Pitch's Picks

One thing that was excited to add to this site when football season started was betting advice/picks.

I just got into betting on the NFL for the first time last season - and I was hooked instantly. It took me years to get involved with it, but I certainly found out what all of the buzz was about. I won't claim to be any sort of handicapping genius, not even close. I did, however, end up positive at the end of the NFL season which is something most people can not say. (Basketball was a whole other story though...)

The first game this week is Thursday (one of my favorite new NFL traditions) and it's a decent match up with the Giants taking on the Redskins.

According to Bodoglife.com the Giants are favored by 4.5 points. And according to my own research this game is being played in New York. The Giants have been getting dumped on the entire off season, and many of the experts are picking them to finish last in the division. Somehow I just can't see this happening. At the very worst, the Giants will finish 8-8 and will be competing for a spot in the playoffs for the whole season.

The Redskins on the other had are a different story. No one knows what the new coach is going to do with them. And more importantly, no one knows what Jason Campbell is going to be able to do this season.

In the first week of the season all gamblers have to go on is off season buzz, and its been all bad for the Giants this season. For this reason I think they've been undervalued in this line. Take the sure thing with the Giants and give the points to the Redskins.

Pick: Giants (-4.5)

Revisting Detroit's RB Situation

Earlier this year I went though the Lions miserable Running Back situation. It looked dreadful at the time. I even went to far as to rank their running-corps as 39th in the NFL - not pretty at all.

Here was the projected Detroit Lions depth chart on that fateful day that I wrote the post:

1. Tatum Bell
2. Kevin Smith
3. Aveion Cason
4. Artose Pinner
5. Brian Calhoun
6. Ervin Allen (My personal favorite - his uniform number was 39B, yes, 39B)

As bleak as the season looked at that point, my tune has changed a bit after the end of training camp and the recent signing of former Bengal Rudi Johnson.

Kevin Smith has looked pretty good in preseason. Good enough to be a number one running back here in the NFL. I wasn't expecting much out of him this year after all of the draft reports I had read, but I guess that goes to show you. Players play, and Kevin Smith has turned into a player.

Rudi Johnson will be a welcome addition to this team. He was hurt last year, but all reports seem to lean towards him being in alright shape for the season. I'm shocked Cincy gave up on him as fast as they did, considering he used to be a lock for 1300 yards and 12 TDs per year. But their loss is the Lions gain.

No longer will fans have to deal with (ugh) Tatum Bell getting any carries for (double-ugh) Aveion Cason being the team's leading rusher. With the NFL quickly becoming a two-back league, both Johnson and Smith will have a fair workload, yet both will be fresh for when it counts later in the year.

After a more-than-abysmal start to the running game, I now have the confidence that the Detroit Lions will have an average-to-above-average running game. And that's something no fan in the D can argue with.

ESPN.com sucks - Not the Lions

ESPN.com just released a list of the rankings of the NFL's best fans. Now I know that these lists are very subjective. But they've gotten me mad this time.

ESPN RANKED THE LIONS 31ST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's worse than the Texans, Falcons, Dolphins, Rams, and Chargers. I just don't believe it. I haven't done any research, but I seriously doubt any of those teams could support 2 talk radio stations talking Lions 12 hours a day.

None of those teams have had to endure 50+ seasons with only one playoff victory. None of those teams have won approximately 6 games in the past 8 years. And teams like the Falcons and Rams have even had Super Bowl trips!

What do the Lions have that these teams don't? 20 Consecutive sell outs and 2500 people on the season ticket waiting list.

ESPN failed to actually look at fan support for teams, and instead just lumped bad teams and bad fans together. Let it be known, when the Lions win at least 8 games this year… the fan support will be there.

Fantasy Football Preview 2008

Sorry for the loooooooooooooooooooong delay in updates. Turns out, summer was not a great time for me to start this blog. I quicky found out that once the NBA season ends, all you get is baseball, baseball and more baseball. And since I grew up as a 'post-1984 Detroiter,' I'm what you would call the lost-generation of baseball fans that just can't get into the sport.

But now that FOOTBALL IS BACK I will have much more to write about, as I actually care about the sport and know a little bit about it. And the best part of the NFL? Well, that's fantasy football! I've completed 3/4 drafts that I'm in as well as listened/read more fantasy related material than I want to think about.

With that said, I'm willing to call myself a sort of 'expert.' And if you're taking my expert advice, you'll want to know which players you SHOULD draft and which players to AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.


GO GET 'EM:

1. Bryan Westbook, RB, Eagles - Sure he's probably only going to play 14 games this season, but he's about as much as a sure thing as there is in this draft. With LT getting old and AD hurt every year, consider taking Westbook first overall.

2. Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars - He's a hundred years old, but he sure doesn't show it. His numbers keep getting better. He's good for 1100 yards and 7 TDs this year. Not bad for some one you should be able to get as a third-or-fourth RB.

3. Donald Driver, WR, Packers - His numbers last year were great: 82 catches for 1032 years. The problem? He only had 2 TDs. I'm willing to chalk that one up to a flukey year, and he'll score his fairshare for the Packers this year.

4. Marvin Harrison, WR, Colts - I have no idea why he is falling so far in fantasy drafts. (I just picked him up in the 6th round in my draft!) He's been playing in the preseason games so far for the Colts and has looked fine. Worst case scenario for Harrison: He's the number 2 WR in Indy this year... and that's something that I can deal with in the 6th round.

5. Jason Hanson, K, Lions - The 'ole stand-by. He's been my fantasy kicker forever, until this year when he was sniped in the 13th round. Don't worry, I have plans...

6. Ray Rice, RB, Ravens - Willis McGahee recently had knee surgery and Rice has looked good in the preseason. He's worth picking up in the last round, if only to hold over McGahee owner's head.

STAY AWAY FROM:

1. Steve Smith, WR, Panthers - He's not worth a 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round pick. He's suspended for the first two games of the year, he's always hurt and he's sucked the past couple of seasons. Don't let your team fall for the namebrand.

2. Ryan Grant, RB, Packers - Can you say 'one-year-wonder?' There's a reason he wasn't able to play on the Giants or on the Packers for the first 8 weeks of the season... and it's becuase he's not a good football player. To make matters worse, fantasy drafters have no real idea what the Packers' passing game is going to look like, which may put even more pressure on Grant.

