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OUSKINS
6/14/2011, 08:45 AM
Www.oklahomacitythunderblog.blogspot.com

In 2006, Dirk Nowitzki failed. He endured the pain of losing when everyone thought he was going to win. He bore the brunt of the criticism following the Mavericks loss (after being up 2-0 in the Finals) to the Heat. He was 27 years old at the time, and over the next several years, despite some impressive individual performances, he and his team continued to fail. With each passing season, Dirk quite visibly wore the anguish of not bringing home a ring to his team and city. But he kept swinging.

In 2011, Lebron James failed. After back to back seasons of leading the team with the best record in the NBA, his Cavaliers failed to reach the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. He was 26 years old at the time. Then, he bailed.

Someday soon, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert needs to let go and move on from Lebron James. But his tweet following the Mavericks win tonight was spot-on and quite appropriate. After congratulating the Mavericks organization, he concluded simply: “There are no shortcuts. None.”

Dirk Nowitkzi understands this. Lebron James does not.

After getting bounced by the eight seeded Warriors in 2007, I didn’t think the Mavericks had any prayer of ever winning with Dirk as their leader. I firmly believed their window had closed and that Mark Cuban and their organization were chasing dreams by signing older players, seemingly scrambling to build around Dirk one last time. It appeared to me that their ship had sailed.

But I underestimated their determination, desire, and heart. What we saw celebrating on the court in Miami tonight was a decade of hard work and perseverance come to fruition. We saw a team forged by disappointment and heartbreak, come together and set aside everything for one common goal. The road from Dallas to NBA Champions included no shortcuts.

Dirk also seems to understand that you never win a championship just for yourself. How gratifying must it feel for him to hoist that trophy for the owner who believed in him, the teammates who supported him, and the fans that love him?
Let’s say Lebron wins a title someday (I believe he will). Ask yourself this…who, besides himself, is he winning it for? The city of Miami? Please… they had to send out instructional videos (no exaggeration) on how to be a good fan, which included incentives if you arrived in your seat in time for tip off. In a few days, Dirk is going to sit on a float in a parade and hold that trophy over his head while the city of Dallas chants his name. No matter what happens in the future, it will never be the same for Lebron. His decision to take a shortcut sealed his fate in that department.

Each of the two players mentioned above had a similar crossroads experience at essentially the same point in their career. One chose the easy way out; one dug in his heels and fought. Tonight, as so often winds up happening, the fighter won.

When Lebron made the choice to leave Cleveland for Miami and did it in a way that humiliated his former team and city, he revealed so much. He quit on his team. He quit on his city. He quit on his fans. Most telling though…he quit on himself. Maybe now, we know why.

jumperstop
6/14/2011, 08:54 AM
I don't disagree with most of that, but you can't blame him for wanting to go to Miami. He's been in Cleveland his entire life. Sometimes people need a change. I just hate the way he did it, and everything since shows how incredibly selfish and cocky he is.

JLEW1818
6/14/2011, 09:08 AM
can't blame him yes, but it can hurt his legacy.

if he does not care about it, no big deal then

WE ARE dirtburglars
6/14/2011, 10:28 AM
Dirk is a one of a kind player. He has so much more loyalty than any other player I can think of. To stick with Dallas like he did was actually stupid, but thats just if you look at the situation there from afar. He knew what kind of fight and will he had inside and trusted his owner to put a team together for him and it all worked out. This is a storybook ending for Dirk and the rest of the Mavs organization.

Lets not forget though, that Dirk didnt win it on his own, that team is truly stacked, with specialty guys, and apparently that trumps ridiculous athleticism.

GrapevineSooner
6/14/2011, 11:10 AM
Dirk is a one of a kind player. He has so much more loyalty than any other player I can think of.

Kevin Durant comes to mind. ;)

ouleaf
6/14/2011, 11:21 AM
Dirk is a one of a kind player. He has so much more loyalty than any other player I can think of. To stick with Dallas like he did was actually stupid, but thats just if you look at the situation there from afar. He knew what kind of fight and will he had inside and trusted his owner to put a team together for him and it all worked out. This is a storybook ending for Dirk and the rest of the Mavs organization.

Lets not forget though, that Dirk didnt win it on his own, that team is truly stacked, with specialty guys, and apparently that trumps ridiculous athleticism.

The reason this championship was so great, because it really was a team effort, which is something you don't see too often in the NBA. If you take away one element from the Mavs, I'm not sure they win this. They needed each and everyone one of their guys knowing and executing their roles to win this whole thing. It proves that real team basketball can still be a successful method and it does not have to be 2 or 3 stars telling a bunch of other guys to just get out of the way. And it is also a real testament to Carlisle and his staff for getting these guys to buy in, trust each other, and know exactly what their role is when they are in game.

If you look at the Mavs roster throughout the playoffs, each and every one of them at some point in the entire run contributed significant minutes and filled crucial roles. Obviously you have Dirk who was great all along, but you have Kidd knocking down a big shot when you needed it or D'ing up on some of the games best in Kobe, LeBron, Wade, and Durant. You had Marion providing hustle and energy on both ends of the floor all playoffs. Barea was so crucial in his role of attacking the basket on the offensive end. Peja had big minutes in the early rounds, Haywood played great minutes in reserve before getting hurt. Jet was a monster when it really counted. Even the guys in the bottom of the rotation like Cardinal, Mahinmi, and Brewer had significant/important minutes at some point.

Really great to see this, and to see so many Veteran guys get their first championship. This may not have been their last chance to win, but it was probably their last "best" chance to win, and they seized the moment.

badger
6/15/2011, 01:28 PM
Life lesson from Dirk: WHO THE **** IS ROBERT "TRACTOR" TRAYLOR AND WHY DID MY CHILDHOOD TEAM MILWAUKEE TRADE DIRK TO GET HIM?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :mad::mad::mad:

ouleaf
6/15/2011, 02:43 PM
Life lesson from Dirk: WHO THE **** IS ROBERT "TRACTOR" TRAYLOR AND WHY DID MY CHILDHOOD TEAM MILWAUKEE TRADE DIRK TO GET HIM?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :mad::mad::mad:

You know Tractor passed away recently right?

badger
7/6/2011, 02:07 PM
I didn't know that. How insensitive of me. I promise to no longer use this as a lament to my Bucks drafting Dirk and trading him immediately :(

At the time it seemed like a good move. Traylor was even in a Nike advertising campaign with Charles Barkley (it was that era of "Camp Flight" and "Camp Power" or something and Charles was getting power forwards to post up against cattle or something).