Our Long National Nightmare Is Over

...for another year, at least. The Miami Heat have failed to win a championship.

I'm sure it's not healthy - or even sane, for that matter - to dislike a team as much as I disliked this year's version of the Miami Heat. I mean, come on - this team even made me root for the Los Angeles Lakers, and that is saying something.

But from beginning to end, this was a team that was built to be hated. And so it's especially satisfying that, unlike New York Yankees teams similarly built in the past, this particular team could not overcome the pressure of expectations to win the championship that they all so desperately desired.

But you have to give credit to the Dallas Mavericks. They won this championship. While nearly every game went down to the last minute, the Mavericks consistently beat the Heat when it mattered most. They may not have had the superstardom of their rivals, but they now have the trophy, while LeBron and Dwayne and Chris and the rest of them are like the rest of the league, waiting until next year for another shot at it.

And next year, the expectations will be even higher.