3. New England's Defense in the Third Round - Yes, this actually happened. This guy in my draft, who we'll call "Bryan" seemed to think this was an alright thing to do. Friends don't let friends pick like this.

4. Nick Folk, K, Cowboys - Yahoo! Auto-rankings has him ranked as like the 80th best player in the draft. Totally outrageous. If you have to auto-draft, please, please, please tell me that you are going to move him down in the rankings first.

5. Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks - Sure he's a starting running back, but he sucks. Stay away no matter the round.

6. Drew Stanton, QB, Lions - Another one of 'Bryan's' outstanding picks. I'll save my Stanton rants for later though.

KG is a Scary MOFO

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111!!1111

So are the words of Kevin "Crazy" Garnett. Huge dude, going nuts and looking like a complete psycho. This was better than any part of the actual basketball that was played during The Finals. Do you think the championship meant something to Garnett? I'm not really sure, but it sure was entertaining TV.

I think I liked it so much because of the fact that I was at a very loud bar. I couldn't hear a word that Garnett was saying — so I got to focus on little details like the fountains of saliva pouring out of his mouth all over the crowd. He even sprayed Celtic legend Bill Russell's glasses. Everyone was getting a "little piece" of Garnett last night.

I enjoyed the celebration so much that I tried to bring a little piece of it here to Lansing, Michigan. I present to you an advance copy of the Thursday Source Page…

Yep, Kevin Garnett has come to the Source(!!)

But this outrageous celebration also got me thinking on another level. Just what kind of person would act out-of-control like that on national TV? The Official ATB Roommate and I came to several conclusions:

A. Kevin Garnett is a very focused individual
B. Kevin Garnett values winning over all else
C. Kevin Garnett is a scary mofo.
D. Kevin Garnett is socially awkward.

Any of these could be correct correct, but I'm leaning towards 'D.'

Garnett has been eating and breathing basketball for his entire life, and I don't think he ever learned how people are supposed to interact with other humans. And as a result you get scary/awesome interviews like the one on ABC after The Finals.

Where do you think this interview ranked on the 'all-time list of great athlete interviews?'

Central Division Tour

I am currently writing this in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Racine Wisconsin as we are about to depart for Milwaukee. This ATB staff writer has begun an epic journey that will take a week to complete. We will travel 3200 miles and see 8 baseball games in 6 cities.

You can track our shenanigans at centraldivisiontour2008.blogspot.com. So far we have seen the Tigers take care of business in Detroit with a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and my "hometown" Rockies shutout the White Sox. Feel free to check out our running running blog which will be updated dailyish.

Bet on the Lakers!

Real quick post today.

So, I'm sure you watched or heard about the Lakers epic collapse last night. And yes it was pretty epic. But I'm taking a different spin on this, and it's something you can thank me for later.

In a previous life, I used to bet on sports. Problem is I didn't do that well… Actually my problem was that I liked Bodoglife.com's Live Betting, which is almost impossible to win at.

But here's the ATB Wager Lock of the Year.

Lakers in Game 5.

I looked it up, and there's no line on the game yet, but I don't care. Game 5 was made for the Lakers to win, and I think you should put a fair chunk of change on the game. And here's why:

1. The Celtics have been in LA since June 9th. By the time they play Game 5, they would have been on the road for 9 days. This constitutes a big road trip. And what is the cardinal rule about road trips? You get tired at the end of them. Meanwhile the Lakers have been sleeping comfortably in their own beds for this span, perhaps the longest span they've had all season.

2. Kobe Bryant played like complete garbage last game. This will not happen again.

3. NBA conspiricsy theories dictate that the league will want the game to go to at least six games. With this much TV money on the line for every game, how can the NBA let this series end in 5?

So take my word* for it, and put a boatload of money on the Lakers on Sunday night.

*Word is totally worthless

Looking at the Lions 2008 Running Backs

DetroitLions.com is currently bragging about the Lions running back situation for the 2008 season — calling it an open competition for playing time.


Yuck.


Usually competition brings out the best in everyone…if there are talented players involved. In case you have forgot (or blocked it from your memory) here is was the Lions "running back corp" looks like for the upcoming season.

Suspect 1, Tatum Bell — The penciled in starter for the season. Yes, the same Tatum Bell that was lighting the world on-fire as a Lions' Running Back last year. He was so good in fact, that the Lions judged him to be a little too useful to the team and relegated him to DNP-CD decisions for the last part of the season.

Let me say this for the final time. Mr. Tatum Bell is not a good running back. He is the uber-definition of a lucky Denver running back — An untalented back, who lucked out that he got into the 1000 yard friendly system that is the Broncos. For further examples look consider Anderson, Mike and Droughns, Ruben.

Suspect 2, Kevin Smith? — I put a question mark after this because I'm really not sure who is going to be the second running back this year. Out of all of the guys on the list, Smith is my favorite. He almost broke Barry Sanders 'unbreakable' record for rushing yards in a season while at Central Florida. Seems like he must have at least some talent, but everything I've ever heard about him makes him sound he makes molasses seems fast, which is usually not a recipe for success in the NFL

Suspect 3, Aveion Cason — I like this guy because he pops up all the time. No matter the year or the coach you can count on Aveion Cason showing up in your programs at Ford Field. Problem is, I'm the only person happy to see him, as other people usually like players with "talent."

Suspect 4, Artose Pinner — On second thought, maybe I'm confusing Aveion Cason with Artose Pinner?

Suspect 5, Brian Calhoun — I really liked him at Wisconsin, but the NFL has not been kind to him. After what seems like 9 ACL tears, Calhoun has only managed 14 Rushing attempts for the Lions over his two year career. Don't count on much.

Suspect 6, Ervin Allen — I just had to point this guy out. His number is currently 39B, and he's from some college called Lambuth.

After running down the list, I feel less good about the RB situation that I did when I started the blog post. If I had to rank them I would probably put them somewhere in the neighborhood 39th in the NFL. Yes, it's that bad.

Last Chance for the Tigers

Since a certain ATB Staff Writer hasn't updated the blog in a week, I felt compelled to pick up the slack.

Every series for the last two weeks has been labeled as the Tiger's "last chance" to get back into the division race and the best they could do is take two of four from a slumping Indian's team. So tonight, for the last time this baseball season, I will get my hopes up. The first place White Sox come into town, without losing a game in the last week, ready to effectively end the Tiger's season.

