In his latest book, "Tuesdays with Morrie," published by Doubleday, Free Press columnist Mitch Albom writes about the final lessons from his college professor and mentor, Morrie Schwartz. The Free Press is running excerpts today through Thursday.The last class of my old professor's life took place once a week in his house, by a window in the study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink leaves. The class met on Tuesdays. It began after breakfast. The subject was The Meaning Of Life. It was taught from experience.
I went away for a while, and now I'm back. I always know when it's time to come back because I'm usually traveling far from home and I see something on the news that makes me yell, "You've got to be kidding!"So there I was, down in Mexico, the surf rolling in, the margaritas flowing like a Las Vegas lobby fountain. And I picked up a day-old copy of the Los Angeles Times and I saw a report that said Red Wing goalie Mike Vernon, the hero of the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, was about to be traded to the San Jose Sharks for a couple of draft picks.
Joe Dumars will be back for his 13th season with the Pistons.They announced Wednesday that Dumars, a free-agent guard, had signed a contract for one season that Dumars said was for $3 million.His return was no surprise. "Since being drafted by the Pistons in 1985, I have never considered playing anywhere else," Dumars said.He had sought a two-year contract, but the Pistons wanted to take it a year at a time. The team's initial offer supposedly was around $2.5 million. Dumars made $5 million against the salary cap last season.
"He's human, but not by much." Todd Woodbridge, on Pete SamprasQuick, somebody, get the man a rival. A foil. An enemy. A villain with a sword. Get him a Wilt Chamberlain for his Bill Russell, a Pharaoh to his Moses, a Lex Luthor to his Superman. Otherwise, Pete Sampras, the greatest tennis player we have ever seen, may skip over our horizon without anyone realizing what a remarkable talent he truly is.
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.
