100 Greatest Sports Nicknames of All-Time

by Paul Knepper

Nicknames have long played a prominent role in sports. They personalize the athletes for the fans, build camaraderie among teammates, add a humorous element to the competition and are essential to the myth-building of sports legends.

There are many factors to consider when determining what makes a great nickname. Is it apropos? Does it stand the test of time? What’s the source and reason for the nickname? Is it alliterative? Is there a comical component to it? Is it widely known and used?

The list below is inevitably somewhat biased towards athletes from the past 30 years, though the greatest nicknames stand the test of time and many from the first half of the 20th century are recognized. There have been countless great nicknames for duos, trios and groups in sports, but I decided to restrict this list to individuals.

These are the 100 greatest sports nicknames of all-time.

100) The Rifleman – Chuck Person

The longtime Pacer was dead on from way behind the arc and equally as sharp with his tongue. Check out his classic ’80’s poster.

99) The Assassin – Jack Tatum

No elaboration necessary for this nasty former Raiders defensive back.

98) Donnie Baseball – Don Mattingly

Donnie remains a crowd favorite in the Bronx because of the way he approached the game. Bill James summed him up best: “100% ballplayer, zero percent bullshit.”

97) Pudge – Carlton Fisk and Ivan Rodriguez

Fisk’s nickname was due to his big frame and he wore it well, belting his way into the Hall of Fame. Rodriguez will likely have a spot waiting for him in Cooperstown as well.

96) Chi Chi – Juan Rodriguez

Chi Chi’s jovial personality and signature “toreador dance” brought some much needed panache to the PGA Tour.

95) Pops – Willie Stargell

The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates’ theme song was Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” and Stargell was the head of that family. Pops won World Series with the Pirates in ’71 and ’79.

94) Nails – Lenny Dykstra

“Nails” was befitting of the gritty, gutsy center fielder for the championship 1986 Mets.

93) Dizzy Dean – Jay Dean

Dizzy won the 1934 N.L. MVP Award as he and brother Paul “Daffy” Dean led the famed St. Louis Cardinals “Gas House Gang” to world series glory.

92) The Flying Tomato – Shaun White

This red head Californian has taken competitive snowboarding to a new level with his death defying Double McTwist 1260.

91) The Croatian Sensation – Toni Kukoc

Kukoc was billed as the greatest European basketball player when he joined the Bulls prior to the ’93-’94 season and was a valuable sixth man on three championship teams.

90) Goose – Richard Gossage

You’d never know it from his nickname, but Gossage terrified opposing batters with a fastball that approached triple digits. Before the days of bullpen specialists, he regularly secured two and three inning saves.

89) The “Say Hey” Kid – Willie Mays

The name aptly reflected the New York Giant center fielder’s boyish exuberance for the game.

88) Lester the Molester – Lester Hayes

Not surprisingly, the Raiders’ defensive back wasn’t a big fan of this one. His other nickname was “The Judge” for meted out justice to wide receivers he faced.

87) The Hawk – Andre Dawson

The multi-talented right fielder finally received his due when writers voted him into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year.

86) Marvelous Marvin Hagler – Marvin Hagler

Hagler liked the sound of this so much that he legally changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

85) The Minister of Defense – Reggie White

Fittingly, the pass rusher who put the fear of God into opposing quarterbacks every Sunday also led the post-game prayer sessions.

84) Tree – Wayne Rollins

During his playing days, the former Hawks’ center with the slim, yet wide seven foot one inch frame and long limbs was known simply as “Tree.”

83) Skip 2 my lou – Rafer Alston

Alston picked up this nickname as a playground legend on the streets of New York for the way he dribbled the ball and it stayed with him throughout his NBA career.

82) The Chairman of the Board – Edward “Whitey” Ford

Any time you share a nickname with Frank Sinatra you’ve got it going on. The pitcher with the greatest winning percentage in MLB history was known for his excessive partying and also answered to the name “Slick.”

81) Tractor Traylor – Robert Traylor

He was always listed at 290 pounds, but it’s safe to say the former University of Michigan star crossed the 300 mark in high school and never looked back.

80) The Glove – Gary Payton

Payton was the premiere on-the-ball defender in basketball during the late 1990’s and could trash talk with the best of them.

79) The Bus – Jerome Bettis

The NFL’s fifth all-time leading rusher was bigger than a linebacker and did some serious damage when he got his shoulders squared to the line of scrimmage.

78) Skywalker – David Thompson

Thompson is an integral member of the lineage of great basketball leapers, which includes Elgin Baylor, Dr. J, Dominique Wilkins, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter and Blake Griffin.

77) The Big Aristotle – Shaquille O’Neal

If you go by overall collection of nicknames “The Diesel” is in the top five. “The Big Aristotle” has always been my favorite.

76) The Penguin – Ron Cey

Short legs forced the Cubs third baseman to waddle around the bases.

75) Pee Wee – Harold Reese

Much like his Dodgers teammate Duke Snider, few people ever knew this shortstop’s real name.

74) Sleepy – Eric Floyd

The eyes don’t lie. He and Tracy McGrady must be related.

73) El Duque – Orlando Hernandez

The Duke is a solid nickname. Add a little Spanish flavor and it becomes a classic. Hernandez was referred to exclusively as El Duque during his career in the states.

72) The Worm – Dennis Rodman

As Karl Malone or any of Rodman’s coaches can tell you, this worm got under your skin. His teammate John “Spider” Sally was considered for this list as well.

71) Juice – O.J. Simpson

It was simple and obvious, but it worked.

70) El Presidente – Dennis Martinez

Martinez pitched a perfect game in 1991 and with 245 wins is probably the most under appreciated pitcher of his era. As for the nickname, I have no idea where it came from, but it has a nice air of nobility to it.

69) Big Country – Bryant Reeves

I liked this one so much that in high school I started calling my best friend Big Country. Between Reeves’ size, flat top haircut and the dull expression on his long face, he looked the part.

68) The Count – John Montefusco

This is an obvious twist on Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. From Sesame Street to Dracula, everybody loves a count.

67) Satchel – Leroy Paige

There are varying stories as to how Paige picked up the name Satchel, but that’s the case with many of the details and fascinating tales from his life.

66) Clyde the Glide – Clyde Drexler

The nickname just rolls off your tongue, as smooth as his game.

65) Larry Legend – Larry Bird

Bird was fond of referring to himself as “The Hick from French Lick.”

64) Hammerin Hank – Henry Aaron

The Hammer was selected to 25 all-star games and is the rightful all-time home run king, yet he doesn’t receive the recognition of some of his contemporaries like Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle.

63) Clyde – Walt Frazier

Frazier’s Knicks teammates began calling him Clyde because he wore a brimmed hat similar to the one Warren Beatty wore as Clyde Barrow in the movie Bonnie and Clyde. The name jibed with Frazier’s laid back persona.

62) Crime Dog – Fred McGriff

The name stems from the commercials featuring the animated crime dog McGruff, though McGriff will always be remembered for his role in another commercial, Tom Emanski’s Defensive Drills Video.

61) Louisiana Lightning – Ron Guidry

Also affectionately referred to as “The Gator” by fans and teammates, Guidry compiled a 25-3 record and 1.74 ERA in 1978.

