Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology

And after watching Wade lead the United States past Greece this morning, that somebody is me.

Here's why. Last week, before the USA began its Olympic rampage, I called LeBron James and Kobe Bryant the best two players in the world. I said Chris Paul was third. As for Wade, I said he "might not be No. 4 (or) No. 5 in the world, but he's somewhere in the top 10." A reader blew me up for that, writing the following in Hate Mail:

You can't be serious. Dwyane Wade might not be the fourth or fifth best player the world? Have you been watching these games? He looks like he did in 2006, when he played the best basketball since Jordan and had the best NBA Finals ever. I want to know what else you want to see from the guy.

I blew up the reader, named Brian. But in hindsight, he was right.

Brian -- you were right.

Dwyane Wade is all the way back to his 2006 NBA Finals form, and that Dwyane Wade truly is one of the five best players in the world, maybe even one of the top two or three players in the world. Maybe the best. Not sure about that, but he's a lot closer to No. 1 than No. 10.

What Wade did to Greece was mesmerizing. The game was close until early in the second quarter when Wade took over at both ends of the court, deflecting passes and stripping dribblers and triggering fastbreaks and in the best basketball moment of these Olympics, doing nearly all of it at the same time -- knocking the ball away from Greece, tracking it down near the side boundary, jumping into the air to save it and then spotting Bryant streaking to the rim. As he flew out of bounds, Wade whipped the ball 35 feet to the rim for an easy dunk finish for Bryant.

Wow.

My apologies, Dwyane Wade. And Brian. Wade has been the best player on the best international team since the 1996 U.S. Dream Team. Of course he's one of the best four or five players in the world.

kansas Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Aug 23, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:05 am Score: 95 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology class act Gregg...nice to see that you have no problem admitting that you were wrong....nicely done [ Reply to Comment ]
jackorken2 Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Apr 10, 2007	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:18 am Score: 91 Wow the idiot admits it, I am amazed. I almost fell out of my seat. Now if he can get his brother Mike Freeman to do a little of the same, oh wait that would take an entire website. [ Reply to Comment ]
scott00049 Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Nov 25, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:21 am Score: 91 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology And no sarcasm either...way to go. I however, think your original assessment was more close to correct. I won't agree that D-Wade is in the top 4 or 5 until he does something without Shaq now that Shaq is gone and Wade is healthy for the first time without him. I know he was hurt most of the last 18 months so I am still withholding judgment on that one. Kobe wasn't Kobe until this year, before that public opinion had him as just some great scorer that rode on Shaq's coattails. Kobe had to do something without Shaq before he reached Jordan-like status. So D-Wade can't ascend to that status in my mind until he does the same. IMO Great tasteful post though Doyel. [ Reply to Comment ]
GoBraves18 Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Jan 5, 2007	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:33 am Score: 94 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Wow, I am blown away! Doyle wrote a positive blog about someone. Why cant you do this more often? [ Reply to Comment ]
Gregg Doyel Reputation: 96 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 25, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:40 am Score: 90 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Thanks guys. I feel sort of bad. Here I am, doing nothing more than acting like a human being, and you treat me as if I've done something special. Shoot. I guess for me, being a human is special. Because I love being inhuman! Don't get mad at me when I act rude again, but for now ... thanks a lot. And dadgum -- when you're wrong, you're wrong. And I was wrong. [ Reply to Comment ]
scott00049 Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Nov 25, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:49 am Score: 87 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Yeah, ever since that dude choked you out, (that was you, wasn't it?) you've been Mr. Insensitivity. You big meanie you. I guess the O2 hasn't returned to an acceptable level yet...... [ Reply to Comment ]
Memphis Murder Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Sep 22, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 10:56 am Score: 96 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Don't stop there, Doyel....in hindsight, you owe so many apologies it's a wonder you ever have time to actually write any articles that have actual substance to them. [ Reply to Comment ]
scottcacciatore Reputation: 91 Level: All-Star Since: Jan 18, 2008	Posted on: August 14, 2008 11:11 am Score: 87 Doyle owes D Wade an apology-not Scott Cacciatore Dwyane Wade was injured all last season...I dont think his standing as a top 4 overall player in the world should be hurt because he played hurt all year on a team that was terrible. Wade WON the championship for the Heat by himself...forget the over the hill Shaq...it was all Wade...the Heat werent even close to being as good as the Mavs in 2006 and Wade's performance in my opinion was the best ever in a championship series...him along with Paul, Lebron, and Kobe are the top 4 players in the world and number 5 is along ways away from those 4 says Scott Cacciatore [ Reply to Comment ]
scott00049 Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Nov 25, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 11:27 am Score: 91 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Dwyane Wade was injured all last season I know....I said that....that is why I'm not yet ready to elevate him into the top 5. When (if) he comes back this next season and dominates then I agree, until then, he has top 5 potential, but not there yet. [ Reply to Comment ]
Bbowsh54 Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 2, 2006	Posted on: August 14, 2008 11:38 am Score: 93 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Wow. Is this the real Gregg Doyel, or did you brother log onto you account?? This was just was too nice... I've never heard Doyel admit to being wrong before. Crazy. About the topic at hand, from the highlights I caught, Dwyane Wade is incredible. I've been waiting and praying to see him return to form. Last season I figured he shut it down as a precaution seeing as the Heat were going nowhere. I guess it is true he has been working his tail off to stay in basketball shape, all why having plenty of time to heal. Shoulder and knee should no longer be a problem. I would love to see the Miami Heat reach the playoffs and make some noise next season... Go Wade. Go Team U.S.A. [ Reply to Comment ]

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