NBA Finals: LeBron James is focus of the series, win or lose

Dwyane Wade had a message and a reminder for his teammate when it ended: “Congratulations, LeBron, you just won your first NBA Finals game.”

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Hey, with LeBron James 0-4 in June coming in to Tuesday night’s Game 1 against the Mavericks, it’s a worthy milestone. Three more victories and let the bows begin.
Either way, win or lose, hoist that big, beautiful gold ball in triumph or humbly bow his head in defeat, LeBron already owns these NBA Finals. They are his the way the 1991 Finals were Michael Jordan’s and the 2000 Finals belonged to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal — the way the entire basketball community anxiously waited to see if the child stars had yet matured into championship adults.
The Heat was too defensive for Dirk Nowitzki and Dallas, and as white hankies rain down from the rafters of American Airlines Arena, Miami moved three wins away from Team Collusion’s stated goal.
Good sign for the Heat: Jose Barea, Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic, who looked like a deer in headlights, missed 17 of the 21 shots they took. Dallas can’t win this without its bench outperforming Miami’s.
LeBron had a nice line — 24 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists to 1 turnover, even if he didn’t score in the fourth quarter until the game was decided.
Now here comes the double-edged sword for LeBron the next two weeks: He needs to close or the criticism won’t cease.
A great, young player only is afforded so many years to grow up and become king before the derision becomes more damning than “The Decision.”
Michael needed a grueling seven seasons to win it all. Kobe needed just four to win a title, but that’s mainly because he had Shaq, who before he won was eviscerated as a B-movie-making, hip-hopping lug more interested in studio time than court time.
When the Lakers won, the wait was over — not just for Shaq and Kobe, but for a league patiently biding its time before another star-laden team could help fill the void left by Michael’s Bulls.
Let’s be clear: A victory by LeBron and his Super Friends is important for David Stern’s NBA, almost as important as it is for the Heat and its 26-year-old supernova. Indeed, as the ball left LeBron’s hand at the end of the third quarter Tuesday night, deep on the right wing behind the three-point line, the league needed that swish almost as much as he did.
Of course this is also about whether the Mavericks can win a title in the Dirk Nowitzki era — whether Dirk and Jason Kidd will join Elgin Baylor, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Charles Barkley as some of the greatest players to never celebrate an NBA championship.
But mostly this is about LeBron. Four years after his last appearance in the championship round, the next two weeks represent a referendum on his progress as an all-time great player. It’s easy to measure.
The Heat wins and he is ready to take Kobe’s place as the most necessary, must-see player in pro basketball. Miami loses, and LeBron is 0-2 in the Finals with two different teams. Completing his eighth season without a title, he would also have been in the league one year longer than when Michael won his first title. Jordan had two championships at the completion of his eighth season.

Stateline busy with events for Memorial Day

From keynote speakers, to bands and pork chop barbecues, the Stateline Area will be bustling with Memorial Day activities this weekend.

The following is a roundup of area Memorial Day events:

Beloit and South Beloit

Memorial Day festivities in South Beloit and Beloit kick off at 6:30 a.m. Monday, with the laying of the wreath at the Beloit Rotary River Center, near the lagoon in Riverside Park. Lineup for the parade starts at 8 a.m. on Liston Avenue, one block past Oakland Avenue off Blackhawk Boulevard in South Beloit. The parade starts at 9 a.m., starting in South Beloit and ending at Horace White Park in Beloit.

“We’re happy that the downtown (construction) was completed,” said Michael Bendickson, South Beloit American Legion member. “The parade route will continue to State Street, then take a right on East Grand Avenue.”

The parade will feature some special guests, including the Navy Band from Great Lakes.

“The main purpose is to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and honor all service men and women,” said Bendickson.

Following the parade, there will be a ceremony at Horace White Park at 11:30 a.m. There will be a 10 a.m. Memorial Day Service hosted by the South Beloit Legion at South Beloit City Park. There will also be an 11 a.m. ceremony at Floral Lawns Cemetery. There will also be noon Memorial Day ceremonies at East Lawn Ceremony in Beloit and the South Beloit American Legion Post Home.

