ESPN NBA

Prior to this season, Alonzo Mourning in 1995-96 was the only player in Miami Heat history who had three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a single season.

With 41 points and 13 rebounds on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers, LeBron James has had two this month. It was James' third 40-point, 10-rebound game of the season, the most in the NBA.

He now has 45 career 40-point games; that's tied with Tracy McGrady for third among active players behind Kobe Bryant (106) and Shaquille O'Neal (49).

In terms of +/-, James finished plus-18 for the game, while both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were minus-2. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tuesday was just the third game this season in which James had a positive +/- and both Wade and James were negative.

Around the rest of the NBA …
• There have been three games this season in which the home team lost by at least 30 points, and the Atlanta Hawks have been on the short end of the scoreboard in two of those games.

The Hawks' 34-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday (117-83) is the second-worst home defeat in the NBA this season, trailing only the 41-point defeat Atlanta had against the New Orleans Hornets on Jan. 21 (100-59). The only other team to lose a home game by at least 30 points this season is the Charlotte Bobcats, 93-62 to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 11.

It was the 76ers' first 30-point road win since a 112-78 victory at Cleveland on Dec. 2, 2000. (The franchise record for margin of victory in a road game is 41 points at Chicago on Nov. 11, 1980.)

At 33-19, Atlanta has the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Should the Hawks finish the season at least 10 games above .500, the Elias Sports Bureau says they would join one other such team in NBA history to lose two home games by at least 30 points. The 1969-70 Baltimore Bullets had 30-point home losses to the Suns and Knicks, yet finished the season 50-32.

• Dwight Howard finished with 22 points and 20 rebounds in the Orlando Magic's win over the Los Angeles Clippers. It was Howard's fifth 20-20 game of the season (only Kevin Love has more, 7) and 31st of his career. The only active player with more 20-point, 20-rebound games is O'Neal with 34.

Howard and Blake Griffin entered the game as the top two players in dunks, field goals made and points scored within five feet of the basket. Howard was dominant in that area on Tuesday, as all seven of his made field goals were within five feet, compared to four for Griffin. Howard also had four dunks to Griffin's two.

• Speaking of Love, he posted his 38th straight double-double, breaking the Minnesota Timberwolves' franchise record held by Kevin Garnett. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only player since the merger (1976-77) with more consecutive double-doubles than Love is Moses Malone, who had 50 straight in 1978-79, and 44 in a row during the 1982-83 season.

What kind of basketball city is Miami?

Last week, Henry Abbott put out a call for submissions in an effort to answer this question. We wanted to hear from locals who have been season ticket holders since the Heat's inaugural season in 1988, from transplants who carried their love affair with the Knicks and Celtics down to south Florida and from anyone who has a sound theory about what ingredients go into the making of a basketball town.

We received dozens of emails that touched on the unique collection of demographic, economic and social factors that govern the sports landscape in Miami. Surya Fernandez of Hot Hot Hoops has delved into a lot of this.

Most agreed with Christian Santiago that loyalty isn't an intrinsic value to south Floridians. But, as Santiago points out, loyalty between fan and team is complicated, nuanced stuff:

Miami is the geographic incarnate of the new Tom Sawyer. We have no loyalty to any god, government, sport, or team. The sycophantic fickle fans of South Florida couldn't locate the word "loyalty" in the dictionary. If the citizens of this town participated in a reality TV role play of the Oregon Trail, the wagon would burn before it reached Ft. Lauderdale. As a life long member of this fine community, I can say that few of us are willing to give our allegiance to a loser. However, things may be different this time. You see this is the first time in a long time that someone builds a team with a foundation. The Heat and the Marlins are the recent teams to bring prosperity to our city, and in all three cases, (the Fish won two World Series) the teams were built to "Win Now." Within two years there was nothing left but the skeleton frame of rebuilding.

This time around, the fans will stick like leeches because there is a legitimate chance of a dynasty. Dan Le Batard said we don't deserve this team. I have to agree. But for those of us who were true fans through thick and thin, this is a better afterlife than a million virgins and rivers of wine and honey. It's like winning the lottery. People will either spite you out of envy, or pucker up in search of gold. The fans, like the invisible hand that guides society, will sell out the triple-A despite the varied purity of their motives. For better or worse, it will still benefit the team. If the Heat wins like everyone expects, the arena will erupt with passion and love. If there's one thing this town craves, it's an excuse to party, and with the South Beach Armada in sight, they will party the night away wearing D-Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James jerseys.

