Football Guts and Glory

American Flag at Michigan Stadium

To paraphrase the legendary Michigan radio announcer Bob Ufer, there are five seasons in Michigan: winter, spring, summer, fall...and football. This past weekend was a celebration of Michigan’s football season from the NFL to the high school level.

Some teams reached glorious heights, while others walked off the field in tears, their players wishing that a ball had bounced differently, that they had just executed a little better, or that they could just have one more possession.

The Glory

Several football teams throughout the state met their goals this past weekend. The Detroit Lions won on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since 2003. At the college level, Michigan State wrapped up an undefeated Big Ten schedule with a win over Minnesota, and Grand Valley State overcame a sixteen point deficit to win a Division II playoff game. At Ford Field in Detroit, eight high school teams won state championships.

Although all of these teams should be commended for their victories, sometimes we give standing ovations to the team or athlete that played with reckless abandon only to fall short of victory. We applaud them because we understand that glory is rare in sports.

We know that failing to win in no way diminishes a true effort to achieve greatness. On Saturday afternoon, the Michigan Wolverines strove for greatness from the opening kickoff until the final minute of the game. They played with guts, but Ohio State walked away with the glory of victory.

The Guts

The mood in Ann Arbor was somber as I walked towards Michigan Stadium before the game. For the most part, Michigan fans did not look hopeful. A season of disappointments and uninspired football seemed to be leading to a blowout at the hands of the undefeated Buckeyes. 

Ohio State was favored by two touchdowns, and many Michigan fans were afraid of much worse. While Michigan fans might have had only a sliver of hope, there was one group of Wolverines huddled up in their locker room before the game who knew they could win.

Michigan Stadium during The Game

If you like offense, the 110th edition of the game was a masterpiece from both teams. Michigan stopped Ohio State's first drive, but the Buckeyes pinned Michigan's struggling offense on their one yard line with a masterful punt. At this point, the guts kicked in. Michigan put together a 99 yard scoring drive in 5 plays, highlighted by an 84 yard pass from Devin Gardner to Jeremy Gallon.

Michigan and Ohio State traded scores throughout the game with each team only punting three times. While Ohio's Carlos Hyde ran over and around Michigan defenders for 226 yards, beleaguered Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner put together a performance that only he and his teammates could imagine. For the most part, his offensive line finally gave him time to throw, his receivers made plays, and his running backs supported him with a strong rushing attack.

At halftime, the score was 21-21, but Michigan would quickly find itself down 28-21 in the second half. Instead of quitting, the Wolverines drove deep into Buckeye territory and found themselves facing a decision on fourth and two late in the third quarter. Instead of kicking a field goal, Michigan went for the first down and failed. Ohio State then marched down the field in 6 plays and took a 35-21 lead, seemingly putting the game out of Michigan's reach.

Again, Michigan did not quit. Instead they managed two straight touchdowns to tie the score at 35 with 5:25 remaining in the fourth. Ohio State then marched 65 yards to take a 42-35 lead with 2:41 left.

Again, Michigan did not quit. They drove 86 yards with Gardner completing seven passes, including what could have been the game-tying score with 32 seconds left to play. Coach Brady Hoke asked his players if they wanted to kick the extra point to tie the game or go for a two point conversion and the win. After playing the whole game with guts and enduring a season in which everyone doubted them, his offense did not doubt themselves and told Hoke they were going for two. 

It did not end as they believed it would. Gardner threw his only interception of the game. Michigan's desperation onside kick failed, and Ohio State's team and fans celebrated as Michigan fans walked out of the stadium stunned and in some cases despondent.

"Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." 

                                                   -John F. Kennedy

Twice in this game, Michigan failed because they were trying to achieve greatly. They failed by passing up a field goal try on fourth and two in the third quarter, and they failed on their final two point conversion attempt. If they had successfully kicked a field goal in the third quarter, the decision to go for two may not have been necessary. If they had kicked the extra point, maybe they would have won in overtime. Instead of playing it safe, they reached for glory, only to have it slip from their fingertips.

