Let's Go Heat! And here's why....

Call yourself a Mavs fan? Then root for the Heat.

Some of your minds are blown, I know. But just bear with me…….

Here’s an example that might clear it up, assuming you know anything about baseball and you’re a Texas Rangers fan.

In 2002, The SF Giants faced off against the Anaheim Angels. The hated Barry Bonds vs. the Rally Monkey Angels. Remember? I’m sure at the time, some Ranger fans were rooting for the Angels. What was the harm right? A lesser known team of scrappy ball players was making a run in October. Plus most of you all loved to root against Barry Bonds. But looking back, how dirty does it make you feel for rooting for the Angels in 2002? Now that the Rangers/Angels rivalry is heated up, I despise the fact that the Angels fan base has ammo in a sports talk battle. The dreaded, “We have a ring, how ‘bout you?”

What your point, Tony?

My point is that Lebron James is playing the part of Barry Bonds in these NBA finals. Hated and despised for their own separate reasons, but hated none the less. The OKC Thunder are the sweet little team that peaked a little earlier than planned like the 2002 Angels. 80% of Mavs nation is pulling for the Thunder. I’ve cleverly come up with “80%” based solely off text messages and tweets. But there is a healthy majority of Dallas Mavericks fans that are rooting for OKC simply because of their hate for the Miami Heat. The hate is deserved and warranted. But it’s misplaced.

My warning to you today is that in a few years when the Mavericks/Thunder rivalry reaches the level of Mavericks/Spurs, you’ll REGRET ever pulling for the Thunder. You’ll despise the fact that they have as many championships as our Mavericks. You’ll hear the Thunder’s new found fans talk trash and I guarantee you’ll hear this; “OKC has only been around for 4 years and we already have as many rings as Dallas.” (Although we all know they were the Supersonics before moving to OKC so the 4 years thing is a little skewed. But we wouldn’t expect a fan base like OKC’s to be clever enough to take that into consideration. Ouch! SHOTS FIRED!). Not to mention the fact that OKC has had minimal hardships on the way to the Larry O’Brien trophy, if they happen to win it. Look at our precious Mavs, YEARS of torture and heartache. Do we really want to see a young, cocky, brash, streaky shooting team from Oklahoma win a title? So easily? Nope.

Also, another reason to root for Miami is rather simple. By the Mavericks beating the Heat last year, it will make our title look even better. Miami would’ve taken down the favorites, OKC. The Mavs would be the only team to solve and conquer the 3 headed Miami beast. Our trophy will be shinier for this. Just trust me.

Mavs fans, think this through and root against the Thunder. Your future self will appreciate it.

Go Heat!

My Letter to Texas…….

It’s been 3 years since I’ve left you. As I watched the Dallas skyline disappear in my rear view mirror, Id by lying to you if I said a tear didn’t roll down my cheek. We moved away for special reasons. Reasons good enough to justify leaving, but it was still hard to do. I think about Texas every day. Every day I drive to work surrounded by Nebraska license plates, I think about Texas. Every day I hear these Midwesterners call a soft drink, “pop”, I miss Texas. Every time I’m forced to hear about Nebraska football in the summer, I miss Texas. Every winter that I have to shovel my driveway to remove 2 feet of snow, that’s when I miss Texas the most.

Texas is where I was born. It’s where I fell in love with the big blue sky and the massive night sky with stars that I swear I could touch. It’s where I watched meteor showers with my Uncle David and couldn't stop looking at the sky for hours. It’s where I spent summers at my Grandma’s house and played 9 inning baseball games in her yard, by myself. It was beautiful. Texas is where I would spend Thanksgivings and Christmas’ in Houston with my cousins and spend all our time making trails and playing football. Texas is where I would get the darkest tans and swim in the best swimming pools. It’s where the best sunsets happen over fields of bluebonnets. One of the best parts of life is sitting outside during the summer time at sunset and watching the light reflect off the clouds. If we were lucky, we could watch a thunderstorm roll in and enjoy the light show. The great state of Texas is home to the Hill Country with crystal clear rivers, and its home to the greatest city skyline known to man, that’s Dallas. Texas is where I met my wife, Traci. The greatest thing to ever happen.

Most importantly, Texas is where my family is. My Mom, Dad, and Sister. I miss them the most. But my Grandmas, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, 2nd Cousins, they’re all there. It’s where my Grandpa’s are buried, some of the greatest men I’ve ever known. The state is special, it’s sacred. Texas is home to some of my greatest friends. Friends that I call family and that I would do anything for. It’s where I want my family to grow up.

Being away from Texas has helped me appreciate the place I call home even more. Food isn’t the same. Culture isn’t the same. People are nice here and I’ve made some great friends, but it’s just not the same. I was a sports fan before I left, but my passion for my teams has elevated even more once I was surrounded by Dallas Cowboys haters, or non Rangers fans, and worst of all, people that don’t watch the NBA. When I talk Mavericks basketball, they act like I’m speaking Spanish. (Leave it to me to bring everything back to sports)

We’ll be in Texas again one day. It’s just going to take some time. I’m a husband and daddy now and I have to make husband and daddy decisions. This is where we’ll stay until we’re at a place where it makes sense to move back. And for those of you still in Texas, just appreciate her. She's a special breed.

Until we meet again.