Here We Go Again...

Now that you have had a chance for the game to sink in, is it just a bit more obvious that Dallas is the superior team in this series? And, does it seem like Miami is even close to Phoenix or San Antonio? How about this: how would Miami stack up to the Clippers, Nuggets, Lakers, or Grizzlies, all Western Conference playoff teams? I think it is apparent that the Heat would be right in the middle of that group. In other words, they are not in Dallas' class. It has become apparent that this series is for Dallas to lose, not Miami to win. For Miami to end up with the championship that Shaq promised them, Dallas will have to collapse and beat themselves, they are that much better than the Heat.

But you wouldn't know it...

Last night's analysis on ESPN came from John Saunders, Legler, Anthony and this time we were blessed with the geniusly articulate musings of Scottie Pippen. It was pretty much back to where it's been. All of the discussion is about Miami--what they are doing wrong, why they aren't getting the ball to Shaq, why was he out in the 4th quarter, etc. Very little discussion, attention or credit is directed to the game plan of Dallas, and how their players have simply befuddled, and at times dominated, the Heat, including Shaq. Despite two playoff blowouts (and a double digit win in the playoffs is a blowout, make no mistake), it is still so difficult for the major media to give a shred of credit to Dallas.

A Miami radio show yesterday offered the solution to the Heat's woes: get the ball to Shaq more. Wow. They must not have slept for days in coming up with that nugget.

Who's a Bigger Idiot--Pippen, or, nevermind...

Pippen, who didn't go far in the playoffs in the two seasons during which Jordan was not carrying him, seemed to learn little from Alonzo Mourning's failed prognostication and offered the certainty that Shaq is "going to hurt someone" as he is sure Shaq will score 35 points tonight. It is still unknown whether Pippen can name any players that play for Dallas, except that he used the opportunity to refer to Dampier as "Ericka, I mean Erick," which gave him a good chuckle. It gave ME a good chuckle when he intelligently offered that Shaq has been the most dominant player in the league for "a several of decades." Got to love that Central Arkansas education.

Media Effects of Tonight's Game...

Tonight will tell quite a story. I would say that you can look for two separate story lines which have the possibility of emerging from tonight's game:

First, Dallas wins, in which case the story will more than likely finally be that Dallas has arrived. The Heat lovers in the media will finally scratch their heads and begin to give Dallas some credit and focus at least some attention on Dallas and their achievements. I think you will still see a great deal of talk about Miami, but that talk will turn away from what they have to do to win, and will deal with next year and Shaq's future. But finally, Dallas will come to the front of the story since they will be one win away from their first title.

Second, Miami wins. If this happens, the MIAMI-LOVE-MACHINE that is the major media including all of ESPN will explode in a Coors Silver Bullet Train of Heat-Love, and every person in the media will do their best to encourage the Heat from the press box, they will talk about how the Heat have turned the corner, they have figured Dallas out, and that Dallas is in trouble, the Heat are asserting themselves, and the REAL Heat have finally showed up. It will be a hormone-raging, brown-nosing Heat pep rally.

You watch.