Hello? Is this thing on?
It’s the year 2019. It’s hard to imagine that these trips
started in 2003. That’s one Luka Doncic minus 4 years ago. I think today is the
day. My official retirement from Mavs road trips after tonight’s game.
What started out going to see the Mavs play (still with Dirk
and Steve) and a Dave Matthews concert in Boston will end with seeing the Mavs
play (still with Dirk and Steve) and seeing the ballet in New York/Brooklyn.
The ballet? What a refined lady I have
become.
Eh, hem. Never mind that I also went to go see the Spiderverse
cartoon “animated” movie and took a picture of the Central Park bridge
from the Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Look how this gangly girl has changed into a slightly less
gangly girl (especially in the middle). So much has happen and so much is still
left to happen. If you asked me what type of person I strived to be during these
years. Maybe it would have been a mix of Cameron Diaz from There’s Something
About Mary and Audrey Hepburn from Sabrina- a super cool sports loving person
who traveled and then came back better than before.
But let’s move on to the Dirk part of this story for now.
One day in 2017, my boss called me into his office and said
I have something for you. I opened up a bag at it was an autographed Dirk
Nowitzki jersey that said “Keep Up The Fight.” I think I was almost finished with
my chemotherapy treatments at the time. Tears started to run down my face. That
day was important because I realized I didn’t cry anymore because I was sad all
the time. I cried now because I was happy.
No worries. I’m doing great. And this trip is one I can say,
I truly deserve to have some fun on.
Back in 2003, I couldn’t have imagined that I would travel
to see Dirk and Steve Nash play in 15 different cities. That those trips would
give me enough confidence to travel to Tokyo, London and Paris by myself. That
they would give me the patience to handle most of life challenges because how
you handle being lost and feeling out of place tell you a lot about yourself.
That my life would have so many special memories of people, places and things
because of them.
I was there when Dirk scored 42 points and made all his free
throws during the Western Conference playoff game against Oklahoma. I was there
in Utah, the next time the Mavs were there after Dirk was booed so badly for
accidentally injuring Andre Kirilenko that Avery had to take him out of the game.
(Geez, relax a little Utah) I was there at the Suns game when Dirk and Grant Hill
got in a little tussle and I looked to see where Steve was and he was back at
half court and wanted no part it. (I would have done the same thing, Steve.) I
was there when the Mavs played their final game in Seattle. The Sonics! I’ve
been there so many times.
It’s been a treat watch everything unfold into the person
Dirk is now. It’s a delight to see how much people appreciate him in the
different cities. I don’t think people are trying to retire him. I think they want
to express how they feel before it’s too late. Imagine if you had terminal
illness. Would you tell nobody or tell everybody? Imagined if you told nobody
you could go on with your life without being fussed over and living the remaining
days like all the rest before. It sounds pretty tempting. Then imagine you had
a friend who didn’t tell you they had an illness and you treated them like all
the days before and then they we’re gone. You would think of all the things you
wished you would have said or done in order to show how much you cared.
Retiring certainly isn’t dying, but it’s a type of conclusion. And I have learned
sometimes you have to let someone do something nice for you because it makes
them feel better. You’re giving them a gift, too.
Have you ever noticed there is no 13 floor in places? This seems
a little overboard. The 14th floor is technically the 13th floor. Let’s
just all think of 13 as Steve Nash’s number and not some indicator of evil. Also,
you know whose paths black cats cross, people who own black cats. Like every
day. However, I’m not prepared to go as far as to say all cats aren’t evil.
My hope in my old age is to not say I remember back in the
day in the NBA… Just like when everyone from the 80’s says back in the day that
wasn’t a foul. Like do we really want to see people injured? Name one person
who has got hit so badly that he never drove in the lane again. But I can feel
it coming on. I don’t like super teams. I don’t like the same person winning
every year. Maybe I should thank Lebron for going to LA because it won’t be the
Warriors vs Cleveland again. I don’t like people breaking their contract. Have
you ever gotten out of an apartment lease? It should be that hard. But I do
love seeing amazing talent. I love seeing some kid trying to out do all the
others before him. I love seeing Steph or Luka hitting a ridiculous shot. I
love Giannis owning the paint. I love showing Dale at work a video of Nikola
Jokic after he says Vlade was the best big man passer ever in the game. I hope I
love the NBA 20 years from now when Kardashian kids become what we all fear the
most, NBA players/rappers.
