Wave Goodbye to the Glory Daze

Dallas Mavericks fans everywhere, myself included, rejoiced at the news of the new CBA. Finally, we can watch our reigning champs hang the banner, flaunt their rings, and defend their ever-so-deserving NBA title.

And then...

Well, then...free agency happened.

Caron Butler was the first to go. Caron Butler, the Mavs second leading scorer during the 2011 season. He tore his patellar tendon after 49 games and watched the Mavs win the championship without his help the entire playoffs. Apparently, he doesn't feel like owes the Mavs anything. Off he goes to L.A. in attempt to chase a second ring with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to help him along the way. Butler will be missed. His perimeter defense was stellar, his twenty points per game lifted a significant weight off of Dirk's shoulders, and his overall toughness is feared around the league.

Tyson Chandler was the next. Undoubtedly the best center the Dallas Mavericks have ever had. Without his defense, intensity, and hustle the Mavericks would never have made it past Portland. Though he brought the defense and energy, he still didn't "bring the championship" to Dallas. He was just a more significant piece than others on their roster. With money on his mind, he's off to New York. Sixty million over four years. Wow.

DeSean Stevenson signed with the New Jersey Nets in a one year deal worth around 2.5 million. Not a bad payday for him, especially since the Nets will most likely miss the playoffs. More money and more time off for the previously deemed, "token crazy guy." Though he was vital to the playoff run I truly believe his role is easily replaceable. Therefore, his absence won't necessarily be missed or even noticed.




Speaking of valuable contributors who won't necessarily be missed...Peja Stojakovic decided to retire a champion. Hard to blame him, he will always be known as a sniper that could bury threes from anywhere on the hardwood. He was, and is, a class act that showed up to work every day with the knowledge of his role, and the drive to fulfill it.

J.J. Barea got his big contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will reportedly make just shy of twenty million over the next four years in Minnesota. It's a bit more difficult to be upset with Barea, though. He was a hard worker that steadily improved for five straight years in Dallas. When all was said and done, he had clearly paid his dues, and earned his right to be considered a World Champion Maverick. I, as most Mavs fans do, wish him the best of luck.


Six free-agents. Five of them gone. There's only one left. Don't worry Dallas, Brian "the Custodian" Cardinal is here to stay! Cardinal resigned with Dallas proving his worth yet again as a class act, blue collar worker, and a loyal teammate. For 1.4 million he is staying around for at least one more year to take charges, bury three pointers, and mop the floor with his pesky defense.

Fortunately, the Mavericks first championship run was unforgettable. The five departing free agents will be missed, perhaps blamed, and even hated by some Mavs fans. However, the banner hanging from the American Airlines Center rafters will remind us to be thankful for their contributions, their work ethic, and the priceless memories of 2011.

Crazy guys

The 2011 World Champion Dallas Mavericks were an incredulous combination of players, personalities, and mentalities.

DeSean Stevenson was their token crazy guy. Without his stellar perimeter defense, his efficient outside shot, and his Abraham Lincoln neck tattoo the Mavs didn't stand a chance in 2011.

Still don't believe me? Do you remember watching Ron Artest take over game seven of the 2010 finals?

What's that? You don't know anyone named Ron Artest?

Oh yeah, he's the guy that changed his name to Metta World Peace. And yes, he also happens to be the same guy that started the "Palace Brawl" between typical Pistons fans and idiotic Pacer players. Hmm...

Anyways, Ron Artest was crucial to the Los Angeles Lakers last title run. He was a defensive force, a rebounding machine, and most importantly, a complete moron. With one minute and two seconds remaining in regulation of a tied-up game seven, Artest squared up and drilled a three-point shot right over Ray Allen's outstretched hand.

Everyone knew the ball would end up in Kobe's hands. It didn't matter that he was struggling the whole night. A player like Kobe has earned the right to take each and every important shot for the rest of his career. Everyone in the building knew that...except Artest.