60) The Golden Jet – Bobby Hull

“The Jet” was known for his blinding speed and rocket shot. He retired second in NHL history in goals scored and ninth in points.

59) El Guapo – Rich Garces

A picture tells a thousand words about this former Red Sox reliever…

58) The Georgia Peach – Ty Cobb

The irony of this one is comical. Anything but a peach, Cobb was a renowned SOB.

57) Round Mound of Rebound – Charles Barkley

The problem with this classic nickname is that it didn’t stick after Charles slimmed down during his first few years in the league.

56) Tiger – Eldrick Woods

If your name is Eldrick you better have a good nickname. The name “Tiger” ranks so high because of its ubiquity within the game of golf.

55) Catfish Hunter – James Hunter

Few people know that the Hall of Fame pitcher’s actual name is James. Bob Dylan was so fond of the pitcher and the name that he wrote a song called “Catfish.”

54) The Admiral – David Robinson

The 7’1 Robinson had to be the tallest man in the history of the U.S. Navy. Or any Navy for that matter.

53) The Mailman – Karl Malone

During Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals Malone was on the line about to attempt the winning free throws with the game tied and seconds remaining when Scottie Pippen whispered in his ear, “Just remember, the mailman doesn’t deliver on Sundays, Karl.” Malone missed both free throws and the Bulls won the game.

52) Spaceman – Bill Lee

Lee was one of the true characters in baseball, a proud marijuana user known for publicly criticizing management and making controversial political statements.

51) The Barber – Sal Maglie

Maglie won 119 games over ten big league seasons and was given his nickname because he liked to give batters a close shave.

50) Bear Bryant – Paul Bryant

The renowned football coach won 6 championships at the University of Alabama and his star pupil, Joe Namath, still tears up when he talking about him.

49) Sugar Ray – Ray Robinson, born Walker Smith Jr. and Ray Leonard

Walker Smith wasn’t able to obtain an AAU boxing card because he was only 14, so he borrowed his friend Ray Robinson’s card and kept the name. Later in his career his manager told him he was “sweet as sugar.”

48) The Pearl – Earl Monroe

Earl the Pearl’s offensive repertoire was immortalized in Spike Lee’s He Got Game. They called him Jesus on the playgrounds of Philadelphia because he worked miracles on the court.

47) Too Tall Jones – Ed Jones

The 6’9 Jones was the most intimidating member of Dallas’s famed “Doomsday Defense.”

46) AK-47 – Andre Kirilenko

His initials are AK, 47 is his number and like the Kalashnikov he’s named after, he was made in Russia.

45) Oil Can – Dennis Boyd

Boyd supposedly picked up the nickname, which fit his oddball personality, during his beer drinking days in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi.

44) Mr. Cub – Ernie Banks

Banks is the king of the lovable losers and is vastly underrated outside the city of Chicago.

43) The Microwave – Vinnie Johnson

Johnson used to heat up in a hurry when he came in off the bench for the “Bad Boys” Pistons teams that won back-to-back titles in ’89 and ’90.

42) Mr. Clutch – Jerry West

Not bad for a guy who lost in the NBA Finals eight times. He’s also called “The Logo” because his silhouette is used as the NBA logo.

41) Air Jordan – Michael Jordan

It’s simple, but classic and ties in well to Jordan’s jump man logo.

40) The Chief – Robert Parrish

Parrish was named “The Chief” after the Native American character Chief in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, who like Parrish was a quiet big man, with an unnatural running style.

Also check out the following classic scene at http://youtu.be/togQKkA_Zws

39) The Golden Bear – Jack Nicklaus

Remember when everybody was certain that Tiger would break Jack’s record of 18 career major championships?

38) Big Papi – David Ortiz

Everything about Papi is big: his size, his personality, his hugs and his swing.

37) The Rocket – Maurice Richard

Richard was the first of many athletes to be labeled “The Rocket,” including Raghib Ismail, Roger Clemens and the “Russian Rocket,” Pavel Bure.

36) Broadway Joe – Joe Namath

With the possible exception of Clyde Frazier, no athlete embodied the pulse and pizzazz of New York City like Joe Willie. He talked the talk and walked the walk.

35) Duke – Edwin Snider

Originally referred to as “The Duke of Flatbush,” it was shortened to just Duke. Snider hit more home runs than any other player in baseball during the 1950’s.

34) The Wizard of Westwood – John Wooden

Wooden set the standard as a teacher and basketball coach and his lessons on life will continue to serve as a guide for people of every profession.

33) Papa Bear – George Halas

Papa Bear did it all in the game of football. He was a player, coach, owner and pioneer over his 65 years in the game.

32) Bonecrusher – James Smith

How would you like to step in the ring with a guy named Bonecrusher?

31) White Shoes – Billy Johnson

This three-time pro bowl wide receiver was one of the first NFL players to do touchdown celebrations. He introduced the “Funky Chicken” during his rookie season with the Houston Oilers.

30) Pistol Pete – Pete Maravich

Aptly named for his brilliant ball-handling skills and shoot from the hip jump shot, Maravich was before his time.

29) The Human Eraser – Marvin Webster

Also known as “Marvin the Magnificent,” Webster averaged 1.4 blocks per game over his ten seasons in the ABA and NBA.

28) Three Finger – Mordecai Brown

Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand in a farming accident when he was kid. Despite only three full fingers on his pitching hand he went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

27) Big Game James – James Worthy

Stuck in the shadow of teammates Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, Worthy was often the difference in the finals for the Lakers. His nickname has been emulated, but never duplicated.

26) Yogi – Lawrence Berra

Yogi was the perfect name for this short, stubby American poet. He’s one of a select group of athletes recognized simply by a one word nickname.

25) The Brown Bomber – Joe Louis

Louis was the first African-American athlete celebrated by both black and white America when he knocked out Germany’s Max Schmeling.

24) Shoeless Joe – Joe Jackson

Supposedly, a writer penned the name “Shoeless Joe” when the White Sox center fielder didn’t wear shoes one game because of blisters on his feet.

23) Sweetness – Walter Payton

By all accounts, “Sweetness” applied to his character as much as his game. Number 34 is still the second all-time leading rusher in NFL history.

22) The Iceman – George Gervin

One thing he could do was finger roll. Nobody was cooler than the Iceman.


21) The General – Bob Knight

Never has a nickname been more befitting. Knight coached at the U.S. Military Academy and adopted the authoritarian leadership style of his idol General Patton. Point guard Sherman Douglas also went by “The General” and Avery Johnson was “The Little General.”

20) The Wizard of Oz – Ozzie Smith

This was a great play on words and quite apropos. Smith’s back flips and slick fielding introduced an eloquent and magical flare to the game.

19) Mr. October – Reggie Jackson

He hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches in the decisive Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. Enough said.

18) The Human Highlight Film – Dominique Wilkins

This two-time slam dunk champion brought a devastating combination of athleticism and power to his craft.

17) Charlie Hustle – Pete Rose

The guy sprinted to first base after a walk and ended catcher Ray Fosse’s career when he bowled him over at home plate during an all-star game.

16) The Refrigerator – William Perry

Commonly referred to as “The Fridge,” the Bears defensive tackle developed a cult following after plowing his way into the end zone in Super Bowl XX.

15) Night Train Lane – Dick Lane

The great defensive back’s teammate plucked this nickname from a song that was popular in the Rams locker room.

