Detroit Free Press

BO TO BILL: YOU’RE THROUGH AT U-M

BO TO BILL: YOU’RE THROUGH AT U-M

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
What am I doing here?That's what I was thinking as I ducked away from the reporters at the Seattle Kingdome Monday night, April 3, 1989. The bands were blaring. The teams were taking lay-ups. Basketball? What was I doing on a basketball court -- not just any court, but the NCAA championship game between Michigan and Seton Hall?I tried to make my way to my seat."Bo! Bo!"I looked up. It was Brent Musburger from CBS."How are you doing, Brent?"
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DOUBLE DUTY DOESN’T FAZE LIONS’ DANDY DOUBLE J

DOUBLE DUTY DOESN’T FAZE LIONS’ DANDY DOUBLE J

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
MINNEAPOLIS -- They gave James Jones the game ball Sunday. Then they gave him oxygen.How often did he run in this season opener? How many plays did the Lions have? Talk about one-man offense. Directory assistance doesn't get that many calls. Jones might as well have come to the line and said, "Uh-huh, that's right fellas, it's me again, No. 30, over here, yeah. . . . "
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FORGIVE THE NEW GUY IF HE’S A LITTLE RUSTY

FORGIVE THE NEW GUY IF HE’S A LITTLE RUSTY

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
He was wearing a Detroit Lions cap and he stood under a Detroit Lions banner. He was still wearing his Detroit Lions pants."Had you ever played in the Silverdome before today?" a reporter asked."No," he said."Had you ever been in the Silverdome?""No.""Had you ever been in Detroit?""No."
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TRIVIAL PURSUIT: BOBSLED’S CRAZY 8

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: BOBSLED’S CRAZY 8

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
CALGARY, Alberta -- We are watching the sleds come down the hill. The sun is warm. Our feet are in mud."Who's winning?" someone asks."Who cares?" comes our answer.We are not interested in winners in this Olympic two-man bobsled competition. We know the winners will be East German or Soviet, because they are winning everything else.Nor are we interested in the U.S. team, because every time we turn around, someone on the U.S. team is suing someone else on the U.S. team. Besides, the Americans are in 24th place.
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BREAD WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY JUST CAN’T CUT IT

BREAD WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY JUST CAN’T CUT IT

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
ATLANTA -- He has the eyes of an eagle and the touch of a card shark. And with his collegiate career on the line Sunday afternoon, he left the floor in three-point territory, bent the forearm, flicked the wrist, waved good-bye with the fingers -- somebody get a video camera, this is beautiful -- and the ball arched in glorious perfection, dropping through the net the way a pearl might drop through water.Swish!We're outta here.
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HISTORY REPEATS; HOLMES WILL TAKE SPINKS’ HEAD OFF

HISTORY REPEATS; HOLMES WILL TAKE SPINKS’ HEAD OFF

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
LAS VEGAS -- Well, the people "in the know" out here are saying Michael Spinks will get his head taken off tonight. They liken the fight to an ant and a boulder. The ant moves around, real quick-like, and, oh, my, see how fast it scurries, how quickly it darts, left, then right, and yes, oh yes, it sure is quick, and then plop! the boulder squashes it dead.The boulder is Larry Holmes. But you probably figured that out.
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STEALING SIGNALS? FROM THE LIONS? YOU MUST BE JOKING

STEALING SIGNALS? FROM THE LIONS? YOU MUST BE JOKING

November 21, 2008 | Detroit Free Press
I was fascinated last week by accusations by the Lions that several Green Bay Packers were stealing signals from the sidelines. Not that I don't believe them. It's just that, well, how on Earth can you do that? And who has the time?PLAYER 1: They're going with the red dog, deep six, drop four.PLAYER 2: Yeah. Better signal into our quarterback.PLAYER 1: Right. Let's see. Red dog, that's the closed fist isn't it? And deep six, that's a wipe of the forehead. Or wait. Is the forehead for a blitz, or --QUARTERBACK: Hut!See what I mean?
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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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