Bruce HJ Column January 17 2010

Last week LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz. We buy a few Jazz tickets and this year we made sure we had tickets to this game. We knew it was going to be a late game and we wouldn’t get home until after midnight but that was OK because we wanted to watch LeBron James play. We got to the arena early and as we entered the building noted a large number of people wearing LeBron James jerseys. Like us, many attending this game were there to see LeBron play. Our seats at the Jazz games are in the lower bowl about seven rows up from where Larry Miller the owner of the Jazz once sat. Larry died about a year ago, but his wife still comes to most of the games and maintains the tradition of sitting on the front row with her family. Watching the Jazz play up close is always fun, but this was gong to be a special night because LeBron James was in town and we were going to watch it all from two of the best seats in the arena.
As the time came for the teams to take the floor for their pre-game warm-up, the Jazz took the floor first and received the usual enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. However, all of the cameras and most of the attention was focused on the other end of the arena in anticipation of LeBron running through the tunnel and onto the floor. The area around the visitors tunnel was packed with media and fans just waiting for LeBron to arrive. There wasn’t much of a cheer as he ran onto the floor, it was mostly boos, but it was obvious that those who surrounded the tunnel wanted to be as close as they could to LeBron and hopefully get a photo of him.
As the team warmed up all eyes continued to be on LeBron. Both media and fans crowded around the Cavalier’s end of the floor just to get as close as they could to simply watch him. I don’t know a time when I have seen as many people with camera phones trying to get a photo of someone. LeBron was aware that he was the center of attention and put on quite a show during pre-game warm ups. He wowed the crowd with spectacular dunks. After the lay-ups LeBron began shooting threes. He doesn’t often miss, and just before the game began he entertained the crowd by attempting a dozen or so half-court court shots. He didn’t make any but several times came very close. Each time he came close there was a collective moan from the crowd. The pre-game fascination with LeBron didn’t end with the warm-ups, during the National Anthem I counted seven television cameras, all focused on Lebron.
The introduction of the starting line-ups is always the same. The visiting team’s players get a polite unemotional introduction. This time it was no different, there were the usual boos when LeBron was introduced. On the other hand the introduction of the Jazz starting five is filled with loud cheering, videos of the players and flashing lights. While all of the craziness of introducing the Jazz starting five was going on LeBron was doing pull-ups on the basketball rim at the other end of the floor.
Before a game begins, LeBron obviously has a pre-game ritual he goes through. I watched as he stood on the floor near the Cavaliers bench and pulled down his basketball shorts. He then made sure his jersey was properly tucked into his undergarments, made other adjustments to his uniform and then pulled his shorts back up where they belong. He then walked over to the scorers table and rubbed his hands in white powder and threw a bunch of it into the air. Now he was ready to play basketball. He went through the same ritual before the second half started except he did it in the middle of the court. He dropped his basketball shorts below his knees tucked in his jersey and adjusted his basketball uniform.
For LeBron the first half of the game was rather uneventful. He did steal the ball a couple of times and gracefully ran to the other end with enormous strides for a spectacular dunk. At half time he only had eight points. But everyone in the arena knew that when crunch time came, probably in the fourth quarter, he would come alive, take charge and be the player that would win the game for his team. He didn’t disappoint. Almost all by himself he secured a 13 point lead for the Cavaliers late in the fourth quarter. Everyone in the arena knew it was over. The Jazz could never come back, especially with LeBron in the game taking charge for the Cavaliers. Jazz fans began heading for the exits, they were sure the Jazz were going to lose. LeBron and his exceptional basketball skills had been the deciding factor. By the end of the game he had 32 points, a bunch of assists and rebounds. It was inspirational to watch him play and dominate. He is truly a spectacular gifted athlete and a tremendous basketball player.
But wait, the game wasn’t quite over. Despite LeBron James the Jazz came back and won the game by one point with a last second three pointer from a rookie player no one had ever heard of. It was an exciting finish, one of the most exciting basketball games I have witnessed.
Listening to the cheers of the Jazz faithful LeBron was forced to accept defeat and quietly exited the arena. The ride back to Cache Valley wasn’t all that bad. The day was complete, we got to watch one of the best basketball players in the world, and the Jazz won in a thriller.

