by Micah Hart

It’s a ritual nearly as old as professional sports — before a big game, or series, some star athlete or coach will guarantee victory for his side: Joe Namath before Super Bowl III, Mark Messier against the Devils, Paul Westphal down 0-2 to the Lakers. It’s a rallying cry, a vote of confidence for your team. But at the end of the day, it’s only words.

Not for Jason Terry. Showing his Dallas teammates what he thought they were capable of before the start of the 2010-11 season, JET had the Larry O’Brien trophy tattooed on his right bicep. Seriously. Check it out:

For realz???

Terry had the ink done at the home of noted tattoo enthusiast DeShawn Stevenson the day before a preseason game against the Magic last October. Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com elaborates:

Stevenson, who has an offseason home in Orlando, brought his chef and his personal tattoo artist for the players. It was a team-building exercise.

Stevenson’s chest, neck and arms are covered with tattoos. He even has a few facial tattoos and two piercings in his chest. But despite all of his tattoos, what he saw teammate Jason Terry do was mind-boggling at the time.

Terry got one placed on his right biceps of the Larry O’Brien Trophy, given to the winner of the NBA championship.

That is confidence my friends. There’s no return policy on that purchase.

Of course, things have played out pretty well for Terry and the Mavericks ever since. He is just four wins away from making this the most insanely awesome tattoo ever, as well as one of the most remarkable called shots in history.

Of course if they lose … well, I’m sure Stevenson’s guy can make it into something else.

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