According to the final score, Michigan failed, but they did not fail miserably. They played to win and came up short. Bravery is not always rewarded on the scoreboard. No player or coach on that team should be haunted by playing to win. They believed in themselves, and that's a hell of a lot better than not believing at all.

Best of the Net 11/18-11/24

Kellogg Foundation Helps Kids

Battle Creek's W.K. Kellogg Foundation is selecting 100 people for fellowships to help vulnerable children and their families. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that the fellows will primarily represent the priority areas of Michigan, Mississippi, New Orleans and New Mexico.

The Foundation will grant each fellow a $20,000 stipend and another $5,000 for a leadership project in the program's final year. The fellowship's three-year curriculum hopes to develop community leaders who will remove barriers to children's healthy development, academic success and economic security.

Literary Scene is Thriving in Detroit

Online magazine Ozy recently highlighted Detroit's literary scene. The excellent review reveals how Detroit often has been overlooked by publishers scheduling book tours and how Literary Detroit is promoting Detroit as a literary city. The volunteer organization hosts events for authors and serves as a network to connect readers with authors' works.

In addition to mentioning Literary Detroit and several authors and poets from Detroit, Ozy acknowledges InsideOut, a program that places professional writers in Detroit schools. The writers help students express themselves and provide opportunities for students to publish or perform their own work.

Grand Rapids Business Innovates

The Grand Rapid Business Journal reports that Grand Rapids-based Varsity News Network won the $500,000 grand prize at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. According the article, investors from 77 global firms attended the competition and 50 companies competed for the grand prize.

Varsity News Network provides a platform for high school athletic departments to promote their athletics programs online. According to the company's website, it also provides opportunities for students to learn about writing, web design, marketing and entrepreneurship.

Flint is Growing...Produce

In the heart of an urban area, Flint River Farms is growing produce and teaching children about farming. Michigan Nightlight features the farm's history and outreach efforts within the community. The farm started in 2010 and provides education programs for children through the FoodCorps and edible flint programs.

The farm also sells its products to Flint restaurants and farmers markets. According to Roxanne Adair, one of the farm's founders, the farm also hopes to sell its produce in local stores that currently sell only junk food.

Michigan Starts Up

Michigan is full of opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs to gain help creating and building their businesses. Two recent options for startups to grow their businesses are Detroit Innovate and Startup Weekend.

Michipreneur reports that Detroit Innovate, an early stage fund, recently launched. According to the report, the fund will offer investments of $50,000 to $500,000 for healthcare, transportation and advanced manufacturing startups. The fund's website states that the fund is working to develop high-growth companies within the entire Detroit region.

Startup Weekend is a national organization that provides designers, marketers, developers and entrepreneurs the chance to share ideas, build networks and launch startups. Michipreneur reports that Startup Weekend recently concluded programs in Detroit and Kalamazoo and that it will be coming to Grand Rapids in January and Ann Arbor in February.

Mount Clemens Welcomes Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are moving into Mount Clemens according to a report by the Macomb Daily. Businesses are moving into empty offices due to low rents, the Clinton River waterfront and their proximity to the city's restaurants and bars.

The article features several of the entrepreneurs who recently have made Mount Clemens their home. Some of the newer businesses include architectural firms, software developers and marketing firms.
[Update: The link for this article from November 24 is no longer online].

Giving Thanks for Michiganders

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

-John F. Kennedy

Every week I sift through news stories and blog posts to find the best news from Michigan for my weekly “Best of the Net” feature. It is a time-consuming process, but it is not tedious. Instead, I find myself beaming with pride and inspired to promote my home state as I read about the many businesses and nonprofits that are giving back to their communities throughout Michigan. As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to commend these organizations and people for their dedication to Michigan. 

Filmmakers are documenting the state's natural beauty and economic recovery. Small businesses and restaurants are bringing pride and job opportunities to their communities. Nonprofits, new and old, are encouraging children to succeed, promoting the arts and caring for the less fortunate. Start up incubators are helping new businesses thrive throughout the state. By making their communities better, these Michiganders are not just uttering words of thanks, but living by them.

