Is anyone else a little bitter?

[Amanjoy]

Is anyone else a little bitter that Dallas gets to enjoy its team being in the Finals before the loyal fans of Sacramento get to?

Like many in this forum, I've been attending Kings games since they played in that barn of an arena that fit 10,333. Like many other Sacramento fans, I have been loyal to this team from literally Day 1 of my life because I was barely 1 year old when the Kings came to Sacramento. I am just one of thousands of loyal fans that have suffered through the losing and yet have still faithfully attended ARCO to support my team.
I know the Mavs worked their butts off to get where they are, and I respect them deeply for what they've accomplished this season. I have no problems with the players themselves. They deserve everything they've earned so far, and if they go on to win it...then they deserve that too.

What I'm bitter about is the Mavs' fan base. I remember the old Reunion Arena being absolutely empty for games before Cuban showed up and turned things around with Don Nelson as VP. It disgusts me to watch these "Mavs Fanatics" on TV enjoy this success they're having when I can gurantee that the majority of them weren't MAvs fans until the Dirk era began.

Dirk even said it himself. Can you imagine a 7-foot German walking around town without getting noticed? Even when the Kings were bad, the players were recognizeable around town...why? Because we've been loyal since day 1 through thick and thin and we've paid attention to the team and followed it and supported it since it got here.

I know Dallas is a bigger market, and I know that they've had the Cowboys longer, and the Stars and Rangers all compete for attention of fans. But nothing disgusts me more than people being fairweather. The Mavs sold out their arena in the 80's when Mark Acguire, Derek Harper, Rolando Blackman made some signifigant playoff runs, but as soon as the team started to fade, the place went empty. And you can't make the excuse that it was the arena because Arco is worse as far as conditions are concerned...and we still stay faithful!

I believe in being loyal to your team. If the team is good...support it. If they're bad...support it! Give your heart and soul to a team, and keep it there!

Now I know the Heat fans weren't the best example of loyalty until Shaq and Wade showed up...but I don't have any way to connect the Heat to the Kings, so I give them a break. The Mavs and Kings rose out of futility almost together. They both were ressurected by young hot-shot owners that brought new life to the basketball scene in their respective towns. However, the difference is that the Maloofs inherited an already crazy basketball town and just helped put a good product on the court. Cuban helped put a good product on the court, and thereby woke up the city. The Kings made a magical run in 2002 and got the short end of almost every unlucky break. The Mavs this year have seemed to hav gotten those breaks, and it ticks me off! Why do they get the luck while we've suffered through so much and deserve it so much more? I can't understand it!

Basically, I'm bitter because the Dallas Mavericks as a team and organization deserve to be where they are, but the fans don't deserve to enjoy it because they haven't sufered what we have. For that reason I'm bitter and say Go Heat!

 

[Gargamel]

I can understand the Mavs fans not being terribly loyal pre-Cuban. That's what happens when you put up 11 and 13 win seasons. Then your front office trades Kidd instead of JJ or Mash.

Miami fans were notoriously absent during the late 90s. When they played the Knicks in the playoffs, they would get drowned out by NY fans.

 

[VF21]

I'm not bitter about the team or the fans. I just detest Mark Cuban. GO HEAT.

 

[Viking]

I wish they could both lose but if Shaq has a chance to lose I'm all for it.

Anything to plug that cavernous piehole of his.

Go Mavs.

 

[VF21]

I wish they could both lose but if Shaq has a chance to lose I'm all for it.

Anything to plug that cavernous piehole of his.

Go Mavs.

My rationale is that Shaq already has rings. This one wouldn't mean that much.

Cuban, on the other hand, would consider it a validation of every single thing he's done since he took over the team, including his obnoxious behavior, etc.

That's why I could never root for him.

But I'm not even watching. I'm checking out the pre-draft camp games. Not a lot of defense being played...

Chris Quinn from Notre Dame looks a lot like a very young John Stockton.

 

[tradepeja]

yeah im having a problem with this series too....i hate to see either of them win...

but i agree with you amonjoy, we never got our breaks, and the mavs did...and now their fairweather fans are reaping the benefits while us real fans are sitting waiting out the tdos

 

[Viking]

My rationale is that Shaq already has rings. This one wouldn't mean that much.

well yeah but i sure as hell don't want him winning another one

 

[VF21]

I hate to see fans call others "fair weather fans." I happen to know some really good Mavericks fans, like EvilMav2 and his brother, who have been loyal the whole time. Sorry, but I just don't agree that none of the Mavs fans deserve to see their team win. And I'm not snobbish enough to think that I'm a better fan than anyone else.

 

[VF21]

well yeah but i sure as hell don't want him winning another one

Why? Are they making you pay for it?



