Don't call it a comeback

Calling all Miami Heat fans, commentators, crap talkers, basketball lovers, whoever you may be!

I have a tad bit of a problem when I hear people say "Vintage/Retro" Dwyane Wade. Take for instance, last night. Wade scored 32 points and everyone and their mother is screaming "WOO HOO vintage/retro Wade played tonight", NO. I get that back in his younger years he was much faster, had different sets of numbers, and could weave through people better than he can now, etc. This is to be expected because it's called life and getting older. But if you haven't noticed that even on a bum knee last season, his field goal percentage was a whopping 52% in the regular season and 47% in the playoffs. The year before that? 50% and 46%. This vintage Wade you speak of had only 3% more in his 2006 winning season. For his entire 10 year career he has averaged 20+ points a game as it is, so why even say the word vintage to begin with? Oh, and this month, Wade just became the all-time leader in blocks for players 6-foot-4 or shorter, passing a player named Dennis Johnson, who had 674 swats in his 14-year career.

What I am trying to say is, every athlete will change as time passes, and it’s inevitable. So tell me why on earth does Wade need to score all these points to then be compared to the 'old' him at the end of every.single.game? Not-to-mention do blocks, steals and assists not count for anything in the basketball world today? I guess not because, whenever he scores more than 25+ points everyone is raving about how the old Wade is back, but when he doesn't all you hear is crickets. Can we just take a moment to look at his talent as a whole, as of right now? Why do we have to constantly throw that he is retro when he is just doing what he has been doing in his 10 season career consistently, just a tad bit slower. Yes, he has had some bad games, who hasn't? But him as a player hasn't gone anywhere, why the need to compare a 'right now Wade' to a 'retro Wade?’ Do your research before jumping the gun and screaming retro/vintage, like he hasn't been here for 10 years. 

That is all for now, my readers. My rant is over, and just like Wade says in his most recent advertisement: 

"I'll see you in June"

Signed, 

THREE. (...see what I did there)