Detroit

👋 Howdy, Everett here. I'm writing to you from Nick's Grecian House, my new favorite greasy spoon.

Flashback: I've lived in 15 different cities. So before moving to Michigan in the spring, stability was fleeting.

Wherever I've put down my bags for a bit, the first priority has always been to find a cheap, edible and friendly diner.

Past favorites include Sunset Diner in Brooklyn, Hard Knox Cafe in San Francisco and Bayside Diner in Alton Bay, N.H.

Yes, but: Nick's now tops my personal power rankings. The portions are generous, the omelettes kick ass and it's so cheap it feels like they are paying me to eat there (three-egg omelettes range from $6-$10).

Plus: The walls are adorned with historic black-and-white pictures of Detroit and the servers will make fun of you for ordering iced coffee.

If you go: 1018 Eleven Mile Rd. in Royal Oak. Open 6am-8pm Monday-Saturday, 7am-3pm Sunday.

🥞 We also asked our readers for their favorite local diners and, as always, they did not disappoint: 

Paul M: My favorite neighborhood diner is House of Pancakes on Hayes in Clinton Twp. Great food, good people and excellent prices. You would love it!

41734 Hayes Road, Clinton Township, MI 48038.

Kathleen Suydam: Just had to let you know of our favorite neighborhood diner in Saint Clair Shores ... Palmers Inn.

Jeremy K (West Bloomfield): Couple of great breakfast spots that my wife and I enjoy. All are reasonably priced places, great for breakfast or brunch on the weekends: 

Sunrise Cafe — 29591 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Recipes Restaurant — 31110 Haggerty Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48331 

The Grill — 2235 Orchard Lake Road, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320

Early Bird Cafe — 3415 Orchard Lake Road, Keego Harbor, MI 48320

Great skillets (severed in a cast iron skillet with a potholder brought to the table — typically in a rooster shape).

Anita Land: If you're looking for a new iced coffee spot, travel west on 11 mile past Coolidge and there's a new spot I tried called Berkley Coffee.  All sorts of options!   

Anita also sent over an amazing anecdote about Nick's and her family, writing: "My son was only starting 7th grade at the time, but Nick always told him he’d give him a job when he was old enough. (Fast) forward a couple years, and true to his word, Nick hired him to be a busser.  He bussed for a few years with a couple attempts at serving and even some time at the grill.  He learned a great work ethic from that environment and is now studying culinary and hospitality here locally.  Best people and great food!!!"  

Midtown Zef's and Zeff's Coney Island at Eastern Market before they closed.

Local guide to the best diners in Metro Detroit

I'm writing to you from Nick's Grecian House, my new favorite greasy spoon.

Nick's Grecian House in Royal Oak, Michigan 

The Western omelette with a side of toast ($8.50) from Nick's Grecian House. Photo: Everett Cook/Axios

👋 Howdy, Everett here. I&#x27;m writing to you from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nick&#x27;s Grecian House" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/29092529.34/aHR0cHM6Ly9uaWNrc2dyZWNpYW5ob3VzZS5jb20vP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/613b89d6ca76e632c69b8c4bBa6d8e9c0" data-vars-content-id="24f67294-edc8-4d70-9b72-acd0f13b5af8" data-vars-headline="Local guide to the best diners in Metro Detroit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/29092529.34/aHR0cHM6Ly9uaWNrc2dyZWNpYW5ob3VzZS5jb20vP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/613b89d6ca76e632c69b8c4bBa6d8e9c0" target="_blank">Nick&#x27;s Grecian House</a>, my new favorite greasy spoon.Flashback: I&#x27;ve lived in 15 different cities. So before moving to Michigan in the spring, stability was fleeting.

Food and Drink

Chicago

👋 Hi, Everett here.  I'm an editor at Axios Chicago here to tell you to cancel your Sunday night plans.

What's happening: The defending champion Chicago Sky survived the first round to again face the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA semifinals. 

Tip: 7pm at Wintrust Arena, and on ESPN2. 

Flashback: The Sun had the WNBA's best record, the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage last year against the sixth-seeded Sky, but Chicago pulled out a couple of nail-biters to win the series, 3-1.

Eleven days later, the Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury to win their first WNBA championship. 

