Ever since I was a kid I’ve never really been into sports. In elementary school I played on the school’s basketball team, but I spent most of my time on the bench because I was never getting in on any of the action. I also played softball. I was the kid out in left field sitting in the grass playing with dandelions while the rest of the team chased after the ball. After I moved to Hudson in sixth grade I swore I’d never play sports again - I wasn’t good and I just had no interest.

My distaste for sports didn’t just stop at participation, I never liked to watch sports either. I can handle a baseball game every now and then, but only at the stadium, not on TV. I’ve never had an interest in watching football or basketball. Football just seems too barbaric for me and I think my trauma from elementary school basketball turned me off to the NBA. Until this week.

I couldn’t tell you when the last time I watched an NBA game was. I think I attended a Cavs game back at the old Richfield Coliseum when I was in middle school, but that was over ten years ago. With the Cavs competing for the Eastern Conference title, basketball fever has swept over Cleveland. I finally decided I had to find out for myself what all of the excitement was about.

On Tuesday, during Game 4 of the finals, I turned on the Cavs game. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Last night I tuned in to Game 5 - I was hooked. Maybe it was the absolutely amazing performance by LeBron James or maybe it was just a desire to see the City of Cleveland finally succeed at something other than topping a “worst of” list, but I really felt connected to the team and excited by the game. I stayed up all the way until the end - 12:00am - to watch LeBron win in it double overtime. I still managed to drag myself out of bed at 5:00am to get ready for work, but I didn’t mind the fact that I could barely stay awake today, I was a fan… yes, a fan. Something I never thought I’d say about a major league sports team. Never say never.

Tomorrow night is Game 6 of the finals. I will be watching. I will be rooting for LeBron. I will be a witness.