Artest's magic didn't end there. Among the first things he said at the end of the game was, "I'd like to thank my doctor - my psychiatrist. She really helped me relax a lot...and she helped me hit that last shot."

Okay, so that's two crazy guys with one ring each. The craziest NBA player of all time, has 5.

You should already know who this is before having to read it.

Dennis Rodman - the absolute craziest counterpart to the absolute greatest player the game has ever seen. Rodman's resume is far more impressive  than the previous two crazies.

• 5 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls (1989-1990, 1996-1998) 
• 7 time rebounding champion (1992-1998)
• 2 time defensive player of the year (1990-1991)
• Member of the Hall of Fame

Need I say more?

Yes, but not about his playing.

Dennis was quite the menace, provoking just as much camera time off the court as he did on the court. His atrocious cross-dressing, hair dying, body piercing, tattoo sporting lifestyle became a national water-cooler discussion topic.

To be honest, I am not sure he ever finished an entire game without taking his shirt off on the court, initiating a fight with the other team, or kicking a cameraman.

Ok, the cameraman thing only happened once. But come on Dennis! Really? Kicking the cameraman?

Three token crazy guys. 

Each shared the court with a different NBA legend.

Together, they achieved greatness.

Jalen "The Jackass" Rose

Less than nine hours after being sentenced for a DUI, Jalen Rose picked up a speeding ticket for driving fourty-six miles-per-hour in a twenty-five mile-per-hour zone.

Wow! Wait...What???

The first part alone is pretty bad, but guess what? It gets worse. Rose was ticketed in front of a POLICE station in Detroit.

That's right...Jalen "The Jackass" Rose was driving twenty one (21) miles over the speed limit in front of a police station on his way home from being sentenced to 20 days in jail for his previously recorded DUI citation!!!

The case of Jalen Rose is a mystery that never ceases to amaze me. He actually gets paychecks from ESPN for stammering predictions,  offering awful analysis, looking like a bum, and sounding like an ignoramus. Unless he's actually been paying his speeding tickets, he has plenty of dough from working, too.

Jalen Rose is just another example of a punk kid that made it to the big leagues because of his athletic ability ALONE. No class, no character, and no respect.

ESPY-ownage!

It had been just over a month since they won the NBA Championship, and since then, they have been basking in the championship glory at party after party. So, all they really came to do was enjoy themselves...at yet another awesome party...the ESPY's.

The ESPY award ceremony is among one of the most unique events in current sporting culture. Each year they pack a prime time venue, this year's was at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, with elite athletes from the major sports played in the U.S. and the fans vote as to which teams, performances, or players were the best.

The World Champion Dallas Mavericks showed up to the ESPY awards with smooth smiles and humble hearts. For a veteran squad like the Mavericks, the hard-earned Larry O'Brien trophy was undoubtedly enough for them. I don't even think they would have cared if they had to stay in those chairs with their legs crammed into the seat in front of them the whole night. They truly could have gone home from the ESPY's empty-handed without being disappointed.

However, the fans had different plans.
 
Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Jose Juan Barea, Brian Cardinal, and of course, Mark Cuban, were all in attendance.

Since they did a lot of winning last night, I figured I could highlight their awards, and point out why the other nominees didn't stand a chance.

The Dallas Mavericks won the award for best team. They won this award over the following championship teams:

• Auburn Tigers - Alabama doesn't ever really win
• Boston Bruins - No one likes hockey
• Green Bay Packers - Surely 2nd place in the voting
• San Fransisco Giants - Baseball is boring
• Texas A&M Women Basketball - No one knew they had won...

When you really think about it, the Mavs had a handful of future hall of fame players on their roster, many of them hadn't been called "young" in years, and other teams didn't even want to take chances by signing the others.

The Mavericks defined the word resiliency in their victorious playoff run with stunning comeback after stunning comeback. This team just had too much heart, too much chemistry, and the strongest desire to win it all.