The intrigue: This year, the tables are flipped. No. 2 Chicago is the higher seed, has home court advantage and dominated the regular-season series.

Chicago won all four matchups, though each by a single-digit margin and two by just three points, per ESPN.

The WNBA has not, incredibly, seen a repeat champion since 2002. 

Yes, but: The Sky are better than last season.

Veteran forward Emma Meesseman has been a revelation playing alongside Candace Parker, while coach/general manager James Wade was named 2022 Executive of the Year for improving an already loaded roster.

Sky back in WNBA semifinals against the Sun

Candace Parker #3 of the Chicago Sky dribbles the ball during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2022 WNBA Playoffs

Candace Parker during the Sky's Game 3 win in the first round over the New York Liberty. Photo: Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images

WNBA

👋 Hi, Everett here. I&#x27;m an editor at Axios Chicago here to tell you to cancel your Sunday night plans.What&#x27;s happening: The defending champion Chicago Sky survived the first round to again face the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA semifinals.

Sports

👋 Hey, it's Everett. First things first — if you've never seen "Beverly Hills Cop," do that right now. 

After Sam reported that the new "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" started filming downtown last month, I righted a wrong by finally watching the classic comedy set partially in Detroit. 

Eddie Murphy acts his tail off and the jokes from 1984 still land. It's awesome. 

Early in the film, Murphy's Axel Foley is lambasted by a well-dressed, foul-mouthed police chief who acts for a grand total of two minutes and completely steals the show.

The intrigue: The chief was played by a former Detroit public official I would now argue is among the most interesting people in city history. 

Gil Hill joined the Detroit Police Department in 1959, and by the '80s, was head of the homicide division. He joined the "Beverly Hills Cop" cast only after a tour of the city for the film's director turned into an impromptu audition. 

Hill, who was not a trained actor, parlayed the performance into the next two movies in the series, but that was it. Reports say he was offered other roles but declined them.

Instead, he rose to commander at the DPD, retired, was elected to the city council twice, and then became its president in 1997 before losing to Kwame Kilpatrick in the 2001 mayoral election.

By most accounts, it was hard to be more dedicated to Detroit as Hill (though he's also been accused of corruption by former FBI informant White Boy Rick).

After Hill died in 2016, Mayor Mike Duggan said, "He never stopped believing in our city and dedicated his life to making our city a better place for all."

Quick take: It takes a certain kind of person to dedicate more than 40 years to public service — particularly when the other option is raking in easy Hollywood money as a side character in Eddie Murphy movies.

The most interesting actor in Detroit was not an actor

First things first — if you've never seen "Beverly Hills Cop," go do that right now.

Gilbert R. Hill as Insp. Douglas Todd facing Eddie Murphy as Det. Axel Foley.

Gilbert R. Hill as Insp. Douglas Todd facing Eddie Murphy as Det. Axel Foley. Photo: CBS, via Getty Images

👋 Hey, it&#x27;s Everett. First things first — if you&#x27;ve never seen &quot;Beverly Hills Cop,&quot; do that right now. <ul><li>After Sam reported that the new &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/11/28/new-beverly-hills-cop-filming-scenes-detroit" data-vars-content-id="3bf9e8a2-4744-4d8e-a760-d0a0ce2ca985" data-vars-headline="The most interesting actor in Detroit was not an actor" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/11/28/new-beverly-hills-cop-filming-scenes-detroit" target="_self">Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F</a>&quot; started filming downtown last month, I righted a wrong by finally watching the classic comedy set partially in Detroit. </li></ul>

Things to Do

Columbus

With a little more than two months to go before sports gambling becomes legal in Ohio, some big-name sportsbooks are left waiting for their retail licenses, PlayOhio writes. 

What's happening: The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) set an Oct. 5 deadline for operators that had filed incomplete applications over the summer to provide the necessary licensing information. 

While retail sportsbook applications were not addressed during the commission's Wednesday meeting, many of these applications appear to remain incomplete.

By the numbers: Ohio has licensed seven online sportsbooks, including large operators FanDuel, Caesars and PointsBet Ohio.

That leaves 18 mobile apps awaiting decisions, per PlayOhio. 

Seventeen retail sportsbook licenses have been awarded, but nine businesses are in flux, including the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati and the Hall of Fame Village.

