MFFL

Every time I think I am out...you seem to pull me right back in! Yes, you have broken my heart too many times to count, but like a chump I keep coming back for more. You are like a cheating ex-girlfriend that I just can't seem to get away from. You are like a bad slot machine that never pays off. You know how this story will end, but you just don't want to believe it. The "you" I am talking about in this case is the Dallas Mavericks.

Over the years I have invested a lot of my precious time watching Mavs games. My fan-ship goes back to Ro Blackman, D-Harp, and James Donaldson. I was even there for the days of Mike Iuzzolino and Donald Hodge. I remember the 3 J's and being excited about the horrific draft picks made back then (I.E., Samaki Walker, Cherokee Parks, and Loren Meyer). Back in those days the score was different.

Throughout my early youth, I watched The Dallas Mavericks go from really good to really bad. By the time I was a teenager, I learned to just accept the fact that they were going to be terrible. But I kept the hope alive and always had the optimistic attitude of "this year will be different". It took a few years, but change finally came around.

In 2000, Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks, and inserted instant life into what had been a dead franchise. The Dallas Mavericks were now fun! They had cool nicknames like Dirty, Filthy, and Nasty. They had transformed into what us Mavs fans had always wanted them to become...a contender. It took a few more years, but our little Mavericks made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in '06. We thought they were all grows up, and our MVP Dirk was going to bring home the championship trophy. Of course that didn't happen. What happened instead was an epic collapse.

Then in '07, a 60 win #1 seed Dallas Mavericks team gets swept and knocked out in the first round by an 8 seed. In'08, they were out in the first round of the playoffs again. That's when I threw in my proverbial towel. You see, somewhere between 2000 and 2008, I had come to expect the Mavericks to become winners. But then they just kept breaking my heart. All the years of heartache and frustration finally got to me, and yes I did quit watching.

I'll admit even up until the Western Conference finals this year I wasn't sold on them. I casually watched the 1st round and I was just waiting to read the headline "Trailblazers eliminate Mavs". To a lot of Mavs fans' surprise, they made it out of Round 1. What next? The mighty Lakers of LA, that's what. Well, that series didn't take long...the Mavs win again! Were they for real this time? Of course not...or so I had thought!

Those little Mavericks showed us they came to play this year. Then they sucked me right back in to this bad mentally abusive relationship. However; my attitude has changed. As I write this article, the Mavericks just went down 0-1 to the Heat. You know what? I still believe they can win it! If I'm wrong though, it doesn't matter because they have won me back over. Like any relationship you are trying to save, we were just needing a "break". No matter what happens in 2010, I am proud of this team! I don't say it too often, but I love you Dallas Mavericks! No matter how many times you break my heart, I will always come back. I am a true MFFL(Mavs Fan For Life). Always have been, and always will be. Let's go Mavs!