Apparently it isn't just me that thinks they earned this one.

On to the team MVP.

Dirk did his thing by taking home two individual awards. Here's a quick look at what he won, why he had he hands full, and who else was nominated. (By who else was nominated I mean...the people who lost)

Best male athlete: Dirk Nowtizki, Dallas Mavericks

• Aaron Rodgers - Quarterback of the World Champion Green Bay Packers.
• Rafael Nadal - Tennis stud-and-a-half.
• Jimmy Johnson - He drives a car...meaning he isn't actually an athlete. That was a no-brainer.

Best NBA player: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

• Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers - Swept in the 2nd round...I repeat...swept.
• Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder - Led NBA in scoring and backpack wearing.
• LeBron James, Miami Heat - Got spanked in the finals and humiliated in the fourth quarters.
• Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls - 2011 NBA MVP-also the only one who wasn't eliminated by Dirk.

I will admit...I was a little surprised on both of these. Not because I don't feel that Dirk deserved them, but because the national media never takes the time to recognize him as the elite NBA player he truly is. Dallas fans see Dirk daze and confuse his defensive opponents night in and night out with unpredictable moves and a silky smooth shooting stroke. The issue is that his consistent performances are often overshadowed by the media hype around the Heat, Bulls, or Lakers.

Watching him accept these was like seeing the Mavs pull off two more upsets in the playoffs.

Then you look at his stat line and discover that he earned it fair and square. This is what I'm talking about, his 2011 playoff averages:


27.7 points per game
8.1 rebounds per game
49% from the field
46% from three point land
94% from the free throw line


Dirk being Dirk, is Dirk doin' work. See picture to the left for another example of how Dirk was doin' work.

So Dirk did his thing, The Mavs won best team, is that it? Nope!

Rick Carlisle wasn't even there and he got in the mix by winning best coach/manager. Here are the less-fortunate nominees:

• Jim Calhoun, Connecticut Basketball - OK, I admit, he did a pretty fantastic job. Unranked to Champions is a great story every time.
• Gene Chizik, Auburn Tigers - Cool last name.
• Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers - Probably finished 2nd in the voting.
• Dom Starsia, Virginia Lacrosse - Still don't know who this person is...

OK now that's gotta be it...But wait! There's more!

Seth Meyers even took the time to give Brian Cardinal a shout-out as his favorite NBA player, commenting on his toughness and unique (un-athletic) look. Can the mavs have their cake and eat it too? By now, I think we all know the answer to that one.

 One last thing...

I hate to point this out. But, the ESPY's were in Los Angeles and the Mavs/members of the Mavs were nominated for four awards, and they won all four. Thus, completing another sweep in L.A. I have good reason to believe that without Brian "the custodian" Cardinal, none of this sweeping would be possible.

OK...NOW that's all...check please!

Germany Granted a Golden Opportunity

Dirk Nowitzki wasted no time in announcing that he will play for his homeland, Germany, in the quickly approaching European Championship games.

Mavs fans are concerned about his health...and German fans are concerned about nothing. As both parties should be.

Dirk has never been the kind of player that requires much rest. This decision will reinforce that fact as well as provide him with yet another test of his physical durability.

The European Championship begins on August 31st and he hopes to be playing through September 18th which is the championship game. The two finalists in this tournament will be the qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics in London. Germany is in a group with France, Italy, Serbia, Latvia and Israel.

Dirk has already defeated the powers that be in the United States. Over the past few weeks he has silenced any, and all, rumors about a first-round upset, he dethroned the Lakers in sweep-style, he struck the Thunder with stellar efficiency, and finally he smacked around the new Monstars in Miami.

Now it is time for him to go abroad, with new teammates and make his mark on the globe.

Dirk won't be looking to add to his trophy case. He'll be looking to add to his legacy.

He has officially conquered the NBA, now he's off to conquer the world.

Be a Nowitzness.