Town of Turtle

The town’s Memorial Day ceremony starts at 2 p.m. Monday at the Turtle Community Center, 6916 S. County Road J in Beloit. The parade will proceed to Turtleville and Shopiere cemeteries, then return to the community center for a video and refreshments.

“We’d love to have folks show up and celebrate the day with us,” said Roger Anclam, Town of Turtle board chair.

Roscoe

The Roscoe VFW Post 2955 will have its Memorial Day parade at 11 a.m. Monday in downtown Roscoe. Lineup will start at the corner of Bridge and Main streets at 10:30 a.m.

Rockton

The Rockton Memorial Day parade, hosted by the American Legion Walter Graham Post 332, will be held Monday, kicking off at 9 a.m. Parade participants will line up on East River Street by 8:30 a.m.

The parade will proceed north on Blackhawk Boulevard, pausing on the bridge for a wreath-throwing ceremony. Then it will continue north, turning left on Main street, continue and turn right on Center street. The parade will then turn west on Union street, then right onto West Street and proceed to the Rockton Cemetery for the Memorial Services.

Those attending the parade are asked not to park their cars along the parade route.

Clinton

Clinton’s Memorial Day parade starts at 9:30, with the lineup starting at 9 a.m. The parade will head down Main Street, through the downtown district, head up on main street, though the downtown district to head to Clinton Senior High School, 112 Milwaukee Road. There will be a program after the parade, which will feature speaker John Solis, a county service officer for Rock County.

Orfordville

Hosted by the Kenneth S. Wells American Legion Post, Auxiliary Unit and SA Squadron 209 Orfordville, the community will kick off their Memorial Day activities Monday.

The program will start at the Parkview High School gym at 10:15 a.m. Lt. Karl Hanson, an Iraq and Bosnia veteran. Following the program there will be a parade from the school to Memorial Park at the Clubhouse for the annual rededication and reading of the 166 memorialized names. The Legion Chicken and Pork Chop Barbecue will then be served in the Clubhouse. Cost for a full dinner with half chicken or one pork chop is $7, and $8.50 for two pork chops.

Delavan

Delavan kicks off its Memorial Day celebration starting Sunday, with a church service at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. Legion members should meet at the Delavan American Legion Post #95 parking lot at 9:45 a.m., then proceed to the church.

On Monday, the Delavan Memorial Day parade starts at 9 a.m. on the corner of Main Street and Walworth Avenue; line up starts at 8:45 a.m. The parade will proceed down Walworth, return on Seventh Street and then go north to the Spring Grove-St.Andrews Cemetery, where the Memorial Day ceremony will be held. The ceremony will feature Lt. Colonel John Loomer as Master of Ceremony, Poppy Princess Taiya Schroder, and keynote speaker Geoff Blumenfeld, a Marine corps captain who flies the Osprey aircraft.

Following the ceremony, the parade will proceed to Old Settler’s cemetery in downtown Delavan, where the national anthem and taps will be played, and there will be a rifle salute.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be performed at Phoenix Middle School in Delavan starting at 9:30 a.m.

If you have any questions, contact George Ballman at 262-728-3558.

Darien

Memorial Day festivities will begin Monday at 11 a.m. at the Darien Cemetery. There will be a short parade from the Darien Fire Station to the cemetery. Post member Ken Anclan will serve as emcee, and Gary Sisk will be chaplain. Auxiliary member Marie Huisheere will present the memorial wreath, and Chris Jordan, county veterans service officer, will be the day’s speaker.

Music will be provided by the Delavan Darien High School Band, under the direction of DDHS Band Director Jim Gornic. The post firing squad will visit two area ceremonies following the program. There will be a pot luck dinner at the Darien Legion Hall at noon.

In case of inclement weather, all events will be held at the Darien Legion Hall, 24 Market St.