You wouldn’t believe that I just had a talk with my Uber
driver on my way back from the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum about
NBA contracts. He was clearly on Anthony Davis’ side. We did manage to agree
that rookies should be paid a starting salary that increases or decreases with
their numbers over the seasons. (I’m now only realizing how coincidental it was
that I was taking about “The Brow” while coming back from seeing the Original
Brow. Halloween costume idea.) Only in New York…
New York is great. The amount of artistry and creativity the
city contains is amazing. Take the NYC Ballet. Justin Peck is this young choreographer
who produces my favorite pieces. There are points where the movements and the
music blend perfectly in ways that I could never think of that are just
beautiful. There also was a piece performed with Kayne West and James Blake
songs that was so detailed and charming that put a smile on everyone’s face at
the end. I don’t want to live here, but I can go to ballets and basketball
games here forever.
Ok, maybe I don’t want to go to this particular basketball
game forever. This game was a struggle for the Mavs right from the beginning.
The only good things were Dwight Powell, Luka making a 3 from the backcourt and
these guys in Dirk t-shirts. I don’t think the "D" was really committed though.
He had his sweatshirt covering up his letter a lot of the time and his arms
were always in front of his chest. Maybe this is coming from some type of
childhood trauma, so I’ll try not to judge. But don’t be such a "D" and ruin all
our pictures.
I’ll slightly take back my feelings of people trying to
retire Dirk. I’ve never seen so many people routing for the Mavs at a road
game. By the end of the game, the entire crowd was yelling “Dirk” every time
the Mavs had the ball and anytime someone else on the Mavs shot, they would
boo. I don’t think that is what Dirk wants. I can see how it’s a lot of
pressure. Is it nice? Is it mean? I don’t know. I’m so confused. Home games
must be kinda a relief.
Sitting next to me were Ahmad and Erika from Plano, who were
visiting family. Ahmad said he thinks Dirk will come back next year. I don’t
know, but I do know that you need to have a plan when you retire. At least,
that’s what all the personal finance articles say. So my plan after my Mavs
Road Trip retirement is to self-publish some children’s books (“The Art of
Shooting Free Throws” coming to Amazon soon), go to Morocco and hopefully adopt/foster a kiddo
that I can take to Spiderman movies and Mavs game. I’m not sure how I’m going
to make that happen. It scares me thinking about it sometimes. But I’m pretty
good now at reaching goals and this one will happen if it’s right. Traveling
has taught me to feel the fear and do it anyways. If anyone has any single mom
tips, let please me know.
I’m putting the following out into the universe: Luka is not
a bad free throw shooter. He’s a great shooter. He needs a routine that suits his
playful personality when he’s at the line. I’m not talking flashy. But a little
showmanship. Something to take his mind off it being a free throw because his
body language totally changes. It’s almost too easy for him. Like when smart
kids act up in regular classes because they’re so bored.
Luka, if he stays with Mavs during his career, will probably
break most of Dirk’s records. Ah, such is life. Michael Jordan was the best. Kobe
Bryant was the best. Lebron is the best. So and so will be the best. Here’s
hoping that some cool adventure-seeking girl who is a Twenty-One Pilots or Rainbow Kitten Surprise or
whatever rap group I totally don’t get now fan will travel to see Luka play in
an exciting city and become the Yara Shahidi of Grownish mixed with the girl from All the Boys I’ve
Loved Before. Go see the world and have
the best of times.
Dirk, you’re great. Steve, you’re not so bad either. Mark, I
will always be grateful.
Love,
Michelle
Songs fΓΌr Dirk Nowitzki
Game winner – Vulfpeck (A smooth song, for a smooth shooter)
Skills To Pay The Bills – Beastie Boys (The three-man weave
of rap)
Wonderwall – Oasis (You never know how someone effects your
course)
Losing My Edge – LCD Soundsystem (A song for the 40+
community)
Party Up – DMX (This played before a Mavs playoff game and
the entire arena got hype)
The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get – Morrissey (My fav
basketball story to tell, you have to ask)
You’re Not 19 Forever – Courteeners (No one stays the same)
Hey, Hey What Can I Do – Led Zeppelin (Me having two
favorite players on different teams)
Black Superman – Logic (If you sing a song about it, does it
come true?)
Ants Marching (in Central Park) – Dave Matthews Band
(Finishing how we started)