14) The Iron Horse – Lou Gehrig

Iron horse is an old name for a locomotive, a fitting description for the lean, muscular first baseman who played in 2,130 consecutive games.

13) Mean Joe Greene – Joe Greene

It’s short and simple, but rhymes and is on point. The cornerstone of the vaunted “Steel Curtain” was one of the most dominant defensive players of the 1970’s.

12) Cool Papa Bell – James Bell

This African-American speedster is one of the figures most associated with the Negro Leagues in large part due to his nifty nickname.

11) The Splendid Splinter – Ted Williams

Also known as “Teddy Ballgame,” “The Splendid Splinter” truly captured the artistry and excellence of baseball’s last .400 hitter.

10) The Raging Bull – Jake LaMotta

This nickname was so catchy that Martin Scorsese used it for the title of one of the best boxing movies ever made.

9) The Great One – Wayne Gretzky

The greatest hockey player of all-time was in a class of his own.

8)  Dr. J – Julius Erving

Originally just called “The Doctor” for the way he operated on his opponents, the “J” was added later for his breathtaking jams. His nickname has inspired several derivatives, from rapper Dr. Dre to pitcher Dwight Gooden, AKA “Dr. K.”

7) Crazy Legs – Elroy Hirsch

A sportswriter once said of the great running back: “His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented duck.”

6) Chocolate Thunder – Darryl Dawkins

The colorful Dawkins threw it down with such force that he shattered two NBA backboards. He also went by “Sir Slam” and “Dr. Dunkenstein.”

5) Manos de Piedra – Hands of Stone – Roberto Duran

Duran was a brawler who intimidated his opponents by cursing and snarling at them in the ring. The Panamanian took on all comers and began his career with a remarkable 72-1 record.

4) The Galloping Ghost – Harold “Red” Grange

They just don’t have nicknames like this anymore. The legendary halfback was named the greatest college football player of all-time by ESPN in 2008.

3) Stan the Man – Stan Musial

Supposedly, the name originated when an awestruck kid at Ebbets Field said, “Mama there goes that man.” The nickname is now pervasive in American culture and casually used for Stans and Dans everywhere.

2) The Great Bambino – George Herman “Babe” Ruth

“The Babe” acquired many nicknames over the years, though none captured his mystique and grandeur as well as “The Great Bambino.”

1) Magic – Earvin Johnson

A mesmerized local sportswriter came up with the most apropos nickname in sports after watching Johnson play in high school. His court awareness and no-look passes were simply Magic.

Artest Just the Latest Athlete to Change His Name

by Paul Knepper

Ron Artest has reportedly filed court documents to change his name to “Metta World Peace.” The enigmatic Lakers forward is just the latest in a long line of ballplayers who have officially or unofficially adopted a new name for any number of reasons.

The first person to come to mind after hearing about Artest is naturally World B. Free. The former NBA sharpshooter was born Lloyd Bernard Free, but in December of 1981 decided to officially incorporate his nickname “All World” into his name.

Former Dolphins wide receiver Mark Duper and boxer Marvin Hagler are two other athletes who legally adopted their nicknames, becoming Mark Super Duper and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Two New York pitchers, Boof Bonser of the Mets (originally named John) and the Yankees Joba Chamberlain (originally Justin) officially replaced their given first names with their nicknames.

Of course, there’s an endless list of athletes known exclusively by their nicknames, though they haven’t legally changed their name, from superstars like George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Vincent “Bo” Jackson, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods and Lawrence “Yogi” Berra to role players like A’s center fielder Covelli “Coco” Crisp, former slam dunk champion Anthony “Spud” Webb and his teammate with the Atlanta Hawks, Wayne “Tree” Rollins.

Julius Erving, known primarily as Dr. J, has the greatest nickname lineage of any athlete. Celtics coach Glenn Rivers’ friends called him “Doc” when he was a kid because Erving was his favorite player, and the name stuck. Legendary hip-hop rapper/producer Andre Young took the stage name Dr. Dre because he too idolized the original high flyer. It’s hard to imagine that former Mets phenom Dwight Gooden would have been called “Dr. K” had there not been a Dr. J first.

Brazilian soccer players are often referred to by one-name nickname, the most obvious example being Edison Arantes de Nascimento, commonly known as Pele. There’s star midfielder “Kaka,” (real name Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite), the great scorer “Ronaldo” (real name Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima) and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho (real name Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.) Brazilian basketball player Maybyner “Nene” Hilario followed his fellow countrymen and dropped his last name, legally changing his name to just Nene.

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., was the first prominent Muslim athlete to change his name for religious reasons when he joined the Nation of Islam in 1964. Seven years later, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., known as Lew Alcindor, announced that would be known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar going forward. Former Vikings running back Bobby Moore became Ahmad Rashad and one-time LSU standout and one-time Denver Nuggets guard Chris Jackson adopted the name Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.

UCLA running back Sharmon Shah changed his named to Karim Abdul-Jabbar while in college. Two years later he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins and in 1998 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sued Karim for profiting off of his likeness. Kareem pointed out that in addition to the name, Karim also went to UCLA and wore the same number 33. The court ordered the football player to remove the Abdul-Jabbar from the back of his jersey, at which point he changed his name again to Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar.

A couple of athletes have changed their names in order to avoid confusion. Prior to the 2002 draft, Duke standout poitn guard Jason Williams said he wanted to be known as Jay, to avoid being confused with then Grizzlies point guard Jason Williams and former Net Jayson Williams, who was facing manslaughter charges at the time. Angels pitcher Ervin Santana changed his name from Johan to Ervin in the minor leagues so as to avoid being confused with then Twins ace Johan Santana. According to Santana, “I just came up with Ervin… Ervin Santana, that sounds good.”

Some athletes have changed their names in search of a fresh start (like Puff Daddy becoming P. Diddy after his acquittal on gun possession and bribery charges. He’s since dropped the P. and is just Diddy and his given name is Sean Combs, but rap names are a whole other article.) Albert Jojuan Belle was known as Joey growing up and began going by Albert after a stint in rehab. Looking for a “fresh start” San Francisco Defensive back William James Peterson Jr. dropped the Peterson Jr. from his name when he signed with the Eagles in 2006.

During his college career at UCLA, running back Maurice Drew changed his last name to Jones-Drew in honor of his grandfather who had recently passed away. The late center  originally named Brian Williams legally adopted the name Bison Dele while playing for the Detroit Pistons, in honor of his Native American and African ancestry.

Some name changes just didn’t stick. Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson changed his last name to his self-proclaimed nickname, Ochocinco, in August 2008, for no discernible reason other than self-promotion. This past January Chad said he would be changing his last name back to Johnson. In 1993,  Cleveland Browns wide receiver Michael Jackson changed his name to Michael Dyson, only to change it back after the first game of the season.

Former female tennis player Renee Richards was born Richard Raskind and it took a lawsuit to enable her to play on the women’s tour after undergoing a sex change. The New York City basketball player known as Shammgod Wells couldn’t afford the cost of changing his name when he enrolled at Providence College and was forced to use his given name God Shammgod.

