a wicked week for sports

It has been a bad week for sports - nope, I'm not a part of any of it (although I'd like to think I am - in spirit), but as a die-hard sports fanatic, the past week sucked!

NBA FINALS

First and foremost, the team I have been rooting for the past 4 years lost in the NBA Finals. Yup, I'm a big-time Mavs fan! An amazing 2-0 start in the best-of-seven series for the championship ended up with an equally and heartbreaking game six victory on the road by the Miami Heat. Although the Mavs had homecourt advantage, many made them the underdogs. Even 6 out of 10 Dallas journalists predicted a Heat victory (talk about loyalty!). But I was confident the Mavs would win it all, even at the start of the season last November. I predicted the NBA champs (I give out my prediction after each All-Star break) for the past three seasons (2003-Spurs, 2004-Pistons, 2005-Spurs) but that streak failed this year. By the way, I may root for a team, but it doesn't necessarily follow that I predict them to win. This may sound weird but I'm just being realistic. (There are just times when you want a team to win but know that they don't stand a chance) Interestingly, it was only in 2004 wherein the team I rooted for was also the team I predicted to win. It would have been the second time this year. Here's a simple table to illustrate what I mean:

year --- predicted champs --- my team --- eventual champs
2003 -------Spurs---------------- Mavs------- Spurs
2004 -------Pistons --------------Pistons ----- Pistons
2005 -------Spurs --------------- Mavs ------- Spurs
2006 -------Mavs ----------------Mavs ------- Heat

As you can clearly see, the only time I did not root for the Mavs was in 2004. That was the time they had that crazy incompatible lineup (with Walker and Jamison). Then compare the second and fourth columns, as I said, it's only this year that my prediction was incorrect. Blame it on D. Wade.

The Mavs were 2-up in the series and led by 13 points midway through the 4th quarter of game 3. It looked like it would be 3-0 and ready for a sweep, but the Flash just started to "heat" up. No offense to Shaq (who showed glimpses of Superman in the Pistons series - nearly coinciding with the release of the movie "Superman Returns"), Dwyane (that's a "w" before the "y") Wade carried the entire Miami team. Fall 7 times, stand up 8. He is definitely the MVP worthy of MJ comparisons. He was just amazing. Unstoppable. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Wade fan, I just don't like the Heat as a team, mainly because of the old veterans (aka has-beens) who signed for a minimum contract just to have a chance to win a ring.

That come-from-behind Heat victory in game 3 was the turning point of the series. At that time, I already felt the Mavs were in trouble. A disheartening loss like that easily shifted the series' momentum in favor of the veteran Heat squad. And for that, I was correct. The Heat's vast experience (led by Shaq, Payton, and Zo) proved to be the difference.

As for the Mavs, it's not the end of the world. The experience they gained will be valuable as they make another run next year. I'm just a bit worried though because I feel like this WAS their chance. It just got away.

NOTE: That's an old photo of the Mavs. Michael Finley isn't a part of them anymore. Ironically, he's with the team the Mavs defeated in the West Semis - the Spurs.

US OPEN

Next was the U.S. Open Golf Championship. I idolize Tiger Woods (who else?) but unfortunately for him it was his first tournament back after the passing away of his dad, who was a big part of him not only as a father, but a teacher. The world's number 1 golfer just struggled at the extremely tough Winged Foot Course in New York. It was the first time I could recall him missing a cut in a major championship.

Even worse was the fact that sentimental choice Colin Montgomerie (perhaps the best golfer not able to win a major championship) choked at the last hole to ruin his chances (shades of Jean Van De Velde's meltdown at the British Open several years ago). But then again, at least it wasn't Phil Mickelson who won.

WORLD CUP

Third on the list is the still on-going FIFA World Cup at Germany, although this is not totally a disaster. Brazil, without any doubt the favorites to repeat, was unimpressive in their first two games - a 1-0 win over Croatia and a 2-0 win over Australia. The Samba boys didn't show the finesse and flair they are known for, and the intimidating attacking quartet of superstars Ronaldinho, Kaka, Adriano, and Ronaldo never clicked. They clearly were underperforming, even prompting a Brazilian journalist to call Ronaldo a "wobbling heavyweight".

The good thing was that the Brazilians improved in their 3rd outing against Japan, 4-1, but not after conceding the first goal. Proving everyone wrong, Ronaldo, on his 4th World Cup, showed flashes of his 2002 Golden-boot-winning form as he scored 2 goals, tying the record for most goals in the World Cup with 14. One more goal and he would be the leading goal-scorer in the tournament's history.

In the end, at least the Brazilians are still in, through to the last 16. And I believe we have yet to see the "real" dominant Brazil team. It may not be that wicked after all. Lookout everyone!

and one last shot... The New York Knicks just fired celebrated coach Larry Brown (in the process losing millions). Another episode in the Knicks' never-ending moves. If there's an award for the most unstable team, they'd surely win. And who would replace the former coach of the year? Isiah Thomas, who had stepped down from an executive position. Maybe he's just trying to "pull out a Riley." Get this: the Knicks are nowhere close to the Heat.