Some, like Ben Batory, offer pithy explanations:

It's simply a mismatch of sport and culture. Those who care (the local Miamians...) just don't know. Sure, they enjoy the spectacle and the result, but the nuances of the game are totally lost on them. Those who know (the transplants from the northeast and elsewhere) just don't care. They might get the subtle stuff, but they came here for other things.

Back in late March, I discussed Atlanta's reputation as a lackluster sports town. Many of the issues that surround Atlanta apply to Miami. Both are transient sun-belt cities that have relatively young histories in the realm of pro sports, as Travis Lund writes:

I believe the start of any great fan base or sports culture comes out of tradition. You grow up watching your team with your folks. You learn, before you can form a complete sentence, to love that team passionately, and to hate their rivals with equal passion. To qualify, a team must A. have existed long enough to have at least one legitimate passing of the fandom torch; an adult generation that imbues its children with fanatical sports devotion from the cradle. Fans come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of commitment, but the core of any good sports culture stems from those children. In Miami’s case, the Heat formed in 1988, so we haven’t really had enough time for a generation to fall in love with the team, have kids, and through parental osmosis, instill the same love in their children.

Corollary: these people need to stay in town. Sure, you can raise your kids to love the teams of your youth, but it’s a tougher endeavor if you’re vying for their attentions with whatever teams reside in your current city. Native sons and daughters make better fans because they have local media, billboards, etc. reinforcing their fandom. Atlanta (and I suspect Miami) is not a great sports town because so much of the population are transplants, so the next generation is never made up of quite enough diehards from birth to sustain this kind of love. Corollary number two: If the team hasn’t been around long enough to experience fan inheritance, there’s a decent chance they also haven’t been around long enough to build up a real rivalry, which, to an extent, negates some of the fun of loving a team. Every great narrative needs a villain.

I like Cory Brandfon's response, which dovetails with Lund's comments, but parses the generational component a little further:

Miami is a young person’s basketball town. Anyone familiar with professional sports in South Florida can tell you that the culture throughout the mid to late 90’s (the end of the Dan Marino lull) was focused around the Miami Heat. The buzz amongst sports fans focused on the arrival of coach Riley as well as the success experienced by the exciting duo of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway. Many of the greatest Heat memories from that time are, of course, related to the well-publicized battles with the bigger and much badder New York Knicks. For a time, Miami sports fans followed the Dolphins, but cheered for the Heat, and the excitement surrounding the latter was palpable. I distinctly remember a watch party that I was attending when Allan Houston’s runner let the collective air out of the basketball bubble in South Florida. The success of the Heat and the rise of basketball in the area at the time however should not be overlooked ...

... Any sports fan can tell you however, that a young crowd, especially in the NBA, won’t fill up an arena. It wasn’t until 2006 when the Heat made their Championship run on the back of a recognizable star in Shaquille O’Neal, and the highly touted talent of youngster Dwyane Wade that the older sports fans dished out the money to fill the arena on a consistent basis, and with them came the younger fans.

Now the young fans that grew up admiring those legendary Heat-Knicks battles form the nucleus of the fan base. We are all hoping that our patience the last 4 seasons, during which we had the undeniable privilege of watching all-world guard Dwyane Wade take on teams by himself, will be rewarded.

Many e-mailers, like Brandon Resnick, cited the economic downturn in recent years as a deterrent. No region in the nation has born the brunt of the current recession more than south Florida:

Another issue hampering support for these franchises is that finally my generation has enough disposable income to support the team, and most of the people I know have left the area. The economy in South Florida has lead the recession along with California and that has definitely caused the younger generations to flee in search of better opportunities.

A number of south Floridians who responded maintain that the Miami Dolphins' (and college football's Miami Hurricanes) historic success, longevity and supremacy among the constellation of sports teams somehow preclude the city from becoming a basketball town, but that's a somewhat apocryphal explanation. For one, plenty of cities have enough love to go around for multiple teams. Boston manages a rabid loyalty to all four of its pro teams. Though you can probably assign rankings to Chicago's affinity for its pro franchises, the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Hawks are beloved by large swaths of the population.