Midway through his hall of fame basketball career, Nigerian center Akeem Olajuwan added an H to the front of his first name. Speaking of African born basketball players, I believe every athlete who changes his or her name in the future should consider a Congolese name. No country produces better names than the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

There’s Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, commonly known as just Dikembe Mutombo, Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka and new Bobcats forward, the 7th pick in last night’s draft, Bismack Biyombo. Neighboring Cameroon may give the Congo a run for its money with Bucks forward “Prince” Luc Richard MBah a Moute and one time Portland Trailblazer Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje.

Steve Nash’s Showdown

by Paul Knepper

Last night, two-time NBA MVP and owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS, Steve Nash, laced up his cleats at Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan’s Lower East Side for the fourth annual “Showdown in Chinatown.” The event, hosted by Nash, is an 8 on 8 soccer match for charity, involving several NBA ballplayers and current and former soccer players.

Past participants in “the showdown” included footballers Thierry Henry, Jozy Altidore, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Salomon Kalou and basketball players Baron Davis, Chris Bosh, Nate Robinson and Raja Bell.

Two of the biggest names to compete last night were Nash’s Phoenix Suns teammate Grant Hill and San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker. Phoenix Suns Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley got in on the action, as did former Sun Leandro Barbosa and Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings. Nash’s younger brother Martin, a former member of the Canadian Soccer National Team and the Vancouver Whitecaps also brought his talents to the Lower East Side.

The soccer players who participated included former USA World Cup team captain Claudio Reyna, West Ham’s leading goal scorer this season Demba Ba and current and former international futbol players Patrick Vieira, Giuseppe Rossi and Youri Djorkaeff.

The bleachers around the pitch were filled to capacity and fans stood several rows deep along the chain-linked fences that line the length of the field to get a glimpse of the action. Spontaneous chants broke out for various players and there was at least one vuvuzela in the crowd. The event was free, though viewers could pay for a prime seat around the perimeter of the field. There were also special packages available for sale, some of which included admittance to the “Showdown After Hours” live auction event.

It came as no surprise that Nash was by far the most skilled ball handler among the NBA guys. Soccer was his first sport. But, I was surprised at just how good he was. It was clear that Parker (from France), and the Brazilian Barbosa had strapped on shin guards before, while Brandon Jennings looked particularly out of his element. Suns center, 6 foot 11 Marcin Gortat, AKA the “Polish Hammer” was surprisingly nimble in goal.

There was plenty of laughter on the night. Dudley amused the crowd by summoning his inner Brandi Chastain, ripping off his shirt after scoring a goal and running to midfield before belly flopping on the turf. He also evoked some laughs by poking fun at Gortat’s chinstrap beard, saying “he’s bringing the Abe Lincoln look back.” Nothing was more comical than chubby ESPN.com columnist Marc Stein huffing and puffing his way up and down the pitch.

Proceeds from the game and after party will go to the Steve Nash Foundation and Claudio Reyna Foundation. Nash explained at halftime that his foundation  works with Educare, an organization dedicated to providing a quality education to underprivileged children ages 0-5.

Reyna’s foundation, based in New York and New Jersey, is committed to inspiring underserved youth in urban communities with positive experiences through soccer, education and community involvement in hopes of growing healthy bodies, minds and spirits.

For more information about “the showdown” and the Steve Nash Foundation please visit:

http://www.stevenash.org/showdown/

You can find more information about the Claudio Reyna Foundation at:

http://www.claudioreynafoundation.org/

Another Side of Serena

by Paul Knepper

We’ve seen many different sides to tennis great Serena Williams: exulted champion, sore loser, controversial superstar, celebrity fashionista, sarcastic diva, feisty competitor and devoted sister, to name a few. But we’d never seen the vulnerable woman beneath it all, until her first round victory over Aravane Rezai of France on Centre Court at Wimbledon yesterday, when Williams buried her face in a towel and began sobbing.

It was certainly unusual for a four-time Wimbledon champion to be that emotional after a first round victory against a player ranked 61 in the world, but Williams has had a very unusual year. It began last July, when she cut her right foot on a piece of glass in Munich, requiring two surgeries to repair a torn tendon.

Just as she was about to return to action in March, a doctor discovered clots in both her lungs, resulting in emergency surgery. Williams hasn’t gone into detail about the condition, though she has since let on that she was on her “death bed.” In an interview after the match yesterday, she revealed that she didn’t think she’d be able to compete at Wimbledon. Left unsaid was her obvious fear that she’d never play tennis again.

Serena’s display of emotion was the latest turn in a career distinguished by controversy, scrutiny and of course, brilliance. To a large extent, the scrutiny that has followed her is a result of her and her sister Venus’s dominance over women’s tennis for a decade. Their background as African-Americans from Compton in a predominantly white sport created curiosity, marketability and some subtle racism. American fans are forever looking for the next Chrissie Evert. The ebony, straightforward Williams is hardly white America’s demure girl next door.

The media was tough on the Williams girls from the start. They were guilty by association for the outlandish comments of their bombastic father Richard Williams. Members of the media routinely alleged that Serena, Venus and Richard decided before the match who would win when the sisters faced each other. In one instance, the press questioned Serena’s sincerity when she withdrew from a tournament due to an injury rather than face Venus in the finals.

Some of the criticism about Serena has been more sinister. Sportswriters and bloggers have made vicious comments about her muscular body type and her weight. They’ve portrayed her as a pariah in the locker room and irreverent towards the history of the sport.

Serena hasn’t helped herself either. A few public outbursts have created the perception that she’s pretentious and a sore loser. During and after a loss to Jennifer Capriati in the quarterfinals of the 2004 U.S. Open she lashed out at the chair umpire and line judges. In 2009, Williams erupted on a line judge after being called for a foot fault, which led to match point against her. The lines woman alleged that Serena threatened her, which Williams denied. Her tirade led to another point against her, which was the match, and she was fined $82,500.

Williams also antagonized the media with her demeanor during post-match interviews. She was jubilant on the court and has displayed a sense of humor, but that rarely carried over to interviews, where she was typically standoffish at best. Her answers to questions were often sarcastic and condescending and she gave the impression that she’d rather be doing anything else.

The harshest criticism leveled at Serena had less to do with her disposition than her dedication to tennis. Critics pointed to her foray into fashion, stake in the Miami Dolphins and a book about her life which she co-authored as evidence that tennis wasn’t the central focus of her life. Evert is one of several former players who suggested that Williams was squandering her talent. Serena didn’t do much to quell those concerns, rather she defended her right to do other things.

At first glance, questions about Williams dedication to the game seem laughable. She’s been ranked number one in the world, won two Olympic gold medals, all four Grand Slam tournaments at least once and 13 total, as well as 12 Grand Slam doubles titles with Venus. It doesn’t matter how talented you are, it takes hard work and determination to achieve those milestones.

Still there have been periods in Serena’s career when she appeared distracted or overweight and didn’t reign over the sport the way she was capable of. With her unparalleled combination of athleticism, strength and skill, there’s no reason she couldn’t have challenged Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles and staked her claim as the greatest women’s tennis player ever.

After her victory yesterday, Serena continued to tear up as she conducted a post-match interview with the BBC. “I usually don’t cry … but it’s just been so hard,” the defending Wimbledon champion said. “I never dreamt I would be here right now. And then to win. I just wanted to win at least one match here.”

