Two Trailer Park Girls Go Round the Outside

Okay, yes, it has been a spell since I fed my little baby.

My excuse is a general lack of excitement in Detroit sports lately (I know, bear with me for a second here.)

True, the Red Wings did go ahead and win the Stanley Cup (as Scotty predicted) but I was too busy in my revelry to get analytical. How can the mere words of an amateur compete alongside the visceral feeling of millions celebrating another Stanley Cup victory? I will say that I believe (or maybe more hope) that the Wings are heading for a new dynasty.( A New Dynasty for the New Century. I like the sound of that.) If Lidstrom can hold out a few more years and with Zetterberg and Datsyk coming into their primes, along with a strong supporting cast of characters like Johan Franzen, it's possible for the Wings to get a couple more Stanley Cups in the next five years. I am one greedy bastard when it comes to Red Wings and Stanley Cups. Now we got Marian Hossa, who, I hope (again), will put this team on his shoulders and win a few games in next year’s playoffs. (BTW, do you think Mike Illitch signed him because he has the same first name as his wife.)

The Tigers were a huge disappointment. In less than two years they went from the overachieving and lovable underdogs to bloated overpaid underperformers led by their poster child (and bad luck charm) Gary Sheffeld. (Though I can’t help but identify with disgruntled/underperforming worker – that’s my shtick!) Hopefully, something can be salvaged after they dismantle this monstrosity of a payroll.

Which all gets me to the Lions. The reason I am back from my hiatus! The Detroit Lions are 3-0. Granted, this is the pre-season. And they were 6-2 at one point last year. But I am ready to believe in now (or today) or whatever their cheesy slogan is. My expectations are low; let’s just not suck this year boys. I think we can get there. Because the NFL really does have a lot of crappy teams.

It's All About The Red Wings Now

Ok, it's time to get really excited about the Red Wings. We are in the conference finals and typically when we make it this far we make it all the way (except for last year, but the wings much more healthy this go round.) It's always those pesky early rounds that provide the serious trouble.

We cruised so fast through that second round I did not have a chance to let the good people of Nashville know that as hockey fans, they are not so bad. They were loud and behind their team and played in a role in beating the wings in that game 3 or 4, or whatever game that was. I can't remember if the series even went six games? What I do know is that the Wings have won six games in a row and that I would still like Nashville to lose their franchise to a Canada city, preferably London or Kitchener. Huh, got that.

So i say it's all about the Red Wings because the Pistons just drive me crazy. I can't get handle on what's going with those dudes. They seem as indifferent to winning as this casual fan. I can take it or I can leave it. I am even feeling sorry for the overmatched Orlando Magic. At least they want to win, even though the Pistons seem to own them.

Hopelessly Optimistic After This Year's Lion's Draft

"So that happened."

You think this is what Matt Millen says after every draft, curious and confused as to why he has not been fired yet.

Remember Daryl Rogers begging and pleading "What does a guy have to do to get fired around here?" For Matt Millen, there appears to be no answer to this question. He keeps on losing, keeps on wasting money on first round draft picks that bust, keeps making him and the Lions the biggest embarrassments in the league. Anytime the sport's punditry needs to fill in some air time, they can always hop on the meme of the Detroit Lions woeful draft record, their 31-81 record the last six years, the unexplainable fetish a hall-of-fame middle linebacker has for diva wide receivers.

So it was not a large surprise when this year's draft was in the books the majority feeling that the Lions did not do well. Of course, this could because the Lions never do well. Never even come close to doing well.

But despite the fact everybody seems to think they have a pretty good opinion, nobody really knows.

The good news is the Lions actually drafted for positions where they need players. And these players appear to actually enjoy playing football.

They needed a right tackle. And they got one in the first round. (Some said it was a reach but if you are drafting top five offensive tackle or defensive end in the first round, i think you are pretty much on target.)

In the second round, they got that middle linebacker they've needed forever, who seems quite a bit like one they cut recently but maybe this guy will work out. Because he has to work out.

Then in the third round they got a running back and two defensive linemen.

All needs. So whether they are good or not they should get a chance to make the team and play.

So would everybody shut up about how the Lions messed up this year's draft. Again. Because we don't know that yet. That is why we play the games.

Trust me, this is a lot easier to take if you drink the kool aid and eat the corn bread.

Scotty Sez Red Wings a Go Go for the Cup

Yeah kid's it's spring and you know what that means...NHL playoff hockey. Here is hoping that we'll be sun bathing by the time the Red Wings stop playing. And though he is not the most objective source, Scotty Bowman likes the Red Wings to be doing triumphant laps around the rink come the middle of June.

These choice cuts from his Q&A with the New York Times:

"As for who will win the Cup, I might be prejudiced in this, but I’m a big supporter of the Red Wings. I think they’re poised to have a good run and I think they have the best chance to win the Cup."

Okay, but give me reasons to believe Scotty.

"I think one of the main reasons the Wings are well poised for the Cup this year is because, in February, some of their veterans — Lidstrom, Rafalski and Hasek — suffered injuries which forced them to rest. That wouldn’t have happened otherwise. So the veteran players are rested and the best offensive players, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, are not that old."

And

"The team this year had some adversity toward the end of the season to win the Presidents’ Trophy, with some injuries and big lead. I think the adversity in this case is a good thing for them rather than bad."

The Nav Bar Don't Lie

More proof that the NHL is slipping in its status as one of the top four sports. Yahoo Sports has refreshed their navigation bar and moved the NHL a few places to the right. It now lives "below" NASCAR and just left of Mixed Martial Arts. I have to assume that Yahoo did this based on the amount of visitors to these sections. Ironically, maybe hockey could have maintained its popularity by adopting some of the moves of MMA fighting, instead of catering to the 'no fighting and every player wear a visor' crowd.

The evidence:

"We've Looked Like a Dead Club"

Some people say that the Red Wings are the New York Yankees of hockey. But after being the the only MLB team swept in this season's opening salvos, could the Tigers be the update to the overpaid under achieving team? As it now stands, the Tigers have the second highest payroll in baseball (more than the Red Sox and the Mets!) along with bullpen problems, injuries and, so far, a winless season.

And losing and lack of excitement could be bad for business, as blogcritic.org points out.

At an average ticket price in the mid $20 range in Detroit and an anticipated attendance of around 3 million for the season, the Tigers can’t make payroll on ticket prices alone. Luxury boxes, concessions and local broadcast rights fees figure into the mix but it still hard to fathom that those other revenue streams can completely make up the difference.

Of course, basically, we have all of the season left, so no panic here. But the cinderella Tigers of two years ago have been transformed into a team loaded with superstars and expectations. Is the joy gone?

NFL Mock Drafts

The prognosticaters have the Lions putting the proverbial cart before the horse, choosing Running Back over Offensive Line. Maybe Millen figures the wide receivers can do the blocking.

CBS, ESPN & NFL Draftcountdown : Rashard Mendenhall (RB) Illinois
Sports Illustrated: Chris Williams (OT) Vanderbilt
Rivals.com: Derrick Harvey (DE) Florida