Alma Kadragic with Chris, Norris and Mario of Miami Heat*
On the third Thursday of every month, trustee members of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce attend an upscale luncheon at the historic Biltmore Hotel and listen to a business leader outline a new company project or summarize recent achievements.
Every so often, there’s a change of pace as we say in baseball, a slower ball than expected, and at the trustee luncheons that can mean something less serious and more fun than a business presentation.
Once a year, the Coral Gables Chamber promotes the Miami Heat, one of the dominant teams in the NBA since 2010. Recently, however, the Heat have begun spiraling downward. First, they lost the NBA final series to the San Antonio Spurs, and, worse, they lost superstar LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he had left in 2010 to move south.
Many American business men and women are enthusiastic sports fans, and professional sports teams benefit from sponsorship by local and national companies. The Heat have been the joy of Miami and the Chamber since 2010.
The football Dolphins were local favourites when they won the Super Bowl in 1972 and 1973. The baseball Marlins were cheered when they won the championship World Series in 1997 and 2003.
Then came the drought in national championships for Miami-based professional sports teams that lasted until the Heat began serious winning four years ago. That phase is now over, and we’ll see how long it takes for the Heat without LeBron to become dominant again.
Regardless, the Coral Gables Chamber supports the Heat and holds an annual luncheon for the team before the season begins. Several players attend and participate in a panel, talk about their plans and hopes for 2014-15, and answer questions.
The best part, however, was before the luncheon began. As we approached the ballroom entrance, a line formed. Why? Because inside, on a small platform, stood three of the Heat’s players: colourful and multi-tattooed forward Chris “Birdman” Anderson and rival point guards Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers.
As each guest climbed on the platform, Ada Stevens, the official photographer, snapped a picture. No time to see how it came out, no chance to redo anything, one shot, that’s it. I had given my camera to the guy on line behind me who took a picture as I was turning away. Ada’s was much better.
The players and I are standing at the same level. On the left is the short guy, Mario Chalmers. In the middle is Birdman who is taller than anyone you’ll ever meet outside of a basketball court, and on the right, Norris Cole, the other short guy. I’m 5 feet 6 inches or 1.68 meters and wearing low heels. No one in professional basketball is short.
As we ate lunch, the players talked about how the team will manage without LeBron and how they handled injuries. They said there would be changes in offense and defense and agreed that several players – themselves included – would have to raise their game. Former Heat center and star Alonzo Mourning who is now Vice President of Player Programs for the Heat joined Anderson, Chalmers, and Cole in being optimistic about the team’s future.
The fifth guest on the panel, Dr. Harlan Selesnick, never played but is crucial for stars and journeymen alike. He has been team doctor for the Heat since 1988, dealing with the injuries that afflict players during the long NBA season.
By Alma Kadragic
* Photo by Ada Stevens, SnapHappy Photos
