As if the Dallas Mavericks’ championship needed to be more about Miami Heat’s LeBron James and the schadenfreude of his defeat, John R. Kasich, the governor of Ohio has declared the “Mavericks, organization, friends, family and fans as honorary Ohioans.”
That player who took his talents elsewhere is not mentioned at all, so what does Dallas have to do with Ohio?
Well, Dallas did display “loyalty, integrity and teamwork before the entire country, affirming that these admirable traits are as crucial as talent and athleticism.” And Dirk Nowitzki did choose “to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2010, forgoing free agency and keeping his talents in Dallas, thus remaining loyal to the team, city and fans for whom he played his entire career.”
Yes, I guess that is pretty worthy of becoming an honorary Ohioan. I mean Michael Jordan did the same thing for the Bulls and he… oh, wait, he kind of stabbed Cleveland in the heart there.
Yeah, so maybe this has a little bit to do with that player who took his talents elsewhere. And maybe this is a backhanded slap at that player for decimating a franchise and betraying the fans that adored him since high school. Not that it matters so much to Ohio.
The Mavericks are going to get their parade and to celebrate their championship. But after a proclamation like this from the highest executive authority in Ohio, it makes you wonder how much the Mavericks’ championship will actually be remembered for, well its winner.
Dallas will have the Larry O’Brien Trophy tucked away in its trophy case as proof that it actually won the 2011 NBA Championship. But the narrative during the Finals and the days after the Finals ended, it has been all about the Heat’s failure and the celebration of their defeat.
Dallas deserves more than just a backhanded congratulatory slap on the back for playing their part. They won the championship.
But being an honorary Ohioan I guess is a nice part of the gift basket you get as NBA Champion.
Photo via DayLife.com.
