I covered James the very first day he showed up in the locker room for rookie minicamp in 2002, and I was there the day he walked back in after being re-signed late in his career, and then I was there for his induction into the Steelers Hall of Honor, an achievement that meant so much to him he was forced to negotiate his request of 70 family/friend passes to the dinner down to 40.
No doubt, they were a fiercely proud 40.
• On the first day I talked to James, I had read that morning in the Post-Gazette a quote from one of the scouts who said, and I’m paraphrasing, “I don’t know how good he is. All I can tell you is he’s mean.” So, of course, I had to talk to the
