MINNEAPOLIS -- I am greeted at the airport by yellow balloons and a woman with a name tag, who smiles and says "You here for the game?" I say yes and she points to the coordinator. He smiles and says "You here for the game?" I say yes and he points to a the bus driver. "You here for the game?" the bus driver says.I say yes. He waves me on.I am a sports writer.This is the Super Bowl.
WASHINGTON -- The day began to die on the second play from scrimmage, when Erik Kramer was smothered and the ball squirted loose and the Redskins picked it up as if lifting a penny off the sidewalk. You knew then, somewhere in your stomach, that the theme of this chilly championship game would be simple and sad: The dream ends here.
A lot of people will be rooting for the Lions to beat the Washington Redskins today, and for many reasons.Some say it's only fair, since Washington goes to the Super Bowl year after year, while Detroit sits home, waiting for the auto show to open.Others think it would teach a lesson to Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, so tunnel-visioned about his job -- sleeping at the stadium much of the week -- that he recently asked an aide whether President Truman needed tickets.
Getting them lined up for the photo was the best part."Yo, Big E! Get in here.""Where's my shirt, man?""Picture time! All right!""Get Ledgehead in here.""You're Ledgehead.""Hey, Tiptoe, get out of the front, man. You never smile.""At least he's got his pants on this time.""BIG E, GET IN HERE!""Why they taking our picture?""Yo, Lomas, your calves cramping yet?""Oh, funny, funny.""Hey, photo man. What kind of lens you using?""Must be one of them super wide angle lenses.""Definitely."
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.
