Chris Weiller '86, Scott Leightman '92, and Barry Silberman '72 court the big time in Charlotte;
a fan with the team's colorful pennant.
Three IC alumni find themselves in the unusual position of helping to build an NBA franchise from scratch.
by Lorraine Berry
photography by Kent Smith
Fever. Glamour. Hurly-Burly. For some, these are not terms that describe the everyday characteristics of their jobs. Truth of the matter is, a job that constantly pushes the adrenaline, one in which there is so much at stake, and one that comes with a do-or-die deadline, may not sound all that appealing to some. Now, add to that the knowledge that millions of eyes are watching your work. Breaking out in a sweat yet?
Three alumni, each from a different decade at Ithaca College, hold jobs they describe in just those terms, jobs that are giving them what is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The three men are an integral part of starting up a brand-new NBA franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats. And their deadlines are real: The opening tip-off for the team is 7:00 p.m. on November 2, 2004. There will be no extension. The ball must go up. And just in case they need reminding, there's a "countdown to tip-off" clock right on the team's home page: http://www.nba.com/bobcats/.
Who are these three? Barry Silberman '72 is executive vice president of arena development, operations, and entertainment; Chris Weiller '86 serves as executive vice president of corporate affairs; and Scott Leightman '92 is director of public relations for the new team.
