I spoke with former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Mike Utley for about an hour today for a story that will appear in Friday's paper. Utley is scheduled to be in town the next few days and will receive the President's Award for Excellence at a Valentine's Day Gala Friday at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn.

Tickets for the event are $250 and can be purchased by calling 313-745-9817. All proceeds benefit the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. This May, RIM with the help of the Mike Utley Foundation is scheduled to open the Mike Utley Human Performance Center, a facility Utley said will be at the forefront of care, research and treatment for patients suffering spinal cord injuries.

For more information or to donate to the foundation, visit MikeUtley.org.