Oh you Dallas Mavs...

I was young, maybe 7 years old?  I, like every other Texas boy, was too young to start playing football.  My parents decided that the next best thing was soccer.  They put me in the closest YMCA soccer league, and hoped the best thing I can learn from soccer was teamwork, footplay, toughness and I could apply that to my very first football season.  I became good enough that I was able to venture to the Reunion Arena for the youth sports championship, in which the champion would get the rare chance to meet Tatu of the acclaimed Dallas Sidekicks.  

I didn't get that chance, and as a disappointed kid, I hung my head and ventured off of the astroturf.. a young kid not getting the shot to meet his hero...  As I left, I met a giant, a man that towered above me and said "dont worry about it, you'll get them next year kid".  He had a basketball jersey on and was getting ready for shootaround.  He was unrecognizable to me, I mean who cared about basketball in Dallas?  The Mavericks were a Dallas team by name, but they were more a filler between the Cowboys' seasons.  They hadn't even pulled up the turf yet to let him feel the hardwood beneath his feet.  He practiced his shot on the same fake grass that I had just gotten embarrassed on, "you'll get them next year kid".   That moment, that very second, Rolando Blackman made me a MFFL.  I realized that even though my jumpshot resembled JJ's one footer, my heart had shades of green and blue.  

I watched, in pain, as the Mavericks struggled and fought, sometimes with each other, as they strung together makeshift teams trying to fight the greats and claw their way into a chance for greatness.  

And as I realized that my hopes were dwindling, I threw my hands up and kicked every piece of electronic equipment when the Dallas Mavericks traded Robert "Tractor" Taylor, a dominant force, for a German high schooler, someone that's English was suspect, and toughness was on par with that of a Swedish quilt maker.  

..and then I fell in love.  This tall, lanky, awkward looking 7 footer showed me something I'd never seen in a Dallas Cowboy, a Texas Ranger, a Dallas Sidekick, my hero,  I saw a kid that wanted nothing more than to compete with the very best in the world's most competitive league, and to prove to the world that he is capable of true greatness.  

I've seen the Cowboys win Super Bowls.  I've been up at 2am when the Stars have won the Stanley Cup.  I've seen the Rangers fight bankruptcy to go to the World Series.  

...but I've never been drawn to tears like I was last night when a Dallas team gets "that chance".  I've never looked at every person on a roster and said "that guy deserves it".  I've never looked at my girlfriend/sister/wife and as she looked at me, there weren't any words to be said, because we both knew that this team, for a second, made life make sense for just one time.  

I want to thank the MMB community for being such a torrential force.  A clan that can be hysterical and genius at the same time.  Jon and Marie reminded me of "back in the day" when there were only 10 of us on this thing arguing back and forth how the Mav's could finally become champs.  

A shout out to Wes, who brought a lot of us here and kept us interested.  And credit due to LJ and her him minions for the incredible job on keeping masses that be in the faith.  

-A dumb 7 year old that wondered why those guys in the ugly green jerseys were stepping on the Sidekick's floor

BTW.. JJ still sucks..