Stuck in three-hour traffic with the excitement of wanting to see my favorite  Miami Heat players is making me fidget around in the car seat. I start to see the Downtown Miami next exit sign and suddenly my heart starts pounding more and more.

By 11:00am, my friends, my sister, and I start running towards the big crowd of people waiting for the floats to come by. We stand at a spot where we can barely see but I look around to find somewhere I might be able to get better pictures. I finally find the perfect spot and get prepared for what’s coming. All around, people are selling tee shirts, hats, flags, all with the Miami Heat logo on them. You hear the song “We are the Champions” by Queen playing extremely loud on someone’s boom box. And then someone yells “they’re coming!” At first you see the flashing lights of policemen on their motorcycles. Then you start seeing all the floats with the players on them.

Chris Bosh is flashing around the championship trophy, Mike Miller and Chris Andersen are laughing and waving at everyone chanting LET’S GO HEAT. Norris Cole and Ray Allen are spraying people with water guns. Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are on separate floats but both are surrounded by family. Lebron James, like all of us, is recording and taking pictures not of himself but of us, the fans. While all this is happening I can’t help but think this is probably the one and only chance I will ever be literally 10 feet away from NBA players. There’s confetti flying everywhere, a band is playing, cheerleaders in convertible cars are driving by and waving, and then the last bunch of confetti fills the air and it’s time to go home.

Not really…Everyone then starts running to the farthest end of the street to get a little more of the amazing Miami Heat. This goes on and on until you see the floats entering the Miami Airlines Arena. If you’re lucky enough to have championship celebration tickets, then you get to continue celebrating inside of the arena. It is truly an event worth the long drive and being stuck in three-hour traffic.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Chris Bosh holds the Championship trophy