WIMBLEDON, England -- If she weren't gay, this would be such a big story. Cameras would be following her all week, and TV and radio would be updating her progress. But here is the dirty little secret about Martina Navratilova. Not that she's a lesbian. We've known that for years. She admits it. Talks about it. Doesn't try to hide it. The dirty little secret is that she keeps paying for it.
"Which one's Kramer?"-- Out-of-town journalist in Lions' locker room this week Is it safe to call 1993 the Year We Appreciated Quarterbacks? After all, Joe Montana went to Kansas City, and now the Chiefs have real Super Bowl chances. Randall Cunningham went kerplunk, and so did the Eagles' playoff hopes. The thud from Miami was the end of this year's Dolphins -- and it coincided with the thud of Dan Marino. And down in Texas, Warren Moon and Troy Aikman are the two big reasons folks are loudly predicting a Lone Star Super Sunday.
THE LIVE ALBOM* I must admit, I am glad the NBA season is over. * Not thatNIKE I've been affectNIKEed or anyNIKEthing. Sure, it's been twoNIKE months of nonstop basketNIKEballNIKE, but I've done a good job of keepNIKEing my persNIKEpecNIKEtive.
Nine winters ago, Jesse Jackson, who was running for president, referred to Jews as "Hymies" and New York as "Hymie Town." This is an ethnic slur. He made it to a Washington Post reporter, but when the story broke, Jackson denied ever saying such a thing. A week later, he said he couldn't remember saying it. A week later, he admitted saying it, but claimed it was in private conversation. Then he promised never to make such derogatory remarks again.
If I were in charge of baseball, there would be no spring training lockout. I would simply take the two negotiators, Donald Fehr and Chuck O'Connor, stick them in a hotel room, tie them to the bedpost alongside a drooling German Shepherd and have the door hermetically sealed. Then I would inform the world that they had run off to Mexico together. And the players and owners, none of whom really know what's going on anyhow, would shrug and say, "Well, shoot, (spit) heck, (scratch) let's play ball."
Raise your hand if you ever felt like running away from home.Raise your hand if you ever felt your parents ignored you.Raise your hand if you ever felt you'd rather live with another family, one that had more fun and more money.Hmm. A lot of hands. Now consider what happened in a Florida courtroom last week: 12-year-old Gregory Kingsley was officially "divorced" from his natural parents and awarded to foster parents -- one of whom happens to be a lawyer who helped represent the boy in court.
* Lions 20, Bears 17 (today): The Lions can give thanks that Barry Sanders hasn't walked out. The Bears are still hoping he does.* Dallas 21, Miami 14 (today): The Cowboys can give thanks that their owner spends like the world is ending tomorrow. The Dolphins can give thanks that Steve DeBerg has lived this long.
ALBERTVILLE, France -- One jump. One jump. It plays on the mind. One jump. Gotta hit it. One jump. God, let me hit it! The audience can be clapping, the music blaring, filling the arena, violins and kettle drums cascading down to the ice, where the skater glides along in her sequined outfit, big smile, arms out, looking for all the world like Julie Andrews on the hill in "The Sound Of Music." But in her mind there is only one sound, one voice, one screaming order from the storm trooper in the brain. One jump! One jump!"Hit it! Hit it! Hit it! Hit it!"
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.
