Nancy Lieberman

This month brought the exciting news that my good friend, Martina Navratilova is going to be on Dancing with the Stars! The official announcement was made on Good Morning America, and as I was watching I could not help but think how amazing it was that she was doing this. We are athletes, not entertainers. We are trained to be fierce competitors but in a physical manner, the stage presence and presentation aspect of it is quite foreign to us.

I then was able to travel to Aspen to experience part of her training regimen, watch rehearsals and spend time with my good friend. It was amazing to see how giddy and excited she was to taking on this new adventure. Talk about being pure, she was nervous, a bit apprehensive and definitely out of her element. When she introduced me to her dance partner, Tony Dovolani, I knew she was in great hands.

Tony is absolutely fantastic. He is tremendously hard working and takes his job very seriously. He is nurturing but in a firm way that does not allow for any excuses. Martina is obviously not a dancer by trade but he does not allow for that to be an excuse for the level of excellence he commands. Tony has a beautiful wife and family and is a truly positive force to be in the presence of. He does not cut corners and that is why he has been so successful in his profession. He is also a Yankees fan, so I knew he was good people from the very start!

I had the chance to watch rehearsal for a few hours and then we all went for dinner together in downtown Aspen. Martina has some great friends in that town and it was a very lovely evening. The next day was right back at it with over five hours of rehearsal. The assigned dance for opening week was the foxtrot, which I had never seen before. I think having me there helped Martina to relax and have a few laughs in the process! I even tried on her dancing shoes and let me tell you, I am just lucky that I did not trip and fall.

The next day I headed back to Dallas, and as soon as I got home, I turned to Facebook and Twitter to encourage all my friends and family to show their support for Martina.

Next stop was LA for the actual live performance. I went straight to the official hotel for Dancing with the Stars and it was a total girl fest - make up, extensions and hair spray everywhere! We had fun with our in-room salon getting ready for the taping of the show. Special thanks to Tootsies and Pat Cousins for dressing me for this fabulous event.

We arrived at the studio around 3:30 pm and it was so exciting to see everyone on the lot getting ready for the show. Everyone had their own trailer and was running around in bath robes as hair and make-up where being completed. I ran into a number of old friends including Jaleel White (Erkel) whom I have played basketball with many times, Donald Driver, the wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and the legendary Ms Gladys Knight. We had a playful exchange where all three were claiming that I was "their" girl, of course they are all wonderful people and it was great to see them all.

Eventually they ushered us into the ABC studios and had names on seats instructing us where to sit. The room looked amazing but I was most impressed with the perfection of the dance floor. I kept thinking how well I could bowl on that surface with it being polished so perfectly! I had the opportunity to sit with Chris Evert, and for the first time we were cheering for the same person.

Martina was the ninth performer and it was difficult being patient! She was more than worth the wait though because she looked absolutely stunning and gave a moving performance. It takes enormous guts to do this for the athletes and celebrities. Martina was amazing as well the talent and performance of the other athletes was great.

Martina had to do media after the show and then we all headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner. From there we attended the after party for about an hour and it was very cool to get a chance to speak with all of the dancers and other celebrities on the show. I am so proud of my friend for the bravery it takes to be doing this, and grateful that I got the opportunity to be a part of it.

On Friday, December 16th I toured the Six Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which is of course the JFK Museum. The assassination of JFK is quite an infamous moment in the history of Dallas, Texas. I find it interesting how everyone remembers where they were when significant world events such as this happen. I must have been no more than 5 years old at home in Far Rockaway, New York. I remember my family sitting around the TV and crying, I was a young child and did not understand the emotional reaction of my family members. My guests on this day are in their sixties and have much clearer recollections of the actual event than I do.

The museum is an amazing experience, I have been 8 or 9 times and I always bring my guests in town to experience it. The magnitude of the events of November 22, 1963 are captured through artifacts, audio-visual recordings, newspaper and magazine accounts and much more, all of which help us to go back in history to gain a greater understanding of what took place that day. The sounds of the gun shots and the replays of the television accounts are the most impactful for me.

