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Despite a month that has taken him to fashion previews in Italy and France, then to another camp he hosted in his Chicago hometown, Wade said the night of June 12 and that lost feeling still stings.

"The sting is always going to be there when you lose," he said. "Obviously, it was my first time ever losing the Finals. The sting is there, no question about it. I joke with the kids. I said, 'All right, I'm going to make jokes about it. You guys are not going to ask me the question.' Because the first thing, when they ask questions, they want to know stuff. I make sure I shed some light on it in a sense-of-humor type of way, but the sting is there.``

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dwyane Wade and his Miami Heat must embrace the `sting’ and get humble.

Last year was out-of-hand in South Beach. The Great Free Agent Chase of 2010 and The Decision were offensive. Their pre-emptive victory celebration was highly offensive.

It showed that D-Wade, LeBron, and Bosh thought they’d waltz to the NBA championship and have no issue winning several more.

While their regular season was mixed, the Heat was outplayed and out-classed by the team-first, collectivist Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

The Three Kings, or whatever else they were calling themselves, had lost. Most were happy about this development, too.

The Heat's arrogance had turned off those outside of Florida. Wade and his running mates were the villains.

So Wade needs to embrace the ‘sting’. He needs to get, and stay, humble. He needs to get in the gym and re-discover the work ethic that won him the 2006 NBA Title.

Forget about the Heat upgrading their supporting cast. New additions will be tough with the stricter Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Instead, Wade must focus on how he can improve. This is the first step towards another championship. And a championship is the only thing that will lessen the ‘sting’ of 2011.

--Oly Sandor.

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