No asterisk on this one

This city is still glowing from the excitement of winning the NBA championship. The franchise won its second title since 1999, but that title was won during a lockout-shortened season. After Sunday's victory over the New Jersey Nets, an usher proudly proclaimed, "No asterisk on this one."

The snapshot I will take from the finals was a scene at the SBC Center on Sunday night as time ran out and multicolored confetti poured from the rafters. Hard-driving soul music rocked the house and unadulterated celebrations broke out. The place was in an uproar. Fans danced and hugged in the aisles. On the court, Spurs players, team officials and family members celebrated.

The one incongruent moment was when the Nets' Jason Kidd stood in the midst of the celebration as he waited to be interviewed. His mind must have been racing; mine was.

Kidd will be a free agent in less than a month. His destination was the underlying theme throughout the playoffs and intensified during the finals. His destination of choice is supposedly San Antonio. Through the pain and disappointment of a second straight defeat in the finals, Kidd probably took note of the excitement. This was a great scene, a nice place to be. The Spurs were like the local college team and this was like a college town. With no NFL team, no Major League Baseball franchise to steal the Spurs' thunder, San Antonio is theirs. But all is not what it seems. During Sunday's celebration, the mother of Spurs point guard Tony Parker was in a hallway, celebrating with wives and family members. She also threw a couple of barbs in Kidd's direction, at one point saying, "So, Jason Kidd is going to come here and teach Tony how to play point guard."

That was a combination of mother's pride and Champagne talking. But the sentiment reflects what many fans must feel. Why mess with success?

Throughout the finals, fans carried signs supporting Parker. Though just as quickly when he struggled, fans cheered Speedy Claxton off the bench. Many wondered if Kidd might not be a bad idea after all.

On Sunday, Kidd said that he was leaving the door open to all options, but that he did not want to be a perennial bridesmaid.