6 Thoughts
1) Look - we'll spend one thought on the game - why dwell on the negative - and then five thoughts on what we learned this season. Got it? Good...Here goes: The kids didn't show up on the road, Jermaine O'Neal out again - concussion - after his best three games of the year (aggravating - he's their second best player), Bennett Salvatore reffing (equally aggravating), not enough help for Wade (missing two starters too much), Josh Smith to the rim early, Hawks made shots, good series for the crafty shooter Bibby, Heat didn't make shots, great season for Miami, won 15 games last year, 43 this year, plus 3 playoff games...That should cover it.
Now, the five best things we learned this year:
1) Dwyane Wade is still one of the best 3 players in the league. It was a legitimate question before the season after an injury-riddled year and a half, but he erased all doubts that he could compete at the highest level. Led the league in scoring (30.2), finished in the top ten in assists, second in the league in steals, led the league in blocks by a guard. Made All-Defense first team Led the second youngest team in the league to the playoffs and a game 7. It probably isn't as satisfying to him as when he won the title, but it was no less an impressive season.
2) Beasley can play. He can score 20 in his sleep - even today, in a game where he was fairly awful, he shot 7-12, and had 17 points and 7 rebounds in only 34 minutes. He also seems like a bright kid - and reports are that he works on his game as hard as anyone. He is also hugely polarizing amongst the fan base. Half of them felt that he should have started and played 36 minutes a night (he averaged 24 off the bench), and that the Heat should have let him grow on the court, rather than in practice. It is a legitimate position to take, though I disagree in this instance. He spent much of the year behind Udonis Haslem and Shawn Marion, and while those guys can't score with him, they are still arguably better players, and I think it was important for Wade and the franchise to get to the playoffs. Maybe they wouldn't have done that if Beasley had played more. But maybe they would have...Then, there is a certain segment of fans - I like to think of them as grouchy old, white Republican dudes, although I am sure there are also some grouchy old, Cuban Republican dudes in there - who think Mike has too many tattoos, is too silly in post-game interviews, and takes too many shots instead of rotating the ball to Chris Quinn. Those are all good points as well, if a little bit angrier, whiter, and more rigid than we at Dos ever get about life. Either way, Mike got better during the season, and as someone who just finished watching 86 Heat games this season, I thank him for being so enjoyable to watch.
3) This we just learned today: Udonis Haslem has a monster tattoo of the State of Florida on his back. Holy sweetness! He ripped off his shirt after being ejected late for lassoing ZaZa Pachulia (who, by the way, couldn't have played better in the series, and I love him for-it). There is a chance Udonis gets moved this offseason, to make room for El Beas, and while everybody's time comes, it would be heartbreaking to see him go. He bleeds Miami blood, and grew up in the worst parts of the city, worshipping the Heat. When Miami won the championship in 2006, it meant more to him than anyone else on the team. Further, he couldn't be more reliable or professional. I mean, you should see the way my face lights up when he comes into a game...I hope he's back - but if we move him, let's look for a small forward who knows how to dribble.
4) Finding something to say about 79 regular season games (3 missed games: 2 - tivo issues; 1 - severe head wound to child) and 7 playoff games is exhausting. We also put out an album, responded to approximately 600 blog-related emails, and slandered Sean Penn. At the risk of being gay-ish, though, it was really worthwhile. Somewhere between 50 and 100 people read most posts. Some liked the basketball stuff and thought the stories were not entertaining; some hated the basketball, and skipped to the stories. Two people - unrelated to each other - lived in Scotland - that was cool! Scotland is now my my second favorite country just behind Belize, and just ahead of the United States...Thanks to everyone who read the blog, and to many of the nice people (like my boy Tommy Wade - you killed it, Tommy!) who wrote this week to say that it added to their enjoyment of the season...Best of all was each morning when M.Minutos would read the blog and chuckle - most of it was written for her benefit. She also knows that much of the best material got left on the cutting room floor, mostly because it consisted of brutal personal attacks on people that we know. In any case, I hope everyone, and especially M.Minutos, enjoyed something about it - especially M.Minutos because - surprise! - this was your birthday gift!
5) It is fucking impossible to find a good bagpipe album.
Lloyd - see you around...maybe.
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