Dwyane Wade has long been known round these parts as Flash. It was a moniker Shaquille ONeal bestowed upon him when the Big Diesel signed with the Miami Heat in 2004. At the time, it seemed an appropriate nickname for D-Wade. He was a young, up-and-coming star in the making with lightning speed and a killer instinct. And because Shaq always fancied himself as Superman, he christened Wade Flash. Of course, he also called D-Wade that name because Shaq likes to make it known hes the man and that all others must play in his shadow. That was the reason he divorced himself from Kobe Bryant and left the Lakers, and it was the reason he left Miami in a huff because his so-called sidekick was the hero of the 2006 NBA Finals. And the Big Insecure couldnt handle that. Now that a new era of Miami Heat basketball is upon us, Wade has announced that he is no longer to be known as Flash. I want people to respect me for who I am, Wade told the media. Not some character. If he, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh bring us multiple titles, he can be called whatever he wants. D-Wade and the other two kings will host the Utah Jazz this Tuesday at the American Airlines Arena.
Tue., Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., 2010