The dream has been realized. Our Miami Heat has won the 2006 NBA championship in dramatic, gut wrenching fashion. Again, Dwayne Wade a.k.a “Flash” rose to the occasion.

For you who do not live here to go through the roller coaster season we experienced here with this team, it was certainly the worst of the times and the best of times and the best was the best there could be. Fans questioned the acquisitions and questioned them even more when the players they brought in stunk up the joint. The team failed miserably against the NBA’s elite teams, sometimes being thoroughly embarrassed, even losing in the regular season to the team they beat tonight, the Dallas Mavericks, by over 30 points. When they lost the first two games of this series and looked like the Heat team we saw for much of the year, many of us figured the inevitable might be delayed by one or two games and Dallas would eventually win the championship. Well in a dramatic twist of fate and 6 minutes away from practically being swept in the series, they stormed back to win 4 straight games and snatch victory from what seemed more like the gaping chasm of defeat. Forget jaws.

Interestingly enough, two of the acquisitions actually proved, in the biggest game of the season, to be exactly what they were brought in for. Antoine Walker, much maligned throughout the season, came through in terrific fashion and James Posey played defense to the point where Dallas star, Dirk Nowitski disappeared in the 4th quarter. Not to be forgotten, Alonzo Mourning came up with the game of his life on defense. Point blank Dallas shots were returned to their senders and he dropped in some timely baskets. And then there was Udonis Haslem, busted shoulder and all, coming up with herculean numbers and rebounds.

Dwayne Wade. What can be said about this humble 23 year old? When the Heat was down by 14 points and Dallas seemed poised to run the Heat out of the arena, it was Dwayne Wade who stepped up, sank crowd silencing baskets and got the Heat back into the game where they quickly eased past Dallas to a lead they would not relinquish beyond that point. So for tonight and all of next season until another champion is crowned, South Florida will be proud of their champions, the Miami Heat! Off to South Beach we go!