It's not going to change his status in any way. He'll still end up in the Hall of Fame. THe only thing this might do is change a few numbers on the sign in front of the display. Shaquille O'Neal is about so much more than just another title.

Look at it this way. Shaq winning another ring would have to be a VERY bitter pill for Kobe to swallow.

 

[Viking]

Why? Are they making you pay for it?



It's not going to change his status in any way. He'll still end up in the Hall of Fame. THe only thing this might do is change a few numbers on the sign in front of the display. Shaquille O'Neal is about so much more than just another title.

Look at it this way. Shaq winning another ring would have to be a VERY bitter pill for Kobe to swallow.

But shaq would have 4 rings instead of 3.

If the kid who taunts you because he has more candy than you taunts you, you don't want him getting more.

 

[kennadog]

My rationale is that Shaq already has rings. This one wouldn't mean that much.

Cuban, on the other hand, would consider it a validation of every single thing he's done since he took over the team, including his obnoxious behavior, etc.

That's why I could never root for him.

But I'm not even watching. I'm checking out the pre-draft camp games. Not a lot of defense being played...

Chris Quinn from Notre Dame looks a lot like a very young John Stockton.

Pretty much on the same page with you VF. I DETEST Cuban. So probably am vaguely supporting the Heat.

(go heat )

 

[sloter]

I don't know how anyone in their right mind can root for Miami. They are pretty much a carbon copy of the Lakers - 2 superstars, one Shaq, an experienced overconfident coach and a bunch of washed up disgusting scrubs. After seeing Shaq's 2 "accidental" elbows in the first half - it just maked me remember his games against the Kings. To me he will always be the antichrist.

So to answer the question, no I'm not bitter - I want the Mavs to have a revenge on Shaq for the Kings.

GO MAVERICKS!!!

 

[VF21]

The main thing is that rooting for either one is hollow at best. I'm not a Mavs fan. I'm not a Heat fan. My horse stumbled coming out of the gate and is done for the year...

This is like arguing whether you'd rather be flogged to death or stung 10,000 by killer bees.

 

[kennadog]

The main thing is that rooting for either one is hollow at best. I'm not a Mavs fan. I'm not a Heat fan. My horse stumbled coming out of the gate and is done for the year...

This is like arguing whether you'd rather be flogged to death or stung 10,000 by killer bees.

Too funny! Great analogy VF.

 

[Viking]

The main thing is that rooting for either one is hollow at best. I'm not a Mavs fan. I'm not a Heat fan. My horse stumbled coming out of the gate and is done for the year...

This is like arguing whether you'd rather be flogged to death or stung 10,000 by killer bees.

true enough but I must say I'd go with the flogging


...just for posterity's sake

 

[sloter]

Not really... if one team has Shaq, Kobe or Filthy Phil and the other one doesn't, then it's automatic for me. Now the analogy would be if one team had Shaq and the other had Kobe (God forbid that the Lakers go that far ever).

By the way, the refs are starting to take this one over a little bit.

 

[VF21]

Darn. I'd really like to watch but "So You Think You Can Dance" is about to come on...

 

[Alacron]

As much as I want to see Cuban cry...

there is no way I can bring myself to root for the Fat Man, Gary Payton (ugh), Antoine Walker, and Pat Riley.

I seriously cannot watch the Finals this year. I just can't.
~~

 

[Warhawk]

What's that old saying?

The floggings will continue until morale improves.

Go Mavs! I don't really like either team much but I like the Mavs style and teamwork better. I still don't get this bitter hatred of the mavs by some. Lakers are the only team I can't stand. Be awesome to see neither Shaq nor Kobe ever win a ring again....

 

[VF21]

Warhawk - The bitter hatred isn't about the team, at least in my case. I simply cannot stomach Mark Cuban. And he's made himself such a front man for his team that it's impossible for me to root for them/him.

 

[mavsman]

Let me ask you all this just out of sheer curiousity - I promise I'm not here to ruffle any feathers

Are any of you somewhat "jealous" that the Mavs are in this position before the Kings? I sense jealousy a lot of times on this board. Becuase you guys are right - both teams came up from the bottom, with new hot shot, young owners. The similarities are endless really - all the way up to the styles of play we both played earlier this decade.

What makes the Mavs situation unique is you never see a head coach, a veteran head coach at that, like Don Nelson to just totally groom his successor. He set his ego aside and let Avery run practices as a player / coach. Hell, he even let Avery Johnson coach a game against the Lakers where he was THE head coach. He just wanted Avery to start practicing. It just seems like maybe the Mavs are the envy of up and coming teams b/c of the way they handled their coaching change and how seamlessly they've meshed to get this far. I've said it all year long - hard to believe but these Mavericks aren't even the finished product yet. They are totally a rebuilding team.

