Redemption

I looked back at some of the things written on my website and others on the weekend of November 19th of last year and saw we all had a very grim view of the future of the NBA. The next time the Pacers visited Detroit some dope phoned in a bomb threat (which in the post 9/11 world is taken extremely seriously) and the game was delayed for almost two hours and cam close to being cancelled. The Malice at the Palace (which is a great name for the fight) put a black eye on a league that was already suffering from fan indifference, especially from the upper class white community who supports a majority of the league through merchandising, advertising, and attendance. People felt that the black “thugs” in the NBA were truly living up, or down, to the class of citizen they were (and YES I am willing to go there and play the race card, let’s not fool ourselves people, when we talk about the NBA race is always a factor). However, we learn from all aspects of life, and the bible, that redemption is possible. And the Pacers and Pistons have achieved some level of that over the last two weeks.

This was a playoff series that NBA fans were looking toward. First off, these teams played a great series last year and that is where tensions began to rise in this rivalry. Then the fight happened and this became the most important rivalry in the league. People always say there will not be another ________ vs. ________ rivalry, but one always seems to come along. With all of the suspensions and a seemingly endless string of injuries to the Pacers they were not supposed to be able to compete in the East. However, Rick Carlisle did an amazing job and with the reigniting of Reggie Miller they made it to the playoffs. Coming into the playoffs the Pacers were still undermanned with starting PG Jamaal Tinsley coming off of an injury and Jermaine O’Neal clearly not healthy with a bad shoulder. Then Carlisle again doing a great job led his team past the Celtics and into this series with the hated, yet respected Pistons.

Going into this series the NBA was clearly worried about security issues, how could they not be when it is playoff time everyone gets revved up. But these two organizations led by classy general managers and classy coach’s put aside all their differences and played a great series. Now one can argue over the merits of “east coast” or “plodding” basketball, but us guys who like the league say it is great defense. And it is great defense, each of these teams make you earn your baskets, they will challenge all of your shots and not give you a free ride to the hoop. This time around though both teams played it very clean, where it could have gotten very dirty. Yes there were some hard fouls and a staring match or two, but that is what testosterone driven men do. In the 6 games there were 7 technical fouls handed out and one flagrant, which is not bad at all in a playoff series. The teams fought hard, but played clean and had one heck of a series. However, that night in the Palace many fans were lost on the current NBA.

I hate the fact that fans were lost, because I do like the NBA and the sport of basketball as a whole is a passion of mine (like The Family Guy & naked woman). I wish to pass on my love of that game to others, and last night I saw something that would make any sports fan truly proud. After all of this nonsense with these two teams this year, it ended on such a spontaneous and uplifting gesture. Everyone knew this was Reggie Miller’s last season, he had announced it a few months ago. Miller has been the face of his franchise for almost 2 decades, something that because more rare by the day in sports. We are nearing the end of the era where anyone will spend their whole careers with the same team; heck Michael Jordan couldn’t even do it. With about 39 seconds to go in the game, the Pistons Rip Hamilton was on the line with the game well in hand, the Indianapolis crowd began chanting, “REGGIE!!REGGIE!!,” Chauncey Billups embraced Miller and gave a word of encouragement, Tayshaun Prince patted him on the side and the chest and thanked him for being such a competitor, and then Rick Carlisle decided to make a substitution and let the fans give him one more standing ovation. Then Larry Brown (who a lot of the time can be a horse’s ass, but he usually does get it) decided to call a 30 second time out and called his team onto the court to give Miller a standing ovation, people that is why we watch sports right there. Listen, I am not the biggest Reggie Miller fan, but there are a few true facts about him: he played his tail off every time he stepped on the floor, he is a sure fire Hall of Fame players, he helped lead his team to some of their greatest moments in franchise history, and he has made tremendous contributions to the organization and the community as a whole. After the game Miller, alone stood at half court gesturing his love for the fans as the gestured back, and then simply walked off the court displaying the back of his Pacers jersey hanging off that wiry identifiable frame……………….#31 Miller.