September 14th, 2001- It’s Friday night. The team stands in the tunnel set to take the field. The fans are in their seats, the opposing home team is warming up, and the lights are blaring. It might seem like just another high school football game in the small Ohio town of Akron, but the people in attendance have no idea what they’re about to witness.
Although it looks like a bunch of high school kids, there is one in particular that stands out from the rest. As he huddles with the team prior to the game, his number 23 jersey glistening in the lights, he resonates the rare mix of talent, athleticism and confidence that makes him such a local legend and leaves little to wonder why all the scouts are drooling over him.
He is a receiver, St.Vincent St.Mary High School’s star player. He can run like the wind, evident by a 4.5 40-yard dash time. He can jump out of the arena, shown by his 44” vertical leap. He runs, he jumps, he catches, he’s smart, he even blocks the occasional field goal, makes the odd monstrous run-block, and best of all, he’s a media darling. Oh, and get this, this 16-year old is 6 foot 7 and weighs 227 pounds. You can pick your jaw up off the floor now. One scout in the audience breaks it down by saying “he’s got the skill set of Randy Moss, with the strength and power of Michael Strahan, all in the body of Kevin Garnett.”
Last season, his first year of organized football, he led the team with about 40 receptions and over 700 yards while still learning and getting better practically every game. He was also named a First-Team All-State selection in the process. This year, after a summer of training and with a better understanding of the game, the kid is set to dominate.
The game starts and number 23 is a difference-maker from the get-go. Although he has the blinding speed to blow past practically anyone, he focuses more on short-yardage passes that turn into longer gains. He’s every QB’s dream; he makes their job so easy. A simple 2-yard dump pass can easily turn out to be a 60-yard touchdown once this kid touches the ball. After all, he’s a man playing among boys. Its halftime and the Fighting Irish of St.Vincent St.Mary’s are up 35-14. Number 23 has 7 receptions for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns.
He slows down in the second half, but not because of any defensive coverage. He takes it easy, knowing his team is winning this one and because he doesn’t want to forcibly embarrass anyone too bad. The Irish win this one on the road with little worry. Right as the final horn sounds, he’s instantly swarmed by fans seeking autographs and media people seeking interviews. Both groups seem to know they are witnessing something special. The average teenager would be overwhelmed by all the hoopla, but this kid keeps his head on his shoulders and handles all the attention with impressive maturity. “We played great tonight,” he says with incredible humbleness. “The team really stepped up and played a good game. We followed coach’s game plan to perfection and came out with a big win.” “Of course, there were a couple mistakes that we’ll have to go over in practice on Monday.” Always the perfectionist.
When observing him at school the next day, it’s clear he isn’t just another student. His classmates treat him like a celebrity, but he tries to stay as normal as possible. It isn’t everyday one of your classmates has to leave Geography class because Sports Illustrated is waiting in the gymnasium to do a photo shoot. Through it all he manages to stay humble. He gives all the perfect, almost-scripted answers that professional athletes are usually tutored to give. He knows he’s a big deal, but at the same time he knows how to distance himself from his image. He knows how to just be a teenager as well. When you’re in the limelight all day, every day, and being watched by the public eye, its important to kick back and be a kid once in a while. “I have a couple close friends that I keep close by,” he reveals proudly. “They know what’s best for me and they keep me grounded, I’m not a celebrity with them.”
December 6th, 2002- It’s Friday night, game night at John Cistone Field in Akron. It’s the first round of the playoffs and the Fighting Irish are facing Akron High, a school which boasts 5 division 1 college-bound football players. The Irish have one, maybe. Not every player in the nation has made their final college choice yet, and St.Vincent St.Mary’s star wideout is taking his time. Rumor has it he’s leaning towards signing with Ohio State, that he’s just waiting for the right moment to reveal his pick (like after a playoff win). After all, it is the logical selection. He could choose practically any school he wants, there isn’t a university in the nation that would turn him down. It just so happens that one of the most prestigious and dominant one’s is located right in his backyard. “I wish we could keep him another year, but he’s graduating and anyone who gets him just hit the lottery, let me tell you,” says head coach Dan Boarman.
Last year the wideout finished with just under 40 receptions for over 700 yards in his 6 games played. This year, after growing another inch and adding almost 15 pounds of muscle during the off-season, he’s been good for 52 receptions, 1000 yards, and 15 touchdowns in the same amount of games played. The games missed were just precautionary, making sure he wouldn’t get hurt before getting the chance to go to college. He plays as much as necessary, just enough for the scouts to get a sneak preview of his awesome abilities. Even in the limited action, the stats are mind-blowing. “He’s hands down to best athlete I have ever coached” says coach Boarman. “No, scratch that, the best athlete I have ever seen! And I’ve seen a ton a players throughout my years in Ohio.” One man sitting in the audience, an Ohio State alumni and die-hard Buckeyes fan, feels the same way: “Imagine this kid playing a full season in a real big time college system? I can’t wait. I’m seriously giddy.” As he should be. As we should all be.
The playoff game gets underway at around 7:15 pm. A once confident St.Vincent St.Mary’s team realizes that they can’t win against the good teams by just relying on one player, even if that one player is good for 214 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. The rest of the team does little to help the cause while Akron High proves their overall superiority in a 42-28 route. The crowd is upset yet optimistic. This is just the end of a chapter. The prologue to what should be a historic tale of one of their own. As the Fighting Irish leave the field, their green and gold jerseys now covered in brown mud, it’s clear they have no fight left. The season is over, and for many, this will be the last time they will be on a football field as a competitor. For one, it’s only the beginning. “We played a good game,” he says. “I got to give it up to my teammates. I love these guys.” And how about college? What’s the next step for you? “Right now I just want to sit back and weigh my options.” A high school senior, yet always a businessman.
The days go by, then the weeks. Almost every player in the nation has announced their college choice by now. One kid has not. Football fans around town haven’t seen or heard from him much anymore. The website message boards are beginning to buzz. What could be taking so long?
Eventually the final signing date passes and the kid has not committed anywhere. In fact, he’s basically fallen off the map within football circles. Its funny how quickly people forget and move on. It’s always “what have you done for me lately?” when it comes to fan support.
Today, more than six years later, people in Akron still have fond memories of the once-prolific receiver that graced their field. The stories resonate through sports bars and cafeterias, making him somewhat of an urban legend within the community. People close to him claim that he went off to pursue a dream, forgetting about college altogether. It begs the question, what could possibly be the ‘real’ dream of possibly the greatest receiver in football history with all the doors open and opportunities available to him? Gloria, his mother, tries to defend her boy, saying “he loved football with all his heart, but truthfully, his goal was never to become a football player.” One NFL scout, who asked to remain anonymous, calls it “selfish”. “He could have been one of the best receivers this league has ever seen. To deprive the league, the fans, and the sports itself of a gift like that is wrong. He was put on this earth to play football and he just chose not to.”
Wherever he is now, he can take solace in the fact that he is not completely forgotten. His legend certainly lives on way after he decided to hang up his size 15 Nike cleats. Coach Boarman has seen many kids come and go over the years, he’s brought his team back to the playoffs several times, he’s had kids go off to play for Division 1 colleges, and yet he’s never heard of or seen another specimen quite like he had a couple years ago. “He was just awesome,” the coach proclaims. “There may be good players, there may even be great players, but I know for a fact there will never be another player quite like LeBron. I guess we’re just lucky to have all been witnesses while it lasted.”
-The End-
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