A Sports Writer's Farewell To Detroit: Great Coaches, Once-In-A-Generation Players
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - When I arrived here from Kansas City more than two years ago, about two weeks removed from my college graduation, I listed my new boss as the local emergency contact on an apartment application.
At that point, we had only talked on the phone a few times, but I did not know anyone else within 750 miles.
In the time since then, I have gotten to know so many wonderful people in the Detroit area, from the folks at CBS to fellow writers and reporters at other media outlets to the personnel of the teams I have covered.
I have enjoyed countless football, baseball, basketball and hockey games and media availability sessions - Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons, Wolverines, Spartans - and written what seems like an infinite number of stories. Sometimes I can hardly fathom what a truly awesome opportunity this job has been.
Friday will be my final day with CBS Detroit, as I am moving back to the Kansas City area, where my family and my soon-to-be husband's family both reside. Before moving on to that new chapter, however, I wanted to take a bit of time to reflect on my time here in the Motor City.
The sliver of time I have been in Detroit has overlapped with the tenures of great coaches like Jim Leyland and Mike Babcock, once-in-a-generation players like Calvin Johnson and Miguel Cabrera, memorable stretches like the American League Championship Series run the Tigers made in 2013 and the 11-win season the Lions enjoyed during the debut season of new head coach Jim Caldwell.
I've traveled to Lakeland, Fla., for Tigers spring training and to Phoenix for the NFL owners meetings. I've made use of my Spanish minor and gotten to interview players like Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedes and others in their native language. I've watched and learned from people who have been in this profession for far longer than I. The experience has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Listed below are a few of my favorite stories from my time here, with the headlines accompanied by explanations of what made those pieces memorable for me.
Last but not least, I want to thank those who have read my articles. If they served their purpose, they informed you about the teams and the people who comprise them. I have certainly enjoyed writing those stories; I hope you enjoyed reading them.
From hard-luck kid and shooting witness to the NFL: Cornelius Lucas' story
Lions tackle Cornelius Lucas, who played at Kansas State University when I was there covering the team as a student and a stringer for The Associated Press, came into the league as an undrafted free agent. He would have been drafted if not for an injury that occurred at precisely the wrong time. The Lions signed him, however, and he ended up playing in nearly every game as a rookie. At first I wanted to interview him simply about that unexpected opportunity, but as I spoke with him, his mother, and his high school coach, I learned about his bigger story, which included both unthinkable loss and wonderful support.
I am so thankful to him for sharing about his journey, which I believe is such an inspiration. I also feel that, through asking the questions I needed to ask to understand the details of various parts of his story, I grew as a reporter and writer in the process of putting together this feature.
Cespedes: 'I think I would like to be on this team for a long time'
This article stemmed from an exclusive interview with Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Typically, when Cespedes speaks with groups of media he does so with a translator. Because I studied Spanish in college, however, I was able to interview Cespedes in Spanish and produce a story with his thoughts on free agency a couple of days before other outlets did the same. I think most people enjoy using what they learn in school, and getting to use some Spanish has been a great aspect of this job.
Mayhew says, in hindsight, he would do 'about 1,000 things' differently in pursuit of Suh
CBS sent me to Phoenix to cover the NFL owners meetings, where general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand would talk for the first time with Detroit media about the free agency departure of heralded defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Lions beat reporters and team reporters and I had lunch with Mayhew, and one of the questions I asked was whether, with the benefit of hindsight, he would have done anything differently in trying to retain Suh. He gave the headline-making response, of course, but in general this story stands out to me because it gave readers a firsthand look at the stated rationale for the team making the decisions it did - ceasing negotiations with Suh before the season, offering him the money they did, not matching the money offered by the Miami Dolphins, etc.
In emotional farewell, Babcock says he went back and forth 100 times before choosing Toronto
When Mike Babcock announced his decision to leave Detroit and become head coach of the Maple Leafs, it seemed extremely odd to me - and many others - that he would return to the dressing room of the team he had just left and give a goodbye speech and take questions about his departure. Covering his farewell address ended up being quite a memorable occasion, with him pausing to curb his emotions, clutching a photo he found while cleaning out the office of him, Steve Yzerman and Gordie Howe. The departure of Babcock is a turning point for the franchise, and it was special to be there to document it.
None tougher: Missing limbs don't stop veterans from playing hockey for USA Warriors
A sports media veteran told me recently that he has noticed marked improvement in my writing the past two years, and when I read this article, I see what he means. Nevertheless, this story is one of my favorites, right up there with the one about Lucas. The interviews for this piece took place on a Sunday afternoon in a bar in downtown Detroit. I talked to probably 10 different veterans when I was there, and I was so amazed at the attitude of these men. With every reason in the world to feel sorry for themselves, to feel angry about what happened to them, these guys were relentlessly upbeat and joyous. I feel so blessed to have met them and to be able to share their triumphs.