As of right now, the Tiger's sit 11 games out of first place. Anything less than a series sweep just won't make a big enough dent in the standings to matter. Even winning 2 games leaves them ten games out.

So here it is, we can watch tonight to see if this collection of overpaid players can come together and give themselves a chance at making something of this season. If they can't pull it off, the next seven weeks leading up to the trade deadline will mean the Tigers will be putting together a pretty talented fire sale.

Obligitory Red Wings are the Champions Post

Well, they did it. (And I'm about 12 hours late writing this)

The Red Wings proved that they were the best hockey team in the NHL in 2008. They also proved they are in the conversation for best organization in all of sports. You have to put them right up there with the Patriots, Yankees and Cowboys in terms of continued success.

I am especially proud that they won this Cup during while under a salary cap. Before, the Red Wings would outspend everyone, and earn their victories that way. As as fan, there was nothing you could say to defend it. They were just as bad as the Yankees, but they were winning so we accepted it.

Now, they truly are a superior team. Better scouting, better coaching and, most importantly, better players.

----------------

About the game.

I usually don't like hockey. And I am not modest about saying it, I mean just like at half of my blog posts that I've made since I started writing.

But, jeez, game 5 &6 almost changed my opinion on hockey. Fast paced and hard hitting. There was even actual goals scored! Last second tying-goals even! This is not the hockey that I am used to watching...this was entertaining.

One thing ruined it for me a little though. The Red Wings had to hoist the Cup, and go through their celebration in Pittsburgh. It doesn't sound like a big deal, I mean heck, they won the freakin' Stanley Cup. But Red Wings fans have waited all year to see their team raise the cup, and when they did it was disappointing.

Sure, almost the entire crowd stayed for the ceremony, and kudos to them for that. But there was no energy in the building. You didn't get to hear the crowd erupt as the cup was passed off to different players. I feel cheated by not hearing the cheer that Darren McCarty would have recieved as he skated around the Joe.

Sure it's a championship, but I never realized just how important it is to the viewing audience for the win to come at home.

If you don't believe me, just check out the video below, and pay attention to the void of energy in the building.

Pistons Fans — Step up your Game

From Bill Simmons' latest chat.

"One more thing on the Pistons: What happened to those fans????? They used to have one of the best crowds in the league - now you're banging Thundersticks and wearing white T-shirts and clamming up when your team falls behind? What happened to the fans who used to throw beers on opposing players and charge on the court to fight them? Deeee-troit Basssssssketball has gone soft. You need to do some soul-searching this summer. "

This is very true. I was able to buy tickets to a round 2 playoff game for $4.75. No, not $475, but $4.75. I forgot that we used to riot in the Palace.

Even worse, we used to make fun of the Heat for a having to resort to a 'whiteout' during the playoffs. Three years later, the Pistons try the same thing and it fails miserably. It failed so bad that for the next home game they had to ask fans to wear 'red, white and blue.' THOSE ARE THE PISTONS COLORS! Who was going to these games not wearing those colors?

We as fans need to pick up our game if we want the team to do the same as well. Bring back the Malice at the Palace!

Is it time to blow up the Pistons?

Another NBA season… another disappointing Piston playoff exit in the Eastern Conference Finals. It seems like a regular thing — something to depend on happening every year. That being said, are we as fans, content to let this go on for another year? Or do we want Joe Dumars to blow up the team and start all over again.

Just to refresh your memory about what this current crop of players has accomplished, check out some of these numbers that the Pistons have accumulated with this core group of players (2003/2004 - 2007/2008)

1 NBA Championship
2 NBA Finals Appearances
6 Conference Finals Appearances
284-126 (.693)
11 All-Star Game Appearances

Not a bad six year run right? Many people will say that the Pistons could have had more during this time...and they're probably right. So what? Piston fans just got to watch basketball played at the highest level for 6+ years with a (fairly) likable team. That's all a fan can ask for really.

And if you break up the team, what are the chances that they will actually rebuild. When you've got a good/competitive team, why try to make them bad/Miami Heat-esque?

The number one rumors surrounding the implosion of the Pistons roster is the impending trade of one, Rasheed Wallace. Trading Rasheed certainly seems like a panic move, a trade that is just being done because the public is a little upset over the season ending

The Pistons would be better served hanging on to Rasheed until is contract comes up at the end of next season. Here's a list that details just a few of the reasons why 'Sheed should stick around for another year.

1. Rasheed "CTC means Cut the Check" Wallace will be playing for a contract — His last big contract in the NBA. I guaran-damn-tee you he will be motivated and playing his best.

2. The Pistons can make one more run at an NBA Championship with the current group of players. This makes even more sense when you take into account that Flip Saunders' contract will also be running out after the 08-09 season.

3. The East will still be very, very bad next year. Besides Boston (who will be a year older) and maybe Orlando, and maybe, maybe, maybe Chicago, which team will surpass Detroit in the standings? I'm willing to bet no one.

4. When Rasheed's Contract runs out, suddenly Detroit will have ample cap space to go out and sign free agents, and start over again if 08-09 doesn't pan out. (Or just wait until 2010 and throw a truckload of money at LeBron, Wade or Bosh)


(In case you were wondering, here is a few key names from the 2009 free agent list.)
Drew Gooden
Allen Iverson
Baron Davis
Elton Brand
Lamar Odom
Kobe Bryant (option)
Jason Kidd
Jamal Crawford
Eddy Curry
Andre Miller
Ron Artest
Mike Bibby
Carlos Boozer
Mehmet Okur
Jason Maxiell (restricted)
Danny Granger (restricted)
Andrew Bynum (restricted)
Andrew Bogut (restricted)
Chris Paul (restricted)
David Lee (restricted)
Deron Williams (restricted)


Yeah, doesn't sound like the greatest bunch. But hey, Joe Dumars is pretty good at picking out decent free agents. Then consider what Detroit is likely to get in a trade involving Wallace... nothing.

Good players in the NBA don't get traded (unless you fleece terrible franchises such as Minnesota/Memphis.) And they certainly do not get traded for someone like Wallace. Trading for him is a lose/lose for teams. Sure they'll get rid of his contract number at the end of the year, but at what cost.

A player like Wallace is just good enough that he might play your team into a 7-8 seed in the playoffs — and play you out of the Draft Lottery. And he's guaranteed to leave your team at the end of the year, unless someone wants to CTC.