So is there a "jealousy" factor? Is that why a lot of people around here hate the Mavs?

 

[SacTownKid]

Let me ask you all this just out of sheer curiousity - I promise I'm not here to ruffle any feathers

Are any of you somewhat "jealous" that the Mavs are in this position before the Kings? I sense jealousy a lot of times on this board. Becuase you guys are right - both teams came up from the bottom, with new hot shot, young owners. The similarities are endless really - all the way up to the styles of play we both played earlier this decade.

What makes the Mavs situation unique is you never see a head coach, a veteran head coach at that, like Don Nelson to just totally groom his successor. He set his ego aside and let Avery run practices as a player / coach. Hell, he even let Avery Johnson coach a game against the Lakers where he was THE head coach. He just wanted Avery to start practicing. It just seems like maybe the Mavs are the envy of up and coming teams b/c of the way they handled their coaching change and how seamlessly they've meshed to get this far. I've said it all year long - hard to believe but these Mavericks aren't even the finished product yet. They are totally a rebuilding team.

So is there a "jealousy" factor? Is that why a lot of people around here hate the Mavs?

I totally disagree with this assessment. How are the Mavs a rebuilding team? For the most part the team is chalk full of veteren players and they were expected to be a contender this year. In fact I saw last summer as loading up to make a run this year.

I for one am not jealous of the Mavs, I respect what they have done to make themselves a good defensive team, and I see the Kings following the same route. Hopefully the same success can come our way next year.

 

[4cwebb]

I've said it all year long - hard to believe but these Mavericks aren't even the finished product yet. They are totally a rebuilding team.

Actually, I would argue that this season is the first season in many seasons that the Mavs are not in "rebuilding" mode. Other than dropping Finley (about time), the acquisition of Diop (and re-acquisition of Griffin), the Mavs made no significant changes to their roster from last year...they didn't add a NVE or Antoine Walker or Raef Lafrentz or Antawn Jamison...they didn't make a big splash in the offseason by adding talent that may or may not mesh with existing talent.

I would agree that this team may not yet have reached its full potential --- Dirk and Josh Howard still have room to grow, as does Diop, Harris, Daniels, and others. But I think to say that they are totally a rebuilding team is a bit disingenuous.

EDIT: and just to be clear, I'm firmly in the Mavs' camp in the Finals. Have been since CWebb didn't make the playoffs. They clearly had, in my mind, the best chance to ensure that the Spurs, Pistons or Heat (or other unrealistic contenders like the Lakers) didn't win a title.

 

[loopymitch]

I don't like the Mavs because of whose on the team (and the owner + coach), it has nothing to do with jealousy but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bitter or jealous that they're playing and Kings aren't. That has nothing to do with mavs specifically though. I feel like that about any team. We'll get our chance one day and hopefully it won't take too long.

 

[KingKong]

Yeah I'm jealous, but so is every fan who's team isn't in the finals.

 

[Viking]

I'm jealous but I disliked the Mavs before they were in the Finals.

Like most people here I'm kind of hacked that they haven't had the postseason disappointment/bad luck in the way that the Kings have.

Nonetheless, I think this is a low point im my dislike for them. Mostly because they disposed of Van Exel, Finley, and Nellie.

It kind of sucks that Christie was waived so he can't be a member of a championship team and get a ring, though.

 

[Amanjoy]

I hate to see fans call others "fair weather fans." I happen to know some really good Mavericks fans, like EvilMav2 and his brother, who have been loyal the whole time. Sorry, but I just don't agree that none of the Mavs fans deserve to see their team win. And I'm not snobbish enough to think that I'm a better fan than anyone else.

My intention is not to sound snobbish...because I know there are Mavs fans out there that have been with the team since Day 1, and I don't think I'm a better fan than them because they've been suffering just as I have for actually a longer time. I know because I tested a similar thread a couple years ago on the Mavs fan forum through the Dallas Star web site. Fans from Day 1 deserve this championship that the Mavs are most likely going to win.

But it's obvious that there are a lot more people in Dallas that are Mavs fans now than in the Pre-Cuban era. Going back to what Nowitzki said. When he got there...no one cared about the Mavs. Now, all of a sudden there are people with their whole bodies painted in blue and green when 7-8 years ago you never saw that! In Sac, we were putting on war paint and making signs for regular season games since the beginning (or...at least I was). People in Dallas are now copying Kings fans by waving flags out their cars and putting up signs in front of their businesses and houses, etc. I have a friend from Dallas who told me that after Kidd left, you couldn't even give Mavs jerseys or merchandise out for free because no one wanted it. Despite how bad the Kings played...we have always bought the merchandise of our players...even the merchandise of that mediocre to lousy team we had in the mid-90's with Mitch, Hurley, and Brian Grant.

