WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Wish You Were Here (And I’M Not Just Saying That)

by | Dec 4, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

MEMO TO: OFFICE STAFF

FROM: HAWAIIAN CORRESPONDENTS

Dear Everybody,

Well, we just landed in Hawaii, and I must tell you, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

And I’m not just saying that.

For one thing, it’s cold. I mean, it’s really cold. Like I’m-still-wearing-my-winter-coat cold. Grass skirts? Ha! The people in this airport dress in scarves and gloves. And I’m not just saying that.

Where’s the non-stop sunshine, you ask? That’s what I ask. Do you know what I see when I look out the pane-glass windows? I see gray skies. Gray skies. Can you imagine?

WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Fair Warning, Eric — Pick Up An Extra Six-Pack

by | Nov 30, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

This is something I’ve always wondered about. When a team plays a game on a Thursday — as the Lions did a few days ago — what do they do on Sunday afternoons?

Do they watch the other games on TV?

Does Eric Hipple invite Joe Ferguson and Chuck Long over to his house, and open a six-pack of beer and a box of pretzels?

And what does his wife say?

Does she come downstairs, shake her head and say, “I don’t know what you see in that game. Why don’t you do something constructive, like rake the leaves?”

She couldn’t really say that, could she?

WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Ferguson To Chadwick Set The Tone

by | Nov 24, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Chuck Long’s first pro pass might have received more attention, but the throw that really made the difference Sunday came from Joe Ferguson, who, you might have noticed, played the first 57 minutes and 54 seconds at quarterback.

It was early in the game, just over eight minutes left in the first quarter, and Ferguson had thrown three times. One short completion, one incompletion, one interception. The score was 0-0. Ferguson stepped up to the line on a first-and-10 from the Lions’ 26, looked to his left and liked what he saw.

WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Rogers Was Talked Into Letting Chuck Go Long

by | Nov 24, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Chuck looked at Darryl. Darryl looked at Chuck.

Joe looked at Darryl.

And Darryl looked at Joe.

Then Joe and Darryl both looked at Chuck, who was still looking at Darryl, I think.

You getting all this?

“Oh, all right, get on in there,” Darryl said.

Ta da.

The Long era begins.

Let the history books show that with 2:06 left in a meaningless, late-season game in Florida, Detroit’s quarterback of the future saw his first NFL action. And here it was.

He called the play, stepped to the line . . .

And handed off.

WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Give These Men A Rose Wolverines Grow Up Quickly In Game Of Games

by | Nov 23, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — No bigger games. No bigger moments. This is all you live for if you wear a Wolverines or Buckeyes uniform, this game, this Saturday in mid-November, and the final gun was but 66 seconds away, and there were hearts beating crazily all over the field, as if they would burst.

“‘Make it, make it,” prayed the Ohio State players.

“Miss it, miss it,” countered the Michigan team.

WILCHER’S GRIEF MAKES HAWAII PARADISE LOST

Handicapping Secrets Stay That Way (For Now)

by | Nov 23, 1986 | Detroit Free Press

OK. This week I’ve got a great new theory on how to pick winners. Big stuff. Really. Read this and you’ll be making hundreds of dollars every Sunday. I guarantee it.

Now the . . . oh, I should explain that I am writing this from the press box of the Michigan-Ohio State game in Columbus, Ohio. No problem. I can do two things at once.

All right. Now the first thing you do in this new system is get a list of–

DID YOU SEE THAT?

Sorry. Big play there. Now then, you get a list of the games and take the point spreads and–

LOOK! LOOK! HE’S OPEN! HE’S—