A sports fan I'm not, but you know what a soft spot I have for some of those pro basketball players who have to eke out a living on a mere gazillion dollars a year. So you can imagine how heartbroken I was over LeBron James' humiliating performance in the NBA finals when he failed to live up to his self-proclaimed expectations and had to walk away - again - with no championship and no ring. I know it's old news now, but since this is just a monthly column and I'm still having night tremors over this tragedy, you'll just have to bear with me. I was so distraught, I had to eat six slices of peanut butter toast for breakfast the next morning! The shame of it all was bad enough without his old Cleveland fans cheering him on to defeat as the Miami Heat lost the coveted victory LeBron practically vowed would come when he "moved his talents" to South Beach last year. How dare they? Spewing out all those disparaging remarks like, "Apple is coming out with a LeBron James iPhone - it only vibrates because it has no rings." Or, "Why didn't LeBron James go to college? Because he can't pass the finals." Well, I guess he told them. In a message to all those "little people" (as he referred to them) rooting for him to fail on the big stage, LeBron issued a blustering retaliation, reminding them that they have to wake up tomorrow and face the same life and same personal problems they had today - meaning mundane, low paying jobs or standing in the unemployment line. Meanwhile, he - King James of Miami - "Is going to continue to live the way he wants to live and do the things that he wants to do". (That includes collecting a cool 14.5 million dollar salary plus all those hefty Nike endorsement checks - in Florida, where there's no State Tax!) Which - and this is what really concerns me - could all dry up in a New York minute. The recent NBA Lockout might just be the tip of the iceberg. These guys are not going to play for peanuts, and right now the owners aren't willing to shell out anymore. (In case you didn't notice, I made a joke there - peanuts, shell...get it?) Anyway, that's why, instead of sitting around poking fun at the Chosen One, we should all be out there contributing to his future well-being - just in case. So if you're in the market for basketball memorabilia, the former Mr. Basketball of Ohio has something for everyone. Plenty of personalized shirts, shorts, jerseys and jackets in all designs and price ranges, plus 32 different styles of Nike shoes ranging from the $60 Air Max LeBron James VII, up to the $1,400 pre-owned Nike Zoom LeBron II, created especially for the King himself! You ladies can get in on the act, too by purchasing one of his pictures. You can choose from 471 exciting poses (including close-ups of that handsome face) priced from $15 for a 9x12" photo to a $90 framed art print. Better still, you can be the envy of your neighborhood with a "wallpaper" sized poster for $100. If not for LeBron, then do it for me. I'll be so relieved knowing he won't starve to death and I won't have to devour almost a whole loaf of bread for breakfast to calm my nerves. Instead I can relax and enjoy this tasty Broccoli Cheese Breakfast Casserole. I'll even use the lower calorie optional ingredients to make it less fattening - although I must admit, this casserole goes great with a side of peanut butter toast! BROCCOLI CHEESE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE 6 eggs or 1-1/2 cups Egg Beaters 1/2 Tbsp. Milk or fat-free half and half Salt and pepper to taste 1-1/2 cups 1-inch pieces broccoli flowerets 1 4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained 1/2 cup shredded cheese (2% opt.) Cheddar or Mexican blend Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a glass 8x8" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place broccoli flowerets in a saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils and broccoli turns bright green (less than five minutes), drain it into a colander. While broccoli cools, mix eggs with milk and seasonings and beat until well combined. Put broccoli and mushrooms in prepared baking dish and sprinkle cheese over top. Slowly pour egg mixture over and stir to distribute evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and eggs are slightly puffed.
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