We got to stand in the exact area amongst the stack of books (formerly the Texas School Book Depositary) where it is alleged Lee Harvey Oswald fired the fatal shot. It is interesting to note that the only window without the eyebrow shaped architectural design was the location that Oswald chose and I wonder what the significance (if any) there was of that? I use the term alleged because one of the most interesting aspects of the tour is that everyone has their own conspiracy theories on what actually happened that day. Who shot him, why he got shot, why it was not just Oswald etc?

After the 45-minute tour we went outside to the Grassy Knoll where the motorcade sped away. Behind the Grassy Knoll is the sewage drain that is said to have been Oswald's escape route. We also dodged traffic and ran out onto the street where an "X" marks the spot that the first bullet hit the President. It was the first time I had gone out to that spot and it was interesting to be able to look back up at the building and imagine the chaos that must have taken place that day.

The Sixth Floor museum is a Dallas Landmark and a poignant moment in US history. So many years have passed since that tragic day, and the interpretations of the assassination still remains so intriguing, and I learn something new each time I visit.

November was an incredibly busy month and I was fortunate to have a role in a number of very special events and moments. The first of these incredible experiences to take place was that I got to go back to Far Rockaway, New York to visit my former elementary school P.S. 104. I was selected along with other basketball greats such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mark Jackson, Julius Erving and Chris Mullen, to participate in a documentary titled, "First Hoops". The documentary is directed by a friend of mine Cylk Cozart and photographed by the talented Michael Paris. It seeks out to capture the place where each basketball star scored their first basket. It was so cool because they take you back to film at the very place where you scored your first hoop.

This trip was tremendously phenomenal for me and I would like to thank Katie Grady, the Principal at P.S. 104 for being very welcoming and allowing me to go back to the gymnasium where I scored my first basket ever. My love for basketball began when I was 8 years old, while walking to the lunchroom a basketball rolled out into the hall in front of me. I went into the gym and took a shot with the ball, I couldn't believe how exciting it was and came back the next day and every day after that to shoot hoops during recess breaks. The boys were very receptive to having me there and I had an absolute blast. Being back in that little gym in Far Rockaway created so many great memories. Just thinking of how you didn't play for money, you didn't play for fame, you played because you loved the game. There I was, shooting baskets, looking out the window, reminiscing and just sort of recapturing those feelings from such a young age.

I got to walk to my old house, see some of my neighbours and chat with them. I saw Kathy and Darryl, my neighbours from across the street. When they saw me, they just stopped their car, ran out and gave me the greatest most welcoming greeting. It was phenomenal to see these folks again. While in New York I also got the opportunity to spend quality time with good friends at some of my favorite NY spots. I had sushi on Broadway, again you can't go back to New York without going to Broadway!

From New York I travelled to Connecticut to Mohegan Sun for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. The Basketball Hall of Fame hosts the annual Tip-Off Tournament each November. Eight teams participate and this year my good friend, John Calipari, the Head Coach at University of Kentucky had his team in the tournament, along with my alma mater Old Dominion University.

I was invited to deliver the keynote speech at the Hall of Fame Banquet. This was a very special experience speaking in front of over 400 in attendance including all of the teams participating in the tournament. I took pictures with all of the kids, the Kentucky squad and Coach Calipari, the Old Dominion team and the Hall of Famers in attendance. Prior to the tournament, I was able to talk to the Old Dominion men's basketball team, where we shared our goals and dreams and what it means to be part of the Old Dominion family.

Friday morning the eight teams, five Hall of Famers, CM Newton and his wife Nancy, Dan Issel, Cliff Hagan, and Tommy Heinsohn (all Kentucky Alums) and I got to attend a Hall of Fame luncheon with the Business Leaders of Hartford. We got the opportunity to share the vision of the Hall, the partnership and the great history of our game. It was really great to share the significance of the weekend with this group. We sat courtside for all the games, and it was cool to see Rajon Rondo (another Kentucky alum) of the Celtics attend the final game on Sunday to support Kentucky.

Saturday night was dinner at Michael Jordan's restaurant and I spent time with some truly incredible people including alumni, very generous donors, Wood Selig the Athletic Director and Mark Benson who is in charge of Alumni and Donations. I was especially proud to be with Dr. Jim Jarrett my former Athletic Director and his wife Sugie.

