Detroit Free Press

KNIGHT’S PROBLEM? IT’S HIS SUPPORTERS

KNIGHT’S PROBLEM? IT’S HIS SUPPORTERS

To his friends and supporters, I am just another dumb critic of Bobby Knight.To his friends and supporters, I am just another sheep who says a coach who chokes a player shouldn't be a coach.To his friends and supporters, I am another rube taken in by a videotape that shows Bobby Knight grabbing former player Neil Reed by the throat. I obviously can't understand the circumstances that would make Knight's actions perfectly acceptable because I am not -- as his friends and supporters will tell you -- a successful college basketball coach like Bobby.
AFTER BITTERNESS, WILL WE LET WINNER ACTUALLY LEAD US?

AFTER BITTERNESS, WILL WE LET WINNER ACTUALLY LEAD US?

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?
CASE STUDY: KILL THE DEATH PENALTY

CASE STUDY: KILL THE DEATH PENALTY

He didn't do it.That didn't stop police from interrogating him for 12 hours, screaming questions, denying him a lawyer, holding a gun to his head, telling him he should fess up because otherwise he was going to "get the needle," the death penalty, dead man walking, because, after all, he raped that girl at the Pizza Hut, he murdered that girl, this is how he did it, isn't it? Isn't it? ISN'T IT? If you sign this confession, it'll be easier on you....
HARK! THE HERALD NEWS MAKERS SING

HARK! THE HERALD NEWS MAKERS SING

Ihear a knock. I open the door. Look who I see come a caroling ...Democrats singing "Here Comes Santa Claus"Here comes W, Here comes W W's on his way See him bouncing, mispronouncing, He's the prez today! Let Dick Cheney run the show Let Colin take the snaps Condi Rice makes everything nice While W takes a nap.Al Gore, "Joy To the World"Wait! Stop the world! Just one more time And let's recount the votes We'll beat inauguration Let's do some calculations There's still some ballots out Some chads lying about I'm sure I can win this thing With one more count.
SLIPSHODFOLLOWING LETDOWN, TEAM MUST GET A GRIP

SLIPSHODFOLLOWING LETDOWN, TEAM MUST GET A GRIP

MILWAUKEE 92, DEROIT 88The whistle blew -- offensive foul! -- and Richard Hamilton, in disgust, tore away his plastic mask. This is not why they call him "Rip." He threw the mask across the floor. Shreek! Another whistle. Technical foul to go with his sixth foul. And then, for good measure, the refs threw him out altogether. He left muttering angry warnings to the Bucks on the floor, who nodded as if to say, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're gone. We're still here. And we're gonna win the game."Adding insult to larceny.
LOOKS AREN’T WHAT THEY SEEM WITH OKUR

LOOKS AREN’T WHAT THEY SEEM WITH OKUR

He is either an old man in a young man's body or a young man in an old man's face. Appearances are deceiving with Mehmet Okur. He is a rookie, but he looks like he could have four kids and a minivan. He is a strong rebounder, but his body looks like the "before" ad for one of those muscle gyms.
BIG MEN, LITTLE BUDDIESHOW DRAPER, SHANAHAN TOUCHED THEIR SHORT LIVES — AND VICE VERSA

BIG MEN, LITTLE BUDDIESHOW DRAPER, SHANAHAN TOUCHED THEIR SHORT LIVES — AND VICE VERSA

There are bonds you are born with, like your parents or siblings, and bonds you choose, like friends and lovers. Then there are the bonds that come along by accident, that somehow choose you, and draw you in like destiny.For Kris Draper, the Red Wings' oft-grinning forward, the bond began with a phone call. A teenage girl from Shepherd, he was told, had leukemia and was in the hospital. She was a huge Draper fan. Could he possibly call her?
WALKING TALL: IT’S SUPER BOWL OR BUST TIME

WALKING TALL: IT’S SUPER BOWL OR BUST TIME

He sounded a bit nervous. But then, if you were being handed, at the same time, the biggest paycheck of your career and the second-worst team in pro football, wouldn't you be nervous, too?"Just tell me one thing," I asked Steve Mariucci, the Lions' new head coach, Wednesday afternoon, "tell me you can win more than three games next year.""Ah, ah . . ." he said, stalling, "we'll go one game at a time.""No," I insisted. "Please. Just say you can win three games. Just say it. You can, right?""Ah, ah," he laughed. "Don't put words in my mouth."

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.

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