I was going to make a list of every organization in Michigan that inspires me, but it is impossible to attempt to credit everyone without snubbing many. I merely will say thank you to the organizations and individuals that make people believe in Michigan and, more importantly, make Michiganders believe in themselves. You brighten Michigan's days and bring the night's stars within reach.

Best of the Net 11/11-11/17

Detroit's Midtown Continues To Impress

Midtown Detroit, Inc. is a planning and development nonprofit organization working to maintain and revitalize the Midtown district in Detroit. Its efforts have helped Midtown become one of Detroit's success stories in recent years. MLive reports that the Urban Land Institute (ULI) has named Midtown Detroit, Inc. as one of twelve Global Award for Excellence winners.

According to the MLive report, ULI commended Midtown Detroit Inc. for its efforts with the Woodward Garden Block development, the Sugar Hill Art District, the Ellington and Whole Foods Market development, the Auburn and the Green Garage. In addition to these developments, Midtown offers many cultural attractions through the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Public Library and Wayne State University.

Midtown is not done reinventing itself though. Model D reports that a Knight Foundation grant will support the TechTown Living Room, a public space at Cass and Burroughs that will be available to the approximately 400 entrepreneurs who will be moving into the new TechTown co-working space in Midtown.

Filmmakers Feature U.P. Bike Trails

The Upper Peninsula offers an abundance of outdoor activities including the up-and-coming sport of snow biking. Clear and Cold Cinema is a U.P. production company that seeks to highlight the beauty of the U.P. Upper Peninsula's Second Wave reports that the production company is releasing a new film called Cold Rolled. The action-packed documentary features snow biking on the trails of Marquette's Noquemanon Trail Network.

For a brief trailer for the film, click here.

LaughFest Is Coming To Grand Rapids

Gilda's LaughFest, the annual comedy festival held in Grand Rapids since 2011, has announced its 2014 lineup. The Grand Rapids Business Journal reports that comedians Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Chris Tucker and Jim Gaffigan, among others, will be performing between March 6 and 16.

The festival raises funds for Gilda's Club Grand Rapids, which provides cancer, grief and emotional health support to the community. Gilda's Club is named in honor of legendary Michigan comedian and original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner.

To Be Should Not Be A Question

The original king of comedy (and tragedy), William Shakespeare, hopes to come to Detroit this summer. Shakespeare in Detroit (SiD) aims to bring three outdoor Shakespeare plays to the city in 2014. If SiD is able to stage the plays in Detroit, it will also hire Detroiters to prepare and perform in the productions. Last summer, the company produced Othello in Grand Circus Park.

However, the company needs help raising funds according to a report by Hell Yeah Detroit. Sam White, the founder of SiD, is asking for financial help through a Kickstarter campaign. If you would like to help, click here to see a video from White explaining her goals and to make a donation. As White explains in the video, other major cities have outdoor Shakespeare productions, and if it is good enough for them, it's good enough for Detroit.

A Flint Made Man Gives Back

Eric Woodyard is a journalist from Flint who refuses to believe that he succeeded despite growing up on Flint's north side. Instead, he believes his success is a result of the grit and toughness he developed while growing up in Flint. MLive highlights Woodyard's production of his short film "Flint Made Me." The film features interviews with people who inspired him and helped him obtain academic scholarships while also showing the neighborhood he grew up in.

Woodyard will use proceeds from the film to help fund a scholarship. For a preview of the film, click here.

Symphony Broadens Its Reach

The Grand Rapids Symphony is trying to gain interest from younger music lovers through its MySymphony360 program. The membership program is designed for professionals between the ages of 21 and 35. The Grand Rapids Business Journal reports that the symphony will offer discounted tickets to the program's members and that it hopes to partner with restaurants and bars to offer additional discounts to members on concert nights.

Detroit's Unseen Sights

Shinola, manufacturer of bicycles and luxury watches, is one of Detroit's newer businesses that is bringing jobs and positive press to the city. Sight Unseen asked Shinola's creative director Daniel Caudill to give snapshots of his new hometown. The story features several photos of Caudill's favorite places and businesses in Detroit and includes his commentary about why these places are special.