So, to Mavs fans from Day 1, I say...CONGRATS...because you deserve it and so do your players. To the most recent Mavs fans since the Nowitzki/Cuban era...enjoy it now while it lasts and learn something about loyalty from the few that have been there since the beginning, and from the Coyboy fans, because that team is all the city has ever been loyal to until now.

 

[Bricklayer]

My intention is not to sound snobbish...because I know there are Mavs fans out there that have been with the team since Day 1, and I don't think I'm a better fan than them because they've been suffering just as I have for actually a longer time. I know because I tested a similar thread a couple years ago on the Mavs fan forum through the Dallas Star web site. Fans from Day 1 deserve this championship that the Mavs are most likely going to win.

But it's obvious that there are a lot more people in Dallas that are Mavs fans now than in the Pre-Cuban era. Going back to what Nowitzki said. When he got there...no one cared about the Mavs. Now, all of a sudden there are people with their whole bodies painted in blue and green when 7-8 years ago you never saw that! In Sac, we were putting on war paint and making signs for regular season games since the beginning (or...at least I was). People in Dallas are now copying Kings fans by waving flags out their cars and putting up signs in front of their businesses and houses, etc. I have a friend from Dallas who told me that after Kidd left, you couldn't even give Mavs jerseys or merchandise out for free because no one wanted it. Despite how bad the Kings played...we have always bought the merchandise of our players...even the merchandise of that mediocre to lousy team we had in the mid-90's with Mitch, Hurley, and Brian Grant.

So, to Mavs fans from Day 1, I say...CONGRATS...because you deserve it and so do your players. To the most recent Mavs fans since the Nowitzki/Cuban era...enjoy it now while it lasts and learn something about loyalty from the few that have been there since the beginning, and from the Coyboy fans, because that team is all the city has ever been loyal to until now.

Well, it kind of is what it is, you know? If we are the best fans in the league, and we certainly may be, then no matter which other fanbase is celebrating kind of sucks for us in a no justice sort of way. I remember all the empty seats in Miami from a few years back too. Life ain't always fair.

 

[hoopsfan]

Every team has bandwagon/fairweather fans.

 

[VF21]

Let me ask you all this just out of sheer curiousity - I promise I'm not here to ruffle any feathers

Are any of you somewhat "jealous" that the Mavs are in this position before the Kings? I sense jealousy a lot of times on this board. Becuase you guys are right - both teams came up from the bottom, with new hot shot, young owners. The similarities are endless really - all the way up to the styles of play we both played earlier this decade.

What makes the Mavs situation unique is you never see a head coach, a veteran head coach at that, like Don Nelson to just totally groom his successor. He set his ego aside and let Avery run practices as a player / coach. Hell, he even let Avery Johnson coach a game against the Lakers where he was THE head coach. He just wanted Avery to start practicing. It just seems like maybe the Mavs are the envy of up and coming teams b/c of the way they handled their coaching change and how seamlessly they've meshed to get this far. I've said it all year long - hard to believe but these Mavericks aren't even the finished product yet. They are totally a rebuilding team.

So is there a "jealousy" factor? Is that why a lot of people around here hate the Mavs?

Look around. This is a KINGS board. The fact you've come here and posted tribute after tribute to your Mavericks is, in and of itself, pretty good evidence that we're far from jealous about your team. But it does get pretty old.

I don't care if your team is rebuilding. I'm not a Mavericks fan. I don't care if Don Nelson set his ego aside and let Avery Johnson coach a game as assistant. I'm not a Mavericks fan. I don't care if you want to draw a ton of parallels between the two teams. I don't agree with them, BTW, but that's not here nor there. I'm not a Mavericks fan.

The ONLY reason some of us are talking about the Mavericks right now is because OUR TEAM is out of the finals. Some of us can't quite step away from basketball quite yet. TDOS is a long, painful withdrawal from the sport we love. But make no mistake. WE ARE NOT MAVERICKS fans.

It's not about us being jealous of your team. That's condescending and a little insulting, to be frank. OUR TEAM has gone through a lot in the last couple of years. The next time Dirk Nowitzki goes to the floor in a playoff game and cannot get back up, let me know.

These are personal opinions, BTW. I'm not attempting to speak for the other people here in any way but I'm just a little weary of all the "my team is better than your team" stuff. I get it. The Mavericks are in the finals. And I still don't care. I'm not a Mavericks fan.

Peace.