sportsmanship isn't dead. (and teamwork isn't either.)

They say chivalry isn’t dead. Well, in this case, sportsmanship isn’t dead either.

"This is one of the unique teams in NBA history, because it wasn't about high-flying star power."

That’s what Rick Carlisle had to say last night after the Dallas Mavericks took home the NBA championship, their first in franchise history.

The Mavs didn’t have Pierce, LeBron or D. Wade. They didn’t have Shaq or Kobe; they had something better.

 "I learned chemistry matters, that it's a team game," said Mark Cuban, the Mavericks owner. "That you have to have players that believe in each other and trust each other and trust your coach. And that it's a process. And that it doesn't happen overnight."

Created in 1980-81, the Dallas Mavericks have seen more twists and turns than most other NBA franchises. During the 1982-83 season, they were on the move, a force. The next season, they managed to reach the playoffs. But 1988-91, the Mavs took a turn for the worst, attempting a serious rebuilding in 1991-92. It wasn’t until the 1994-95 season that they began to see glimmers of hope, especially with rookie point guard Jason Kidd added to the roster. From there, the ups and downs continue with the end of Dick Motta, another few seasons of rebuilding, a new arena and the addition of Dirk Nowitzki.

Which brings us to present day: with ZERO NBA championships and only a handful of playoff appearances, the expectations for the team from Dallas were not very high. Although there have been some top ranking players who have either come and gone or been extremely underrated, not many people anticipated the “too old”, “too soft” team to pull through while facing the Heat’s “Big Three”.

But they did it. The underdogs, the Dallas Mavericks, won their FIRST ever NBA championship title beating out Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the “King”, LeBron James.

And of course, everyone is talking about the stars, the stats, the MVP and even the loser’s bad karma. But the real topic of discussion here is this: sportsmanship and teamwork are not a thing of the past.

Basketball actually felt like basketball last night and not a millionaire's ping pong match. There was determination, motivation and TEAMWORK. Watching the Mavs play was reminiscent of a high school or collegiate basketball game, it was played with such passion and teamwork. It was about the game and not about the money. It was about the team, not just about a couple of great players.

No matter if you're Heat or Mavs fan, you have to admit, the Mavs played with something that is rare in today's NBA or MLB or with any pro sports team. Sportsmanship and teamwork. Kidd, Terry, Marion...they worked together for the win.

So congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks for a well-deserved first championship title! Thank you for reminding all of us that are still teams out there who can play as a TEAM.