In the end, ODU lost by 10 to Kentucky but the guys played great and I was really proud of them and Head Coach Blaine Taylor. This was homecoming for me. Sometimes in life you don't get the opportunity to stop and say thank you to the people who have helped shaped you and form who you are. Old Dominion did this for me, so to be able to be part of this event and part of the Hall, I am very fortunate. Kudos to everyone involved in making this weekend a success including the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, Executive Director John Doleva, Mohegan Sun, Paul, Scott, Fran and everyone who contributed to the event.

The month of November ended off on a tremendous high note, on the 26th it was Opening Night at the Texas Legends.. The sellout game was against the Austin Toros and I was honored with my jersey being raised to the rafters. This was in recognition of my contributions to the community both on and off the court. I was so appreciative of Donnie Nelson and everyone at the Legends for thinking of me and acknowledging me with such a wonderful gesture. The Legends organization is really great at remembering and taking care of their family. Donnie makes it like that; he makes everyone feel so important. We are very cause driven and we care about our people and the community. It was also Empowering Single Parents Night which again is an effort to help people, raise awareness, show them what they can do with their life and how to never be handicapped by their situation. This season promises to bring a lot of smiles, a lot of happiness and a lot of winning. I am excited to be a part of it. Go Legends!

Leading successfully allows both athletes and executives to improve their careers and day-to-day performance. There are numerous lessons that can be learned from successful leadership that can apply in both these competitive landscapes.

Superstar motivator, Lou Holtz positions this challenge. "Say you have a big thick piece of plywood, about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long, and you place it over a couple of cinder blocks a foot or so off the ground. You blindfold your player and challenge him to walk from one end to the other. He'd say, 'That's easy,' and stroll right across. So his thoughts would be only about success.

But now suppose I tell him I'm going to raise the platform. I'll put the wood between two buildings 50 stories high. Now the player thinks, 'Uh oh. I could fall.' The challenge is exactly the same but the athlete's confidence is now lower."

I use this example all the time in my mentoring, coaching and speaking engagements. I go on to break it down and explain, "So as a coach, you have to see that when goals are low, confidence is high, and when goals are high, confidence can start to slip away, even when the skills needed to succeed are exactly the same. Your job as the coach is not just setting high goals. You also have to work on the player's confidence, by keeping negative thoughts out of his head."

I address this same message to the business audience in the following manner. "How well are you doing that as a coach/leader? Do you find fault, assign blame, point out the negatives, and suggest what could go wrong? Or are you skilled at developing positive images of success in the minds of your team? When your sales team listens to you in meetings or one-on-one coaching sessions, do they walk out knowing exactly what to do, or are they more likely to be fearful of failure?"

It is my understanding that we must have both employees and athletes execute to their fullest potential. This is the approach I take in my coaching; I like the complexity of working with different personalities and different skill sets, and getting teams moving towards a place they don't think they can go.

This blog entry will recap a few recent trips I took to two great sporting occasions, the Football and Basketball Hall of Fames in Canton, Ohio and Springfield, Massachusetts, respectively. I was honored to first be going to watch my good friend and Dallas Cowboys great, Deion "Primetime" Sanders, receive his bust. As I was packing my bags in anticipation, the television was tuned to the NFL Network, which was airing a special on all seven of the 2011 inductees. While watching, it just made me remember the greatness of his career and the impact he had. Deion was a game changer, after all he had 19 defensive and return touchdowns. He made defense an offense, and did it with style, flair and brought crowds to their feet in the process.

So I was on my way, and boarded my 5:45pm flight to Chicago to catch my connection. I finally arrived in Canton just before midnight after being delayed, but it didn't matter because I made it and the party was just getting started! I walked into the lobby of the Marriott and there was a childhood friend of mine Shannon Sharpe, one of the other inductees. He turned around and said, "Oh my gosh, what is Nancy Lieberman doing here?" I told him I was there because I am a family friend of Deion Sanders. The guy then says, "A Basketball Hall of Famer at the Football Hall of Fame?" I responded, "Yes sir. I'm here to see what's on the other side of the fence."

The next day I wanted to see the Hall of Fame exhibits prior to the Enshrinement later that night. I walked into the main office and was asking about the best way to go about touring the hall. The woman in the office looked at me and said "Oh, wow! You're Nancy Lieberman, I'm a huge fan. I used to be a basketball coach myself and I can't believe you are here." Then a young lady, Alexis Harkins, who attends Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mount Vernon, Ohio recognized me and also knows my assistant coach from the Texas Legends, Coach Scott Flemming. Alexis plays basketball there and Scott was her coach at one time. What a small world!