Carlos Gimenez gets into this dynamic, referencing Dan Le Batard's comment that Miami is an "event town" above all else:

See, all the talk about Miami being a football town, or any other town, fails to recognize the truth. Miami is an event town pure and simple. The regular season games, no matter the sport, have a tough time selling out, unless it is an "event game." Unless the Dolphins are playing the Jets, Patriots, Bills, within division, or a marquee team, forget it, some local TV station is going to have to buy the rest of the tickets to avoid a blackout. Same thing with the 'Canes. If it's not UF or FSU, don't count on a sellout. We didn't even have a sell out for the Oklahoma game last year ...

... Some, following the "Decision" said that Miami does not deserve a basketball team because the fans are fickle. To that, I say so what? I like fans that demand their teams not only perform well, but put a show on in the process. We are fickle fans because we demand excellence. We were spoiled into demanding excellence. 1972, Dolphins Perfect Season. The U has won five National Titles (actually six if you include the Fiasco Bowl), and have been undefeated three times in the process. The Heat has won a title, one of eight franchises to win a title in the last 30 years. Even the Marlins have won the World Series every time they have been to the playoffs (twice).

That being said, Miami is not a football town, or a baseball town, or a BASKETBALL TOWN, we are an EVENT Town, and there will be no better event than every single Heat home or away game this year!

Gimenez's conclusion holds a lot of weight, but I'd go even further.

Miami might not have been a basketball town over the past 22 years.

But it is now.

• You know that old basketball meme that says a coach drawing a technical foul is one way to fire up his team? As Bret LaGree of Hoopinion enumerates, the possessions following Mike Woodson's technical last night in Atlanta were every bit as ugly as the ones that preceded it. Hoopinion also had this morsel in its recap of the Hawks' loss to Cleveland: "It's easier ... to work in isolation ... than to put in the hard, collaborative work to integrate five players in a productive concert of motion. It's easier to walk the ball up the court than it is to work hard to get the ball, be it via turnover or defensive rebound, then press on to push the ball up the court and attack a defense before it's set."
• The Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman on the relationship between Alonzo Mourning-Michael Beasley: "Michael and Zo talk just about every day immediately after practice. Zo also pops his head into the locker room after games, looks at Beasley, shakes his head with a smile, and keeps on going. When Zo is looking to take his kid home after games, you're not sure if he means Trey, his 13 year old, or Michael, his 20 year old."
• Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles on the mystery surrounding Ron Artest's concussion: "The problem is we still don't know what happened because he doesn't know what happened. During the course of the impromptu 10-minute long press conference at halftime, Artest said some variation of the phrase 'I can't remember' 15 times."
• Rahat Huq of Red94 on the mixed emotions that accompany Tracy McGrady's departure: "This team, as currently composed, will need an elite player to attain the heights it seeks. While the vision had crumbled of McGrady once more becoming that player, I felt he could at least masquerade in the role, utilizing the vestiges that still remained of a once deadly arsenal, boosting the team through close fourth quarters. But that will not happen – Tracy McGrady is gone."
• Zach Lowe noticed an interesting trend when the deliberate Celtics' offense confronts one of the league's get-out-and-run squads, at least prior to the Celtics' loss at Oakland Monday night: "Bizarrely, the C’s have had a lot more trouble against the hares of the league when they drag the hares down to Boston’s own tortoise pace. When they give in and run like crazy at the hares preferred speed, the C’s have been 6-0 against Golden State, Indiana, New York, Phoenix and Minnesota since the start of last season."
• It's a pretty amazing feat: The last time the San Antonio Spurs weren't a top five team in defensive efficiency was 1996-97. This season, they rank 14th. Basketball Free For All examines the roster to figure out why.
• Graydon Gordian of 48 Minutes of Hell gets the full Gregg Popovich treatment during the postgame press conference following the Spurs win over Minnesota.
• The Bobcats and Raptors meet tonight in Toronto. In their last meeting at Charlotte, the Raps lost by 35. Zarar Siddiqi on the pre-Thanksgiving massacre: "You might recall the last Bobcats game, it’s the one where you almost stopped being a fan. You know how in movies when a violent crime is committed against somebody, the memory is a bit hazy and they only remember the most shocking parts, and when the police asks them to recall the events of that miserable night, they burst into tears because they just remembered how awful it all really was."
• According to Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog, it appears as if the Washington Times won't have sports section after tomorrow.
• What's sent the Wizards spiraling from respectability? Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm offers this theory: "In a way, LeBron killed it. And I know that hurts.But when he spoke to Gilbert at the line, something changed. Nothing was right after that. It was just disaster after disaster, be it the quiet unfortunate kind (the playoff elimination sans Gilbert), the abject demolition (the injury 08-09 season), or this year, the death of hope."
• Clippers center DeAndre Jordan tweets: "My boy @Baron_Davis came to the plane in a cashmere robe and sweats, so we decided it was time for a photo shoot babyyyyyyy ... http://tl.gd/1d7io"

