LITTLE ROCK — Heat get ‘to hoist’ that trophy
A lockout shortened the NBA season this year, but the championship celebration was right on schedule.
The Miami Heat players, coaches and staff celebrated the team’s NBA title Monday while riding on vehicles down city streets and cramming onto stage in the arena.
Mike Miller bowed, Udonis Haslem kissed the NBA championship trophy, Chris Bosh hugged it and LeBron James had his long-awaited championship party.
Thousands of fans watched the championship parade and 15,000 more were in the arena.
“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. ... This was my dream, right here, to be able to hoist that Larry O’Brien Trophy up, hug it, grab it, never want to let it go,” James said.
During the parade, players and coaches were on double-decker buses and flatbed trucks as confetti fell. Wade held the trophy for much of the ride to the arena.
“I appreciate all our fans for sticking with us,” said Wade, now a two-time NBA champion. “Best fans in the world.”
Inside the arena, video highlights replayed Haslem’s flagrant foul against Indiana’s Tyler Hansbrough in the Eastern Conference semifinal and several other top plays from the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City.
Silver screen slugger
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton and his wife, Katie, confirmed Friday that they have agreed to the creation of a film about his life after the couple had been approached by actor/director Casey Affleck and Thunder Road Pictures with the idea.
Tampa Bay selected Hamilton with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft before his career was derailed by drug and alcohol abuse. He didn’t play from 2003-2005,but finally made it to the majors in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds. He was then traded to Texas before the 2008 season, when he led the American League with 130 RBI.
Hamilton, 31, won the 2010 AL MVP and has helped the Rangers make consecutive World Series appearances. Entering Monday, Hamilton was hitting .319 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI this season.
On Monday, Bleacher Report columnist Doug Mead mulled what other baseball stories might make for good films.
“Chicago Cubs Fans: Groundhog Day - The telling of the story Groundhog Day would aptly describe the lives of Chicago Cubs fans. They have to wake up and live through the same scenario each and every day - the only difference being that in Bill Murray’s take on Groundhog Day, all the faces were the same. For Cubs fans, it doesn’t matter who the faces are at Wrigley Field - the result is always the same.”
“Jamie Moyer: The Bucket List - Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman famously went about the country with the purpose of doing things in life they had never previously done before their lives came to an end. Jamie Moyer [49] is apparently following suit with his own version of The Bucket List. ... becoming the oldest pitcher in MLB history to record a victory on April 17, and then following up by becoming the oldest player in MLB history to record an RBI, driving in two runs in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 16. ... Moyer was released by the Orioles on Sunday, so I’m not quite sure what else he can add to his bucket list.”
“Tommy John: The Six Million Dollar Man - How about these iconic words. ‘Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic man. ...’ Those were the words in the introduction to each episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, airing on ABC from 1974 to 1978.
In baseball, Tommy John was that man. In 1974, John was facing retirement after severing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. In September of that year, Dr. Frank Jobe replaced the ligament with one from John’s right forearm. John went on to win 164 games following the famous surgery that now carries his name.”
Quote of the day “I am a great player. Unfortunately I have to deal with circumstances that people don’t have to deal with normally in a sport, but I can’t be discouraged by that. I’m up for challenges. I have great tennis in me. I just need the opportunity.” Venus Williams after first-round loss at Wimbledon
Sports, Pages 18 on 06/26/2012