Never Mind The Bollocks, Here Come The Mavericks

Coach Carlisle, whose job it is to nitpick, prod to new heights, and keep expectations reasonable, is saying the correct things about last night's 101-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. It's just the one game, it's not that big of a deal, no yardsticks please-- you know what he is? He's Crash Davis barking criticism at Nuke LaLoosh while he's halfway through a career night. Exasperated, Nuke asks, "Can't you just let me enjoy the moment?" Without looking up from his shoelaces, Crash snaps, "The moment's over."

So let me break it down this way:

Reasons This Game Is Important: A Strictly Business Perspective
- Winning puts us half a game back from Utah in third and just one back of Denver in second. Accepting the Lakers will run away with the West, second or third place means we won't have to deal with them until the conference finals. It also means we'll have home court advantage the first two rounds.
- With the trade (I'll get into it later), Dallas is essentially a new basketball team. Last night's game is the only time the Mavericks v2.0 will meet LA until the postseason. Meaning this is the only opportunity Coach et al will have to gather raw data about matchups, overall team offense/defense, the intangibles about attitude and spirit and player interaction, and so on; information Coach and the players are going to need when it comes to dreaming up plays and overall game plans.

A strictly business basketball mind notes all that, looks at the schedule, and moves on. But I'm not a strictly business basketball mind. So I'm going to look at it from a fan's perspective:

Reasons This Game Is Important: My Perspective
- WE KICKED KOBE'S ASS! WE KICKED KOBE'S ASS! WE KICKED KOBE'S ASS!
- The Lakers are a heavily marketed team and they've got fan support even in enemy territory. The fans they attract, however, are like jackdaws; they're attracted to the aura of showbiz that hangs like a fog over the piss'n'purple. Like motorcycle hobbyists who have their bikes trucked to the rally in Sturgis; fandom as a fashion statement. The last time the Lakers were here, I felt like a Visitor in my own goddamn house!!! It was a joy, a relief, and a just-shy-of-sex pleasure to see and be a part of the Mavs taking home back. You got the banners so you get the respect. But banners don't block shots, and rings don't grab boards. Shut up and get lost, Faker fans.
- I'm fine hanging this one on Kobe. 9-23, two free throws, two assists. Let me put it this way; it's the fourth quarter, his team is down but hanging in there, and he committed a shooting foul on a 90% free throw shooter. Who made the shot anyway.
- E.Honda Face!
- An energy shot to a fanbase in desperate need of one. The vibe just hasn't been as good this year in the arena. Painted Fans is usually me, sometimes two equally deranged ladies, and that's pretty much it. The last time there was a huge turnout for seriously insane people was the last San Antonio game. The Cowboys are hibernating, the Stars are off until the Olympics gets over with, and the Rangers are just starting spring training. The Mavericks are the game in town and they've earned a little faith.
- One of the best regular season games . . . ever. If you were anywhere else doing anything else, you poor deprived person you.
- MavsDancers versus ManiAACS. Rock!
- In the matchup of Captains Clutch, Dirk wins. Isn't that nice?
- Five game win streak. Isn't that nice?
- It's a little much to hope for that a win at home against a team playing the ass end of a back to back will motivate the league's media jerks to take the Mavericks seriously. It is a step in the right direction, and not a baby one either.

My only regret is I didn't get to say it sooner.
-BJ

Asking The Bad Questions

Transcribing a passage from Kitchen Confidential. I'm including the whole thing because . . . well it's my blog, so why the fuck not?

8. Be prepared to witness every variety of human folly and injustice. Without it screwing up your head or poisoning your attitude. You will simply have to endure the contradictions and inequities of this life [of a professional chef]. "Why does that brain-damaged, lazy-assed busboy take home more money than me, the goddamn sous-chef?" should not be a question that drives you to tears of rage and frustration. It will just be like that sometimes. Accept it.

"Why is he/she treated better than me?"

"How come the chef gets to loiter in the dining room, playing kissy-face with (insert minor celebrity here), while I'm working my ass off?"

"Why is my hard work and dedication not sufficiently appreciated?"

These are all questions best left unasked. The answers will drive you insane eventually. If you keep asking yourself questions like these, you find yourself slipping into martyr mode, unemployment, alcoholism, drug addiction, and death.

If one has any kind of interest in the Dallas Mavericks, there are a few questions one might want to ask in the light of last night's 117-108 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Questions like:

"Whaddaya mean Dirk's not in the starting lineup?"

"What line of reasoning did the Organization use when they decided to let Ryan Hollins walk?"

"Why is a team that sucks black holes on the road being allowed to shoot 53% from the floor? Why is any team ever allowed to shoot 54.5% on three point shots?"

"What else has Coach got in his bag of tricks?"

"Why does the effort on the floor not reflect the amount of dedication everyone in the organization says they have to be the best they can be?"

These questions and oh so much more are swirling in my head right now. And they're not going to get answered to my satisfaction. I don't know these men, I have no in with the Organization. I'm a fan; I'm excluded from the Need To Know no matter how much I wish or pretend otherwise.

So bury that desire and move on to what's next, because if I get hung up on what I want to know I'll go nuts. But. I can't help but wonder. And wonder if anybody else is asking these questions, people who do have the access, who do have the trust, who have the best interest for the Dallas Mavericks in mind.

One last question.

"We are all working for the same thing right now, right? An NBA title? Or has this season been written off for purposes of a championship?"
-BJ