Mavs Complete Good Season

I was disappointed the Mavs lost.

This morning I woke up and considered going down to the local diner for a couple eggs and some potatoes. Instead, I just headed up to the convenience store and bought a Dallas Morning News. I came home, and read some of the endless hand wringing that's taking place over a first round playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors. Then I made some coffee and had some All Bran with no fat yogurt.

The sports media is very concerned with who takes the blame. A few months ago they were primarily concerned with the lack of respect granted Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk was the obvious MVP. Now they are saying there is a big question mark over the team about their performance in the clutch. They question whether they can win the big one.

Then I turned on the TV and watched the Suns Spurs game. ABC had a segment where they asked Steve Nash about consoling Dirk. Steve said he told him to just put it behind him, rest, think about it, and start preparing for next season. Then Steve said it was only basketball.

Then I picked up the newspaper and read about a Mr. Helm who had taken on six children when he was 24 years old. He was the children's uncle. He had tried to support the family on part time minimum wage job. The mother had a substance abuse problem and was unable to take care of the children. The grandmother had tried to take care of the children, but had died of leukemia. Oprah and other television shows had featured Mr. Helm. This created an outpouring of aid and assistance, supposedly $80,000.

Now the children say Mr. Helm is not the saint he appears to be. Some are claiming physical abuse. Those who know the family say Mr. Helm was under too much strain, one man trying to raise six children. Members of the family have drifted back to Dallas. The mother still struggles with substance abuse.

Then I read some more analysis of the Mavericks loss, and the terrible tragedy of the first round collapse of the Houston Rockets, losing a crucial game seven. Tracy McGrady is now 0-6 in the playoffs. I plan to buy a Houston Chronicle to see if the media is asking whether the Rockets can win with Tracy McGrady. I'd wager money they are.

It's only basketball.

In real sports news, the Episcopal School of Dallas and Saint Marks meet in the playoffs of the Division I high school lacrosse championship. It's the Episcopalians versus the Catholics in what's sure to be a violent, bloody, and highly contested battle. I don't think That St. Mark's can win with their lack of intensity and focus. They're weak at the forward position as well, and expect ESD to expose this weakness. Much has been made of their star forward Stuey McChive, and people claim he is the legitimate MVP, but Stuey has never dealt well with the pressure, and may fold, as he did in last year's final against Houston Consolidated. Also, he has an Algebra exam tomorrow at 10AM he hasn't studied for, and his dad wants him to mow the lawn when he gets home. Talk about pressure.

Expect ESD to push the pace and expose St. Marks weak bench and non-physical nature. If they lose this, the coach should be fired and the team traded to a high school in south Texas where they won't be around to constantly remind us of our dashed expectations to live vicariously through someone else's success.

It's only basketball.