So this means the only team that will want a player like Wallace is a contender. He is a perfect last piece of the puzzle for a team making one more run at the Championship. (Detroit Pistons? Perhaps you've heard of them?) And good teams don't trade their good players, which means trading Wallace will likely land a low-1st round draft pick and several mediocre players making a too much money.

Now your asking yourself, wait, couldn't the Pistons use a draft pick. They are getting older and need some fresh blood for the future. To that end I implore you to examine 'Exhibit A' - Dumars drafting history:

Rodney Stuckey
Aaron Afflalo
Sammy Mejia
Will Blalock
Jason Maxiell
Amir Johnson
Alex Acker
Rickey Paulding
Darko Milicic
Carlos Delfino
Andreas Gliniadakis
Tayshaun Prince
Rodney While
Memhet Okur
Mateen Cleaves
Brian Cardinal

Who is the best player that Dumars has drafted? Prince? Okur? Either way, out of that many picks you would hope that JoeD would have founds more than just one or two "solid starters." Wouldn't you feel much more comfortable if JoeD looks around the free agent pool and then decides what the Pistons need? This is the superior option to receiving draft picks for 'Sheed.

In summary.

It would be stupid to try and blow up the Pistons for the '08-'09 season. At worst they'll be the third best team the the Eastern Conference - which will give them a punchers chance at the NBA Championship. In my book, if you still have a good chance at winning a championship, it's no time to try and NOT win a championship.

So keep the gang together, and revisit the situation next year, when the situation might actually warrant a change.

Edit (6/5/08): So, Flip is gone. My theory still stands — The Pistons should try one more time with Rasheed Wallace. The team is obviously pretty good with him. Why not use this chance to win a championship and re-evaluate the team when it actually makes sense.

One more point on Flip. It was probably time to go. You started hearing too many stories like, "The guys don't listen to him" and "Why go in the huddle during timeouts, I'm just going to do whatever I want." When that starts happening, it's probably time to go.

Pistons AIM Convo / Eddy Curry to Detroit?

Another NBA Chat today. This time I was talking with ATB Staff Writer Colar Bear Allen, who you may remember from such masterpieces as "5 Worst Contracts on the Detroit Tigers" and "5 Worst Contracts on the Detroit Tigers."

This chat is pretty much Pistons related, except that we get into some Star Trek talk. Reader beware…

--------------------------------

colarbear: I watched the end of the last game at the Riv, which was pretty fun everybody was real into it

pitch: yeah that was real intense that 4th quarter was outstanding

colarbear: I know Rodney Stuckey is going to be sixth man of the year next year unless we start trading people and he ends up starting

pitch: he's going to be real good. I like the stuckey/rip/chauncey combo with tayshaun and Rasheed

colarbear:too bad we didn't have him like three years ago

pitch: yeah, we probably would have made the finals a few more times

colarbear: I say we trade rip I don’t know who for I just don’t really like him anymore

pitch: we could probably get a top 10 pick if I had to guess

colarbear: remember when we won the championship and rip was running around people all game and coming off screens

pitch: Reggie miller Jr. if I remember right

colarbear: he only does that in the last five minutes of the game now

pitch: and he loves three pointers now

colarbear: I know, and he whines

pitch: he took a real bad, contested one with like 2 minutes left

colarbear: a lot.

pitch: ha, they all whine though

colarbear: and I think he is faking this arm injury

pitch: it makes it hard to like the pistons

colarbear: I know

pitch: you think he just didn't want to take the shot at the end of the game?

colarbear: I don’t know, but I didn’t see how his arm got hurt

pitch: yeah it looked pretty weak

colarbear: he was all tangled up

pitch: but they did show the trainer massaging it before the game and at timeouts so maybe it was already more hurt than we know

colarbear: but the one that got hurt was his free arm

colarbear: maybe

colarbear: or maybe he’s a big vag

pitch: …with a stupid mask.

pitch: we didn't mention that he got poked in the eye and had to waste a very important timeout he really blew it bad

colarbear: I dislike him more and more with each passing second

pitch: yeah, I forgot about the eye-poking thing

colarbear: lets trade rip back to Washington for Gilbert Arenas put arenas at the 2

pitch: lets trade him to Charlotte for Michael Jordan

colarbear: done and done

pitch: I like the Arenas trade, but Bill Davidson is a cheap, old man.

colarbear: lets trade him to the Knicks for eddy curry

pitch: ha, I like that trade and we can groom eddy curry to be the new Rasheed. I mean he's only like 27 now (!!) He still has potential

colarbear: Haha. can we give him a mechanical heart like the one Jean-Luc Picard has

pitch: yes, but we can't give him the same desire and passion of JLP. He's one of the great leaders in history

colarbear: you know I’m not going to argue about that. Maybe we could teach eddy curry to shout "ENGAGE" every time he makes a shot and he can call ’Sheed ‘number 1’

pitch: see I’m thinking Herrmann is more of the number one

colarbear: haha

colarbear: 'Dyess is Data

colarbear: 'Sheed is Worf

colarbear: I'm a nerd

colarbear: this conversation must end

pitch: over

pitch: although it seemed like you were on a roll

-----------------------------------------

Where is Bill Simmons?

As you may/may not have noticed, Bill Simmons has been doing much less writing on ESPN.com over the past month.
This really sucks for me, as reading his columns and listening to his podcasts are a big part of my work week — they serve as a small break that I can take and read something I really enjoy. On a whim, I decided that I was going to try and find out if there was anything going on with him — causing the lack of writing/podcasting.

First I found this website: sportsguy.blogspot.com. Bill Simmons' personal blog, where he is reposting some of his columns from his old bostonsportsguy website.

After more research, it turns out there's actually some drama involved with his absence. Here are some relevant links if you were missing his content:

1. Michael David Smith at AOL Fanhouse: Relevant quotes from Simmons and ESPN / Michael David Smith at AOL's Fanhouse opines on the problems between Bill and ESPN.
2. Deadspin.com's coverage: Daulerio talks about changes at Page 2 / Simmons Conspiracy Theory / Simmons comments himself on his absence

Pistons, Tigers, Red Wings, Oh My!

