Bremer just happy to be home

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bremer just happy to be home
By Mark Murphy
Saturday, November 15, 2003

Just because he's back home doesn't mean that JR Bremer gets any extra
consideration.

     As the second-most famous native son on the Cavaliers, the former Celtic
is still allotted only three tickets for each Cavs home game.

     ``Just like everyone else,'' Bremer said.

     LeBron James is presumably included in that group. After all, the James
express has created a demand for tickets in Cleveland that has broken all
precedents.

     And Bremer, thankfully, gets to contribute to the show.

     Along with journeyman Kevin Ollie, he has been backing up James at point
guard. Along with several others, he has also turned in equal time at shooting
guard.

     Heading into last night's game against the Celtics, Bremer was averaging
5.8 points and 1.6 assists in 17.3 minutes of play. He didn't inflate those
numbers in the 91-82 loss to the Celtics, logging just 12 minutes and scoring
three points with no assists.

     Still, Bremer, though admittedly shocked with news of his trade last
summer along with Bruno Sundov for Jumaine Jones, is one of the few people you
will find out there who likes the idea of a trade to Cleveland.

     ``It's been cool,'' he said. ``It wasn't that much of a change for me,
because I'm already from this city.''

     Yet it wasn't all that long ago that Bremer, coming off a cold showing
with the Celtics' entry in the pro summer league, was conducting a basketball
clinic at Boston's Hoop City when he got the call.

     ``I was shocked at first by the trade because it came from out of
nowhere,'' said Bremer, who was also admittedly shocked by news of the trade
that sent Antoine Walker [news] to Dallas. ``But you can't get angry at any of
this, because it's a business.''

     Though the consistency of his shooting was questioned - especially toward
the end of his rookie season with the Celtics - Bremer shot well enough to win
over the Cleveland staff.

     ``Looking at the situation (in Cleveland), I knew I would play,'' he
said. ``I was just going to come in and play my game and take things from
there.''

     With players like James, Darius Miles and Carlos Boozer setting the tone,
youth rules in Cleveland.

     ``It's a very young team, which is great,'' he said. ``Everyone is the
same age, and everyone hangs together. It's a great situation for someone like
me.''


Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx