A Valiant Effort

I'm still trying to get over the disappointment of the Miami Heat's loss in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. That's the way sports is, there is a winner and a loser and nothing in between. One can say the Heat deserved a better fate, but you have to play with what you got.

Simply stated, Detroit played better when they had to. I don't think there's any shame in losing to the defending champs, especially taking them to the limit. Still, to have a lead late in Game 7 in your home court and coming up short in the end is a bitter pill to swallow for Heat fans, and of course a thousand times more for the Heat players and staff.

Now that the bitterness has somewhat subsided, I can truly say that I am proud of the Heat for their effort despite the setbacks they suffered in the series. I am proud of guys like Dwyane Wade and Shaq who played through painful injuries that would sideline the average person for weeks, showing extraordinary character and courage.

I am proud of the professional manner in which the Heat conducted themselves before, during, and after the games. It's a pleasure to hear Dwyane Wade give interviews in which he humbly deflects personal credit for the team's success and instead credits the entire team. Shaq, despite his celebrity larger-than-life reputation, showed true grit and team spirit throughout the season.

And lastly, but just as importantly, I am proud of how the Heat conduct themselves OFF the court. People like Alonzo Mourning who generously give back to the community. And people like Shaquille O'Neal, who understand that there's more to life than basketball, as little Brandon of Brandon's Puppy so eloquently illustrates in this post.

We'll be back next year!