Detroit Free Press

Here we go. The NBA Finals. New York vs. Houston. Blintzes versus barbecue. Wall Street thieves versus oil ...

This is a great country, founded on great principles. But sometimes you wonder who's steering the ship.Take the ...

Somebody's gotta pay. That was the last angry yell when they locked the doors at Joe Louis Arena, and that was the echo in the air Friday afternoon, on a quiet street in Birmingham, as Bryan Murray stood beyond the hedges of his front lawn, a few steps off the deck, talking about why he'd just had his head cut off."I haven't even told my daughter yet," he said, looking down the street toward a group of children riding bicycles. He turned at the sound of TV satellite trucks pulling up to his driveway, one, two, three. "I guess when she sees those, she'll know something's up."

Just because someone lectures you, insults you and tells you that your country is stupid is no reason not to help ...

He almost always has a cigarette in his mouth, if not that, a sucking candy, and he walks around the room blowing smoke or making tongue-clucking sounds and listening, always listening, because that is what a good teacher does. Listens. Now and then, he'll interrupt with a correction, or write something down, maybe show you how to play it. He makes it seem simple, and when you get frustrated, he'll blow a cloud of smoke, grin and say, "Relax. It takes two or three weeks to become a jazz musician."

In general, tennis stars are a miserable, pampered lot, and you can have 'em all, every one. It's hard to work up ...

That's me. Mr. Lucky.Excuse me while I kiss my fingers.Yes, folks, step right up as I reveal my hidden secrets of ...