After taking a few pictures with adoring fans, it was time to move through the exhibits. As I was walking around, I stared at the football helmets from the 1900's. I really enjoyed seeing the histories of such players as Paul Hornung and Bart Starr; there was just so much to see! I then came to Michael Irvin's bust, took a picture with it and tweeted, " I can't believe Michael Irvin's bust is nicer than mine, LOL." The Basketball HOF could definitely learn a thing or two from their football counterparts in that department. Following a quick run through the gift shop to buy a slew of Deion Sanders items and after a three-hour lunch at IHOP with former Cowboys, Nate Newton and Broderick Thomas, and their respective families, it was back to the hotel to prepare for the Enshrinement Ceremony.

Walking into the stadium there were all sorts of NFL players and Hall of Famers. Deion brought the kids from his TRUTH football league. I got out my flip camera to film that for him because it was so cool and I knew he would want to see it later on. I was seated five rows back from the stage along with Deion's family and right in front of me were Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg!! The last to arrive was Pilar (Deion's wife) and she was on crutches after hurting her leg earlier in the weekend. But, she still looked absolutely gorgeous, and of course, all of the Sanders' kids were there. Deion played for five different NFL Teams so each of his five children wore a different jersey to represent the squads. It was great!!

Everyone's speech was great, but Shannon Sharpe's absolutely hit it out of the park. The tribute to his grandmother totally got to me; what a fantastic story! My eyes welled up with tears just listening to him. But wouldn't you know that they would save the best (Deion!) for last.

He is such an amazing speaker. He gets to the heart of it with his confidence, his truth and his love of God. He talked about his Mom and how people used to say he didn't want to hit people, that he didn't want to tackle. But then he moved into telling everyone how he tackled everything in his Mom's life and took care of the bills and what he did for her. It just shows that he understood responsibility more than some might give him credit.

I have such love and respect for Deion and for what he does. I think his story is very similar to that of Muhammad Ali. The people that hated Muhammad during his career when he was loud and brash, are the same, who when he was done boxing, loved and revered him for the man that he became. I believe Deion will be seen the same way. He mentioned in his speech that there are some "haters" and some people that might not like him. But I think that as he continues to evolve, those people will fall in love with him when they realize what he has done for all of the children, for the homeless and truly for everyone in general. I am just really proud of Deion and so glad to call him my dear friend!

So a few weeks later I was back on the road, this time to Springfield for Basketball Hall of Fame festivities. After wrapping up another successful basketball camp, I quickly hustled home to shower and change then headed to the airport again, this time with my son, TJ. It's always an honor and thrill when he can go with me and this was his first trip since 2009 when Michael Jordan was inducted.

We were late getting to Springfield because our flight had to make an emergency landing in Indianapolis for an ill passenger. So we were scrambling when we landed because it was 5:00pm and I was supposed to be at a reception at 6:30pm. We made it to the hotel with a few minutes to spare and of course there were the constant crowds of autograph seekers. It seems like it is the same people every year, but I don't mind. So I always take the time to go over and sign a few items. They always seem very appreciative, as there are others that will simply just keep walking by. I had just enough time to run upstairs to change before needing to be back downstairs for a fun-filled evening.

The next morning began around 8:30am as I took part in a fantasy camp. Leading the camp with me was the Springfield Armor head coach Dee Brown, Dan Reed (President of the NBA D League) and my fellow Class of 1996 Basketball HOF member, David Thompson. We had a good turnout with about 30-35 people split amongst two different groups. It was made up of men and women, young and old, all of whom just wanted to be in the presence of living legends and Hall of Famers. The campers were even fortunate enough to hear some great stories from Bill Walton (Class of '93). He was so gracious to take pictures with everyone and sign a ton of autographs. The day wrapped up with us walking back to the hotel to get ready for the induction ceremonies when we ran into Tara VanDerveer and her sister, Heidi. They were both so excited to see how much TJ had grown since the last time they had seen him.

