10 Reasons to Hate The Heat
Posted: May 1, 2011 Filed under: Basketball, NBA, Uncategorized | Tags: Dwayne Wade, Hate the Heat, Heat-Celtics, Lebron James, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Pat Riley Leave a comment »
There are at least 10 reasons to hate the Miami Heat – but this isn’t one of them.
My entire life, I’ve rooted against the Boston Celtics. I was the guy pulling for Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and all the others who fell to the relentless Green Machine. Larry Bird was a legend, but Magic Johnson was my guy. And don’t remind me of the countless times the Celtics have embarrassed the Knicks, including this year.
But I’m changing my stripes for the NBA playoffs. For those who know me, rooting for Boston is way off base, totally out of character.
Heck, there are countless reasons to root for the Celtics to beat the Miami Heat. Especially for New York fans. Here’s 10 of ‘em:
1. LeBron James, who teased New York fans before taking his “talents” to South Beach.
2. Pat Riley, who infamously FAXed in his resignation to the Knicks and fled to Miami.
3. The winters, which are warmer in Miami.
4. Beat the Heat and Hate the Heat roll off the tongue. And fittingly, Heat and hate are anagrams.
5. LeBron wasn’t very nice to Cleveland either.
6. Dwayne Wade, who not only kills the Knickerbockers, he killed my alma mater, Holy Cross, in the NCAAs when he played at Marquette.
7. The arrogant Heat players and management, who felt they could “arrange” a championship.
8. That tasteless show the Heat put on last summer when they introduced LeBron and Chris Bosh to South Florida.
9. New York basketball fans are smarter.
10. Riley’s slick hairdo.
LeGone’s Move to South Beach No Guarantee
Posted: July 10, 2010 Filed under: Basketball, NBA, Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Bosch, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Miami Heat Leave a comment »
There’s plenty of work to be done before LeBron James and the Miami Heat can claim an NBA Championship ring.
What more can be said about LeBron James (now known as LeGone) that hasn’t already been written, aired, tweeted, barked and otherwise discussed by basketball fans and casual onlookers across America.
For some strange reason, the LeGone signing reminded me of the time Jason Giambi, like LeGone a former MVP, signed with the Yankees in 2002. At the press conference at Yankee Stadium heralding his arrival, Giambi mentioned that he was happy to be a Yankee, and that now it was time to start collecting his rings, as if it was as easy as getting the ring finger measured as a high school senior.
Only it never happened for Giambi. In his seven years in pinstripes, Giambi’s Yankees failed to win a single World Series.
You see, there are no guarantees in sports. Just because a team has the most superstars, or the most money, or loudest fans, doesn’t mean victory is automatic. Just ask the Giambi.
Sure the Miami Heat are now loaded with LeGone and D-Wade and Chris Bosch. They’ll be favored to win the NBA Championship next year.
But there are plenty of other good teams and superstars out there, who will have a say in this. The heat will be on the Heat, the pressure to win it all.
In the short time since the LeGone signing, the Heat have managed to paint a big, bright target on their collective backs. Hate and Heat are anagrams, and “Hate the Heat” has already become a catchphrase.
LeGone indicated the main reason he chose Miami over Cleveland and the other suitors was simple — the Heat gave him his best chance to win a long-coveted championship.
“I think the major factor, the major reason, in my decision was the best opportunity to win, and to win now and to win into the future also,” the King turned Prince told ESPN viewers as he revealed his decision to head south.
Only time will tell.
In The Headlines
LeGone’s decision spurred all kinds of intriguing headlines in the newspapers of the cities towns LeGone passed over.
New York: Son of a Beach
Cleveland: Gone
Chicago: That’s Bull
One wag referred to LeGone as LeBronedict Arnold. A New York headline cried “Knixed” mourning New York’s failed effort to get LeGone.
