Mike Ashmore's Great American Sports Tour

Tour Stop #8

3/3/2005 - Heat at Nets - East Rutherford, NJ 3/4, 12:30 AM: I've been back from the Nets game for about an hour now.  It was an OK game, Miami won, 106-90.  I pretty much saw everything I wanted to see.  Shaq dunked a few times, Alonzo Mourning played, and the Wanger got in there...something I was quite pleased with.  This is the first time I've seen Miami, but the first of three times I'll be seeing them between now and April 10th.  I can't wait to see them destroy the Knicks in two weeks!

The view from my seats.

Basketball icon Wang Zhi Zhi.

Dwyane Wade takes a jumper during warmups.

Yes, kids, that's a seven foot Wang.

Shaq.

Alonzo Mourning...pumped!

Udonis Haslem and Shaquille O'Neal discuss first names...

...then Dwyane Wade brings up Kazaam and we all win.

Vince Carter and Shaquille O'Neal before the game, with Christian Laettner getting in yet another shot.

Shaq threatens to eat Jason Kidd.  Sadly, he does not.

Opening tip-off.

Ron Mercer actually had one of his better games tonight.

Dwyane Wade at the line.

Shaq at the free throw line.  Somehow, he managed to shoot pretty well from the charity stripe tonight.

THE WANGER!  He played all of two minutes, but I couldn't have been happier.

Mercer fondles Laettner, film at 11.

Alonzo Mourning in his first game with the Heat since 2001-2002.

Zo.