The evening started with a reception prior to the inductions, where we rubbed noses with greats like John Havlicek, Willis Reed, Bill Russell and Walt Frazier, just to name a few. I just scratch my head sometimes and say, "Wow, I'm hanging around some of the greatest players to ever play the sport of basketball." It was also nice to mix and mingle with everyone including past Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and others like Commissioner David Stern and Walt Bellamy. Before we left the reception, my good friend Dennis Rodman walked in. He was being followed by Penny Marshall (the famous director) because he was having a documentary made about his life. It was great for Dennis and I to catch up because it had been a while since we had seen each other.

With him was his sister, Deborah, who was an All-American at Louisiana Tech at the same time I was at Old Dominion. She and I had a chance to play together as well, as we were teammates on the Dallas Diamonds. She was a great player in her own right and I loved having her as my teammate, plus it was great when Dennis and their mom, Shirley, would come to our games.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was walking down the red carpet leading into the induction ceremony. I love taking pictures with all the great players of yesterday and today and just seeing so many Hall of Famers in one spot is so amazing. All the speeches that night were wonderful and it was so great to see my long time friend Dennis Rodman get inducted.

For my next blog entry I wanted to talk about something that has happened pretty recently and that is the news about Coach Pat Summitt. I want to go back to the beginning, where a lot of people don't realize that Pat (Head, at the time) was a great player in her own right. The time was 1974 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I had made the USA tryout where all the great All-Americans and other best players from around the country were at the time. Ten players were selected from local areas around the country and I was fortunate to be one of them and this was the first time I got to meet Pat.

She was strong, she was relentless, she played hard and she had that determination and look on her face. You knew you didn't want to guard her because you knew it was going to be a long day at the office. We would go up against each other in practices, battling the whole time and I didn't know it at the time, but she was teaching me the next level of basketball.

The next year I was 16 years old, a junior at high school and was at the Pan American Games tryouts. I didn't know at that point that Pat and I would end up being teammates. We both ended up making the 1975 Pan Am team. She had been coming off ACL surgery and was working real hard to rehab. She was always kind and generous with her time and she knew I was the youngest player on the team. She was very close with the coaches and had the "coach's mentality" despite only being 21 herself. Fast forward a year and we were on the Olympic team and went on to win the silver medal in Montreal. Pat and I had always been good friends. At this time I had been getting a ton of recruiting calls but I never got one from Pat (she was in her first couple of years of coaching at the University of Tennessee). She would not recruit me because she felt that people would have the perception that it was unfair because she had more of a chance to be around me than other coaches. That just goes to show her integrity. She was smart enough to know she could have had me on her team but she wouldn't cross that line to recruit me. At that time I think I felt a little insulted, but now I look back on that moment and just know she did the right thing.

Another time that comes to my mind with Pat was after my freshman year at Old Dominion. I had a miserable time during my first year so I had made up my mind that I was leaving ODU. My grandfather had died that spring and there was all sorts of craziness with our coaching staff so I knew I was going to transfer. I remember a phone call that I received shortly after all this happened and it was Pat. She was calling to check in, as you remember we had just been teammates that previous year, and she said she just found out that she was going to be the head coach of the junior national team that summer (1977).

This was the first time she was going to be coaching internationally. I was 18 (playing age was 19 and under) and she said, "It sure would mean a lot to me if you would play on this team. I know you can still play for the USA National team but I would love to have you on my team." And without any question about thinking that I should be playing for the "big girl's team," I said, "Yes, I will be there and I will play for you." Pat meant so much for me so of course I wanted to play for her. So I was on her team, playing for our country and it was really competitive stuff. We were in Mexico at the time and I was playing against Brazil's Hortencia de Fatima, who alongside myself, was considered one of the best players in the world. There was a lot going on and I remember playing hard but was struggling at the time. Pat looked at me one day outside the locker room; she put her finger right into my chest and said to me, "Nancy, how many rebounds did you average at Old Dominion this past year?" I told her about nine or ten. And she said, "You haven't had nine or ten in the last two weeks and if you don't start playing harder, I am going to send you back home." I was so scared of that look she gave me that I started playing much better. We went on to win the gold medal and Pat was Pat, she pushed us beyond places we didn't think we could get to and she was such a great teacher and I loved playing for her.