Bruce columnJanuary 3 2010

Bruce column January 3, 2010

Last week most of the media outlets, including The Herald Journal, had their list of the top stories of 2009. The end of the year is always a time of reflection about the year that just ended. Because of this I found it an interesting exercise to make a list of the top ten events in my life during 2009. Some were tragic and some were fun. Some were significant only to me, most were rather insignificant considering all of the important things that happened during the past year.

First on my list was a family tragedy. Last June my seventeen year old grand daughter was killed in an automobile accident. She was headed to a church camp with several other girls and their adult leader when a rear tire failed causing the van to roll several times. Two of the girls in the van were killed, the others only suffered minor injuries. I made a trip to Nevada with three of my daughters to do what I could to help my daughter’s family cope with the tragic loss. That week last June had to be one of the most difficult of my life. It was the saddest funeral I have ever attended.

Second on my list of significant events during 2009 was a once in a life time trip to Peru. The Logan Rotary club partnered with the Rotary Club in Iquitos, Peru to finance and complete three humanitarian projects for two remote villages on the Amazon River. There was a tremendous sense of pride in being part of an organization that helped provide clean water and sanitary facilities to the people of these remote villages. Until Rotary stepped in and provided money for the projects people in this remote area of South America had never know what it was like to have a reliable supply of clean water. The twelve day trip in August was not only a significant event for 2009, but will be remembered as a highlight of my life.

The third significant event for me in 2009 was a visit I made to the Huntsman Cancer hospital in October. After a bunch of blood tests, a CAT scan, and an examination by my oncologist Dr. Glen I was told that I had reached a milestone in my life with regard to my battle with cancer. Two years after treatment I’m still cancer free. I was told by Dr. Glen that instead getting checked every three months I’ve been moved to an every six month cycle. This was very good news and gave me hope that maybe I can live a while longer cancer free.

Fourth, I became a great grandfather, twice. I thought being a grandfather was significant, but becoming a great grandfather was very significant and something I though would never happen to me. My mom was so excited to become a great great grandmother. We now have a bunch of five generation pictures that are priceless.

Putting Oscar, our longtime pet cat, down is fifth on my list. Oscar was given to us by our daughter Kendra and had been part of our family for about twelve years. He was a great pet. Both Karen and I adored him. Unfortunately he became diabetic and eventually very sick. I’ll never forget the trusting look in his eyes as we drove him to the vet to be put down. It was a very sad day. We had him cremated and still have his ashes in a box that sits on the living room table.

Number six, the impact the depressed economy had on the newspaper. It has been a very difficult year for the newspaper. We have had to take some drastic steps to cut expenses because of advertising revenue shortfalls. I have been in the newspaper business for almost 50 years and have seen lots of ups and downs in the economy, but never anything like what we experienced in 2009. I never thought I would see the day when major newspaper across America would fail. Fortunately the economy has improved advertising revenues are rebounding and the newspaper will do just fine.

Number seven on my list was riding my bicycle in LOTOJA (Logan to Jackson) with Team Rotary. It was a beautiful day for riding and I was able to complete my leg of the event, 47 miles, in just over two and one-half hours. For the first time ever, Team Rotary finished while the sun was still shining. Each year five members of the Logan Rotary club form a relay team for the event, get pledges, and raise some money to put dictionaries in the local schools. It’s a great way to raise some money for a worthy cause and finish up a summer of cycling in Cache Valley.

The eighth event on my list was a vacation trip we took with our friends the Earls to the east coast. We went to a Monday night football game visited the historic sights in Philadelphia. While our wives visited quilt shops in Amish country, Craig and I visited the Harley Davidson plant in York, Pennsylvania.

Ninth on the list was the remodel of our home. Karen remodeled the kitchen and replaced some carpeted areas with hardwood floors. We have new kitchen counter tops and hardwood floors in all of the traffic areas. I tell her that we could put up a hoop on the kitchen wall and invite friends to come over and play basketball on the new hardwood floors.

Finally I became an owner of an iphone. I can now text, twitter, check the weather, follow the stock market, take pictures, listen to music, keep my golf score, check my calendar, read the newspaper, get and send e-mail, find locations on a map with a GPS, get sports scores, and do a bunch of other stuff. I can even make a telephone call.

Who knows what 2010 will bring, life is always an adventure.