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.

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Gregg Doyel Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 25, 2006	Posted on: August 16, 2008 1:30 pm Score: 89 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Thanks for writing, loucards10. I think. Sheesh. (hahaha just kidding ... thanks) [ Reply to Comment ]
mrblondephx Reputation: 90 Level: All-Star Since: Jul 28, 2008	Posted on: August 16, 2008 11:12 am Score: 39 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology yea i agree. i dont care whatever anybody else tells this guy.....it really takes a real man to admit when he makes a mistake. mad props [ Reply to Comment ]
loucards10 Reputation: 80 Level: All-Star Since: Jan 3, 2007	Posted on: August 15, 2008 11:34 pm Score: 41 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Agreed. Doyel, if your reading this, I have pretty much hated every article you have written (at least the ones I read). I think they are stupid, baseless, and you yourself are for the most part, completely out of your mind. BUT.....it takes a man to admit when he was wrong, and I give you props for that. My two favorite professional athletes (at least ones you have written about) are Dwyane Wade and Peyton Manning, and the article you wrote about Manning not deserving blame for the playoff loss to SD was spot on, and I gotta respect you for giving Wade the respect he deserves. I have said since his first season, he is somehow overlooked by analysts all the time in favor of LeBron and Kobe, and these Olympic games, to my pleasure, have proved that a healthy Dwyane is just as good, if not simply better at times, than both. [ Reply to Comment ]
unionmailman Reputation: 86 Level: All-Star Since: Dec 18, 2007	Posted on: August 15, 2008 11:34 pm Score: 79 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Naaaaaa, you do not owe an apology to Mr, Wade. I know what a college basketball pureist you are. I spent considerable time in "the belt" and can tell you what The Wolfpack ment to me. It hurts when an "honorable" coach like Herb leaves your program in search for a paycheck/.......I mean a better oppourtuni......PAYCHECK!!!!!!! Gregg, college basketball used to be fun. There is a chance it can still be fun. I hate the " one and done rule". Honestly, this accomplishes nothing because if the " athelete" is that herolded, he will ,ACCEPT ALL MONIES, ACCEPT ALL " PERKS" AND promises. I am afraid the College game is at risk. It will not be long until the magistrate [ Reply to Comment ]
unionmailman Reputation: 86 Level: All-Star Since: Dec 18, 2007	Posted on: August 15, 2008 11:11 pm Score: 91 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Naaaa, you don't a appoligy to anyone. I [ Reply to Comment ]
billyb52god Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Aug 15, 2008	Posted on: August 15, 2008 9:55 pm Score: 31 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology Kobe hasnt done anything though. He didnt win the ring. The only way to reach "JORDAN-like status" as you say is to win a ring as the number 1 option, to lead/carry your team to the championship. Kobe failed in the finals. Embarrasingly so to tell you the truth. Wade DID carry his team to teh championship as the number 1 option. Thats something Kobe has failed to do twice now (04 and 08). [ Reply to Comment ]
billyb52god Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Aug 15, 2008	Posted on: August 15, 2008 9:52 pm Score: 41 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology I can dig that. He WAS there. He was top 3 easily, and arguably the best of the 3 (him, lebron, kobe) in 05-06 when he carried his team to the ring and had an mvp-level year, and in 06-07 carrying the crappy shaq-less heat up until his injury. In my opinion he was the best player in the world for the 2005-06 season and playoffs and the first half of 06-07 up until he got injured. But he lost that "status" over the past season and the last half of 06-07 that he was out hurt. So he needs to earn his way back in. That is true........ I'll tell you one thing though, he is off to a hell of a start with this olympic performance! [ Reply to Comment ]
groovyp Reputation: 85 Level: All-Star Since: Nov 21, 2006	Posted on: August 15, 2008 4:32 pm Score: 39 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology You're a stand up guy. And I'm sure Dwade thanks you, all the doubters motivated him. Now its time to unite and all do the Lebron gold medal dance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl4vXgwsxPM<o:p></o:p> [ Reply to Comment ]
gator hater2 Reputation: 92 Level: All-Star Since: Jan 9, 2007	Posted on: August 15, 2008 12:20 pm Score: 78 Somebody owes Dwyane Wade an apology All the people saying D-Wade rode shaq to a ring must have been watching another finals that year. He owned Dallas in those finals. and D Wade did stuff in miami before shaq got there. I think it was more the other way around that Shaq rode D-Wades coat tails to his last championship. People forget he took a so-so team in miami all the way to the eastern conf finals the year prior to shaq getting there. Heck they would have been in the finals if not for a fluke injury to Wade. If anyone remembers Shaq in the Dallas finals please stand up. The praise i still have problems figuring out is the praise for lebron hes an athletic freak and does some good stuff but his jumper is seriously weak, and the only way he gets to the rim is by over powering people, but he can only do that by driving the ball because his post game is also suspicious. I still havent seen him be able to take over a game that counted. His numbers are only godly because he has the ball in his hand 95% of the time the team is on O. And then takes 3/4ths of the teams shots. Hell MJ would have been putting 50 if he controlled the ball that much. oh wait he use to and then realized that if he didnt involve his team mates he didnt have a chance at winning spit. anyways thats my take. I think D-Wade is in the top 5 and well i suppose lebron too, but man todays game is soo over hyped. its all muscle and athleticism theres very little actual basketball skill left in the game. And that my friends is why we keep losing in the olympics. This years team seems to be doing better but they still dont know how to share the ball or play defense. Send the kids back to college because they seriously need it. [ Reply to Comment ]
gchowns Reputation: 97 Level: Superstar Since: Oct 24, 2006	Posted on: August 15, 2008 10:14 am Score: 84 Gregg Doyel, I'm suprised. Every week i make sure to check out Doyel's piece of raw, hard-nosed smack talk. Even if i disagree with everything Doyel says (which is most of the time), I still get a good laugh of it each week. This week you see the softer side. I'm not sure if I like it. But either way I got my good laugh in for the day. Keep it up Doyal! [ Reply to Comment ]

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