By Henry Abbott

Just happened across this quote from Alonzo Mourning's 2008 book "Resilience," which I'd recommend heartily to anyone who could use a little shot of resolve in overcoming a major challenge:

You can wait and hope, or you can go make it happen. Rebounds and rebounding from illness aren't that different.

For the record, Mourning is in the top 50 all-time in his rebounding rate, and surely he's also in the top 50 all-time in kidney transplant recovery. Here Mourning talks about the importance of really wanting to go get that ball.

Jason Kidd -- staying or going? The Spurs -- live by the 3PA or die by the 3PA? Phil Jackson -- off-day practices or a few hours of extra shut-eye? Explore the either/ors at the TrueHoop Network. 

Rob Mahoney of Two-Man Game: "Depending on how you prioritize the Mavs' talent, [Jason] Kidd could be anywhere from the team's best player to the third best.  What he does at the point is irreplaceable given the current chips, and finding an acceptable substitute in a timely fashion given the Mavs' salary cap situation would be nearly impossible.  That's why, as much as it pains me to say it, the Mavs' future rests squarely in the hands of Jason Kidd.  If Kidd opts to leave the Mavs this summer, any chance of contention in the near future leaves with him, and the rebuilding plan should go into effect immediately. Assuming we actually have a rebuilding plan."

Graydon Gordian of 48 Minutes of Hell: "I understand the Spurs are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league. I understand that our offensive scheme is perfectly designed to create open looks for perimeter shooters. But we need to have the sobriety to realize that, when the outside shots aren't falling, the cure isn't more outside shots. When we struggle from deep, we need to work the ball inside or earn some trips to the charity stripe. The Hornets had a poor night from the field as well (.375) but by initiating enough contact to make it to the free throw line 33 times (and making 32 of those attempts) they were able to produce points consistently. I've made this point far more times than I care too. The fact of the matter is, even for a talented shooting team, 29 3-point attempts is too many."

Royce Young of Daily Thunder: "After watching Blake [Griffin] for two years in college and four in high school, I'm honestly starting to wonder if he's the type of player you sell the farm to get. People can question the little things about him -- free throw shooting, defense, mid-range jumper -- but he's got those tools. They just weren't always on display. He didn't need the mid-range game because he could post up any player in America. His defense sometimes didn't look great because he was concerned with foul trouble -- OU couldn't afford for Blake to not be on the floor. And his free throw shooting numbers look bad, but he's got a great release and a small mechanical hitch. Nothing some good coaching can't fix."

THE FINAL WORD
Celtics Hub: A tribute to rookie Alonzo Mourning's heroics against the C's in the 1993 Playoffs.
Raptors Republic: What to do with Toronto's supporting cast in the offseason.
Forum Blue & Gold: Getting inside Phil Jackson's head.

(Photos by Don Smith, D. Clarke Evans, Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

Alonzo Mourning called it quits yesterday.  The seven-time NBA All-Star goes out as the Miami Heat's all-time leader in games played, points, rebounds, blocked shots, and field-goal percentage.  He battled opposing centers, Larry Johnson, and a kidney transplant during his 15-year career. TrueHoop caught up with 'Zo this morning.  

