Thanks Mitch

One of my Sunday morning staples is watching the Sports Reporters on ESPN. For those who haven't watched this show, it is four sports reporters from around the US discussing the week in sports. Mitch Albom, a Detroit sports reporter and bestselling author, is a recurring guest on the show. Well, he was on the show today. At the end of the show, each reporter has their own "editorial" about any topic.

Well Mitch discussed the Detroit Tigers. He talked about the condolences he has received over the past week. As he said "Don't cry for me America", he speaks for most Detroiters. Yes, the Tigers did not play to the level that they did for most of the season and the playoffs. Nonetheless, like Mitch, Kenny Rogers, and countless others, I would not change places with St. Louis fans just because they won. We are proud of our team. I don't think this is a one year thing. They will come back next year and play at the same level. Dave Dombrowski will create deals that will make them better than this year, whether it is signing a big free agent bat at first base/DH or trading one of their young guns in order to get that needed bat.

Now I don't live in Detroit anymore, but you can take the man out of Detroit, but you cannot take the Detroit out of the man. I was lucky to see a wonderful game and see the city in it's rare glory and liveliness that happens way too often and mostly only because of a sports team playing downtown.

The Tigers season brought hope to many people who are out of jobs or are worried about losing their job due to Detroit's only real industry, the US automotive. I sometimes see eerie similarities to Buffalo, NY and how that city used to be very big, but because of the steel industry downsizing, many people were in the same situation as Detroit is now. They had the hope of a football team called the Buffalo Bills that gave them some hope.

As I reflect on the last year in sports in Detroit, we had the best team in basketball (women's and men's) and in hockey, and one of the best in baseball. Yet, only one of the four won a championship. You could say that is worse than never having a good team at all. But, it gives hope in a somewhat down city...