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It was November 14th, 2003.

I was working at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

My buddy Bill (his dad was the CEO) asked me if I had any plans?

“No plans Billy, what’s shaking?”

I have tickets to Lebron’s first game at the Garden.

After a quick fight with the girfriend of the day I was in. Great deal, sweet seats & a parking pass. So there I was, 24 years od watching this “kid” play the Celts for the first time.

I’ve told you I’m a fair weather hoops fan at best, but I knew enough to recognize that Lebron was the player of my youth.

I remember thinking, this kid is 19?!? He was a beast, visibly more powerful than everyone on the floor.

Here is a snippet of the ESPN.com game summary from that night:

“BOSTON (AP) — LeBron James might be the most crowd-pleasing rookie ever.

 

He goes into opponents’ buildings, sells them out, and loses.

 

James remained winless on the road as a pro after Paul Pierce scored 19 points to help the Boston Celtics beat the Cavaliers 91-82 Friday night. It was Cleveland’s sixth loss in as many road games this year — five of them sellouts — and its 27th in a row overall.

 

“It’s not wearing on me yet. It’s a long season,” said James, the high school phenom who was the first overall pick in the NBA draft. “I don’t like it, of course. I’m a winner. But it can’t start wearing on me this soon.”

 

Vin Baker had 13 points with 11 rebounds for Boston, which had its second sellout of the season, its first since opening night. The 17,624 will be able to say they saw James’ Boston debut, but they won’t have much else to say about it. 

So Yeah, I was one of 17,624…

I watched Vin&Tonic school the lowly Cavs but knew that I was part of history that night.

I remember thinking Lebron was gonna do something great that night and guess what… he didn’t.

I’m really sorry to say it but it never happend … and guess what?

It’s never going to…

Lebron is a freak  of nature, he really is. An aboslute man child and probably one of the strongest men in NBA history but guess what?

So was Patrick Ewing…

My point is that Lebron has won exactley NOTHING yet! 

When he tripped and fell (and somehow drew a foul) with .005 left on the clock and kncked down those 2 free throws I turned to my buddy Kris & said…

Here is your next Nike commercial, except one thing. They didn’t win the game, and since Lebron’s been there they haven’t won THE GAME.

I’m sorry but he doesn’t have “it”, David Stern & all the ad execs want him to have “it” so bad but it’s just not there.  There are flashs of “it” but it’s mostly manufactured by the league.

So let me be the first to make the James v. Ewing comparsion… Bron-Bron is gonna chase the big dollars out of Cleavland and get rich(er)  being an “un supported” star for the Knicks.

Then he’s going to fade off into the distace like soem other big man I once knew….

So Yeah, I was one of 17,624…

Intersting Game Notes from that night:

Game notes
Jones was a late addition to the Boston starting lineup in place of Kedrick Brown. … Silas played four seasons with the Celtics from 1973-76, winning two NBA titles. … The Celtics placed C Raef LaFrentz on the injured list Friday with right knee tendinitis. He could return on Nov. 26. The Celtics also activated rookie center Kendrick Perkins from the injured list. He’s been out with tendinitis in both knees.

Perk’s 1st game as well, amazing how time flies. The whole box score can be fonud at;

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=231114002

Punching Out (for now)

-Biff

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