A brush with mortality can bring one’s priorities into focus or even change them completely. Yesterday, a teary-eyed, Serena revealed a vulnerable side we’d never seen before and her true  feelings towards the sport she’s dominated. “It’s been a disaster year, but you know I’ve been praying and I have my family. . . and I love tennis.”

The Greatest Show in Sports

by Paul Knepper

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal doesn’t have the pageantry of the Super Bowl, the tradition of Michigan vs. Ohio State or the rancor of Red Sox – Yankees; what makes their matches so spectacular is the quality of play. Theirs is a rivalry built on brilliance and artistry, desire and power, spins and angles. It’s two legendary warriors battling for every point, until one champion is left standing.

Together Federer and Nadal have dominated men’s tennis for the past eight years. From the the 2003 Wimbledon through the 2010 U.S. Open they won 25 of 30 majors and one of the two has been seeded number one at the last 30 Grand Slam tournaments.

Federer is considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all-time. From his feathery touch on half-volleys to his lethal forehand, never has an athlete made the sublime look so ordinary. He has no holes in his game and has prevailed on every surface. The Switzerland native  holds the men’s record for most Grand Slam titles, with 16, and his 23 consecutive semi-finals appearances in Grand Slams may be the most remarkable feat in all of sports.

Whereas Federer is the epitome of grace, Nadal is like a bull, who flattens opponents as much with his sheer will as his crushing ground strokes. Born and raised on the Spanish Island of Majorca, Nadal developed a fierce whipping motion on his forehand which creates a heavy topspin ideal for clay surfaces. The southpaw has won six of the seven French Opens he’s entered and at the age of 25 is already considered the greatest clay court player ever. Over the past few years, increased velocity on his serve and an improved net game have enabled him to translate his success to other surfaces.

Federer and Nadal have clashed 25 times since 2004, with Nadal winning 17 of them, though the majority of their matches have been played on clay. Nineteen of those took place in the finals of a tournament, including 8 Grand Slam finals. In the early years, the edge belonged to Federer, then in his prime and nearly unstoppable on grass and hard court.

The 2008 Wimbledon was the turning point in the ongoing feud. Nadal was 22-years-old and his game was beginning to click on all cylinders. He had pushed Federer to five sets in the Wimbledon final the year before, and though the five-time defending champion showed no signs of slowing down, there was a sense that it might be the young Spaniard’s time.

The drama of the finals matchups between Federer and Nadal is inherent in the nature of the tournament. For two weeks, the excitement rises and pressure mounts as fans witness stellar shot making and five set contests in anticipation of the two champions on different sides of the bracket facing off at the end.

It’s a crescendo similar to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, except these  men stand alone. They don’t have any teammates to share the spotlight or the blame, to confer with about strategy or lean on during difficult stretches. They live inside their own heads, relying on the discipline, intelligence, focus, determination, resilience, confidence and courage that got them there.

Federer and Nadal cruised to the 2008 Wimbledon finals. What ensued was a match no tennis fan will ever forget; the two champions at the height of their powers slugged it out for a thrilling five sets. Nadal was nearly flawless as he grabbed the first two sets, but the five-time defending champion would not go quietly. He clawed his way into the match and though unable to convert on several break points, won the third and fourth sets in tie-breakers.

The fifth set was awe-inspiring, with seemingly every point ending on a stunning winner.  With darkness threatening, Nadal finally captured the fifth set 9-7, and promptly collapsed on his back in utter joy. The match was the longest Wimbledon final ever at 4 hours and 48 minutes. Three-time Wimbledon champion and commentator John McEnroe, himself a one time participant in a five set finals thriller against Bjorn Borg on that same court, was one of many people to declare it the greatest match they’d ever seen.

The rivalry has taken on another dimension over the past few years, as both men have made themselves more vulnerable and revealed a fondness for one another. Devastated that his best effort was no longer enough to beat Nadal, Federer broke down in tears after losing to his rival in the finals of the 2009 Australian Open. Nadal responded by putting his arm around his opponent and went out of his way to praise Federer, stating that he would certainly break Pete Sampras’s record of 14 Grand Slam titles. Federer, for his part, calls Nadal by his nickname Rafa.

Nadal still routinely refers to Federer as the greatest player of all-time and it’s difficult to argue with him. What’s become equally apparent is that Nadal is one of the five greatest players ever himself. When else have two of the top five players in the history of an individual sport faced off against each other? Perhaps Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. That may be the best analogy for the Federer-Nadal rivalry, the 2008 Wimbledon final was their Thrilla in Manilla.

In August of 2008, Nadal secured the world number one ranking and never looked back. Federer, who turned 27 that summer, began to slip just a bit, though he was far from done. In fact, he rallied to win the French Open and Wimbledon the following year. Nadal had gained the upper hand in the rivalry, though the clashes remained as intense as ever.

The two champions most recently squared off at the Finals of the French Open earlier this month. Novak Djokovic had been the big story heading into the tournament due to his undefeated record this calendar year. The Serbian was seeded number two behind Nadal and if he had beaten Federer in the semi-finals would have been the number one player in the world. Perhaps inspired by the doubters, Federer turned in his best performance in years and knocked off Djokovic in four sets.

His finals matchup with Nadal was riveting once again. Federer was surgical early in the first set, moving the Spaniard around by mixing up speeds, spins and location. He had Nadal on the ropes, up 5-2, but lost the next five games and the set. It looked like Nadal might roll over him at that point, but a proud Federer continued to fight. He surprised Nadal with well disguised drop shots and swung away for the corners, ripping several backhands down the line for winners.

Equally impressive was Nadal’s ability to run down and return many of those shots. Federer lost a heartbreaking second set tiebreaker, but rallied to take the third 7-5. Then Nadal took control of the tempo with his powerful ground strokes and pounded Federer into submission, 6-1 in the fifth, for his sixth French crown.

Wimbledon begins on Monday, with Federer and Nadal both chasing history. Federer is pursuing his seventh Wimbledon crown, which would tie him with Sampras for the most ever, and Rafa is chasing Federer. With ten Grand Slams of his own, Roger’s 16 is in his sites. Nadal is the number one seed and Federer number three, so if they meet once again it will be in the finals. Let’s hope they do. They’re the greatest show in sports.

The Unremarkable Odyssey of Joba (Steve) Chamberlain

by Paul Knepper

On August 7, 2007, the Yankees called up 21-year-old flamethrower Joba Chamberlain to fill their desperate need for a set-up man for Mariano Rivera. All the kid did was strike out 34 batters, while allowing just one earned run in 24 innings and help the Yankees recover from a dreadful start of the season to earn the Wild Card. Like that, Joba Chamberlain was the most popular athlete in New York.

Born Justin Chamberlain, his baby cousin called him Joba because he couldn’t pronounce Justin. Chamberlain once said that he thought the name sounded “dynamic,” so he adopted.

Dynamic, was how Yankee fans saw the 21-year-old with the rising fastball that reached triple digits at times on the radar gun. He complemented the heater with a filthy slider in the low 90’s. In addition to his nasty stuff, the rookie had swagger. He gyrated and pumped his fists on the mound after big strikeouts and though many opposing players thought he was showing them up, his emotion invigorated a veteran Yankee team that had been plodding through the season.

