One Ring to Rule them All

Even though I am disappointed that Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks did not avenge the Detroit Pistons by pounding the Miami Heat to road kill in the 2006 NBA Finals, I am still happy for the old guys (the late thirties is an advanced age by NBA standards) in Miami's roster, namely Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Jason Williams, Antoine Walker and James Posey. I think that it's time that they will be rewarded for their perseverance and humility.
They were superstars in their prime, but like all men, they were inevitably left behind by the young tigers -think Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett who are also growing old -thanks to old age and a string of injuries (they were already stars when I was still in high school and that was a decade ago!).
They are at the twilight of their careers, but it seems that wisdom is a gift of senility, so they did the only thing left for them to do: win a championship before they bow out. Maybe they wanted go down in a blaze of glory, to have their names etched in memory (eternity as a very strong word) as members of an elite club of men who have worn a championship ring.
They were criticized for "title-chasing," that is switching from one championship-caliber team to another powerhouse when their quest ended in failure. I am most familiar with Gary Payton's quest for the "holy grail," the Larry O' Brien Championship Trophy in English. I saw him battle the Chicago Bulls helmed by the peerless Michael Jordan in a championship showdown in the 1990s. Payton was then part of the triumvirate of Detlef Schrempf and Shawn Kemp of the Seattle Supersonics. Sadly, they lost to the Bulls in six games. So, to make it short, while his partners hanged up their jerseys, Payton remained hunting for that elusive ring. He came close to fulfilling his dream again when he charged a minimal fee (believe me, $1 million is very cheap in the NBA) for his services as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers that lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. Obviously, he did not lose heart as he followed Shaquille O'Neal to Miami for another chance, perhaps his last. And, now, he can retire in peace, that is, if their victory has not stirred a craving for another ring.
Alonzo Mourning's story is more dramatic. He was already a star, again, when I was still in high school more ten years ago (that's how old I am!), when a kidney disease doomed his career. He was sidelined for I don't know how many seasons until he got a kidney transplant. But the fighter in him shone as he returned and finally made that Fat Lady sing!
With a huge dose of perseverance and an even stronger will to swallow their prides, these men have shown that dreams can still be fulfilled.