a regular rotation player, and if Butler re-signs and proves he's healthy. The Mavs obviously won the title without both players playing any minutes in the postseason.
The chances for repeating would likely be possible, but not probable. Oklahoma City isn't going anywhere, San Antonio probably has another one or two elite years left, and the Lakers will always be a factor as long as Kobe Bryant is around.
But if the Mavs bring back some players and look a bit into outside free agent signings, I like their chances just as much as anyone else next year in the West.
For now, next year's roster construction is pretty uncertain. I'll just go back to enjoying the title for now. Can't go wrong with that.
Dallas — A little more than two days have passed since the Dallas Mavericks hoisted their first NBA championship in franchise history, and the euphoric feeling hasn't started to fade away at all.
Much of the reason relates to how the Mavs took the title in the Game 6 clincher in Miami.
Nine Dallas players took the court Sunday night. And I can honestly look at each of those players and point to a critical contribution each of them made to the Mavs prevailing, 105-95, before a stunned crowd.
Think about that for a second. Nine players, all of whom made valuable contributions. The Heat also had nine players take the court. But Joel Anthony (0-for-2, 0 points), Juwan Howard (0-for-1, 0 points, turnover) and Mike Miller (0-for-1, 0 points) were largely ineffective, to the point that I don't even remember them on the floor.
I found it fitting that in consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had the ball behind the three-point line in the center of the floor. On both occasions, the Heat superstars dribbled around trying to juke Dallas defenders, with no intent to distribute. On both occasions, they pulled up for desperate three-pointers that clanked off the rim and missed.
The 2011 NBA finals can be summarized by this inexact study.
The Mavs don't try to single-handedly take over a game. They collectively take over a game. All nine of them. Here's what I mean:
Dirk Nowitzki: The finals MVP scored 21 points and grabbed 11 boards, after converting only one field goal in the first half.
Jason Terry: Arguably the best sixth man in the NBA, the Arizona product was the team MVP for Game 6, pouring in a game-high 27 points off 11-of-16 shooting. Terry doesn't slash to the net like he used to, but the 34-year-old's ability to stop on a dime and stroke the mid-range jump shot kept the Heat off balance.
J.J. Barea: Inserted into the starting lineup by coach Rick Carlisle in Game 3 to maximize playmakers on the floor, Barea responded with 15 points and five assists in the title-clinching contest.
Jason Kidd: The 38-year-old held steady with nine points and eight assists, and hit a mammoth three-point shot in the fourth quarter, as he's done for most of the playoffs.
Tyson Chandler: Plagued by foul trouble most of the game, Chandler still logged 30 minutes. He only had five points, but grabbed eight boards and was a crucial defensive presence inside.
Shawn Marion: The Matrix played stellar defense on LeBron James, who scored 21 points, but committed six turnovers. What more could you ask? Marion also put up 12 points and eight boards.
Deshawn Sevenson: Far from my favorite player, but the guy was incredibly clutch in the first half, draining three straight long-distance threes. The play where he stole the ball in the backcourt and pulled up for his second three was one of the most exciting plays of the finals. Stevenson shot 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) from long range in the finals and provided stellar defense against LeBron and Wade.
Brian Cardinal: Who doesn't love this guy? He played 12 minutes, drained a three from the corner and provided hustle and energy on both ends.
Ian Mahinmi: With Chandler in foul trouble and Brendan Haywood out with an injury, Mahinmi was pressed into action. The 25-year-old native of France contributed four points, including a momentum-swinging buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter that put the Mavs ahead by nine.
There you have it. All nine Mavs scored, but more importantly, all nine Mavs logged meaningful minutes. The Heat couldn't say the same.
That's what makes this title so special. It proves that three guys can't monopolize the league and make the NBA their personal puppet. Look, I have no problem with LeBron, Wade or Chris Bosh as players, but the way they were introduced in the preseason was one of the biggest disgraces in the history of sports. The over-the-top, pyrotechnic-like atmosphere at the Heat's arena, where fans were like 13-year-old girls, and the Big Three like Justin Bieber on stage performing, was laughable at best, especially now. Um, the season hasn't started yet. But we get the point. Arrogant, pompous, seven championships, yep, we got it.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, the Mavericks were working on constructing a championship-caliber team built around newly-signed Dirk Nowitzki, who didn't announce his new deal via an hour-long ESPN special. No, the Mavs were too busy working on defense, not which three of them would look best in a pointless preseason celebration.
Isn't it fitting, then, that the NBA season ended with the Mavs — all 15 on the roster, not just three of them — celebrating on the same stage in Miami where three overly-confident superstars acted like buffoons before a single game was even played? Only difference was this celebration was well-deserved, noble and inspirational.
It just goes to show, basketball is a team game. And just a suggestion: When you celebrate, don't make it a three-player, exclusive VIP party. The other players on the roster might feel left out. And don't make it before the season starts.
A better team from the Western Conference might come into your house, out-play you, out-coach you and show you the proper way to celebrate. At the end of the season, when it really counts.
Dallas — As a tribute to the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA championship, I'm dedicating this week in the Gametime in Arlington blog strictly to Mavs-related posts.
My typical observations about the Texas Rangers will have to take a back seat for now.
So yeah ... what a run. It's never felt this rewarding to put so much of my free time into one of my pro teams. I put 1,000 miles on the Accord in fewer than three days, just to be in Dallas when the Mavs clinched. Crazy? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely.
