The Master of the Universe has missed eight straight games, and the Mavericks have lost six of those eight games. In total, the team's lost seven of the nine games Dirk Nowitzki's missed (and seven games back in their division). And with Caron Butler out for the year, Castle Greyskull appears to be crumbling. The Men at Arms need their hero and his mighty sword back in the lineup. Without him, they're as cuddly as a pack of Cringers, no cool helmet and no cool saddle.
Also, as last night's loss to the Spurs proved, things just aren't the same without Dirk. The marshmallows aren't quite as sugary. The cereal isn't quite as crunchy. The commercial breaks last forever, and even a Spurs fan like myself needs the perennial MVP candidate back to make my mornings worth getting up for.