Another big night in Detroit Sports last night (and this time I actually got to watch most of it, as I was not working.) Wings win big, Pistons win comfortably and Tigers lose frustruatingly. Pretty much the way these games have been going for these teams all season. Quick thoughts:

PISTONS
• I thought the game really turned when Maxiell when nuts for 6 straight points in the third quarter. You never really got the impression that Boston was going to win this game, but Maxiell really put this game away.
• Good play from Lindsey Hunter and Rodney Stuckey, again. If they are playing well it sure seems like the Pistons have a great chance of winning. It's also interesting how hurt Billups must be considering he was out of the game in the fourth quarter for an extended period of time. How long can this hamstring injury go on for?! Didn't he hurt himself like, three weeks ago?

TIGERS
• This team is more than awful. They just kick you in the throat every time that you sit down to watch a game.
You know that you that they'll score 19 runs every once-in-a-while, but you also know that they'll find someway to lose almost every other time. A 0-0 game in the 12th inning sounds like a great duel, but it doesn't count as a great duel when you know that Tigers are the team that is going to lose in the end. Was anyone suprised when Torii Hunter stole 2nd while Polanco was staring at the dandelions in the outfield? And after that you just knew that the winning run was going to be walked in on 4 pitches. Awful.
• What do you know, Sheffield is hurt…AGAIN! Please, is there anyway we can just disappear him?

RED WINGS
• Seemed like a great win on paper, but I don't get Versus or CBC so I can't watch. They're probably going to win the Cup and my arbitrary-prediction of Wings in 5 games is looking pretty good.

Red Wings...Oh No!

Now if you thought you were excited for the Stanley Cup Finals, check out this group of fans…Embarrassing.

Rodney Stuckey and Lindsey Hunter are Key Elements to Victory

Great Pistons game last night. This was about as good of a basketball victory that you'll ever see. It goes down with some of the best Piston playoff wins of this era, right along with Game 6 in 2004 vs. New Jersey and Game 1 in 2004 vs. Los Angeles.

Notice both of those games came in 2004, Detroit's championship year. Not a coincidence in the least. One of the key parts of that team was the Lindsey Hunter/Mike James guard combo coming off of the bench. Those guys were animals on the ball, grabbing steals, forcing turnovers and being generally annoying to opponents. Best of all their attitude was infectious to the rest of the team. When they came in for Billups/Hamilton, you knew something good was about to happen. They just brought a great change-of-pace and a different intensity to the game.

Flashforward to Game 2 of the Boston series, and the Pistons may have found their game-changing guard lineup again. One of the names is familiar… Lindsey Hunter. The other one, however is a newcomer, Rodney Stuckey.

Stuckey played fantastic last night, and was about as big of a part of a win as you can be while playing only 17 minutes. But that's exactly what makes his contribution so important. With Billups and Hamilton eating up at least 70 minutes of floor time between them, there's not much extra to go around.

Hence, to be important to the game you have to bring something extra to the table. You have to be ready to go balls-to-the-walls for the entire time you're checked into the game. This is why I think this is the Pistons best chance to win out of all of the teams since 2004. The secondary guard line is top-notch, and will be a huge advantage over everyone left in the playoffs.

A likely comparison?

So I'm trying to read up on some NHL Playoff coverage and I happened to stumble on some Canadian coverage. These people are weird about their hockey. Consider this quote from Cam Cole of the National Post…

The most anticipated Cup showdown since, some think, the dynasty-in-waiting Edmonton Oilers played the already-there New York Islanders in 1983.

Man, do I remember those highly anticipated finals. I was on the edge of my seat for 4 days waiting for that thing to start! It seemed like it would never come.

Again more comparisons to the '83 playoff series, this time from Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press…

Because they are the New York Islanders of the 1980s to Gretzky's upstart Edmonton Oilers. They have more veterans who understand what it takes to win a Stanley Cup.

Who would have known that this was a likely comparison? Oh the things you learn from Canada. My pick for the series I like the Red Wings in 5. I have to reason to say so, but that's my analysis and I'm sticking with it.

Red Wings v. Pistons

First things first, vote on the poll to the right, under the advertisements. It's a pretty hotly contested debate between who's the favorite "Official ATB'er" around.

Number two, to the "Official ATB.com Ex-Roommate" I am very unhappy that you suggested this post topic in the comments. Now it looks like I have to give you credit for this post, when in fact, it was almost entirely written...

So there's some big drama with the fact that the Red Wings and Pistons will be playing on the same nights for the first three games of the Stanley Cup Finals. Sure maybe it seems a little shady, but in reality does anyone actually care that both games will be on at the same time?

Now I'm about as big of a sports fan as you find out there. But rarely will I sit through an entire game without moving, changing the channel or getting a little bored. Sports are great, but sports are also 3 hours long. That's a long time to be sitting in front of the TV with nothing changing.

That's exactly why I'm a fan of both games on at the same time. For one, if you're someone who likes to go to the bar for a game, the environment will be off the charts. There will be twice as many people there, twice as many big moments and twice cheers. Sounds like a great place to be, right?

Then if you're like me, and you enjoy watching the games at home, it give you ample opportunity to switch back and forth allowing for maximum excitement. And you won't have the deal with the lulls in action during the game. Just flip the channel, and bam, you've got something new and exciting to watch.

The real problem here, is that I'm not even going to have this problem for the first two games of the overlap. Why? I DON'T HAVE VERSUS. So I guess this was all a moot point. So be happy if you ARE able to watch both games. It will be some of the best television programming that you'll get all year.

Wii Sports HR Derby(!!)

So I was a little late getting on the Wii bandwagon, and until about two weeks ago I had hardly played the system. Luckily due to some fortunate circumstances, I had a Wii fall into my lap for the summer.

That being said, Wii Sports is an excellent game. Sure, there's almost nothing to it, but that's the beauty of the game. There is nothing more satisfying in all of video-game-land than when you hit a home run in the Wii Sports home run derby. You hear the crack of the bat after solid contact, and you get to see the ball fly "OUT OF THE PARK!" as the announcer bows down to your home run power. Very inspiring to say the least.

This is how I on got hooked on the quest to hit 10/10 home runs in the home run derby training game. It seemed like an attainable goal, something that would hold my interest for an hour or two. Little did I know, I was about to undertake a journey of epic proportions.

Two weeks later, I was still flailing away hopelessly. I had done everything imaginable EXCEPT hit 10 HRs in a turn. A summary of my "accomplishments..."

