When Rick Carlisle got to American Airlines Center on Wednesday before the season opener, he was greeted by an unexpected box in the mail.
He opened it up and what he found was a touching tribute to an old friend.
It was a necktie. And not just any necktie.
“I want to explain this tie,” Carlisle said after the Mavericks’ 108-100 win over Washington, their first season-opening win since 2015. “When I got to the arena tonight, I got a package and it had a tie in it. There was a note and it was from Fred McLeod’s wife, Beth.