MI's New Plot for World Domination: Pizza

I’ve been having a rather unappetizing day today.

It started out this morning, when I read that University of Michigan’s new Athletic Director would be Domino’s CEO David Brandon. Granted, Domino’s headquarters and UM are just spitting distance appart. Geographically. But I’m one of those who would prefer they stay a lot further apart on organizational issues.

Then, in the wake of news that Lieutenant Governor John Cherry would drop out of the race to replace Jennifer Granholm came the news that Denise Ilitch was considering a run to replace Granholm. The Ilitch family is best known (and loved) as the owners of the Red Wings and Tigers. But their money comes from pizza–in this case, Little Caesars.

Now, Ilitch has successfully run for statewide office as a Democrat before. After failing to get the Democratic nomination for UM Regent in 2006 (because her political donations suggested she wasn’t really a Democrat), she got the nod and the win in 2008. When she appeared at a rally with Obama last fall, Joe Biden called her the “First Lady of hockey,” so maybe there’s an anti-Palin angle to this.

Now, when I first heard the rumor that some rich person from Detroit was thinking of running, I considered–then dismissed the possibility–it would be Denise Ilitch. I just didn’t think she had the long trust with the party that would win her support from the MDP.

Whether that’s true or not, Chris Cilizza reports that Ilitch is being recruited.

Now Ilitch may be a very talented person. Brandon may be able to bring new life to our athletic program.

But MI is struggling out of one of its biggest crises ever–and in a time of crises nationally, it even still sticks out. Arguably, if you care about these things, so are UM’s big athletic programs as well.

And the best response we have to those crises is … pizza?

And pretty crappy pizza at that.