Those were some of the scenes of a champion on Sunday night when Dallas downed Miami to win the NBA Championship. While it was an extremely enjoyable Finals series and the basketball was great, and the angle of good over evil fun, the single feeling I take away is seeing the joy on the faces of the Dallas players and coaches and administrators and feeling the fans' jubilation after winning something they had come so close to capturing many times before.
It was a feeling we all want here, both within the Eagles organization and for the fan base around the world. In those final moments of Sunday night's deciding victory, I imagined the feeling I will have when the Eagles win the Super Bowl. What will it be like to count down the clock and know that finally, finally, the Eagles are World Champions?
Nowitzki headed straight to the locker room to celebrate privately. I hope to bask in the glory of the moment, to clap hands with the men and women whom have been here for so many seasons chasing the Lombardi Trophy, to look into the stands and see the throngs of Eagles fans deliriously happy.
I want that moment. It is what drives everyone here. Winning a Super Bowl is the only goal here. It is the only elusive step in the big plan during Jeffrey Lurie's time as the Owner and during Andy Reid's years as the head coach.
Win the Super Bowl. It is an obsession every day.
And when there are moments like the one we saw on Sunday night, well, it drives us all even more.
A friend asked me after the game how I felt about Dallas fans having a championship to cheer, suggesting that I hope that all Dallas fans feel eternal pain. That is not the case at all. I wanted Dallas to win as a triumph of team basketball over star-studded arrangements, of a team that has always gone about building a team the right way versus a team that set up its personnel this year to make a title run.
I never want Cowboys fans to experience any joy, of course, but those in Dallas deserve to feel great about their Mavericks today.
They are the champions. Their victory reaction on Sunday night reminded me of what I want more than anything in my professional life.
NEWS, NOTES AND A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND THAT
- I like what I'm hearing around the world of the web as far as the optimism regarding the labor discussions. Peter King from SI.com says he thinks a deal will be in place around July 10, and if that happens, look for a relatively normal training camp and preseason. Whether the Eagles would have camp at Lehigh University, I don't know. Nobody does. I'm just waiting and hoping and praying.
- Which new coach are you most looking forward to seeing? All of them is the answer, but I'm particularly drawn to Howard Mudd because I think his approach -- keep it simple and be outstanding at what you do -- is the right one to take in this time-shortened offseason. Mudd has had success with athletic, quick offensive linemen and it makes me wonder if either Jamaal Jackson or Mike McGlynn is exactly what Mudd is looking for at the center position. The kind of player he is looking for is really, really important here.
- Is it possible the Eagles will go with what they have at right cornerback and hope that an improved pass rush and young talent taking the next step is enough to upgrade that position? Sure it is. The Eagles like Trevard Lindley a lot. They just used a third-round draft pick on Curtis Marsh. I think it is very possible the team goes with what it has there.
- Does having the draft prior to free agency help or hurt the market value of free agents? I think it hurts. Big time. Teams have addressed needs with young players.
- A player I think is going to make a push this year is second-year tight end Clay Harbor. Let's see how he treated the work stoppage. He is a hard-working kid who runs well and who fits into the offense nicely here. I expect a big step up from him.
