Attention: young people about to graduate college. Put down that beach ball!This is not a typo. I went to graduation ceremonies at George Washington University last weekend, and all during the speech -- made by a prominent government leader -- the students were tossing a beach ball, punching it from section to section, like at a Jimmy Buffet concert. I kept waiting for someone to interrupt the future of global economy by yelling "PLAY MARGARITAVILLE, DUDE!"
"They come and they go, Hobbs; they come and they go."Robert Duvall to Robert Redford in "The Natural"I always loved that line, but I never realized how true it was in sports until last week. While vacationing out West, I went to a jazz concert in a small California nightclub. Not long after I sat down, a man and his wife sat next to me. The man smiled and said, "How you doing, Mitch?"
THE LIVE ALBOM:* Every now and then I have to wonder about our business. On Monday morning, the front-page story of both Detroit newspapers was Brent Musburger getting fired. And of course, for USA Today, this was MAJOR NEWS. Meanwhile, TV reacted with typical perspective. One broadcaster said: "Who'd have thought in one year the Berlin Wall would come down and Brent Musburger would leave CBS?"* Yeah. I can just see those East Germans pouring over the border. "Next, comrades, we free Brent!"
Although I have forgotten many stories from my youth, there is one I will always remember. It concerned my father. There was a snowstorm. A bad one. The car stalled in the middle of nowhere. I was a newborn infant, in need of food, and so my father left my mother and me in the car, and ran through the snow until he found a small tavern. He pleaded with the unreasonable owner, asking for milk. The owner kept saying no. His wife overheard the conversation, came from the back with a carton of milk, and said, "Take it. For your son."My father thanked her, found us, and fed me.
* Lions 20, Buffalo 16: If the Lions put half the energy into playing football that they do in fighting criticism, they would be undefeated.* Dallas 26, Green Bay 10: I know Troy Aikman. I have worked with Troy Aikman. You, Jason Garret, are no Troy Aikman.
THE LIVE ALBOM* Ever since I returned from the Super Bowl, people have been asking me, "How did you like the game?"* And I say, "Fine. How did you like the Grenada Invasion?" * Excuses The Broncos Can Use This Summer:1. "Can you believe those refs?"2. " . . . and the next thing I know, this guy has stolen my uniform and is out there screwing up--"
I can retire now. I've seen it all.In one weekend, I watched Michigan finally beat Notre Dame, on a fourth-down bomb that surely would have made Bo Schembechler quit the game and go into baseball, if he hadn't done that already. Then I watched the Chippewas from Central Michigan, who were supposed to be happy with the invitation to play Michigan State, stuff their RSVP down the Spartans' throatsand beat them, 20-3. Thanks for having us, George. We had a great time.
Chris Webber sat across the table, a plate of spaghetti in front of him. He wore a green sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, and he looked even younger than his age. He spoke about turning pro. This was last February, when he was still a student, still part of the Fab Five."I can't imagine next year, when we play Duke, and me not being there," he said. "I already know the date, Dec. 11. I can't see myself with some NBA team, watching on TV. I've got to be there."
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.
