by Mitch Albom | Nov 28, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
So you decide to visit the relatives for Thanksgiving. It’s a long distance, but that’s why we have airplanes. And that’s why, in order to make the Thursday afternoon meal, you leave Monday at 4 a.m.
Traffic to the airport is normal for holiday time, meaning backed up three miles. When you finally enter the airport complex, you check the signs for your airline. You see a Spirit, a Song and a Ted. These are airlines? Where does Ted fly? Ted Land? And what, you wonder, is an Aer Lingus? Is that X-rated?
by Mitch Albom | Nov 22, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
And so this morning, like a boxer standing before the mirror after his handlers have gone home, we examine our face to see how badly we are bruised.
by Mitch Albom | Nov 21, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
They may not want to admit it, but most men, when they were boys, tried, at least once, to walk in their mother’s high heels.As far as we know, it didn’t scar them for life, nor did it transform them into Harvey Fierstein. But you wouldn’t know from...
by Mitch Albom | Nov 14, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
The Sports World announced a passing of the torch this week. Mr. Honored, the founder and CEO, is officially stepping down. Mr. Entitled will be taking his place.
Mr. Entitled, younger and more energetic, has long been rumored a successor to the aging Mr. Honored, who in recent years seemed frail. At certain glitzy industry functions — such as the NBA All-Star Game or the ESPY Awards — Mr. Honored was barely able to stand. Mr. Entitled, meanwhile, attended every party and has been featured in TV spots with Gary Payton and Ray Lewis.
by Mitch Albom | Nov 8, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
So this is where the Lions are halfway through the season. A mediocre team that can’t run the ball, can’t throw for big yardage, is (usually) decent against the run, is (usually) lousy pressuring the quarterback, is awful on third-down conversions, too...
by Mitch Albom | Nov 7, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
Remember that kid in “The Sixth Sense”? He saw dead people? America, based on the election, has become that kid. Only we see enemies. Wherever we look.
And they frighten us.
Straight people see gays and fear they will turn their boys into sissies and their girls into Ellen DeGeneres.
Gay people see straights and fear they want to “change them back” or legislate them out of existence.
The religious fear those less faithful will smash the Ten Commandments.
The nonreligious fear those more faithful want to shove the Ten Commandments down their throats.
by Mitch Albom | Nov 3, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
Take your sign down.
Pull up the stakes. Throw the whole thing in the trash.
We are no longer Bush or Kerry this morning, we are no longer right or left. Our reds and blues need to be united now, by the pure and neutral white that completes the American flag. We have our next president, George W. Bush, and his biggest challenge will be getting this whole country behind him.
And our biggest challenge will be allowing that to happen.
This is the new question: Will we be led?
by Mitch Albom | Nov 2, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
How do you measure Big Time? Chauncey Billups was in an L.A. hotspot this summer, sitting at a table with such recognizable NBA faces as Kevin Garnett, maybe the best player in the league, and Sam Cassell, who has won two titles and been around forever. And this...
by Mitch Albom | Oct 31, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
Amidst the lies, money and media of this presidential election, many of us figure nothing we do matters. I’ve modified this poem, first written in 1992, to reflect the unique challenge we face this Tuesday.
I heard a knock upon my door And opened it to see All the poor around the world Looking back at me In old clothes and worn-out shoes With families to feed, They held their hands out, hopefully, Could I address their need?
“Too many,” I said, overwhelmed, And shut the door instead For I am just one person,
“There’s a way,” a small voice said.
by Mitch Albom | Oct 29, 2004 | Detroit Free Press
You are a freshman. You attend Michigan. It is a long way from home, a long way from your mother and your sister and your two younger brothers. Your friends are not there. You old schoolmates are not there. You are a freshman. You are on your own.You go through the...
