In My Opinion

Post-Heat is a ho-hum sports scene

 

dneal@MiamiHerald.com

How many weeks has it been? Two? Feels like two days.

Anybody else still in Heat Hangover? Even more so than 2006, the rest of this sports summer so far feels like the day after a humongous rave.

Can the local channels just replay the last seven Heat playoff games on a loop with each game preceded by the post-Big 3 signing celebration from 2010? What, reruns of shows we DVR’d if we wanted to see them in the first place, infomercials — or worse, The View and its rip-offs — count as superior programming?

I didn’t enjoy the Heat title run as a fan. You work in this business long enough, you stop being a fan. Not of the sport, but of individual franchises. This team, that team, shrug. I never get tired of seeing great athletes perform well or championships won and awarded.

Besides, I recall what one of my peers said the night of the 2006 conference championship games, after about 40 done-with-writing reporters refused to leave the TVs in Chicago’s Soldier Field press box until the New England-Indianapolis AFC title game finished.

Relieved at Indianapolis’ dramatic win, he said, “I want to see the narrative change.”

Like me, he wearied the simplistic “Peyton Manning can’t win the big one” storylines. Similarly, I got tired of “LeBron can’t win the big one.” I also found childish the strange enmity directed at employees who took control of their own careers in a way we all wish we could (envy?), superstars and role players who took less money to have team success together.

We used to understand great players could play for bad teams and good teams had role players who weren’t great players, but were just great at what they were asked to do. Instead, now, we yell, “How many titles did he win?” as if it’s changed that individuals win trophies, teams win championships. Three juggernauts in North American team sports — Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain and Mario Lemieux — were on five championship teams in a combined 41 seasons.

Anyway, now the narrative changes on LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Because Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, then Mike Miller threw it down when necessary.

So what now? A look over to that baseball team with the new roof sometimes over their heads provides little re-boost. All that money spent by everybody and the Marlins, our expected bridge from Heat heights to Dolphins regular season, sit at 38-42. That’s the same range they were in on this date last year (38-46), 2010 (37-43) and worse than this date in 2009 (41-40).

Maybe we just should’ve spent the money on a plumbing inspection of the Arsht Center.

Their closer, Heath Bell, to paraphrase Sheriff Buford T. Justice, can’t close an umbrella. Their ace, Josh Johnson, is pitching more like a four of clubs. Jose Reyes could have his worst batting average since becoming a big-league regular. Hanley Ramirez’s average would be his second-worst.

As a team, it’s ugly: 14th in National League hitting; 13th in on-base percentage; 11th in slugging percentage; 10th in fielding percentage; tied for the sixth-most errors in the NL; 12th in team ERA; 14th in total runs allowed; and tied for 10th in opposing batting average.

That’s offense and defense. No special teams in baseball.

Don’t talk to me about Dolphins training camp. I’ve seen too many practice phenoms and preseason one-game wonders to get a hop in my step about NFL football before Game 1 of 16.

Read more Miami Heat stories from the Miami Herald

  •  

San Antonio guard Danny Green shoots over Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh during the fourth quarter of Game 5 in the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs at the At&t Center in San Antonio on Sunday, June 16, 2013.

    MIAMI HEAT

    Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh: Spurs’ Danny Green ‘won’t be open tonight’

    San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green, who averaged less than 11 points during the regular season, has emerged as a favorite to win the NBA Finals MVP if the Spurs take the series. He has scorched the Heat, averaging five three-pointers per game in the Finals and 18 points.

  •  

Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs stops LeBron James of the Miami Heat from getting to the basket during game 5 of the NBA finals on June 16, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas., where the Spurs defeated the Heat 114-104 and now lead the series 3-2.

    NBA Finals Game 6 | Spurs at Heat, 9 p.m., ABC

    Miami Heat struggles from point-blank range

    The Heat, which usually thrives in transition, was 19 of 41 on shots around the basket in Game 5, including crucial misses by its best finishers.

  •  

Miami Heat fan Aley Sheer with his Heat cap, shirt and Birdman tattoo sleeves that he wears on game nights is shown in his home in Weston on June 17, 2013.

    NBA FINALS | GAME 6: SPURS AT HEAT, 9 P.M. TUESDAY, ABC

    Miami Heat fans to use every ritual at their disposal

    Heat fans plan to do all they can – pray with a rosary in hand, eat chicken wings or sit in lucky chairs – to assure a win Tuesday night in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Get your Miami Heat Fan Gear!

Join the
Discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

The Miami Herald uses Facebook's commenting system. You need to log in with a Facebook account in order to comment. If you have questions about commenting with your Facebook account, click here.

Have a news tip? You can send it anonymously. Click here to send us your tip - or - consider joining the Public Insight Network and become a source for The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald.

Hide Comments

This affects comments on all stories.

Cancel OK

  • Videos

  • Quick Job Search

Enter Keyword(s) Enter City Select a State Select a Category