Retiring from the game was one of the biggest events of your life.  Was there a single moment when you made the decision? 
To tell you the truth, it was a collection of events -- a lot of subliminal messages and conversations with people that evolved over a year of rehabilitation.  I was getting pretty close to getting back on the court. I was running and jumping.  My legs were getting stronger.  I started to see that light at the end of the tunnel. 

Then, this week, I went to Washington for the inauguration.  Everyone there was excited about the moment.  People would come up to me.  They'd ask for an autograph or if they could take a picture with me.   Almost everyone I met, after we'd take the photo, they'd ask me, "How's your health?"   This struck a chord with me.  I suddenly realized how important my health is.  I started to think -- I want to be on this earth for another 40 or 50 years, and I want those years to be productive.  I want to be healthy.  I don't want to walk around with a limp.  Most of all, I want to watch my kids grow up. 

Now that your pro career is over, is there any part of your game you feel like you never perfected?  
Looking back at my career, I can think of a million people who would've loved to have walked the path I did. Everything that was supposed to happen, happened.  I can't tell you, "I wish I did this," or, "I wish I'd perfected a three-point shot."  I lived a storybook career. 

Even the incidents that weren't positive at the time.  The fight in New York? It made me a better person, because wisdom is developed through adversity.  The things that weren't perfect?  They were all part of making me a better person and a better player. 

Will it be painful for you to watch the pro game and know you'll never compete at that level again? 
It'll never be painful because every athlete I watch will eventually reach this point, where they call it quits.  I'm grateful that I got to be part of history, that I helped to build a global brand that has become the most popular sport in the world.  I feel like I gave all I could physically to the sport.  I had to overcome so many obstacles. 

That's one thing I'd change if I could go back:  I'd take out all the injuries.  Injuries are devastating.  So many guys are fortunate enough to go through their careers without significant injuries.  I wasn't that lucky, but I was able to come back from every single one of them. 

How are you going to feed your competitiveness on a daily basis now that you won't be playing ball? 
I found something else that challenges me other than my children: I've become an avid golfer.  That feeds the competitiveness. It's also very relaxing because there are no other competitors out there but yourself. It's also humbling.  That little white ball can bring you to your knees.  It doesn't always go where you want it to go.   But you can golf for the rest of your life.  There's also my philanthropic work.  That's a challenge in itself because there's so much work to be done in changing people's lives for the better.  That's a big initiative. 

In general, how are you feeling? 
I feel great -- like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don't have to worry about rebounding, setting a screen, running a play, catching any elbows. I don't have to worry about putting a bunch of icebags on me.  All I have to do now is take my kids to school, work on my golf swing, and do my philanthropy.   Every athlete wants to leave their mark on the game and know they've done as much as they could for their craft.  I've done that.  I'm able to walk away from the game with a sense of fulfillment, and I'm looking forward to starting another chapter of my life. 

You're now working as a key member of the advisory council for the McDonald's All-American Game.  Can you tell us a little more about the game's importance as a rite of passage for the best young basketball players in the country?
One thing people may not realize is that the McDonald's All-American game is not just a showcase of the best talent in the country. It's also a platform where players get their first understanding of what it means to give back.  The proceeds of the game go to the local chapters of the Ronald McDonald House, which benefits local families.  Players arrive knowing they're the best in the nation.  But that week before the game is about players understanding that the game is as much about community service as it is about basketball. Philanthropy makes the world go 'round.  The more young players can understand that, the more successful they'll be in becoming not just complete players, but complete human beings. 

You've put together a list of the top 33 best McDonald's All-American Game alums?  What criteria did you use in choosing the players?
It was very difficult, because I didn't want to insult anybody.  I based the list on a balance of talent on the court, along with your contributions off the court.  Giving back was a huge factor, because that's what the McDonald's All-American Game signifies.  We wanted individuals who brought a humanitarian approach to their craft.

What do you tell young players who might be very, very good, but may not realize that they're not pro-caliber players? Are you honest with them? 
First, I tell them that all of this is short-lived, whether you make it to the NBA or not.  Everyone aspires to the NBA, but most aren't going to make it.  There are only 450 NBA players.  Due to the fact that the game has expanded globally, international players now make up about 25% of those -- so that makes it even tougher.  I tell them to work on their game, but at the same time think about their education.  You've got to have something to fall back on.  And you have to be of service to your community.  All these things have to be factored into your development.  