One Thing I Hate About You

There are very few things that I absolutely, positively, unquestioningly  HATE. But, this is one of those few things.

No, I'm not saying I hate LeBron James. Because I don't. In fact, I think he has more raw potential than any other NBA player. I think he lacks just two things: maturity and discipline.

That being said, I still don't hate LeBron James. I hate this flop. It epitomizes a lack of respect for the game that is evident in every single flop in professional sports today.

Jeff Van Gundy actually does a commendable job of briefly mentioning the importance of ridding flops from this beautiful game. However, I can't let Jeff Van Gundy get the last word.

So, this post is just an elaboration with visual aids.

Dictionary.com defines the word for us so well:

flop
verb, flopped, flop·ping, noun –verb (used without object)

1. to fall or plump down suddenly, especially with noise; drop or turn with a sudden bump or thud (sometimes followed by down): The puppy flopped down on the couch.

2. to change suddenly, as from one side or party to another (often followed by over).

3. to be a complete failure; fail: The play flopped dismally.

These definitions are surprisingly accurate, even when applied to sporting events. Here are some illustrations of the above definitions:

1. to fall or plump down suddenly, especially with noise

2. to change suddenly, as from one side or party to another

3. to be a complete failure; fail

After watching those, you may have a few more questions or concerns about flopping. For those of you who are new to this tragic topic, I provided you with a set of hypothetical questions followed with my answers for the convenience of your curiosity.

Flopping Q & A

Q: "So, what's the big deal? Who cares if someone flops?"

A: The big deal is--it's not a part of the game. Violently throwing your own body to the ground has never been a component of any sport. The real crime is when a player is rewarded for flopping with a penalty kick or free throws, which can quickly, and unjustly, change the outcome of a game.

Q: "Which sport is flopping the worst in?"
A: Football (soccer for Americans) is definitely the worst. However, it is quickly emerging as a greater issue in basketball too.

Q: "What is the solution to preventing players from flopping?"

A: Fine them for starters, then suspend them if they continue to flop. Each flop should be reviewable upon the conclusion of a game. After reaching a certain number of "flop fines" per season/post-season that player should be suspended from a game.

The Atrocious: The fact that athletes as talented as LeBron James still feel like they have to sell foul calls and get cheap buckets.
The Truth: Flopping should be more embarrassing to the players. It shows disrespect for the game and it is frustrating to watch for any basketball fan. European football leagues actually penalize players for taking dives, but until the NBA starts doing the same, it will continue to be a growing problem in basketball.

The riDIRKulous Dirk Nowitzki

Many people may have forgotten by now, that Dallas Mavericks head coach, Rick Carlisle, made a bold statement about his superstar power forward Dirk Nowitzki just a few weeks ago. His exact words were, "in my opinion, he's a top 10 player in NBA history because of the uniqueness of his game and how he's carried this franchise on his back for over a decade."

To Rick's credit, he did preface that statement with "in my opinion." And to Dirk's credit, he sure as heck played like it while earning his first ring.

Carlisle stating his opinion is so much better than promising an arena full of fans that you will be winning, "not five, not six, but at least seven championships" before you have even played a single game on your new team. *cough Lebron cough*

Now, as you surely heard, Rick and Dirk were both criticized for this comment. It started about...forty-one seconds after the statement was released. For good reason too.

It is a bit early to put Dirk in the top 10 all-time. Personally speaking, I think it's pointless to put ANY active player in a top 10 all-time list because their career is still in progress. I believe all-time greats should be judged based on their entire body of work. But, hey! No one asked me!

Like I said, for Dirk, it's just too soon. However, by the end of his career he may be viewed very differently. Especially if he continues to produce these ridirkulous numbers.

Dirk is without a doubt one of the most consistent, durable, and decorated players to have ever played in the NBA. Let me break each of those categories down for those who don't follow him like paparazzi do to the Kardashians.

