"The Courage of Detroit"

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

Great article!! It is just too bad that more Americans do not have more of an appreciation for such a place. It is a place where people are modest, hard working, and real. When most hear that, they think it must suck because it is not some flashy, glamorous/bling bling kind of place where bigger is always better.

It's funny how the media almost begrudgingly try to portray Detroit and Michigan as "Hell on Earth" while so many who can leave choose to stay. Bob Seiger(spell check), Kid Rock, and Eminem chose to stay when they could have left at the drop of a hat. Steve Yzerman stayed after he retired and I believe Chris Chelios said he planned to stay in the area after he retires. The list goes on!!

[T.Low 1,011]

Sorry, but to me this is the same old rehashed semi nostalgic style he uses ad nauseum. I'm tired of excuses and just taking it all as it comes. Detroit needs to kick some ass as a city - from sports to schools and simply no longer accept incompetence.

I no longer live in Detroit, but you know what? You will never guess. Lots of big cities with nice downtowns, jobs and neighborhoods where you can sell houses have a lot of really dumb people. People in Detroit know how to get things done. Engineer a car, manage a massive supply chain for an auto plant, buld things that work. Trust me, it is not as common as you think. So what is the problem? If you ask me, the smart, hard working know how to do things people are not in charge. Take charge.

I agree, Rookie. Detroit is reeping the seeds that Coleman Young planted log ago. Like the city of Pontiac, the people that are suppossed to be fixing the problems are helping perpetuate the problems. Three teachers at Pontiac Northern HS have been sent to the hospital this year from getting their asses kicked by students. Pontiac Northern HS has its own POLICE FORCE!

I wish I knew the solution. Dave Bing may run for governor of Detroit.

I think Albom is right. Whats happenning in Detroit is a glimpse into the future of our country.

[TheCaptain19 49]

its a good article. sad, but true.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Have you had a Boston Cooler? Best float you will ever have. For those who don't know it's a root beer float but in place of the root beer have Vernor's. Best float.

Sore throat? Drink some Vernors. Long day at work? Have some brandy and Vernors. Soooooo many applications for Vernors.

Upset stomach? Flat Vernors. That was Mom's cure. Better than chicken soup.

[JayUp88 1]

I be reppin' D-Town everywhere I go

Josh I must say, straight gangsta shoes right there.

[henrik40 76]

I'm not from Detroit but both my parents were born and raised in Detroit and I'm a huge fall of all things Detroit. I can't stand when I hear my ******* friends from Cleveland say "we should just let Detroit go down the s***ter, no one cares about them anyway". Guess what Cleveland, look at Detroit and act like that couldn't be Cleveland eventually. People all over need to realize that if s*** in this country doesn't get turned around, more and more major cities are slowly going to go down the s***ter and their cities will be the brunt of jokes.

[C-TownWing 0]

I'm not from Detroit but both my parents were born and raised in Detroit and I'm a huge fall of all things Detroit. I can't stand when I hear my ******* friends from Cleveland say "we should just let Detroit go down the s***ter, no one cares about them anyway". Guess what Cleveland, look at Detroit and act like that couldn't be Cleveland eventually. People all over need to realize that if s*** in this country doesn't get turned around, more and more major cities are slowly going to go down the s***ter and their cities will be the brunt of jokes.

Funny you say that, I was just going to post something to the effect of:

"To a large extent, Detroit's story is Cleveland's story as well, so even though my only real connection to Detroit is my being a Wings fan and the related frequent visits, that hit pretty close to home for me. Count me as among those who is pulling for you guys in a big way and defends the city whenever I hear it being slammed. Hell, I even find myself rooting for the Lions and Tigers when they're not playing the Browns and Indians."

I think a lot of it is just irrational Ohioan hatred for all things Michigan. Either that or it's relief that Detroit jokes have replaced Cleveland jokes (therefore allowing Cleveland to have one city to rip on), at least for the time being. Me? I hate Ohio State (Penn State '02, and I root for UM over OSU) and I'm rational. But I do have faith in the grit of the people of the Great Lakes region to pull through to the other side of this.

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

Detroit is if anything very unique. Plenty of cities that have vibrant downtowns have an ugly other side of town that is very much representative of what Detroit shows more up front. Dead industrial sections, crime, poverty... from Chicago to Philly to New York. So, if in his round about poetic way Albom was saying well all need to start making stuff again, I agree. I guess what is unique about Detroit is the whole suburb disconnect. In same ways, the higher income part of the city doesn't really exist as much as in other cities - instead it's right outside the border. Blame whatever you want, riots, racism, freeways, car culture, open space to grow... maybe all of it. Still, go to Chicago, Boston or Philly and you see things Detroit goofed on. For example, beautiful old train stations that instead of being empty bombed out shells are used every day by thousands of people. Giant ancient downtown departments stores that may or may not be making tons of money, but are open and full of shoppers. Got to get the people back in the city living downtown!

