the Miami Sports Dude

In my previous post, I wrote about how one of the exciting parts of the night was seeing Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper at the Heat-Nets game. I wrote a quick blurb about him acknowledging the crowd on the jumbotron and how everybody went nuts when they saw him.

What I edited out of that piece, really because I was saving it for its own piece, is the way Culpepper “acknowledged” the masses. Now, I’m a little perplexed that no one else really caught on to this, and it’s been a bitch trying to find a photo of it (alas, I don’t think one exists). But the fact remains that I truly believe that Culpepper flashed all 20,000 Heat fans in attendance Tuesday night, “the shocker.”

It was either the shocker or Culpepper is now part of a street gang (or a Wichita State fan).

He didn’t wave. He didn’t point. He gestured. Now, this isn’t the West coast, so I know he didn’t do the old “West Siiiiide” signal. And Culpepper is from Florida, so he has no immediate West coast roots that I am aware of. But clearly, there were three fingers and, even more damning, the screen quickly turned back to the on-court festivities which was, mainly, nothing but roving TNT camera crews. The Heat jumbotron guys knew what was going on.

A woman in her late 30’s sitting in front of us complained when Culpepper’s image was abrubtly cut off as we were all in mid-cheer. I said, rather enthusiastically, “I think he just gave us the shocker!” She looked back at me like I had a lemur sitting on my face. She was obviously unaware of the term and said, “The what?” I did not answer. I would be like having to re-visit the experience of explaining to my Dad why people call each other “dawg." It would just be too time consuming, exasperating and futile.

Now this is all conjecture, mind you. I could be wrong (I say this only because I have no hard evidence. I have only my mind’s eye.). But I must attest to the fact that I had not yet gotten drunk that evening. And I sort of feel like the one guy who actually spotted Sasquatch in the woods but had the lens cap on the camera while taking the picture. But I saw what I saw. There has to be evidence of this somewhere. A cell phone pic. A video camera. Something. This is the age of the interweb dammit!! Where you can get pictures of just about anyone doing just about anything (or anyone)!!

Not that it matters to me at all. It doesn’t. I love Culpepper and I love that he’s our quarterback and I think he’s going to rock the house. And, in fact, I would LOVE it if he did the shocker as a TD celebration instead of that "traveling violation" thing he usualy does. ("Hey Tom Brady, I just threw my 5th touchdown against your sorry defense, bitch. Heyyyo!!")

It’s just that the whole “Love Boat” thing is becoming a bit more clear to me now. And I also find it hilarious that I woke up this morning and saw this headline on a website: Culpepper Making A Favorable Impression

There’s a sweet irony to it all. And I like it.

If you have a photo proving or disproving this, or if you have video or even if you can verbally back me up on this, please drop me a line at MiamiSportsDudes@mail.com

We are offering no prizes. We can only offer you MiamiSportsDudes immortality and will always praise your name on this blog for thousands to see.

And in case you’re like over the age of 35 and stuff and have like no idea what the hell I’m talking about, here’s a helpful article.

Labels: Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat

# posted by The Dude : 11:04 AM