It was a pleasure watching Dave Bing glide up and down the hardcourt of Cobo Arena back in the early 1970s.
As mayor of Detroit, Bing is now playing the game of his life. The city is facing a shortfall of $45 million by the end of its fiscal year in June.
If Bing doesn’t get Detroit’s finances in shape, then Lansing will appoint an emergency manager. If I wanted to trot out a basketball analogy — and I do — this is the equivalent of Bing getting benched. And while sitting on the sidelines Bing would be forced to watch his substitute play the game for him.
At least Bing won’t have to watch his replacement win the game because this financial game is unwinnable. Detroit, at most, can only hope to survive.

It was a pleasure watching Dave Bing glide up and down the hardcourt of Cobo Arena back in the early 1970s.
As mayor of Detroit, Bing is now playing the game of his life. The city is facing a shortfall of $45 million by the end of its fiscal year in June.
If Bing doesn’t get Detroit’s finances in shape, then Lansing will appoint an emergency manager. If I wanted to trot out a basketball analogy — and I do — this is the equivalent of Bing getting benched. And while sitting on the sidelines Bing would be forced to watch his substitute play the game for him.
At least Bing won’t have to watch his replacement win the game because this financial game is unwinnable. Detroit, at most, can only hope to survive.