Recently, the Miami Heat lost to the Chicago Bulls 86-87. The loss capped off Chicago’s season sweep over the Heat and 
marked the third time in their last four games that Miami has blown double digit leads.
Perhaps the more alarming stat, though, is that the Heat are now a devastating 1 for 18 on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime this season. If that’s not enough, they are also now 0-9 against the top two teams in each conference (Boston, Chicago, San Antonio and Dallas, respectively).
To make matters even worse, and perhaps unintentionally adding fuel to the fire, head coach Erik Spoelstra told the media during the post-game presser that “there are a couple guys crying in the locker room right now”.
BITCH SLAP!
Look, Erik, I don’t care if you have since retracted that statement and are now claiming that the media spun it the wrong way by taking your words out of context. The damage is done. And honestly, unless you added a big “NOT!” at the end of that sentence, then we all have a reason to make fun of the team for having a circle-tear-jerk in the locker room. You guys brought this on yourselves; it’s that simple.
I believe Dwyane Wade said it best when he told the media:
“The world is better since the Heat is losing.”
Besides not being grammatically correct, it pretty much perfectly sums up the public’s opinion on the team.
When you throw an arena celebration for three of your players and guarantee a championship before the first practice whistle has even been blown, then yeah, we get to give you shit when you lose. After LeBron did his infamous “count up” saying the Heat would win “not two, not three, not four. . . .” .all the way to seven before he was interrupted, what else would this cocky bunch expect.
When you are winless against the top teams in the league, but still act like you’re the best team out there and when you consistently fail to make the clutch plays over and over again and cry because of it, then yes, we get to bitch slap you.
Nobody said that winning would be easy, which is why you guys shouldn’t have acted like you won a title before the season started. It’s great and all that you can beat up the weaker teams in your division to pile up your wins, but if you can’t pull out a victory over the top teams in the league, then what do you think will happen once you enter the playoffs? Newsflash: those weak teams are no longer playing. So the time has come for you to start acting like the team that you’ve been talking about since free agency ended.
And one more thing, when you lose, don’t make a smartass comment and act like you’re the victim. Just for that here’s a backhanded bitch slap for good measure. If you suspect the media’s negative feelings towards your boisterous ego have caused you to miss shots in the waning seconds of the game, we had no idea our words could do so much damage. Now that we know the strength of our powers, should we hold back? We wouldn’t want to make you cry or anything…
Used with permission of the author.
Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.
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