I told Pat about my struggles at Old Dominion during my freshman year and told her I hated it there and I desperately wanted to come play for her at Tennessee. I was begging her to take me on her team, despite ODU going 23-9 and just barely missing the tournament. And I will never forget this as long as I live. She said, "Nancy, I cannot have you come here to UT. If you quit now and walk away from ODU right now, you will never finish anything in life. I don't want you to do this and you know I would love to coach you again, but you have to suck it up and stay committed to your institution." And look how the history of basketball might of ended up. That would have forever altered the course of women's basketball history. She's a smart lady, she knows we would have won some championships earlier than she did, but as much as she wanted to win, her integrity and her character have always come first. I really admire that about her.

Most importantly though, I just love the friendship between us and the way she has treated me over the years. Whether it has been just hanging on her boat "Cincy" out on the lake and discussing our kids, business ventures and just life in general, or everything from speaking engagements, to working with kids and talking about how to change people's lives, those moments are forever etched in my mind. When I asked her to write the foreward to my book Basketball for Women, she wrote the foreward and when I have asked her to do interviews she has been front and center. Pat has always been present for me on so many levels. I just admire her and appreciate her strength, her focus and her commitment.

She has grown and she has evolved, but the core of who Pat is, has never once changed. She's loyal, she's low-key and she just wants to win, to teach and to educate. She has a love for people and I really just dig how she's handled herself throughout her whole career. It's incredible for me to think how much Pat Summitt has been in my life.

So Pat, I love you! We all love you! Thank you for your dedication and your strength and being the woman you are. You are a rock!

As you know we have started changing a lot on my website and to catch up with the times, we have decided to create a blog. I can’t think of a better topic to kick it off with then talking about the great postseason run by our Dallas Mavericks.

It was unbelievable! You know people have been joking around asking me “Nancy, are you going to get a championship ring or not?” The answer is no, even though we (The Legends) are their affiliate for the NBDL, we applauded them and supported them from the sidelines and are so proud of those guys. We are a family and take pride in being a part of the Dallas Mavericks brand.

It was so riveting because the Legends had just come off making the playoffs in our inaugural season and it was such a big high for the entire organization. And then to have the Mavericks win the Championship just made the whole season so much more special for me. Starting with the series against Portland and then obviously continuing with the sweep of the Lakers, it was just an exciting time for the community. Everyone thought it would be such a nip-and-tuck battle with L.A., but as you all know, it wasn’t. That being said, I had never been part of a championship team at that level. Certainly I have been a part of championships in college or winning medals for the USA as both a player and a coach, but this was at another, just incredible level. I had been talking with Coach Rick Carlisle and his assistants throughout the season, texting back and forth, and to have the connection with them during the run will greatly benefit our players for next season.

When Fox Sports Southwest called and asked me to host the championship parade with John Rhadigan, it was unbelievable. I knew this was going to be neat stuff considering they were expecting 250,000 people. Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson do a great job to make the fans a part of everything and it was just electric. I got down to the American Airlines Center early that morning, around 6:30 am and you could just feel the excitement in the air. It was hotter than hot but a beautiful day and to have everyone come up to me and wanting to talk Mavs basketball; it was pretty cool. It felt so wonderful to have this experience and relish in the glory.

Earlier in the playoffs, when we were playing the Thunder, I had been up in Oklahoma for the Toby Keith Charity Golf Tournament and was at his house. I would keep turning around towards Toby to ask him what the score was. Mind you the Mavs were up by 23 and all his guests were getting so mad at me! And then I would ask again, kind of rubbing it in, “Toby, what’s the score again? I can’t see the TV.” He would respond “You’re up 23.” I got a great kick out of it!

The Mavericks will never forget this championship run. The bond, the camaraderie, the being in the trenches together. It’s just so special to be a part of this franchise. But best of all was how great this was to see how it affected Mark. I have known Mark since the 80’s, when we were playing ball at the North Dallas Club. He became a Mav for life when he bought the team and it was so special to see him tear up and show all the emotion when the team won. It was cool to see that from him because you know he has put a lot of time and effort to make this the premiere franchise in the NBA. The players dig it and they dig how he treats everything with such passion and pride.
I am looking forward to my new role as assistant GM of the Texas Legends and to working even closer with Donnie Nelson. To see what Donnie has done on a GM level and how those moments impact the players on our team excites me. Other than that, I just want to say that this was a championship for the entire franchise and the city of Dallas and it was pretty cool to be a small part of it.