   Consistency:
The conclusion of the 2010-2011 regular season marked the 11th season in a row that Dirk led Dallas to 50 wins or more.

Dirk averaged 8.4 points per game his first year in the NBA in only 47 games played. (this season was shortened due to a lockout)

His sophomore year he averaged 17.5.

In his third season he averaged 21.8 points per game. Since then, he has never averaged fewer than 21.8 points per game through the regular season. Meaning, his average over the past ten years has stayed between 21.8 and 26.6 points per game.

If there is one thing you can depend on, it's Dirk droppin' 20+ every time he laces up his size fifteen-and-a-half shoes.

   Durability:
In his 12 full seasons, he has never played fewer than 73 of the 82 regular season games. To be exact, he has played in 968 of 993 regular season games during his career. Oh, and that's just the regular season.

He has added playoff games to his total in each of the last 10 years. So add his 124 playoff games (he has never missed one) and that brings his games played total to 1,092 out of 1,117 games played.

But he's soft! He's soft because he couldn't single-handedly beat the Heat in 2006. Wrong.

Remember that time Carl Landry's face got in the way of Dirk's elbow during a drive to the basket? The time that two of Carl Landry's teeth were embedded in Dirk's elbow...I'll repeat that in case you didn't get it: two of Carl Landry's teeth were embedded in Dirk's elbow. What did he do next? He pulled them out and hit the free throws.

During his recent trip to the finals he played game four with a 101 degree fever. He finished the night with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Not to mention, he tore the ligament in his middle finger of his non-shooting hand. No big deal for Dirk, he even won a couple games with lefty lay-ins.

Still want to call him soft?

   Decorated:
This list is lengthy. You may want to grab a drink and a snack before you start in on it.

• NBA World Champion 2011
• NBA Finals MVP 2011
• NBA Most Valuable Player (2007)
• 10 time NBA All-Star (2002-2011)
• 11 time All-NBA team (Only Kobe Bryant can match his 11 year streak)
• 4 time first team selection (2005-2007, 2009)
• 5 time second team selection (2002-2003, 2008, and 2010-2011)
• 2 time third team selection (2001, 2004)
• NBA Three-Point Shootout Champion (2006)
• FIBA World Championship MVP (2002)
• EuroBasket MVP (2005)
• 7 time European Player of the Year (2002 - 2008)
• Nowitzki is the only player in NBA history to record over 100 blocks and 150 three pointers in a single season.
• One of five member of the 50-40-90 Club
• This club includes very few NBA players who have average at or above 50% field goal shooting, 40% three-point shooting, and 90% free throw shooting in a single season.
• Other members of this club: Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Mark Price, and Reggie Miller. Ever heard of em?
• One of four players to average 25+ points and 10+ rebounds in his/their postseason career.
• Other members of this club: Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Ever heard of em?
• Notable playoff totals
• 3,214 postseason points scored (26th all-time - 3rd among active players)
• 25.9 playoff points per game (10th all-time - 4th active)
• 969 free throws made (12th all-time - 3rd active)
• 1,289 rebounds (32nd all-time - 3rd active)
• 21,792 total points scored (23rd all-time - 3rd active)
• Recorded the most free throws made in a game without a miss
•   24 out of 24

Dirk Nowitzki has carried the successes and the struggles of the entire Dallas Mavericks franchise on his back for 13 straight years. He continues to learn, develop, and perfect his game each and every year. He finally achieved his dream of winning it all, and now there's only one thing left to do...do it again.

After taking all those stats in, it sure makes Rick Carlisle look a lot smarter than the national media was giving him credit for. They were far too busy comparing the ring-less LeBron James to Michael Jordan, the greatest of them all.

Assuming Dirk keeps this kind of play up for at least three more years, I can comfortably make the following declarations.

Best shooting big man of all time: Definitely.

Best European player ever in the NBA: Definitely.

Top 10 Power Forward all time: Definitely.

