Thoughts for the Day, January 21, 2021: I work up this morning emotionally exhausted

By the time I went to bed last night my emotions were all over the place. The stress and emotions of the political climate for the last year seemed to be leaving my body. I woke up exhausted as the adrenalin of the last year left me.

I felt like I did on my first day of retirment, when I no longer had the day to day stress of my career. I still have the stress of covid-19, but with covid-19 I don’t have the anger and frustration the last years political climate produced. With covid-19 I feel safe talking with most people. I cannot say the same about the politics of the last year.

As reported in the Detroit News today, the University of Detroit Mercy officials have called off the rest of the women’s basketball season after players’ parents cried foul about the program’s first-year head coach. The parents of the entire Detroit Mercy women’s basketball roster have signed a letter to the university administration claiming new head coach AnnMarie Gilbert ran a program that inflicted “emotional, mental and physical abuse” on the players. The letter, dated Sunday and obtained by The News on Thursday, said the parents decided to take action because their daughters were worried about retaliation, claiming Gilbert created a program rooted in “fear.” All 14 Detroit Mercy players supported the parents’ letter and the many claims of abuse, according to two players who both spoke on the condition that they remain anonymous out of fear of retribution. In meetings this week, a majority of players requested to play out the season without Gilbert as coach, but were told by university officials that was not “a viable option,” according to the two players. This is unprecendented action by the UDM officials. More to come on this story as it unfolds.

One of former President Trump’s last acts was to commute the sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who will serve only 7 years of his 28 year sentence. There was a reason the judge sentenced him to 28 years. The damage he did to the city’s finances and to the city’s reputation was beyond my comprehension. His personal greed, willingness to think he was above the law, and refusal to admit he was wrong led to his receiving the longest sentence ever given to a politician. It is ironic for so many reasons that his sentence has been commuted by former President Trump. Detroiters should not think of him as prodigal son if he ever decides to come back to the Detroit area. He still owes the city nearly $12 million dollars. My guess is that Detroit will never see $1 of that money.

Leah and I met up with some friends from Petoskey and did a 15 mile bike ride at Gulf Shores State Park. The park, which has over 35 miles of bike paths, is one of the finest state parks in the country. I compare it to Kensington Metro Park in Brighton, Michigan. Although the park received extensive damage from the two hurricanes that hit last summer, most of the bike paths were open. We were able to see a very large alligator sunning himself less than 10 yards from the bike path. We saw one very mature eagle’s nest and one that was being made. We traveled on nicely paved paths, a mile long wooden bridge over wet lands and finished it up with a lunch at a great cafe over looking the Gulf of Mexico.

Stay safe. Wear your mask, Social distance, Wash your hands regularly. Register for your vaccine.

Quote of the Day: “Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished,” Amanda Gorman

Orchid of the Day: Lion’s owner Shelia Ford Hamp for hiring Chris Spielman (assistant to the owner), Brad Holmes (general manager), Dan Campbell (head coach). Spielman and Campbell are former Lions who know about the Same old Lions culture and are committed to changing it. Holmes is a guy has an excellent record in scouting and drafting, which in the NFL is everything.

Onion of the Day: Former President Donald Trump for commuting the sentence of Kwame Kilpatrick, while leaving Kwame’s partner in crime Bobby Ferguson in prison to serve out his 21 year sentence.