1. 9/10 HRs including 5 Out of the Park for a total distance of 5220 feet. (Not to mention the last 3 flew OOTP)
2. 29/32 HRs hit spanning 4 turns. Including 3 turns in a row of 9 HRs
3. 15 HRs in a row (twice) spanning 2 different turns.

Pretty "impressive," right? I mean there's not much more you can do in the HR derby than what I just listed...except hit 10/10 in a turn!! It didn't help that The Official ATB Roommate had already accomplished the feat twice. It seemed I would never be able do it.

Then this morning happened. After warming up with some Wii Fitness Training, I thought I'd give the HR derby another go-around. With the Official ATB Roommate looking on (and heckling) I finally reached down deep, fought the pressure and the demons and hit 10 in a row. It was over. There are no words for how relieved I am that this quest is over. I wasn't even having fun playing, it was just something that I needed to do. I finally feel satisfied.

Now I need another mountain to climb. What are some other challenges that need to be defeated in Wii Sports?

Where are the Wings?

I don't want this to be another NHL-bashing post. Killing the NHL for everything they do is very popular, and although I usually agree with those people, I'm going to avoid it this time.

BUT WHY CAN'T I WATCH THE RED WINGS PLAY!!

Versus. We all know it was a horrible mistake for the NHL to go with this network for their cable coverage. The channel is fine, and I like the coverage...when I can watch it. By cable company is really, really bad. That being said, I don't get Versus (like many people in the country.) Hence I flipped to FSN Detroit, expecting to see the Wings taking on the Stars in Game 1 of the confrence finals.

Instead, I found the Tigers. Now I enjoy Tigers games just fine, but there's 162 of them. There is at maximum, 7 Western Conference Finals games. The law of averages determines that the Wings game was the bigger event...except that it was on Versus.

This got me to thinking, why doesn't the NHL try to negotiate a local TV package for areas not covered under Versus massive umbrella. I'm thinking similar to what the NFL does.

Monday Night Football is broadcast by ESPN. Everybody has ESPN. But the NFL, always thinking, makes sure that the game is broadcast on local TV networks in the cities that the local teams are playing. Why? For the seven people out there that still don't have cable TV. Now if the NFL is willing to do this when their games are on ESPN, why can't the NHL do something like this when their games are playing on Versus?

It seems like it would be a relatively cheap way to make sure everyone that needs to see the game does, and to maintain a fan base, which in markets like Detroit right now, is important.

Please, do something NHL. It's a rare occasion that I actually want to watch hockey, please don't make it impossible to do so when I want to.

ATB.com hits the "Big Time"

Well, it's pretty big time for me anyway. DetroitBadBoys.com (only the best Pistons blog out there) posted the video I took of Chauncey Billups' controversial three in game two. Cool Stuff. Also, the video is up to 750 views on YouTube. ATB is a big deal. (kinda)

More Pistons Videos and Observations

A few more videos that I took from Game two of the Magic series. Before that, a couple of quick observations that I made from attending game two.

• Thundersticks are probably the most fun/annoying thing ever. The best part is they never get old...at least to the people with them. The Official ATB.com Girlfriend got a little too excited a few times with them, and started hitting the people in the row in front of us. Eventually on about the third time she dropped the sticks on the guys, they just didn't give them back. Thundersticks, genius.
• I was handed two free tickets to the Detroit Shock opening game on May 17. Is there anything that I would be less likely to go to for free?
• The pistons announced that that the game was their 231st consecutive sellout? By my observation the Palace was only about 80% full, and half of the people that were there didn't get to their seats until the second quarter. Not only did my group buy 6 tickets tickets on Stubhub for $5.95 a piece ($50 face value) but we didn't hit a lick of traffic on the way to the game, and we only got there about 10 minutes before tip-off. How the Pistons claim they sellout every game is beyond me.

Quick thoughts on the game its self:

• I have no worries about the Magic. Sure the game was close in the fourth quarter, but that's only because they were 7/7 from three-point range in the third quarter. After all of that, they weren't even ahead. The magic might win one in Orlando, but this series is pretty well locked up for the Pistons.
• Hedo Turkoglu made some crazy layups during the game. Those points will not happen again.
• I cheerfully booed Theo Ratliff coming into the game, but after two huge blocks, I was screaming "Go to Work." Maybe Ratliff can be of some use in the playoffs against Howard/Garnett. He no Dale Davis like we've had to deal with the past few years.
• Holy Walter Herrmann sighting?!
  

Now onto the videos. The first one is of Tayshaun's monster dunk in the first half of the game. The second is Rasheed hitting a turnaround jumper with the 'and-one.'

Chauncey Billups hits a controversial three

Here's video I took from section 212 of the Pistons game yesterday. This is Chauncey hitting a three pointer after a clock malfunction. This play has gotten a lot of air time on ESPN today, and I have to admit my friends and I thought it was borderline cheating at the time that he made the shot.

They probably should have just started the play over and ran it again. That being said, there is no reason that the referees shouldn't be able to use instant replay video when trying to determine plays like this. The use it in college and it seems to work just fine. So check out the video and see what you think...

(On another note, I do not think that this play had much of an effect on the game overall. Orlando still had an entire quarter to try and out play the Pistons and it didn't happen.)

Kentucky Derby Is Overrated!

I caught the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening before I had to go to work. Let me tell you, what a disappointment.

The event is hyped as one of the greatest events in sports...all 2 minutes of it. I just don't see how it can be considered one of America's greatest sporting events, when it lasts about as long as it took me to type this paragraph.

And another question, why do TV networks pretend that anyone cares about horse racing? It's not 1932 and Seabiscuit and his jockey Tobey Maguire aren't running wild across front pages. I have literally met no one who knows anything about horse racing. Look at that for a second...literally no one. So why do I care that some horse named 'Big Brown' is a 2-1 favorite to win the race? I've never heard that name, and at best I'll hear it two more times in my life. (Unless he gets...yikes...the Barbaro Treatment)

I'll also never understand people who like to bet on horse racing. As one 'expert' I heard on the radio said, one of the variables of the race was that the course was sloppy and the horses might get spooked by mud spraying in their faces. Who in their right mind would risk perfectly good money on this when there are about 1000 things that would be more fun, and less a shot-in-the-dark?