One big hurtle the city must get over is its lack of diversity. I think the majority of people are ready for this to happen, and it is, slowly, but the folks on city council seem set in their ignorant and hateful ways. You should hear some of the things that comes out of the mouths of those people; it's absurd.

Having said that, why would anyone with a little money( mostly whites) want to live under an administration that hates them?

I firmly believe things will change for the better; it just may take longer than in most cities due to the city's "It may be broken but it is ours mentality".

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

I am going to go ahead and agree with other posters here and say that Americans should try to learn from Detroit, not poke fun of it. Whether they know it or not, this city has long served as a glimpse into the future of this country( i.e industrial revolution, the auto, and the decline of industrial prowess).

[hallelujahlogic 1]

mitch albom's a sap-slinger, and i hate that about him.

but maybe i'm going soft because i just finished reading that article and for some strange, unknown reason, my cheeks are wet, and my nose is running.

[hamip1998 3]

Funny you say that, I was just going to post something to the effect of:

"To a large extent, Detroit's story is Cleveland's story as well, so even though my only real connection to Detroit is my being a Wings fan and the related frequent visits, that hit pretty close to home for me. Count me as among those who is pulling for you guys in a big way and defends the city whenever I hear it being slammed. Hell, I even find myself rooting for the Lions and Tigers when they're not playing the Browns and Indians."

I think a lot of it is just irrational Ohioan hatred for all things Michigan. Either that or it's relief that Detroit jokes have replaced Cleveland jokes (therefore allowing Cleveland to have one city to rip on), at least for the time being. Me? I hate Ohio State (Penn State '02, and I root for UM over OSU) and I'm rational. But I do have faith in the grit of the people of the Great Lakes region to pull through to the other side of this.

Anyone in Northern Ohio that has an elitist attitude towards Michigan or Detroit should take a long look in the mirror. I was born in Akron and remember what this area looked like when the rubber industry went flat. I grew up hearing my dad talk about the times when he used to park cars in downtown Akron back in the early fifties and he said you couldn't see the sidewalks for people. Fast forward 25 years and my memories are of boarded up storefronts, abandoned buildings, and the homeless men and women that made up the Akron of my childhood.

When I was in the Navy, most of my really good to best friends were from Michigan. We were all kids from the Rust Belt and we "got" each other. Meeting those guys for the first time was like meeting a cousin who lived across town from you rather than speaking to a total stranger. We played euchre and knew what Vernors was and were more likely to order a shot and a beer rather than a trendy cocktail. When I was around them, being from Ohio or Michigan was a badge of honor and pride, not the butt of a joke.

My wife and two boys stayed overnight in downtown Detroit a couple of years ago, and we were surprised at how much we enjoyed the city and the people that we met. All you hear are the horror stories, and it's a shame that Detroit has taken the beating that it has over the years. I remember my wife and I having a brief moment when we stepped off of the people mover when we looked at each other and said "geez, this beats the heck out of Cleveland". People from the metro area, and Michigan in general, should be proud. While you may have your problems, you definitely have pride, heart, and as Mitch Albom writes "courage". Stay strong my Midwestern brothers and sisters. We will pull through.

[cirov19 1]

I'm from Windsor, but I grew up spending a lot of time across the river for my sports and professional sports, and my dad is an MSU alum, and damn I'm proud to be a part of Detroit.

This article is amazing.

[LeftWinger 4,962]

...very nice read, but Detroit is doomed as long as City Council is allowed to run this place. Mayor Archer had great ideas, he was well on his way to turning Detroit into a place to be visited, then everytime someting came to vote, City Council said no. Blame them for this cities current state, blame Kwame for his personal failures, but that is how he was raised, but blame CIty Council for this crap! Detroit needs a City Council AND a Mayor, that hasn't been tainted by the Colman Young Administration. While they're at it, how about a Cheif of Police was HASN'T work under the outgoing CHeif of Police? Once after another, different person, same agenda. Same s***, different day. Matt Millen and Martin Mayhew. Northwest or Delta. Make the Unions take paycuts and the CEOS get millions in bonuses and Golden Parachutes...

...Detroit CAN be a Star, lets hope that the Movie Industry makes a BIG splash here. We need another industry. Autos being destroyed by the Government and Airlines and being destroyed by greedy CEOS... Where do we go? Go Wings, that's for sure!

Edited January 11, 2009 by LeftWinger

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Excellent article. I used to make an annual trip every season to Detroit for a weekend of baseball, starting in 1983 until 1989. What I remember is this: you could start up a conversation with anyone about sports, usually depending on the time of year and who was winning. The exception was hockey: people in Detroit would talk about the Red Wings any time of the year, especially from 1986-87 through 1989-90 when Jacques Demers was Coach and had them in the playoffs three straight seasons, no small feat in those days.