"THIS IS US!"

No offense Leo but …

Other than drinking our beer, eating Sam’s cheeseburgers, welching on debts and hanging on, maybe, a day or two too long the item that I will forever remember Leo (at 340) for was his catch phrase “This is Us!” It usually was in the context of the Philadelphia 76ers going “fo, fi, fo” on their way to their 2nd NBA title. As we watched the Sixers in the 340 living room everytime the Sixers rallied and streaked Leo would utter his phrase “this US!” I remember the key Sunday games versus the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers … in the May 22 opener the Sixers won by 6 which gave us Laker (read anti-Philly) fans hope. The expected stolen game never came as the Sixers won on Thursday by 10. Still, the following Sunday, May 29th, would provide the now homestanding Lakers with the spark to sweep the Sixers to come back to Philly in June up 3-2. Didn’t happen … that second Sunday found Moses, Dr. J, Mo, Andrew, Lloyd Free, Bobby and Billy the Kid beating the Lakers in Jack Kent Cooke’s fabulous Forum by 17 points. I think Leo uttered his phrase 8 times on the 22nd and another 17 times on the 29th. The final game, Tuesday, May 31st, was a formality – Philly 115, LA 107.