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As I watch the final moments of the Cleveland Cavs’ NBA season in the Eastern Conference Finals, I’m reminded of a past when I still enjoyed the game of basketball. Since my high school years, I’ve been disappointed with the game in general. Living in Cleveland didn’t make it any easier as it stands that our professional sports teams can never fully grasp the brass ring.

Then came LeBron James.

Since LeBron graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, I’ve given him every opportunity to disappoint me. With his talent and the subsequent media hype, I was fully prepared to endure another NBA primadonna who felt the world owed him everything. Worst, he’d do it while playing for the home team. For six years, I waited and in the end my expectations fell short.

While I have to live with another year with another home town sports team coming only within sight of the brass ring, I am thankful that the young man they named the league’s MVP this year brought my heart back to the game. My friends and I agree. LeBron James is pound for pound the best all-around player the NBA has ever seen.

His attitude both on and off the court is second to none. St. Vincent-St. Mary’s made a very educated, articulate, responsible, and respectful young man out of him. If the NBA were ever in need of an ambassador of the sport, they should look no further.

To LeBron James, Žydrunas Ilgauskas, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Anderson Varejão, Daniel Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Mike Brown, and everyone else from the Cavs….

Thanks for a great season. We’ll be counting the days until the start of the next.

That’s right. It should come as no surprise to most, by now, but the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII with a score of 17-14. Scoring in the final minute of the game, the Giants took the lead, the hope, and history away from the Patriots.

With a strong pass rush defense, the Giants effectively shut down the league’s MVP and New England quarterback, Tom Brady. He was still able to complete 60% of his attempts with 266 yards, but it just wasn’t enough. It was Eli Manning’s night to shine as he hit Plaxico Burress for a 13-yard touchdown pass with only 39 seconds left on the game clock. After a successful extra point kick, the Patriots tried for a mad scramble back down the field but failed miserably with three incomplete passes and one sack.

With the ball back in hand and one final second left on the clock, Eli Manning took a knee and the game’s MVP.

Super Bowl records were both tied and broken. The first drive of the game by the Giants was the longest in Super Bowl history going one second shy of ten full minutes (9:59). Patriots receiver, Wes Walker, tied the record for most receptions at 11, which is shared with former Patriots receiver Deion Branch and former Super Bowl MVP Jerry Rice.