Currently, in the preseason, there are 20 men on the Miami Heat roster.
For the record, none of those players wear No. 6 on their jersey. In addition, none of the 13 players that will make the final team will wear the No. 6 on their back. So, having said that, with the first couple of preseason games under way, why is the most popular jersey in the AAA arena still No. 6? Shouldn't it be No. 3? No. 1? Maybe No. 40?
Wearing your No. 6 jersey to the arena is a blatant reminder of the past and holds the team and its fans back from moving forward. The most important thing for the Miami Heat this season is MOVING forward. All Heat fans this season should be on board the Express Train Towards Tomorrow, and guess what, it's leaving today.
The Miami Heat are still a really good team.
With their championship mindset, talent, and barring serious injuries or setbacks, they're a top-four contender in the East, which gives them home-court advantage in the first-round of the Playoffs. That should be the only thing that matters.
This is not to say No. 6 jerseys should be burned, thrown away or disrespected. They shouldn't. This is not to imply that No. 6's tenure in Miami wasn't appreciated or should be forgotten. It shouldn't be forgotten. But, when the Miami Heat jersey you see more than any other in the arena is No. 6 something's not kosher about this season.
It's understandable people spent hard earned money on the jersey, but wear it at home if you must. Wearing it in public is like waving a flag of nostalgia; it's like yelling: let's stay focused on the past. It doesn't help the healing. It's like your profile picture on Facebook is still you hugging your ex. Duh! What will your new lover think? This is not like wearing black after someone dies. No. 6 is not dead. No. 6 is now No. 23, and he's probably one of the Miami Heat's biggest roadblocks in its quest for a championship. Come on, man. Leave it at home.
Besides, wearing a player's jersey that is no longer on the roster or is retired is a fashion no-no. If it weren't, I'd still rock my Shaun Kemp Seattle Supersonics jersey.