Bourdain's Detroit: An Unfinished Story

Flowers reaching for the sun in Detroit. Photo by A. Burtka

Points of view. Biases. Misperceptions. Truths.  Everyone’s narrative is shaped by all of these. They blend. They diverge. They contradict. But in the end, every story is skewed by the lens through which it is seen.

Detroit has several million narratives, the narratives of those who live in the city, those who live in the suburbs and those who used to live there. Even commentators who “parachute in” from the coasts with preconceived notions of a city in ruin craft their own narratives, even though they are horribly shaped by their own personal biases.

After Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown episode aired, the internet exploded with knee-jerk reactions, positive and negative, to the show. I sat on my couch stunned. I was not surprised by anything the show revealed, except for maybe the ghost gardens growing in yards where families had not lived for decades. I thought to myself that I needed to digest the show for a few days before being able to summarize my feelings about it, but nearly a week later, I am still dumbfounded.

Digesting this show, more than any other exposé on Detroit, is as difficult as digesting the entire history of the city. My stomach cannot handle the history of Detroit in one sitting. I can nibble off a piece here and there, but I quickly become full and have to turn to something else.

Although I did not grow up in the city, I was born there and grew up in its suburbs. My mom did grow up in the city, and her schools and church are now long gone, but the street she grew up on is still there. My grandparents moved to the city and this street in search of the abundant opportunities that Detroit offered.

My grandma loved to garden, and I think of her planting flowers, trees or bushes in the family’s yard on Bangor Street in the 1950s. My grandma passed away a decade ago in her native Pennsylvania, and I now wonder if her memory lives on in a ghost garden in Detroit…something I never considered before the Detroit episode of Parts Unknown. It is painful to think that something she once cared for and nourished may still be living and yet I have never seen it because I have never set my eyes upon my mom’s old street.

I believe knowing your history, especially knowing what went wrong, is important and not to be ignored. Like any Detroiter, I am offended by “ruin porn” that merely exists to sell a story that Detroit is dead. It is unproductive and is insulting to the many people who live in Detroit and the many more who still love it and consider it home. Showing an abandoned building or burned out house does not offend me if the blight is offered in a constructive manner that reflects on what went wrong, but also what can  be done to make things right.

Like any narrative, Bourdain’s show contained nuggets of truth but did not tell the whole story. The footage of the Packard Plant and the abandoned buildings are truths that punch you in the gut harder than any blow from Joe Louis. Bourdain did say Detroit was “screwed” over and over again, but unlike some commentators’ jabs, it did not feel like an insult. It felt as if Bourdain truly felt the pain of a city that has been continually knocked to the ground but that keeps getting up saying, “Is that all you’ve got?”

Bourdain did not focus on Midtown and Downtown as many hoped he would, but those are the more well-known parts of Detroit that are flourishing. He took his viewers to actual neighborhoods where actual Detroiters live, and he did give us Chef Craig Lieckfelt who loved Detroit enough to do the unthinkable of leaving a world of opportunity in New York to come back to his hometown. There are many more doing what Lieckfelt did, and Bourdain unfortunately missed out on them.

It’s easy to understand the knee-jerk reactions about the show from Detroiters because each reaction is valid in its own right. Each was the composite of an individual’s points of view, biases, misperceptions and truths. Detroiters know the truth more than the rest of us, but even Detroiters do not agree on what the truth is. The important thing is that the past is not accepted as the narrative for the future. What’s done is done. It’s time to move on.

Detroit is moving on, maybe slower and more painfully then we would like, but it is moving on. Blight busters, mower gangs, public art projects, urban farms, startup businesses and new ideas are shaping a new narrative for this city. Insults and jokes from every national pundit and comedian would break a lesser city, but Detroit is still there. It still fights, much like the flowers in ghost gardens pushing their way through the weeds to reach the sun.

If you love Detroit, do not bemoan its past. Believe in its future. The city’s narrative is not finished. Millions of souls have and will contribute to this great city’s story.

What will your contribution be?