M.L. Elrick (@elrick), Marc Fellhauer (@MarcFell) and Shawn Windsor (@ShawnWindsor) welcome Detroit soccer impresario Sean Mann into the bowels of the Red Shovel Network (eew, that doesn’t sound very fun!).

THE STRAIGHT DOPE: The boys muse over the post-stroke condition of Dan Gilbert, the man who owns more land in downtown Detroit than anyone else. 

It’s said Gilbert is the man who has everything … everything but a soccer team, that is. Sean sizes up Gilbert’s odds of bring a Major League Soccer team to Detroit any time soon.

ML muses over whether there has ever been a bigger bait-and-switch in Detroit than Gilbert’s offer to build a spectacular soccer and concert stadium on the site of the Epic Fail Jail site, if the county agreed to sell him the land.

ML shares his belief that two keys to survival in Detroit are not counting on city hall for anything and finding inspiring reasons to stay. Then he shares one of the developments that inspired him to stick around.

After disclosing that he (and 498 other Michiganders) are investors in DCFC’s Keyworth Stadium restoration, ML claims that Franklin Delano Roosevelt kicked an extra point there after the Works Project Administration-built stadium’s ribbon cutting in 1936.

Sean reflects on the evolution of soccer in Detroit, starting with the Detroit City Futbol League 10 years ago, to the launch of Detroit City FC 8 years ago, to the team going pro in August.

The boys muse on a range of DCFC-related topics, including the growth and popularity of the Northern Guard supporters and whether joining a pro league is a prudent move for the soccer team.

Shawn asks Sean if DCFC owes its popularity to being in the right place at the right time.

Somehow, someway talk turns to the fate the DCFC jorts cannon — and Sean discloses jorts can be purchased by the pound Up North.

THE GREAT DEBATE: Shawn, Marc and ML debate whether Juwan Howard will be the University of Michigan men’s basketball program’s salvation — or ticket to mediocrity There is one subject the boys seem to agree on: Who NOT to welcome back to Crisler.

GEEK OF THE WEEK: When is lowering insurance rates not worthy of celebration? When 149 nitwits cut deals in the dark. Find out why so many are sharing GOW honors this week.

ROOM 7609: What do Pink Floyd and NuWave (some say BritPop) band Kula Shaker have in common? ML says psychedelia. But Marc — who had never heard them before — reveals there’s so much more to the story. 

This show is nothing without you, and we welcome your input! This week we share some e-mails from loyal listeners — and encourage you to reach out to us at [email protected] or 313-288-9070 (that’s 313-BUtterfield8-9070).

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