Everyone I've run into lately has asked about the trip. Friends at the gym. Co-workers. The guy behind the counter at Three Spoons when my co-worker Matt and I bought a celebratory, Mavs-inspired frozen yogurt. The guy who knocked on my door to deliver a package to my roommate (I've had the championship T-shirt on for two days ... it might need the washer by now).
I can honestly say driving in town for the series clincher was one of the most rewarding road trips of my life. Right up there with driving to Arizona with my college buddies for spring training in 2006, or booking it to New Orleans for the Final Four in 2003.
OK, everyone's talking about the poetic justice involved with the team-oriented Mavericks taking down the out-for-their-own Heat. And rightfully so. It's gratifying to know that the team whose superstar stayed loyal to his city and his teammates won an NBA championship over three superstars who thought they could win not one (or two, three, four, five or six) with teammates they found on the South Beach garbage pickup route. It proves basketball, like all of pro sports, rewards team unity over individual accomplishment, regardless of how pretty it looks. One nice dunk doesn't equate to hoisting a trophy. Five guys swinging the ball from side to side until the best shot presents itself proved to be a better formula.
All that said ... I haven't heard enough about the path the Mavs took to win this crown. Talk about one of the most legitimate championships in NBA history. Dallas defeated a rugged Portland squad that defended extremely well and fed off a raucous home crowd in the first round.
The Mavs shopped for brooms at Home Depot while pummeling the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers, all while frustrating the hell out of several of their players (Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum in particular) and sending arguably the greatest NBA coach of all-time, Phil Jackson, into retirement.
Dallas then held off an up-and-coming Oklahoma City squad that should see plenty more appearances in the Western Conference finals, so long as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook play there.
And, finally, the Mavs iced the cake with taking down the prima donna, self-centered Heat.
Now that's what I call earning the ring.
Be back all week for more court-related title observations and what the future might look like for the Mavs after winning it all.
For now, I'm going to continue to enjoy this championship, and it may be a while until I finally hop off cloud nine. Oh, and I've always wanted to do this:
Dallas — So this is what it feels like for one of my teams to win a professional championship.
I can get used to this.
Never in my life had I witnessed one of my sports teams win a pro title until Sunday night, when the Dallas Mavericks took down the Miami Heat, 105-95, to hoist the NBA title trophy.
What a game. What a series. And, on a personal note, what a trip.
I decided Friday afternoon that I was going to drive to Plano on Saturday morning so I could be in Dallas for Game 6. I slept maybe three to four hours Friday night, woke up at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, and booked it 7.5 hours down I-35 to Texas.
Best idea? Maybe not, especially considering Game 6 was played in Miami, not Dallas. Maybe not, considering I wouldn't have been able to stay in Dallas to watch Game 7, had it been necessary, because of work obligations.
It's funny, though, what you'd do when pressed to make a quick decision with your favorite sports team on the brink of a historic moment. I had Saturday and Sunday off from work, and it ended up being the most rewarding road trip in my history of being a sports fan.
The Dallas Mavericks are NBA champions.
And I was in Dallas, at Lakewood's First and 10, with friends to witness the purest form of sports nirvana.
This is a story I will tell for the rest of my life. I'll reflect on how incredible it was to be a part of the atmosphere in Big D. I'll share the story, as I did on the phone with my good friend Brian, of how excited I was to glance out the window of my car at the intersection of 75 and 635, look at the Dallas city lights and know we clinched a title. I'll tell tales of my choice of attire, which was a newly-minted black 2011 Western Conference Champs T-shirt.
I'll speak of watching and enjoying the dominance of finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, who deserves a championship ring more than anyone else in basketball.
As my friend Drew and I practically shut down the bar, we sat there speechless at times until he broke the silence with a fact: "Dude, the Mavs just won the NBA title," he kept repeating. All I could do was shake my head in disbelief. It hadn't sunk in yet, and I'm still not sure it's sunk in quite yet. It's past 3 a.m. on Sunday night/Monday morning, and it's amazing I'm not more tired. Maybe it has sunk in a little bit.
I'll be proudly sporting my Mavs NBA champions T-shirt tomorrow on the drive back home. Don't ask how I already have one, a mere few hours after Dallas won. My mom has a friend who dropped them off after the victory as a gift. I'm rather glad she stopped by.
What does this mean?
First, it means Dallas won its first NBA championship in team history.
Second, it means Dirk elevated himself out of the category of best players to never win a ring, a category previously shared with the likes of Charles Barkley and Karl Malone.
Dirk is approaching monument-type stardom in Dallas. If you constructed a Mount Rushmore of Dallas sports athletes, it would have the faces of Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Dirk and Nolan Ryan. One could make the argument Dirk is the greatest Dallas sports athlete ever.
In terms of Dirk's all-time rank among NBA greats, I'd have to think he's approaching top 10-15 status after capturing a ring.
Dirk's a guy who's so easy to root for, especially in these finals with the competition being the Heat. I'm quite certain every city outside of Miami/Florida rooted for the Mavs. Dirk is easy to root for because he's a superstar who's been loyal to his team for the past 13 years. Plus, he didn't use an hour-long television special on ESPN to announce he was taking his talents to South Beach. No, he actually accepted less money than the open market would have demanded since he was an unrestricted free agent, and stayed with Dallas this summer.
Dirk deserves this. The city of Dallas deserves this. And I'm pretty sure the score reads as follows after my road trip: My decision 1, LeBron's decision 0.
Be back on soon for more thoughts on Dallas winning its first-ever NBA crown. Go Mavs.
