by Mitch Albom | Feb 25, 2019 | Detroit Free Press, Sports
All game long, the ball was in his hands, a Greenergizer Bunny in a sea of yellow jerseys. Dribbling, driving, dishing, laying it in. He never came out. Never took a breather. Finally, after all that action forged a sizable lead, Michigan had no choice but to foul...
by Mitch Albom | Sep 9, 2018 | Detroit Free Press, Sports
Mark this down. History was made — and stopped — Saturday afternoon at the Big House. First the stop. Facing Western Michigan, under a milky white sky, Shea Patterson dropped back in the second quarter and heaved the ball 44 yards to the end zone, where it was caught...
by Mitch Albom | Aug 26, 2018 | Detroit Free Press, Comment, Sports
When Urban Meyer stood to read his “apology” at a news conference last week, he looked like the bully who was forced to say he’s sorry to the skinny schoolkid. He raced through it and sat back down, as if to say, “OK? Satisfied?” It is the behavior of someone who only...
by Mitch Albom | Mar 28, 2018 | Detroit Free Press, Sports
Well, this just isn’t fair. After beating Montana, Houston, Texas A&M and Florida State, the Michigan Wolverines now have to defeat God. OK, maybe not God, His or Herself. But one of God’s more dedicated servants. A nun. And not just a nun. A 98-year-old nun. And...
by Mitch Albom | Mar 4, 2018 | Detroit Free Press, Comment, Sports
As we grapple with the evils of money and college sports, we might want to remember Jodie Foster. The actress, who enrolled at Yale University when she was 17, had already been nominated for an Oscar, been paid for many Disney movies, and even hosted “Saturday Night...
by Mitch Albom | Jan 28, 2018 | Detroit Free Press, Comment, Sports
They won’t like it. It’s not what they’re used to. But things are changing fast at Michigan State, for trustees, administrators, the athletic department, even cornerstone coaches like Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo. They’ll either change with it, or be gone. In the harsh...
by Mitch Albom | Sep 10, 2017 | Detroit Free Press, Comment, Sports
“Me? I’m 53. It’s gone dead,” said Jim Harbaugh, pointing to his stomach. “I’m dead in here. Burnt wood. No nervousness. Butterflies. Emotions that way. “But guys that are doing it for the first time or the second time…” Exactly. Harbaugh, with his theatrical gut...
by Mitch Albom | Nov 20, 2016 | Detroit Free Press, Comment
It can’t be 10 years since Bo Schembechler died. No way. It was just yesterday when I was sitting across from him, green, 29 years old, and he was laughing at me. “Why the hell would you want to do this?” “This” was an autobiography of the longtime Michigan football...
by Mitch Albom | Oct 30, 2016 | Detroit Free Press, Sports
There was a crazy ending, though not like last year, but the day belongs to Jabrill Peppers, Jim Harbaugh and Wolverines EAST LANSING – There was craziness at the end (again) on a routine play in the final seconds (again) with the ball going the wrong way (again) and...
by Mitch Albom | Oct 4, 2016 | Detroit Free Press, Sports
I walk along the street of sorrow, the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I see a giant van pull up. “You moving in?” I ask a large Tiger. “Yeah. Want to help unload?” I take out boxes. There’s one with Miguel Cabrera bobbleheads, and another with Justin Verlander T-shirts....