Once upon a time, when Kirk Gibson went out socially, you locked up the women and children. He was a serious party animal, a whole frat house rolled into one reckless body.Now Kirk Gibson goes out socially to his son's elementary school, with the other fathers, leaning against the bulletin boards, and when the teacher asks them to write something in their children's journals, Gibson takes the pencil and writes his name and the date and the usual stuff. Then he adds a message to his boy. The message reads, "You never know unless you try again."
It was a New Year's Eve party. She was a high school senior. She left in her car. Three minutes later, she was dead.A drunk driver killed her, just a mile from her home. She never saw him coming. He was not even injured. When he crawled out through his window and saw the wreckage, according to a witness, he said, "Boy, am I in trouble now."The girl's parents were called. They came quickly. On the way over, they prayed it was a mistake. When they saw her blue Volkswagen, crushed like paper, they stopped praying.
CHICAGO -- I must be honest. Before they ever jumped it up Sunday afternoon, I wanted the Pistons to send five YMCA guys out there and let them play the Bulls. Lose big. Why not? I figured Detroit would never win Game 1 anyhow, no way, not after playing so hard Friday night against the Celtics while the Bulls sat around, foaming at the mouth. Let the maniac fans here scream themselves hoarse. Let Chicago win by 400 points. Let the real Pistons rest. See ya in Game 2.
* LIONS 19, BUCCANEERS 10: The Bucs ain't the Bears.* WASHINGTON 20, ATLANTA 10: Sorry, Falcons. That "Hail Mary" stuff only works once every 30 years.
Andre Ware stood on the sideline like a man who had just been scolded. He crossed his feet. He uncrossed his feet. He folded his arms. He unfolded his arms. His jaw was tight. He stared out into space.
It was as pointless as shooting rubber bands at a tank. Here came the Purdue Boilermakers, and Michigan tried to -- swish! -- oops never mind, now here they came again, put a hand in their faces -- swish! -- oops, never mind, now came the break, stop it before -- swish! -- oops, we better -- swish! swish!Forget it. If Purdue shoots like this the rest of the way, you can wrap up the Big Ten title in black and gold paper. Right now. You better hurry -- swish! -- up.
Year after year, the NFL combs the country for the best young college football players. And today, draft day, many of those players will huddle around TV sets with their loved ones: mom, dad, sister, brother, agent, lawyer, accountant, personal trainer, PR flack and shoe company representative. Many are called, few are chosen.
Mitch Albom writes about running an orphanage in impoverished Port-au-Prince, Haiti, his kids, their hardships, laughs and challenges, and the life lessons he’s learned there every day.
