2011 In Review

2011 hasn't been the greatest year for sports. Don't get me wrong; on the field, court, ice or whatever playing surface athletes have played on, sports have been pretty entertaining. However, off the playing surface of their choice, sports in 2011 have been a little gloomy. I don't watch a great deal of local news because it seems to usually be filled with such negativity. I live in Arizona so a typical evening news cast is usually as follows; something caught fire, someone debating the illegal immigrant situation, someone was shot, tomorrow's forecast is hot and sunny, someone drowned, car accident, seven day forecast is hot and sunny. The sports section of your local news or ESPN's 24 hour stream of sporting news usually provided a break from the negativity. However, in 2011 even sporting news started to trot out the bad news on a regular basis... Two professional sports leagues locked their players out, college coaches replaced Catholic priests as the poster children for pedophilia, college football scandals, MVPs on PEDs, the NBA showing that their lockout might have be for nothing by vetoing a trade for "the best of the league." These are just a handful of unfortunate stories that have dominated sports media in 2011.

I started this blog roughly a year ago with a top ten of 2010. I counted down and analyzed what I felt were the ten greatest plays of the year. However,  top ten count downs are about as unique as a new cartoon comedy on FOX. This year I'd rather distract you from the negativity and recap some of the great 2011 stories that may have gone unnoticed amidst all of the scandals, accusations and potential seasons lost.

Dirk removes the choke artist label

Before the NBA lockout, before the Chris Paul trade happened then didn't happen, before Dwight Howard talked with allegedly talked with Nets brass, the 2010 NBA season concluded with a pretty entertaining Finals match-up. The Finals pitted the team everyone expected to get there, the Miami Heat, against the team no one expected to get there, the Dallas Mavericks.

Dirk Nowitzki came out of nowhere when the Mavs drafted him out of Germany. After pairing with Steve Nash, becoming a legitimate scorer, leading the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance and becoming the first international MVP, two things became clear about Nowitzki - he will go down as a top 50 great of all time and he chokes in the playoffs. Before Dirk's Mavs blew a 2-0 lead in the '06 finals, he had come close and missed with Nash. After blowing the Finals, he lead the Mavs to first round exits by the hands of 8 and 7 seeds. It had become fairly evident that the unorthodox seven footer might go down as the greatest to never win a title. The media was quick to label him this way. Even I was guilty of it; not believing in Dirk all the way up to game four of the Finals.

Then the 2010 season happened. Dirk and the Mavs quietly grabbed the third seed in the West while everyone was concerned with the Big Three in Miami and the two time defending Lakers meeting in the Finals. Dirk was flying under the radar, maybe even an underdog and apparently that’s all he needed. The Mavs got past the Blazers, swept the Lakers and battled the upstart Thunder to get Dirk back to the Finals where he would have a chance to redeem himself against the very team that turned him into the choke artist he'd become, the Heat.

What gets lost in all of the scandalous sporting news of 2011 is the fact that the Mavs didn't just win the NBA finals. So much more happened with their victory. Dirk broke free of the choke label, good guys like Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion finally got a title, Miami's big three might not win seven, eight, nine titles and the world will finally get to see championship rings designed by Mark Cuban.

Practically just kids back then, Kidd and Marion are

grizzled veterans now

In winning the NBA Championship Dirk did more than get a title. He was the lesser, the diving force, the clutchest player on a championship team. The Mavs didn't just win the title; Dirk Nowitzki carried them on his back to it (After ducking under or going around Chris Bosh numerous times). By beating Lebron and the Heat, Dirk passed the choke torch to Lebron and he more than willingly accepted it. It still remains to be seen as to how long he'll hold it. During the lockout Lebron apparently developed a post-game at the hands of The Dream.

Guys like Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion have played for so long and have got so close to the NBAs highest summit that it was nice to see them get a title before the young guns of Lebron, Wade and Bosh.

Finally seeing Cuban filled with excitement as his wildest dream and ultimate goal came true was a great sight. Sure he may be outlandish, sure he might have botched the Nash resigning and maybe he'll never get to taste the championship champagne again but seeing an owner like Cuban get a title is a rare sight. Give me 100 more Mark Cubans before you give me one more Dan Gilbert.

Dirk and the Mavs winning the NBA Finals and validating Dirk's career is just one of the great stories of 2011. Be sure to check back later as I'll review some of the other great accomplishments of 2011.