How has the game changed in the 20-plus years since you graduated high school?
It's a much more perimeter-oriented game. There are no more big men.  Everyone wants to be a perimeter guy!  When I came up, it was me, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Rik Smits, Kevin Duckworth, Robert Parish.  The list goes on forever.  Now more and more players want to resemble the Michael Jordan style of player.  You see it at the McDonald's game.  The transition has been
interesting.  But there will always be a place for big men.  Having an impactful perimeter player is important, but Dwyane Wade, LeBron James -- none of those guys win unless they have a big man playing with them who is truly controlling. 

There's an interesting scene in your new book, Resilience, about your being out in Miami with your wife, Tracy.  It depicts you as very standoffish and unapproachable.  There's a quote from you: "I was once young and naïve and trusted everyone and it almost cost me everything.”  What did you mean and has that changed for you over the years?
At such a young age, you're gullible.  You let everyone into your circle.  Coming out of high school, everyone wanted to be a part of my life.  I came to the big city -- Washington, D.C. -- with blinders on. I didn't understand what the world had to offer.  I developed relationships that almost cost me my life.  I had to learn from that.  So I walled myself off.  I walked around with my guard up and a very standoffish attitude.  But though maturation, I eventually grew out of that phase.  I started surrounding myself with the right people and developed a different mindset.  I became a much wiser person.  But it was a process.   

Some of the more interesting characters in your book are John Thompson and Shaquille O'Neal.
Coach Thompson was a godsend.  He was a father figure to me.  He played a significant role in my development, not just in basketball, but as a person.

Shaquille and I never thought we'd be teammates.  Ever.  We were very hypocritical about our ideas toward one another until we got a chance to be teammates and share a common bond.  We're the same type of guy mentally and physically -- though I thought I had a better body than him.  We had the same goals and shared a common vision both on and off the court.  We both want to help people and leave our mark on the game.  We were able to establish a great partnership and good things evolved from it all.

(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) 

Sure hope this is not the last we see of this soldier.

Alonzo Mourning, who has been one of the oldest, but most effective and fiercest members of the Heat in recent years, fell last night. He could not get up under his own power.

The 37-year-old, who has endured kidney replacement and several tough injuries, has said in the past he will not play beyond this year no matter what.

The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer writes:

Mourning injured the knee as he was starting to plant his feet and go up to block a shot by Hawks guard Mario West, fitting since Mourning ranks 10th on the NBA's all-time list in shots blocked. But he never laid a hand on West's shot because his body went in reverse, tumbling to the court when his leg gave way.

''I felt like I slipped on something,'' Mourning said. ``It happened so quick.''

Forward Udonis Haslem rushed to Mourning's side.

'I went to help him up and he said, `It's over. It's over,' '' Haslem recalled.

Said Heat coach Pat Riley: ``It's not good.'' 

Here's the video, which I don't really recommend, to be honest. Word is that Mourning has torn a patella tendon, and while there has been talk of returns in as few as three months, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel found medical references saying six months is a typical recovery time post-surgery:

After initially being placed on a stretcher, Mourning refused to be wheeled off the court, instead limping off while supported by teammates Wade and Earl Barron.

"That's not the way I envisioned myself walking off the court for the last time in my career," Mourning said of the stretcher. "If I had to crawl off that court, I would have."

Mourning had said in the offseason this would be his final season.

Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson, who was sitting courtside, visited with Mourning, saying that the center recognized his 15-year career could be over.

"I said, 'Hold your head up high. You over-delivered to the fans, to the city of Miami. You should be proud of yourself. You gave the game 150 percent of yourself and of your body,' " Johnson said. Johnson said he tried to ease Mourning's pain.

"I told him, 'You know what? Life is not bad after basketball. You'll find out wearing a suit every day is not too bad,' " Johnson said, "and I saw the big smile come across his face." 

The Associated Press quotes Mourning with some breathtaking perspective, given the circumstances:

"Each of you here know I've been through a whole lot worse than this," Mourning said. "It's disappointing to even think that my career would end this way, but there are so many other things that life has to offer for me. I have a great family and I have so many other opportunities out there."

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)