The man with the dynamic name was also a public relations man’s dream. Newspaper and television headlines ran with the obvious Jabba the Hut Star Wars references and the Yankees jumped on the phenomenon by selling “Joba Rules” t-shirts, a play on the innings and appearance limitations imposed on the youngster by the organization. Fans and writers began comparing him to another husky right-hander, Roger Clemens, and some proclaimed him the eventual replacement for the great Mariano Rivera.

Soon we learned that Joba was raised by a single dad, Harlan Chamberlain, who’s confined to a motorized scooter due to a childhood bout with polio. Harlan is also a Native American and has several relatives who still live on the Winnebago Indian Reservation where he was born. The TV cameras caught the elder Chamberlain, whom Joba described as his best friend, shedding tears of pride as Yankee fans serenaded his son the first time he witnessed Joba pitch in the big leagues in person.

As Joba-mania reached a level of hype not seen in New York since Doc Gooden, I grew skeptical. Sometime during his splendid run in the summer of ’07, I began calling him Steve. It was my way of staying grounded as a Yankee fan. I knew that more than likely, Joba would have fairly ordinary career; It was his name and story that were somewhat unique, and that’s what fans hung on to. I was convinced that if he were a white man with an ordinary name like Steve, instead of a Native American named Joba, there would have been much less hype.

I recognized that Chamberlain’s stuff was electric and there’s no denying the quality and impact of his performance upon being called up to the big club, but I didn’t believe his talents were as rare as many Yankee fans did. Every season several teams around the league call up a pitching prospect or two who throw in the mid to upper 90’s. The majority of them don’t develop into top line starters or closers, even among those who experience immediate success as Joba did.

Most pitchers who thrive immediately are unable maintain their production, either due to the psychological rigors of being a major league pitcher or because the hitters in the league make adjusts and catch up to them. The other major obstacle to long term success for a young flamethrower is arm trouble. For every great strike out pitcher who had an illustrious career, you can point to two who burned out early. The statistics were simply not in Chamberlain’s favor.

Another red flag was the small sample size of Joba’s success. He hadn’t been a huge prospect like fellow ’07 call-up Phil Hughes and since he’d pitched just a season and a half of minor league ball the Yankees had a limited body of work from which to evaluate him. He hadn’t pitched nearly enough innings to demonstrate that he could be an effective starter at the major league level, as the Yankees projected.

Like everything else pertaining to the Yankees, their prospects and young stars receive greater hype than those in other organizations. I’d seen way to many uber prospects and fast starters pass through the Yankee organization, only to disappear into oblivion. Over the previous two decades there was Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens, Kevin Maas, Ruben Rivera, Brien Taylor, Drew Henson, Sam Militello and Russ Davis, to name a few.

I’d also seen what the media could do with an intriguing story line. Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez had an impressive career with the Yankees, especially in the playoffs, however, it was his story that made him a compelling figure. He arrived in New York through a remarkable, if not entirely true, tale of fleeing Cuba on a raft in shark infested waters. Combine that with a classic nickname, a distinctive leg kick and an air of mystery that arose from his refusal to conduct interviews, based on his supposed inability to speak English, and you have a media sensation.

Yankee fans, starving for a young pitching prospect, were particularly susceptible to the Hollywood storyline. The last Yankee farmhands to develop into consistent contributors on the rubber were Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, both of whom made their Pinstripe debuts in 1995. New Yorkers were also wary of losing the arms race with the rival Red Sox, who had traded for Josh Beckett during the winter of ’06, signed Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzaka prior to the ’97 season and had two promising young starters of their own in Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz.

The Yankee organization also contributed to the expectations for Joba by the way they handled him. General Manager Brain Cashman made it clear that he intended to build the team around Chamberlain, Hughes and fellow hurler Ian Kennedy. Chamberlain was branded untouchable during Cashman’s trade negotiations with the Minnesota Twins for their star pitcher Johan Santana.

Cashman was afraid to blow out his prize possession’s arm, so he had manager Joe Girardi handle his young stud with kid gloves. The team announced during spring training of 2008 that Joba would begin the season in the bullpen, in order to limit his innings. In mid May, Girardi announced that Joba would join the rotation and after being stretched out in the minors he made his Major League debut against Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays on June 3rd.

Chamberlain had mixed success in the rotation before being placed on the disabled list in August with rotator cuff tendinitis. He was 3-1 as a starter with eight no decisions and finished the season with a 2.60 E.R.A. and 118 strikeouts in just 100 innings.

Following the 2008 campaign, the Yankees indicated that Chamberlain would be in the rotation in 2009, in what many in the organization expected to be a breakout year for the fireballer. But, Chamberlain’s fastball, which cracked triple digits in ’07 was topping out at 92-93 M.P.H. and decreased in velocity as his pitch count climbed. He lost control of the strike zone and his confidence spiraled downward.

To make matters worse, the Yankees instituted a low ceiling on his pitch counts late in the season in order to preserve his arm. Then Girardi moved him back to the bullpen for the playoffs in 2009, where he served as Rivera’s set-up man during the team’s championship run. Once again, Chamberlain didn’t know what his role was with the team.

Heading into the 2010 season, Girardi declared an open competition for the fifth spot in the Yankees rotation between Chamberlain, Hughes, Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre. Hughes won the job and Chamberlain was banished to the bullpen once again, where his velocity was still down and control continued to suffer. His E.R.A topped out over five at the All-Star break, though he finished the season strong.

The Yankees didn’t exactly give Joba a vote of confidence by signing former Tampa Bay Rays closer Rafael Soriano in the winter of 2011, to a staggering 3 year $35 million contract to be the set-up man and eventual successor to Rivera, the role Joba was once supposed to fill. Chamberlain still hadn’t fully regained the pop on his fastball, though he pitched well early in the season, posting a 2.83 E.R.A in 27 appearances.

Then his career took another turn for the worse when he tore a ligament in the elbow of his throwing arm last week. Joba required the dreaded Tommy John surgery, which will keep him off the field for 10 to 14 months. The procedure has become commonplace in baseball and many players have returned to form a year or two later. Some have even throw harder after the surgery than they did before the injury. However, for many players the procedure essentially marks the end of their career, as they never regain their pre-injury form.

Joba burst onto the scene like a rock star and emerged as the crown jewel of the Yankee farm system, projected to be either a future number one starter or Rivera’s successor. Four disappointing years later, he blew out his arm like so many hot shot hurlers before him, and at the age of 25, his career is in jeopardy. Even if he fully recovers he’s likely destined for a career in middle relief. If his name was Steve nobody would even remember him in 20 years.

Ten Greatest NBA Duos

by Paul Knepper

Basketball is a team game, though often performed at the highest level when two players work in concert. The pick-and-roll remains the most productive offensive set and no play is more enthralling than an alley-oop. Rarely has a lone superstar carried a team on his back to an NBA championship. Shaq needed Kobe, Jordan needed Pippen and Isiah needed Dumars.

During past this season LeBron James and Dwyane Wade distinguished themselves as the most dynamic duo in the league, even though they fell just short of a championship. Before they can be considered among the elite duos to ever player the game they have to do it for more than one season.

These are the ten greatest NBA duos ever.

10) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson (Milwaukee Bucks)

“The Big O” and Lew Alcindor teamed up for the 70-71 season and led the Bucks to a league best 66 wins. They rolled to the NBA Finals, where they defeated a Baltimore Bullets team led by Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld 4-0. The next day Alcindor announced that he’d changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The two hall of famers played just three more seasons together and never returned to the finals, as Robertson’s skills declined in his mid-30’s.

9) Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars (Detroit Pistons)

Isiah and Dumars teamed up four nine seasons as the starting bakcourt for the Detroit Pistons. Isiah handled the ball and Dumars knocked down jumpers, while locking down the best shooting guards in the league. The “Bad Boys” won back-to-back championships together in 1989 and 1990. Dumars won the 1989 Finals MVP and Isiah took the award in 1990.

8)  John Stockton and Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)

Stockton and Malone mastered the pick-and-roll over their 18 seasons together and went to the playoffs in every one of them. The NBA’s all-time assist leader and second all-time leading scorer led the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals five times in seven years, including back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but weren’t able to get past Jordan and the Bulls.

7) Tim Duncan and David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)

Robinson’s injury during the ’96-’97 season was a blessing in disguise for the Spurs. With the first pick in the ’97 draft they landed Tim Duncan, creating the twin towers that would lead the Spurs to the promised land. San Antonio defeated the Knicks in five games in the ’99 Finals and after a three-peat by the Lakers, Duncan and company delivered Robinson a second ring as a retirement gift in 2003. Duncan was named the MVP of both finals.

6) Wilt Chamberlain & Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers)

West and the Wilt played together in L.A. for just five seasons, though they advanced to the NBA Finals in four of them and defeated the Knicks to get “the logo” his first ring in 1972. That season West and “The Big Dipper” led the Lakers to 69 wins, including 33 consecutive wins, a record which still stands today.

5) Larry Bird & Kevin McHale (Boston Celtics)

Bird and McHale made five trips to the NBA Finals during their 12 seasons together in Boston, winning championships in ’81, ’84 and ’86. Larry Legend ripped teams hearts out with his long range shooting, while McHale dominated inside with a vast array of post moves. Were their careers not derailed by injuries (McHale never fully recovered from playing on a broken foot in the ’87 playoffs and Bird’s back gave out on him), they may have won more rings.

4) Bill Russell and Bob Cousy (Boston Celtics)

Russell and Cousy were the first dominant duo in the league, both innovators who changed the way their positions were played. They won 6 championships in the late ’50’s and early 6o’s before Cousy retired in 1963. They don’t rank higher on this list because they had so much talent around them, especially Russell. In fact, you can argue that Cousy wasn’t even Russell’s greatest wing man. Slick-shooting Sam Jones was by Russell’s side for 10 of his 11 rings and Havlicek joined him for the later years of his career.

3) Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)


Shaq and a young Kobe joined forces to form an indefensible inside-outside punch which carried the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000-2002. Shaq won the Finals MVP each time. Ultimately, the only thing that stood in between this dynamic duo and several more rings was their own egos.

2) Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls)

No two players have ever controlled the perimeter on both sides of the court like MJ and Pippen. Together, they led the Bulls to 6 championships, by way of two different three-peats, ’91-’93 and ’96-’98. Had Michael not walked away from the game for nearly two seasons they likely would have won eight in a row.

1) Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Los Angeles Lakers)

They’re two of the top five players to ever to play the game, the flashy point guard, with the no-look passes and the dominant big man with the unstoppable hook-shot. Magic and Kareem won five championships together and appeared in 8 NBA Finals over their ten seasons as teammates. Kareem led the way in the early years, then Magic carried the load as Kareem grew older.

Honorable Mention:

Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (Los Angeles Lakers)

Moses Malone and Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)

Willis Reed and Walt Frazier (New York Knicks)

Cuban Allows Players to do the Talking

Since he purchased the team in 2000 Mark Cuban has been the face and voice of the Dallas Mavericks, even more so than his star forward Dirk Nowitzki. The young dot-com entrepreneur has been brash, outspoken, often controversial and a relentless self-promoter. Now, with the Mavs at the precipice of their first championship, their owner has gone silent.

Cuban represents a new breed of team owners; he’s the embodiment of every sports fan’s dream, the super-fan who became an owner. He ditched the owner’s box for a courtside seat and instead of wearing a suit he sports a skin-tight Mavs t-shirt. He used to join the team huddle at times and always celebrates on the court along with the players after a big win. When he purchased the Mavs Cuban instantly upgraded the facilities in Dallas, including adding a new state of the art locker room which was the envy of every players on every other team, and he solicits suggestions from fans about their viewing experience and the team.

The Pittsburgh native relishes the attention he’s received and was one of the first sports figures to utilize various mediums such as Twitter to promote his team, other business ventures, and of course, himself. He’s always available for interviews – often conducted while on his treadmill – and has grabbed headlines for his forays into other sports, including; attempts to buy a major league baseball team, participation in a WWE wrestling match, funding a study on the feasibility of a playoff system in college football, and working with Vince McMahon to form an MMA organization to compete with UFC. Let’s not forget his short-live stint on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

The Mavs owner is also notorious for criticizing the officiating, drawing the ire of NBA Commissioner David Stern and receiving fines totaling close to $1.8 million. The last time the Mavs were in the finals, in 2006, against these same Miami Heat, Cuban was fined $250,000 for various comments he made about the officiating after the Mavs Game 5 loss. Earlier in that playoff run, he had to cough up $200,000 for running on the court and confronting an official during a game between the Spurs and Mavs.

So it was confounding when suddenly, without warning or explanation, the Mavs owner went silent after his team’s first round playoff series against the Portland Trailblazers in early May. He still tweets “Lets go Mavs” on game days and can be seen cheering on his team from behind the Mavs bench, but he doesn’t comment on the games or the officiating and has refused to grant any interviews over the past month and a half.

I thought surely, the impassioned owner would have something to say to his old nemesis Phil Jackson after the Mavs swept the two-time defending champions Lakers in the second round. But not a peep. I assumed he wouldn’t be able to hold back from verbally sparring with Dwyane Wade, as he had in the past, or pile on to the barrage of criticism being leveled at LeBron James. But still, not a word.

Members of the media have offered several theories to explain Cuban’s silence. Some say he concluded that the games are about the players and it’s best for his team if he remains silent. His outbursts win his players any favors; if anything, when he pisses off the officials the Mavs are less likely to get a call. Maybe he understands he understands that his outbursts aren’t necessary as a motivation tool for this veteran team and only serve as a distraction.

Another theory is that Cuban simply decided to respect his players’ wishes. Over the years, several Mavericks, including his good friend Nowitzki, have asked Cuban to control his behavior. Some writers have noted that Cuban has mellowed over the years, especially since his kids were born, though that wouldn’t explain the sudden change in behavior.

Another proposed explanation is that the Mavs owner is acting on superstition. The Mavs lost in the 2006 Finals to the Heat and have underachieved in the playoffs since. Perhaps if Cuban altered his behavior it would lead to different results. He also may have stopped speaking to the media for any number of reasons, then didn’t want to rock the boat when the Mavs kept winning.

Regardless of the reason, members of the media and bloggers like myself found Cuban’s silence perplexing and disappointing. The Mavs and Heat have plenty of star power, with at least four future Hall of Famers, and plenty of drama stemming from “The Decision” and LeBron’s recent struggles, but it lacks an engaging personality. James, Wade and Dirk don’t have the charisma of Jordan or effervescence of Magic. There’s not a quotable character like Rodman or Artest and neither coach has aired any grievances publicly.

