by Mitch Albom | Apr 12, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
“We were playing for our lives.”
Coach Jacques Demers, after the Wings’ 6-4 victory Tuesday
What do you call it when the puck is suddenly your enemy, when every bounce seems evil, when the clock says 13 minutes left in your season, kiss it good-bye, see ya later?
Wake-up time. Here were the Red Wings staring at their very souls in the Joe Louis Arena ice. Down, three games to one, in this first-round playoff against Chicago, losing, 4-3, playing poorly, playing unluckily. Hey, if life gets any worse, don’t tell us. Just put on the blindfold and shoot.
by Mitch Albom | Apr 11, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
You got the job, kid. The news was hardly a surprise. By the time the press conference began Monday morning, you couldn’t find anyone in the state who didn’t know Steve Fisher would be named head basketball coach at Michigan. After all, he had just guided the Wolverines to six wins and a national championship. A national championship? No other coach had ever done that here. You got the job, kid.
Was there ever a doubt?
by Mitch Albom | Apr 8, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
Every time I think I’ve got this baseball stuff down, they go and change it on me. Take Friday, the Tigers’ home opener — a 10-3 win over Milwaukee. I was sure there were no surprises left. I was sure I had seen it all. I was sure I had the answer...
by Mitch Albom | Apr 5, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
March 17, 1989
By Steve Kornacki ATLANTA — It didn’t look good for Michigan.
Xavier proved exasperating much of the game. The Musketeers powered the ball inside and frustrated the Wolverines with their quick guards.
The Wolverines needed more than 23 points apiece from Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson to put away a 15-point underdog. They got it from Terry Mills and Demetrius Calip in a 92-87 win Friday at the Omni.
Mills played with purpose found, and Calip played on a memory. Together, they were the difference.
March 19, 1989 By Mitch Albom
by Mitch Albom | Apr 5, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
Their mission, they will tell you, was to shock the world. Their weapons were speed, height, a basketball — and the heart of a champion.Close your eyes, and you can be with them again: Glen Rice shooting from the outer limits, falling to the floor, as the...
by Mitch Albom | Apr 4, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
SEATTLE — He stood at the free throw line, the loneliest man in the world. All around him was the enemy, hooting and hollering, the demons in Seton Hall uniforms talking trash, the crowd suddenly an army of “MISS IT! MISS IT!” The referee bounced the...
by Mitch Albom | Apr 3, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
SEATTLE — When the game was over and the crowd was singing and the players had gathered in front of the TV cameras, arm in arm, sweat on sweat, screaming, howling, ready for their 60 seconds of network glory, only one of the victorious Wolverines was missing.
“Hey . . . where’s Rumeal?” said Terry Mills.
“YO! RUMEAL!” yelled Sean Higgins.
Suddenly, Rumeal’s image flashed on the monitors. He had slipped away to find his family. And there he was, in the stands, raising a six-year-old boy over his head, kissing him, waving his hand.
by Mitch Albom | Apr 3, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
Cooperstown, Jan. 31, 1999 — Ladies and gentlemen, before I introduce the commissioner of baseball, Pete Rose, and his lovely wife, Margo, I think we should take a moment to look back on the decade we are about to complete. Weren’t the ’90s...
by Mitch Albom | Apr 2, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
SEATTLE — He was racing down the court, his arms wide open, looking for someone to hug, someone to squeeze, someone to celebrate this unbelievable moment. Oh God, what had Sean Higgins done? Grabbed a rebound off a missed baseline jumper, tossed it back through the hoop like honey down a funnel, and sent the Michigan Wolverines to the national championship game in the most fairy tale-ish season we could ever imagine.
A-maizing.
by Mitch Albom | Apr 2, 1989 | Detroit Free Press
SEATTLE — He was racing down the court, his arms wide open, looking for someone to hug, someone to squeeze, someone to celebrate this unbelievable moment. Oh God, what had Sean Higgins done? Grabbed a rebound off a missed baseline jumper, tossed it back through the hoop like honey down a funnel, and sent the Michigan Wolverines to the national championship game in the most fairy tale-ish season we could ever imagine.
A-maizing.