Now I'm not hating on attending the event, which I hear is very fun. I like the idea of tradition, big hats and mint juleps but as a sporting event covered by ESPN and NBC? Please.

Give me The Masters, College World Series, NBA All-Star Game, Little League World Series, NCAA Tournament, The Rose Bowl and anything else. Just don't make me listen to any more coverage of the Run for the Roses.

Boo Yankees!

If you hate the Yankees and you have 25 minutes to kill at work or something, check out Bill Simmons latest podcast. Pure Gold!

Amy Nelson is awkward

For those of you who don't know (and there's probably no reason you should) this is Amy Nelson. Apparently she is a writer for ESPN.com, which I just learned when I looked her up online, but that's not what bothers me about her.

I'm a pretty avid watcher of ESPN First Take, and it's a program that I enjoy a lot. That is until a certain segment called 'Your Take' pops up on my screen. Pretty much it's Amy Nelson, chatting with people who are watching the show. Sounds fine right? Well, that's before you get to Amy being horrible on camera. She is obviously reading off of cue cards, shes nervous and the final straw happened yesterday.

She started calling Shawn Marion, Shawn Mar-ieeeeeen. This was the final straw for me. I already had a hard time watching her because it was so awkward. It had gotten to the point that I actually flip the channel back to ESPN1 and Sportscenter because I just felt bad for the girl. But now that I know that she doesn't know anything about sports, I'm just pissed. Why put an awkward, nervous, know-nothing on one of my favorite shows?

This is a job that I would love to have? ESPN do you hear me? I can be awkward and nervous too on your show! And at least I would know who in the world Shawn Marion was.

Has anyone else out there noticed how awkward she is? Or am I just crazy?

John Madden Football '93

This theme, almost more than anything else, reminds me of my childhood. Madden '93 for Sega Genesis was my first Madden game that I owned, and it was first in a streak of every Madden until 2000.

Looking back on it...this game sucked. Sure it was fun and probably revolutionary, but the game didn't have a NFL license, it didn't have a Player's License either. So instead of using 'HB Pitch' with Barry Sanders of the Lions, I had to use that play with #20 from Detroit. Not the same.

(On that note, has there ever been a more fun play in any football game than 'HB Pitch?' What 8 year old doesn't love gaining at least 30 yards every play and destroying whoever they are playing against?)

I've been looking for this theme online forever, and finally someone has added it!
So enjoy this YouTube video of the Madden '93 theme.

Detroit Tigers vs. LAA Angels (4/25/08) Pictures

Gary Sheffield almost hits a grand slam

Here's some video I took of the Tigers/Angels game on 4/25/08. It's some grainy footage that shows Sheffield almost hitting a grand slam to left field. If you're interested, this footage is from "Kaline's Corner" aka section 340.

MSU Spring Football Attendance

I was reading around on Darren Rovell's Blog (which is one of my favorites BTW) and he had a short listing of some of the attendances of spring football games around the country. Much to my surprise, Michigan State was pretty high on the list. Here's the schools that Darren had listed:

• Nebraska: 80,149
• Ohio State: 76,346
• Penn State: 73,000
• Florida: 60,000
• LSU: 33,624
• Virginia Tech: 30,000
• Michigan State: 27,000
• Missouri: 26,322
• Oklahoma: 23,306
• Wisconsin: 22,000
• West Virginia: 18,000
• Colorado:17,800
• Rutgers:14,501
• Illinois: 12,531
• Kansas: 7,500
• Idaho: 5,100
• Utah: 4,500
• Arizona State: 3,000

After this piqued my interest, I did a little more digging and I found these figures from around the Big Ten at Spartan Tailgate:

• Illinois — 12,531
• Iowa — 13,352
• MSU — 27,000
• Ohio State — 76,000
• Purdue — 9,500
• Penn State — 73,000
• Wisconsin — 22,000

Overall, this looks very good for MSU. I'm shocked that places like Oklahoma could only draw 23,306. I haven't checked the weather, but I would have to assume there was a tornado ripping through town for the number to be that low.

Back to MSU, while they aren't on the same level as Penn State or Ohio State (we'll give Michigan a pass this year since they were at a high school this year) It seems that MSU might be at the front of that next tier. Wisconsin has had lots of success the past couple of years and they were a few spots behind MSU. And same on the Illinois fans. They just went to the Rose Bowl next year, and look to be an up-and-coming team, and all they could manage was 12,531!

I'm not even going to mention Arizona State. They just were co-champions of the Pac-10! 3,000 people?! Practically 3,000 people go to the Haslett vs. East Lansing girls softball game!

Overall though, nice work by the Dantonio staff on building excitement for this upcoming football season.

Get Ready for Red Wings v. Avalanche 2008

With the upcoming Detroit v. Colorado series coming up, why not relive a little bit of the past here?

The NBA's New Order

Here's a conversation that I had with a friend of mine this morning on AIM about some of the developments of the NBA Playoffs so far this year. The overwhelming theme is the dominance of the two new stars — Chris Paul and Dwight Howard...

halvor: "Since the last game (on Sunday) the only thing on my mind when I go to sleep at night, wake up in the morning and hit the gym with the guys is to dominate. For us to keep winning, I have to do that." --- Dwight Howard
pitch: he's been really good
halvor: Hes a freak!
halvor: 64 pts and 42 rebounds in 2 games, I love it
pitch: what did Paul have last night, like 32 pts, 17 ast?
pitch: yikes
halvor: so gross
That's so many baskets!!
and 17 assists on that team is outrageous
its not like hes dishing the ball to Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson like Kidd used to do
hes throwing it up to Bonzi wells and Tyson Chandler
pitch: i know hes got...Tyson chandler
and....(ugh)Jannero Pargo
halvor: They are so good at that move
and remember when Tyson chandler couldn't dunk when he was on the Bulls?
halvor: AND I HATE that people think KG is MVP
That team is unfairly good.
pitch: yeah, but he's the main reason that the team went from 22 wins to 60 this year
halvor: the main reason... besides a complete roster overhaul
pitch: Paul Pierce and Ray Allen together probably would have just squeaked into he playoffs
but he's the reason for the roster overhaul
halvor: You have Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, James Posey, and Rondo learning how to ball
that's pretty gross
rondo has been real good
not as good as Chris Paul accounting for 27 of 48 baskets scored by the hornets... and shooting 10/16
pitch: oh i agree
Paul should be the MVP
halvor: but good
He totally should
Remember when everyone thought the hornets needed "at least one more year" to get better
and then David West made people his bitch like some sort of junior Carlos boozer
pitch: yeah, i thought they would have a hard time with the Mavs
pitch: ...but i was wrong
Paul is just a nightmare for J-Kidd
he looks terrible
halvor: yup
the Mavs are terrible since the trade
pitch: yeah they're very just 'blah' now
halvor: i mean... Kidd is good... but he isn't better than the point guards they have to play
and in fact makes them look better
because they are all faster than him