Top 25 NBA player of all time: Definitely.

But the question you want answered is, 'Will Dirk Nowitzki be considered a top 10 NBA player of all time?' I continue to plead the fifth.

For all I know, the pictures below could mark just the beginning of his greatness.
For all I know, he's not done yet.
For all I know, no one knows.

2011 Western Conference Champions: Dallas Mavericks

2011 NBA Champions: Dallas Mavericks

NBA Champs: Brian Cardinal, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion

Dirk Nowitzki receives NBA Finals MVP trophy from Bill Russell

                                                    TAKE-DAT-WIT-YOU!

No Respect? No Problemo!

HOW MANY POINTS DOES HE NEED TO SCORE TO EARN THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF HIS NAME?

Yes, I meant to have CAPS LOCK enabled for that opening sentence.

Yes, I scream that exact same question at Mark Jackson every single night that he covers a Dallas Mavericks game in the post-season.

No, he hasn't heard me yet.

I am talking about the not-quite 5'10'' Puerto Rican native, Jose Juan Barea.

You may have heard his nickname "the Streakin' Puerto Rican!" But most likely, you've heard him referred to as JJ "Barerra." That is not his name...or a nickname.

I truly believed that after slicing, dicing, and humiliating the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers that people would finally pronounce his last name correctly. For goodness sakes, the Lakers forgot about trying to stop him, they couldn't even slow him down!

He got warmed up in game one of the series with 8 points and 5 assists in just 14 minutes of game time. 

Ron Artest clotheslines JJ Barea in Game 2

Then, in game two, Barea began running circles around the Lakers defenders for an extremely efficient offensive night. He scored 12 points and 4 assists in only 17 minutes. The picture here shows what happened in the seventeenth minute of the game. Ron Artest, winner of this years "Citizenship Award" got so tired of chasing him around that he decided to club the unsuspecting Barea square in the face. What does Barea do? Hits the free throws and then the showers.

In game three, Barea played only 13 minutes. In that little amount of time he added 4 points and 5 assists to the box score. Making him responsible for 14 of his teams points in just 13 minutes of game time.

Andrew Bynum cheap-shot on Barea in Game 4

Lastly, the game four explosion! Andrew Bynum body checks him in mid-air during the game four blowout. Andrew might have got the first shower, but Barea was bathing in glory all week.

Why would Bynum do such a thing? Well maybe it was because Barea was well on his way to a 22 point and 8 assist night in just 28 minutes.

By the way, he outscored every Laker (including Kobe) by at least 5...in a closeout game!

Over the series, he averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 assists with only 17 minutes per game. There's one solid definition of efficiency.

After all that you're still going to call him Barrera?

Look, there is one excuse, and one excuse only, to call him JJ "Barrera."

Antonio Barrera

It is ONLY acceptable if you are comparing him to Antonio Barrera--the Mexican Boxer. The winner of multiple world championships in several different weight classes.

Why is this acceptable? Cause lil' JJ has a heart full of fight and fist-fulls of fury. Even the heavyweights, like Artest and Bynum, can't keep him down.




Now, for those of you who are NOT mispronouncing his name under the one acceptable circumstance, please repeat after me.

BUH-RAY-UH.

Barea.

Now the whole thing, JAY. JAY. BUH-RAY-UH.

That really wasn't hard, was it?

Zuleyka Rivera

And! If his unbelievably efficient pick and roll game isn't earning him proper pronunciation points, what about his girlfriend? You know, Zuleyka Rivera? She's just a former Miss Puerto Rico...and a former Miss Universe!

Clearly, JJ Barea has some serious game both on and off the court.

The little man fears nothing and he takes a beating in the paint like it's his job. Well, I guess it kind of is his job. His other job is taking care of Miss Universe. I'm sure he can do plenty of that now.


You know, now that he and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks are done winning the 2011 NBA Championship.

JJ Barea is a stud. Say it right.