For you non-speakers (yes, I googled how to say it), that means Best Wishes on your Birthday in German! Because today is Dirk Nowitzki's 34th birthday. Quite frankly, I'm surprised I even had to come to work today. I figured this was an international holiday. Imagine my disappointment...
As a celebration of the birth of the best thing to ever happen to the city of Dallas, I vote we all drop a little note in the comments section about why we love the Big German, and what he has meant to us as Mavericks fans.
I'll start.
If you ever had the chance to read my post-finals tale, you'd read the one little blurb in there about how I got to toast Dirk at the after-party in Miami. That was probably the coolest moment of my life, during the best night of my life. I haven't met a whole lot of athletes during my two-year stint as manager of this site, but of the folks I have had a chance to interact with, Dirk is by far the most interesting.
He's interesting because he's this odd combination of quiet and entertaining. He is always incredibly candid and gracious with the media, even when he's wearing nothing but a towel, surrounded by people who come up to his shoulder. He doesn't really ever give one-word answers, instead doing his best to provide as much information as possible, even though he'd probably rather just get dressed and be on his way. And at least once a game, he casually drops some hysterical jab about one of his teammates or his own game that sets the media scrum to chortling.
His teammates obviously respect the hell out of him, and for good reason. Talent like his comes along once in a lifetime, and we've all had the good fortune to be present during his.
So have a very very happy birthday, Dirk. We love you the mostest.