Who believed Miami Heat could win the championship?

Question

Miami Heat
2006 NBA Champions.
2006 Eastern Conference Champions
Dwyane Wade-NBA Finals MVP

Answer 1

I did. With wade and Shaq around, They can overcome anyone.

Answer 2

I love the NBA.. I love the talent in the NBA.. But I refuse to believe in the bullshit that is going on in the with the oficiating and the league office...82 regular season games and throughout the playoffs no one could stop the Mavericks including the champion Spurs Dallas spanked and humilitiated the Pistons and the Heat...Just to get to the finals and find out that one player alone could whip there entire team 92 fouls callled everytime Wade touched the ball...they could defense everyone in the NBA great Teams with incredible depth San Antonio with Duncan and Genobli and a bench that goes 13 deep they found a way to defense those teams yet one man stands above them all and single handedly gets 92 fouls called against them the unstopable D.Wade...I'm sure if your a Miami fan this sounds completely logical..4 strait wins and a championship just the way they drew it up....................................Note: I'm not saying I agree with these perspectives ... but here's a very fair sampling of the e-mails that drifted into my mailbox on Sunday night and Monday morning.


I do solemnly swear, this 19th day of June, 2006 that I will never watch an NBA game again. Everyone is supposed to say what a great game that was with a straight face? At least the WWE has the grace to give you a wink. If watching a man in a flak jacket and thigh pads repeatedly throw himself into defenders to draw foul calls is what passes for "competition," or better yet watching said man hit layups because no one can breathe on him, I believe I can live without [it]. Why would anyone follow a "sport" that employs Dick Bavetta and Stu Jackson? All that was missing was David Stern running onto the court with a steel chair, ABC execs in tow. Bill Simmons, I name thee prophet. It went down exactly as you said it would.
-- James, Richmond, Virginia



Twenty-five free-throw attempts is nonsense, not even MJ would have gotten some of those foul calls. And I'm not just saying this because I'm a bitter Pistons fan. Sixty-year-old officials should not be officiating 20-something-year-old professional athletes.
-- Paul, Detroit, Mich.



Have you ever, I mean EVER, seen a guy get more calls than Wade in Game 5? As staggering as it is to even think it, much less say it out loud, this surpasses the level of calls Jordan used to get in the playoffs. Simply AMAZING. I am a die-hard NBA fan, and I understand and accept the whole "stars get calls" factor, but this is an insane new level. Every time Wade falls down (even if not touched) he gets a call. You called it in your preview, the refs were gonna give some games to Miami, and they did.
-- Jonathan, Raleigh, N.C.



Please admit to everyone that the treatment Dwyane Wade is receiving is absolutely absurd. The final play in Game 5 summed it up: He commits a backcourt violation, pushes off on Terry, then goes wildly to the bucket and gets bailed out on a phantom foul call. Is what the NBA has to do to create its star of the future?
-- Mark, Chicago



I watch very little NBA basketball; however, as the playoffs have been playing out, I have found myself watching more and more games, becoming more interested. Then comes the Finals and I feel like I am watching pro wrestling, except I can fool myself into thinking those matches aren't fixed. At least it makes the NBA the easiest sport to gamble on.
-- Jeremy Louden, Cincinnati



I want to say something about Dwayne Wade, but I fear I may get called for a foul.
-- Warren, Ludington, Mich.



Unfortunately you were right that the NBA finals could come down to the officials. David Stern would rather choke to death on his own vomit than hand Mark Cuban the trophy. It's clear he instructed the refs to take an active interest in the outcomes of the games. Every time Wade drives the lane the refs call a foul on whoever is closest.
-- Jeff, Baltimore



After witnessing the Game 5 debacle, I am absolutely convinced that Stern is trying to fix the Finals for D-Wade and the Heat. Stackhouse's suspension, Dirk's phantom foul in OT, and then Joey Crawford's inexplicable call for a Mavs timeout -- it all adds up too perfectly. This could be a conspiracy as far-reaching as Watergate. I can already imagine the inevitable ESPN movie, "All The Commissioner's Men," where a stubborn, upstart young sports columnist brings down Stern and the entire NBA hierarchy. So, Simmons, the only question is: Will you be our Bob Woodward?
-- Robert P., Topeka, Kan.



All the comparisons between Wade and Jordan need to stop right now. There's no way Jordan would have gotten that call in the final seconds of Game 5.
-- Chris Richardson, Charleston, W.V.

Answer 3

Me!! I believed the Miami Heat would win the championship when they were down 2-0 b/c I knew they were going to win all 3 games at home. Then when they had that advantage it would be enough for them to play their hardest and win game 6!!
~luv Caramel-Heat's #1 Fan

Go Miami Heat!!

Answer 4

It was their year, after trades that put an all-star at every position before the season, the only question was Detroit.....

d wade was unstoppable...as far as phantom calls, please, in every nba game the driver throws himself at the defender it doesnt matter how flagerant, if the defender is moving thats called a foul ladies and gentlemen, u see it in every game....

Jus wish hardaway and mash could taste the sweetness of miami's first championship.

here's to the first of many consecutive titles

Answer 5

I did totally because they rocked because of their two star players Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'neal...

Answer 6

Have to admit, not me..... I really felt that my Pistons had enough in them to get it again. D-Wade made sure that didn't happen though. I gained a lot of respect for him that's for sure.

Answer 7

I did all season long.

djmantx - get out of here I seen you post the same crap everywhere your being a crybaby mavs fan now.

Answer 8

i knew since they lost last year to the pistons shaq was hungry for more rings. and plus they picked up some good free agents

Answer 9

yeah i wanted the lakers to win but once they were out i figured since the heat have two previous laker players they would do it!

Answer 10

Nobody believed that but the refs