Why I root for the Dallas Mavericks
Posted 04-30-2010 at 08:01 PM by Canes2006Champs
It has been awhile since I've done a blog so here comes my first of the year: Canes Corner, 2010 edition 
Most of you probably know me as a Carolina Hurricanes fan, I also support the NC State Wolfpack. I was born and raised in North Carolina.
So why in the world would some dude from North Carolina root for a Basketball team that plays in... Dallas? Why not support the hometown Bobcats?
First of all, Basketball was my first love, if you've ever lived in NC, you know what I'm talking about. We live and breathe the game here, it's in our blood.
When I was only 4 years old, I remember watching from the living room in Durham game 4 of the Hornets-Celtics 1993 playoff matchup, I couldn't comprehend all that was going on, all I knew was that I loved it and wanted it to go on forever. This was the night Alonzo Mourning, the rookie from Georgetown, hit the game winning shot with only .4 seconds left. Less than 3 months later, my family moves to Charlotte. Me and my dad go to countless games, they were for a time the only major-league team in the State. I loved it. But nine years later, the team moves to New Orleans.
The year before they moved, another team was catching my attention, that team was.... The Dallas Mavericks. I couldn't believe my eyes one day when I looked at NBA.com's standings and saw the Mavs were in the playoffs. I said to myself "Self, is this correct? How can a team that has been so awful so 10+ years be so good in just one season?". That year they completed a historic comeback in the playoffs when they came back from an 0-2 deficit against the Utah Jazz and won 3 straight to win the series with Calvin Booth scoring the winner and Karl Malone missing the last second jumper that would have won it for Utah.
One summer night before the 01-02 season was to begin, I had this weird dream that I was drafted to play for the Mavericks, I also dreamt they were getting a new arena and new logos. Sure enough, about a month later, the new logo is unveiled, as are new uniforms, I thought they were so crisp and smooth. And the team is about to play in the new American Airlines Center. I remember watching them play a game on TNT that season and just being in awe of how they were playing, I loved the trio of Finley, Nash, and Nowitzki. I especially became a fan of Nowitzki, I had never seen a guy of his height being able to play a forward position, take the 3 point shot, and just looking like he was enjoying it all. It also helped that he is German and I myself have German blood in me.
In 2003, it was announced Charlotte was to be getting a new team, but I was not interested. When it came down to whom was going to own said team, the choices were Larry Bird and Bob Johnson. The NBA chose Bob Johnson, I couldn't believe it, I did not like the decision and even worse the choices of names for the new team were horrendous. Bobcats? Dragons? Flight? was this really for an NBA team? Nonetheless, Johnson proved to be a terrible owner. Which brings me to....
....Mark Cuban, yes, the outspoken, passionaite, sometimes maybe too much for his own good but I digress, billionaire who bought the team in 2000. I thought it was cool to see an owner actually at the games, wearing team jerseys, and cheering like die-hard fans do.
In 2007, my dad moved to Dallas, and he sent me a Nowitzki Jersey his first day after the move. I wore than thing everywhere and sometimes still do.
It's now 2010 and needless to say, despite all the disappointments this team has faced since 2006, I'm still cheering them on, win or lose. I went to my first game in December this past season, a loss to the Blazers unfortunatly. But I'm still planning on going to another next season.
So there it is. Now you know and I don't have to explain in great details as to why I root for Dallas.
I'm planning on writing some more blogs in the coming months, so stay tuned
This has been another Canes Corner edition.
Most of you probably know me as a Carolina Hurricanes fan, I also support the NC State Wolfpack. I was born and raised in North Carolina.
So why in the world would some dude from North Carolina root for a Basketball team that plays in... Dallas? Why not support the hometown Bobcats?
First of all, Basketball was my first love, if you've ever lived in NC, you know what I'm talking about. We live and breathe the game here, it's in our blood.
When I was only 4 years old, I remember watching from the living room in Durham game 4 of the Hornets-Celtics 1993 playoff matchup, I couldn't comprehend all that was going on, all I knew was that I loved it and wanted it to go on forever. This was the night Alonzo Mourning, the rookie from Georgetown, hit the game winning shot with only .4 seconds left. Less than 3 months later, my family moves to Charlotte. Me and my dad go to countless games, they were for a time the only major-league team in the State. I loved it. But nine years later, the team moves to New Orleans.
The year before they moved, another team was catching my attention, that team was.... The Dallas Mavericks. I couldn't believe my eyes one day when I looked at NBA.com's standings and saw the Mavs were in the playoffs. I said to myself "Self, is this correct? How can a team that has been so awful so 10+ years be so good in just one season?". That year they completed a historic comeback in the playoffs when they came back from an 0-2 deficit against the Utah Jazz and won 3 straight to win the series with Calvin Booth scoring the winner and Karl Malone missing the last second jumper that would have won it for Utah.
One summer night before the 01-02 season was to begin, I had this weird dream that I was drafted to play for the Mavericks, I also dreamt they were getting a new arena and new logos. Sure enough, about a month later, the new logo is unveiled, as are new uniforms, I thought they were so crisp and smooth. And the team is about to play in the new American Airlines Center. I remember watching them play a game on TNT that season and just being in awe of how they were playing, I loved the trio of Finley, Nash, and Nowitzki. I especially became a fan of Nowitzki, I had never seen a guy of his height being able to play a forward position, take the 3 point shot, and just looking like he was enjoying it all. It also helped that he is German and I myself have German blood in me.
In 2003, it was announced Charlotte was to be getting a new team, but I was not interested. When it came down to whom was going to own said team, the choices were Larry Bird and Bob Johnson. The NBA chose Bob Johnson, I couldn't believe it, I did not like the decision and even worse the choices of names for the new team were horrendous. Bobcats? Dragons? Flight? was this really for an NBA team? Nonetheless, Johnson proved to be a terrible owner. Which brings me to....
....Mark Cuban, yes, the outspoken, passionaite, sometimes maybe too much for his own good but I digress, billionaire who bought the team in 2000. I thought it was cool to see an owner actually at the games, wearing team jerseys, and cheering like die-hard fans do.
In 2007, my dad moved to Dallas, and he sent me a Nowitzki Jersey his first day after the move. I wore than thing everywhere and sometimes still do.
It's now 2010 and needless to say, despite all the disappointments this team has faced since 2006, I'm still cheering them on, win or lose. I went to my first game in December this past season, a loss to the Blazers unfortunatly. But I'm still planning on going to another next season.
So there it is. Now you know and I don't have to explain in great details as to why I root for Dallas.
I'm planning on writing some more blogs in the coming months, so stay tuned
This has been another Canes Corner edition.
Total Comments 2
Comments
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Glad you've decided to "jump back in", Canes.
It's always a letdown any time a team moves. The hardest part is accepting a replacement team. I still remember when the Oilers left Houston, I visited with some folks in a Houston church on a road trip, and some of them became embittered about the whole experience that they'll never root for a Houston team again. Now, I don't know if they feel that way this very day or if they've accepted the Texans, but back at the time, who would blame them? Heck, even around my area, there used to be talk in the late 80s about the Rangers moving elsewhere.
So, in some ways and indirectly, I can see where you're coming from with the experiences you've had with the Hornets.Posted 05-01-2010 at 06:03 AM by case44
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Hey Case, thanks for the comment.
You're right about accepting a replacement team, most people here wrote off the NBA once the Hornets left. The Bobcats can't compare to what the Hornets meant to the city of Charlotte.Posted 05-01-2010 at 09:53 PM by Canes2006Champs 
