Ode
to Dwayne Wade
Thank
you, Dwayne. You made us forget about the
billions of dollars that are given to those
15 minutes per game youngsters, drafts that
pick untested high schoolers over "ACC
Players of the Year" like Josh Howard,
and the ridiculous labor negotiations that
insist on a lockout. You made us ignore the
boring Spurs who took it to the exciting Steve
Nash driven Suns, and forced us to feast our
eyes on your heroics and aerial acrobatics.
Thank
you for giving us a playoff performance
we haven't seen since Mike last laced em
up for the Chicago Bulls. Thank you for
pulling up your pants and lacing up your
shoes to play a game seven we won't soon
forget. You were the MVP of the playoffs
as far as I was concerned. If I wasn't sure
about that before this series started, I'm
as sure as sun is going to rise tomorrow,
am now.
Your
absence from game 6, the way your team (yes
your team) fell apart and lost by nearly
30 points, scoring an all time playoff low
in points and never really getting close
the entire night, well that showed me something.
Then you one up yourself. You come back
for a game 7 that made me realize how bad
you were really hurt. As if that wasn't
enough to gain you some respect you then
come out in the second half to play balls
to the wall and take the lead.
Sure,
your body may have failed you in the 4th,
but that's not what I'll remember. I'll
remember the first and second round sweeps
when your big man was either half healthy
or out. I'll remember the way you were too
good for any defender in every game. It
will be hard to forget the way you came
out in game one nervous, and came back with
a vengeance in game two. Your performance
in Detroit in game 3 was every bit as good
as I've seen. Thank you for knowing what
you do best and doing it. Yes, that's something
too many youngsters ignore. Your knowledge
of self is as great as I've seen in a long
time. Thank you for letting me watch the
true passing of the torch.
Years
from now I'll be able to say "I saw
the man who brought basketball back. I saw
the young kid from Marquette carry his team
on his back to a game 7 against the Detroit
Pistons. I watched him dominate against
the best competition in the land. I saw
his neon flash and his scoop 'oops to Shaq.
I saw him play in pain. I watched as he
finally gave me someone to compare to Michael."
And I'll say those things with the confidence
I say them with now. Thank you for making
the NBA fun to watch again Dwayne. I won't
soon forget about you.
Sincerely,
Lucky Lester
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