A Whoop-dee-damn-do-gooder

Sports Illustrated ^ | 11/18/2008 | selena roberts

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Plexiglass barriers had gone up along Linwood Street, encasing attendants at gas stations and clerks at liquor stores, sealing employees from harm but also human touch. Hard to slide a hug through a slot meant for credit cards, pens and pennies. After the racially charged riots of 1967, when the west side of Detroit burned, most of the remaining businesses installed bars, steel shutters and, of course, bullet-resistant glass, making every trip to the bodega feel like a prison visit.

Who could restore dignity to the neighborhood? Who could lift the spirits of residents, especially now, with the auto industry on empty? A renowned lazy ass. When I think of Derrick Coleman, I see a talented 6' 10" NBA forward of the '90s with the smooth head and the body that always looked pulled from a hamper. He could defy coaches, dress codes and traffic laws, and still conjure 20 and 10. No utterance underscored Coleman's ethos of apathy more than this response when he heard that a New Jersey Nets teammate had missed practice: "Whoop-dee-damn-do."

[MAD-AS-HELL]

I don't know Coleman's party affiliation but I probably can guess he's a Democrat. With that said, he's doing what Dem pols haven't been able to do in 60 years and I applaud him for going back to DeToilet and breathing life back into his neighborhood with his own money. I hope he is successful and sends a message to Dems that their old and tired polices don't work to bring life back to the inner cities.

[Redbob]

"I don't know Coleman's party affiliation but I probably can guess he's a Democrat."

No kidding?

[MAD-AS-HELL]

51% certainty!

And I could go for $1 hungry howies pizza! MMM mmm Parmesan crust pizza with tomatoes and pineapple!

[Hacklehead]

His intentions are good, but reality will not be denied for long. Then he will learn why other businesses are behind bars and plexiglass. When animals are allowed to roam the streets, good people have to live in cages.

[Iron Munro]

"Hard to slide a hug through a slot meant for credit cards, pens and pennies.

Miust be a typo - I'm sure this is what he meant to say:

"Hard to slide a hug shoot a slug through a slot meant for credit cards, pens and pennies.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

I just hope there are no riots after he ends the $1 slice of pizza deal...

[go-dubya-04]

What a great story and how sad so many of fellow Freepers only have snarky things to post.