We may be on the cusp of a dynasty (not pictured).
My head is still spinning after the CRAZY night I just experienced.
I would argue it was the most important night in Miami Heat history, and not a bad one for my career.
Miami is now loved and loathed.
The greatest basketball player in the world now calls Miami home.
The Heat now has the greatest trifecta in the NBA.
Boston found three players to commit who were all about winning. They won a title and were within two minutes of another.
The Heat did the same thing, except the players are 10 years younger and JUST heading into their prime.
MIami will put the NASTY, in dynasty.
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Allow me to put you in my sneakers for a second.
I woke up this morning at 7 am.
I was laying bed and simply couldn't fall asleep.
My girlfriend was on her way to work and asked: Why are you up?
I said one word: LeBron.
I had become truly obsessed.
So, I go to work thinking, okay, I'm a sports producer today.
LeBron's making his decision today, it's going to be a MADHOUSE.
That's fine.
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After the 6 pm news, our two main anchors come up to me, why don't you go on the air to talk during our LeBron special?
Hmm, I thought. That would be fun.
I mean, I'm standing here in a pair of blue jeans.
I didn't do the most thorough job shaving today.
But okay, let's rock n' roll.
The idea was shot down.
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So I go back to my producing.
Now, my news director calls me into his office. If you've ever worked in television, that's a scary thing.
He says, why don't you go on the air and talk about twitter, blogs and facebook?
Sure, I said.
I have been beyond obsessed with social media since I joined facebook (though I was admittedly a slow adapater to twitter).
Then he correctly pointed out that my shirt wasn't exactly TV ready.
No problem.
The main anchor let me borrow a shirt and jacket (Thank you again Calvin, Laurie and Will!).
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So there I am.
It's 9 o'clock.
I'm looking over my boss' shoulder at LeBron's press conference.
I have an IFB in my good ear (i do actually have a good ear).
My stomach is churning.
I'm infinitely more nervous about LeBron than being on TV.
TV is talking.
Either I'll say something intelligent and interesting, or I'll say something stupid.
There were really only two ways it could go.
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They throw to me.
I start talking.
It went well.
Everyone seem pleased.
But that's not even the headline on the night.
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When LeBron says the word "SOUTH BEACH" I thought: Does no one respect downtown Miami?
The Heat play in downtown.
You have to take the 195 or 395 to get to the beach.
It's like when TV stations bump in with beach shots from Sun Life Stadium.
It's in Miami Gardens.
When I got done with my idiotic mental rant, I said, Wait a second.
We got him!
We got him!
I started dancing like a contestant on the "Price Is Right" picked for the showcase showdown.
It's a shame I'm such a goofy dancer, "So You Think You Can Dance" really has given me a desire to express myself, but I digress.
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The center of the basketball universe is now South Florida.
And I work here, I live here, I was born here.
We showed people with pots and pans celebrating in Southwest Miami-Dade like the day we won the title.
It felt like that.
Only better.
I wanted pots and pans (speaking of Pot, I'm really glad the Heat traded Michael Beasley. He was more high than highlights, enjoy Minny Beas).
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I got to my phone after the show.
I had TONS of texts, missed calls, and facebook notifications (as anyone who knows me, I LOVE me some facebook notifications).
They were from around the country: LA, Denver, New York, Boston, and Chicago.
That's what I loved about 2006.
Everyone came together to celebrate the Heat.
It's going to happen again.
My guess is 2 or 3 times.
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I can go into the nuts and bolts of basketball.
How will they round out the roster, can they really win, and all of that.
But that's another blog for another day.
I'm just going to enjoy that my town matters, that I was in the right place at the right time, and my favorite moment of the day, a text from my brother that read "I was wrong."
Yes you were.
Never bet against Pat Riley.
To be a South Florida sports fan is to see teams built up and quickly disassembled, i.e. the 1997 Marlins, the only team in MLB history to win the world series one year and be in last place the next. A DYNASTY - a group of players who will stick together a while - that's what this town needs. We need it so badly that we don't even know how badly we need it because it's been so long since we've seen anything like it. Cleveland, you had your chance. It's our turn. This is gonna be fun.
ReplyDeleteHeck, the great Dolphins' teams of the 70's were broken up by defections... Agreed... It's a great, great time to be in South Florida for a sports fan... thanks for reading!
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