What they're saying: Jessica Franks, the OCCC director of communications, told PlayOhio that the commission's licensing rollout is on schedule and "the commission is issuing sports gaming licenses on a rolling basis."

What's next: There are three more OCCC meetings scheduled before the launch of Ohio sports betting on Jan. 1.

Dozens of sportsbooks waiting on licenses in Ohio

Eighteen mobile apps are awaiting decisions, per PlayOhio.

Illustration of the football, money tongue, and basketball emojis.

Sports betting

With a little more than two months to go before sports gambling becomes legal in Ohio, some big-name sportsbooks are left waiting for their retail licenses, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="PlayOhio writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.playohio.com/news/sportsbooks-await-licenses-ohio-sports-betting-launch/" data-vars-content-id="b033bf46-4819-4f05-b8a6-7dc122fea836" data-vars-headline="Dozens of sportsbooks waiting on licenses in Ohio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.playohio.com/news/sportsbooks-await-licenses-ohio-sports-betting-launch/" target="_blank">PlayOhio writes</a>. What&#x27;s happening: The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) set an Oct. 5 deadline for operators that had filed incomplete applications over the summer to provide the necessary licensing information.

Business

News

👋 Howdy, Everett here. I'm a 30-year-old Michigan alum coming to terms with Saturday being the biggest football game of my life. 

What's happening: The Game. Undefeated Michigan vs. undefeated Ohio State, Saturday at noon in Columbus or on Fox. 

Why it matters: The matchup has been played since 1897, and this is the first time both teams go into it unbeaten since 2006. 

The winner clinches a spot in the Big Ten Championship with an excellent shot at making the College Football Playoff. 

The loser waits for their postseason assignment, likely the Rose Bowl. 

Between the lines: This has not been much of a rivalry. Michigan won just once between 2004 and 2019 and churned through some truly awful coaches (both on and off the field) to try to return to form against OSU.

So last year's 42-27 drubbing in Ann Arbor not only saved coach Jim Harbaugh's job, but finally made the matchup relevant again. 

The latest: It's unclear if four top Michigan players — running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, plus edge rusher Mike Morris and tight end Luke Schoonmaker — will play Saturday. 

Harbaugh is being coy about their injuries, particularly with Heisman candidate Corum, who seemed to hurt his leg last Saturday against Illinois. 

How Ohio State wins: By doing what it has done all season. Relying on an explosive offense and trusting the defense to limit the big plays. 

Ohio State leads the Big Ten in touchdowns scored this year by a whopping 17 and is first in most passing categories, even while missing star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for most of the season.

Yes, and: One could argue the Wolverines have no shot if just Corum doesn't play — if all four don't play, this might be over by the first quarter. 

How Michigan wins: Corum is healthy, a run-first offense dominates the trenches and the best defense in the Big Ten shuts down star Buckeye QB and Heisman-candidate C.J. Stroud.

This is likely the only winning scenario for the Wolverines, who will struggle against a large deficit. 

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has thrown for more than 230 yards one time this season. Going down a few scores early could spell trouble. 

The bottom line: My stomach has hurt all week despite an intentional avoidance of cheese.

But if that's the price to pay for an actual rivalry, I'll take it! 

Columbus Members

Columbus Alerts

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Columbus. Written by Tyler Buchanan and Alissa Widman Neese.

Axios Columbus Thought Bubble

Axios Columbus

The Game: Ohio St. and Michigan's undefeated seasons on the line

This is the first time both teams go into it unbeaten since 2006.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with fans after last year's win over Ohio State

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with fans after defeating Ohio State last season. Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

College football

👋 Howdy, Everett here. I&#x27;m a 30-year-old Michigan alum coming to terms with Saturday being the biggest football game of my life. What&#x27;s happening: The Game. Undefeated Michigan vs. undefeated Ohio State, Saturday at noon in Columbus or on Fox.

Everett Cook

Stories

The most interesting actor in Detroit was not an actor

The Game: Ohio St. and Michigan's undefeated seasons on the line

Dozens of sportsbooks waiting on licenses in Ohio

Local guide to the best diners in Metro Detroit

Sky back in WNBA semifinals against the Sun