There’s a vacuum for Cuban and his ego to fill, but he chose not to. The series has been better for it. The players have spoken with their play on the court, in what has been one of the most competitive NBA Finals in recent memory. Every game has been riveting, coming down to the final minute of play. There have been dramatic comebacks, players competing through illness and injury and last second shots by the game’s elite.

Sure, an inordinate amount of attention has been focused on LeBron’s struggles, but it’s grounded in his performance on the court. Any tantrums or snide remarks by Cuban would have detracted from the games and players themselves. Through his silence, Nowitzki finally received long overdo recognition as one of the greatest shooters in the history of the league. Role players like J.J. Barea and Udonis Haslem have been the topic of discussion for their contributions.

Some of the Mavs players have filled the vacuum with trash-talk. Jason Terry called out LeBron James after Game 3, stating that he didn’t think the Heat forward could shut him down for seven games. DeShawn Stevenson said what many of us were thinking after Miami’s Game 4 loss, that LeBron “checked out” in the fourth quarter. During Game 5 the cameras caught Shawn Marion barking in LeBron’s ear as LeBron posted him up.

The Mavs have found their swagger. They’re poised and confident, heading into Game 6 of a what has been an enthralling series. Nowitzki said in an interview on May 11th, “It should be about the players, never about the owner.” Cuban picked a great time to finally listen.

Tommy’s Take on Fernando-mania

Legendary Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda was always quick with a joke. During the summer of 1981, the skipper was asked what terms his Mexican-born pitching sensation Fernando Valenzuela might settle for in his upcoming contract negotiations.

Lasorda’s responded: “He wants Texas back.”

Dirk and the Mavs Stun the Heat

by Paul Knepper

Five years ago, the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat met in the NBA Finals. The Mavs won the first two games at home and were poised to put a strangle hold on the Heat in game 3, leading by 13 points with just six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Then the bottom fell out for Dallas.

Dwyane Wade led a furious comeback, scoring 12 points in the final six minutes and the Heat won 98-96. Dirk Nowitzki had an opportunity to tie the game at the free throw line with 3.4 seconds left and the Mavs down two, but he missed one of his shots.

Miami’s comeback completely changed the momentum of the series. The Mavs were a young team and crumbled after blowing the game. The Heat won the next three games and the championship. Wade was propelled to super stardom, while Nowiztki was labeled soft and mentally weak.

The agony of that collapse seemed to linger with the Mavs as they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in three of the next four seasons, despite tremendous success in the regular season, including a league best 67 wins in 2006-2007.

Dirk hungered for another shot at a title. He worked tirelessly to perfect his jump shot, shooting from different angles, different spots on the floor, on the move and even off-balance. More importantly, he turned his weaknesses into strengths. The German shed the soft label by taking his game to the high post and aggressively driving the ball strong to the basket, instead of settling behind the three-point line. Through sheer determination and the wisdom that comes with experience, he learned how to close out tight games.

Meanwhile, Dallas management assembled a veteran cast around him, players with extensive playoff experience who knew how to finish games. Point guard Jason Kidd is a future hall-of-famer who played in two NBA Finals with the Nets; Shawn Marion went deep into the playoffs on several occasions with the Suns and Tyson Chandler made a playoff run a few years ago with the New Orleans Hornets. All three brought necessary grit to a team lacking toughness.

Across the country, in Miami, Pat Riley pulled off a free agency coup in the summer of 2010 by signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Wade in South Beach. The three stars developed chemistry as the season progressed and were in sync come playoff time. They didn’t lose a game on their home court as they plowed through the Pacers, Celtics and Bulls on their way to the NBA Finals.

The Mavs handled the Trailblazers in round one, then swept the two-time defending champion Lakers and finished off the Thunder to set up a rematch with the Heat.

The two teams are very different than they were five years ago. In fact, each team has just two players remaining from that series, Nowitzki and Jason Terry for the Mavs and Wade and Udonis Haslem for the Heat. There’s no rivalry between the teams, though for Dirk it must feel like destiny that his long-awaited opportunity for redemption comes against the very team that revealed his flaws and stained his reputation as a ballplayer.

Miami suffocated the Mavs in Game 1 with their relentless defense, holding the Western Conference champions to 37% from the field in a 92-84 victory. Dallas was outrebounded, couldn’t match the Heat’s athleticism on the perimeter and three of their most dependable players throughout the playoffs, J.J. Barea, Chandler and Terry, were non-factors. Worse yet, the Heat didn’t even play particularly well; they shot just 39% from the field and neither Wade nor James went off.

Fans and the media overreacted after one game, as they tend to do, and many predicted it would be a short series, that the Heat’s “big three” would steamroll the Mavs. So Game 2 had the feel of a must win for Dallas. Since the league went to the 2-3-2 format in 1985 only one team has come back to win the series after losing the first two games in the NBA Finals, the 2006 Heat. The Mavs also needed to deliver a blow in Miami, where the Heat hadn’t lost a game all post-season and quell concerns about a torn tendon on the middle finger of Nowitzki’s non-shooting hand.

The game tight was tight throughout the first half and was tied at 51 at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, the Heat pulled away. They converted Mavs turnovers into highlight reel fast breaks, in what became a dunk contest between Wade and James. Wade, who was feeling it all night, capped  a 13-0 run with a three ball from the corner to give the Heat a 15 point lead with 7:33 left. He lingered for a moment in front of the Mavs bench after dropping what appeared to be the final dagger of the game and possibly the Mavs season.

But these aren’t the 2006 Mavs. They’ve been here before. Dallas trailed Oklahoma City by 15 in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals and came storming back to win in overtime on the wings of a Bird-esque shooting performance by Nowitzki.

Despite being down by 15 last night, the Mavs continued to fight. They dug in defensively and Miami did them a favor  by reverting to the stagnant one-on-one play they struggled with early in the season. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle went with a small lineup for a couple of minutes, which seemed to jump-start the offense. Terry scored 8 points in the fourth quarter, including a sweet pull-up jumper from the wing. Marion hit a runner from the right side and Kidd knocked down an open three on a kickout from Dirk, though in the end it was Dirk who brought the game home.

Carlisle called for staggered screens on the left side of the floor to free up Dirk at the top of the key, where he could catch and shoot or drive to the hole, while being able to see where the double team was coming from. The German scored the Mavs last nine points. He tied the game with under a minute remaining, then nailed a three-pointer to put the Mavs up three with 27 seconds remaining.

Following a timeout, Mario Chalmers tied the game with a three of his own on a blown defensive assignment by the Mavs. On the ensuing possession, Dirk received the ball at the top of the key with Chris Bosh guarding him. He faked right, spun back left, hesitated, then took two long strides and laid it in with his injured left hand with 3.5 seconds left. Wade’s last second heave fell short and the Mavs won 95-93.

Dallas finished the game on a 22-5 run. It was one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history and eerily reminiscent of Wade and the Heat’s spectacular triumph in Game 3 of the 2006 series. Only this time Dirk was the hero. The Heat revival was the turning point of the ’06 series. It crushed the Mavs. Last night, a tougher, more experienced Dirk returned the favor. How will Miami respond?