The Five Worst Contracts on the Detroit Tigers

I was going to write my first (and possibly last) article for After the Buzzer about how to fix the 2008 Detroit Tigers. I figured that I couldn’t possibly do it without it turning into an angry, profanity laced rant about how I enjoyed watching 2003 Tigers more than I have enjoyed this team so far this season. With that team at least I knew before I started watching they were going to lose, so I could just sit back and enjoy the immortal Dmitri Young lethargically jogging after fly balls. Instead I’ll look ahead a bit to the contracts that will give us headaches now, and for many years to come.

Gary Sheffield
2008:$14M, 2009:$14M
This one is by far the worst of this group. Sheffield was acquired in the off-season following the Tigers improbable run to the World Series in 2006. He is a former Florida Marlin, which seems to be a requirement for any player General Manager Dave Dombrowski trades for. Be worried if Dombrowski picks up former Marlins reliever Antonio Alfonseca to shore up their inept bullpen. Probably better known for his extra digit, than anything he accomplished in his moderately productive career. I’m not sure if Tigers ownership would be willing to buy him out of his contract with Barnum and Bailey. Back to the rant on Sheffield. The Tigers offensive woes in 2008 can be directly linked to Gary Sheffield hitting third in the lineup, with an average hovering around .190. How is it a good idea to bat Miguel Cabrera in the five spot? Does Jim Leyland think batting the players in this order optimizes run production or is he afraid that Gary Sheffield’s ego can’t take the hit of batting anywhere but the best spot in the lineup? The only solution I see is trading Sheffield for Dmitri Young. At least Dmitri won’t clog up the DH spot and we can have the added adventure of watching him aimlessly roam the outfield.

Brandon Inge
2008:$6.2M, 2009:$6.3M, 2010:$6.6M
Oops. Inge signed an extension prior to the 2007 season, but has been replaced at third base by Miguel Cabrera, making him baseball’s most expensive utility player. Once was probably one of the more popular answers to the Who’s Your Tiger ad campaign, now seems to have caused more than a few fans to sour on him since he began whining about playing any position that isn’t third base. Going back to catcher would seem to make the most sense being that Pudge Rodriquez’s contract is up at the end of the season and the Tigers have no viable options coming up through their farm system to replace him.(I sincerely hope nobody is saying “Well what about Vance Wilson?”) Inge claims that catching hurts his offensive production. In 2006, his first season playing exclusively third base he hit .253/.313/.463, which is passable considering his stellar defense at the hot corner. But last season he dropped his averages to .236/.312/.376. I’m going to subscribe to the there’s nowhere to go but up theory.

Kenny Rogers
2008:$8M
I don’t know if my opinion of a player has ever done as much of a 180 as it has with The Gambler. The camera incident moved him into the company of guys such as Stephen Jackson, Roger Clemens, and Claude Lemieux as some of my most disliked athletes out there. I was less than ecstatic when the Tigers signed him prior to the 2006 season. But after an all star regular season, he faced the Yankees in game 3 of the ALDS in 2006 and basically decided that there was no way in hell he was losing even if it meant cheating… allegedly. That season he was worth the eight million bucks that the Tigers shelled out for him. Last year when he pitched a total of 63 innings, he was not. This season, when he becomes eligible for the senior discount at Old Country Buffet, he isn’t.

Pudge Rodriguez
2008:$13M
Another former Florida Marlin. The signing of Pudge in 2004 was the first in a series of moves that made them the team that they are today. This gave Detroit credibility again after one of the worst seasons in the history of baseball. Things like leadership and handling the pitching staff cannot be measured. Things like hitting and throwing out base runners can. He has steadily declined in these categories over the last three seasons. While elite catchers are very hard to come by, Pudge is most certainly not worth 13 million dollars, even by today’s standards.

Nate Robertson
2008:$4.25M, 2009:$7M, 2010:$10M
Don’t get me wrong, I like Nate Robertson. He wears athletic glasses, works his ass off, and started the gum time phenomenon. Speaking of gum time, where the hell has that gone? Shoving an entire package of Big League Chew into your mouth is a hell of a lot more fun than turning my hat inside out and attempting to balance it on my head. Why has nobody figured out that the reason the Tigers haven’t been good in the last year and a half is directly linked to dugout BLC consumption? My thought is that mediocre prospects like Armando Galarraga, Virgil Vasquez, and Jordan Tata could fill the fifth spot in the rotation with an ERA around five just as well as Nate Robertson will be able too. I know for sure they could do it for less money, and I bet, with time and practice, they could learn to chew a whole pack of Big League too.

Professional Teams that Shouldn't Exist

NHL
1. Atlanta Thrashers
2. Carolina Hurricanes
3. Florida Panthers — Are we sure that the state of Florida needs two hockey teams? I haven't thought of the the Panthers since John Vanbiesbrouck and the 1996 playoffs.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning — On second thought Florida doesn't need any hockey teams.
5. Nashville Predators
6. Anaheim Ducks — I'm willing to give LA one team, but a second team is just too much.
7. Dallas Stars — The move a team from Minnesota, which is pretty much Canada, to Texas? The NHL is weird.
8. Phoenix Coyotes
9. San Jose Sharks
10. Columbus Blue Jackets — Such a meaningless team that I almost forgot to include them on the list, and I'm pretty sure that no one on Wikipedia is aware of their existence either.

Here's one thing I would do to try and fix the NHL's problems. The NHL should get rid of (pretty much) every team west of the Mississippi or any team where ice doesn't occur naturally. That way the league can be sure that every team they have is well supported. The flipside of this, is with a team made of meaningful teams, is a league full of rivalries and meaningful regular season games, both good things.

NBA
1. Memphis Grizzlies
2. New Orleans Hornets — You take a team from one of the most popular basketball markets in America to one that could care less? Move them back to Charlotte and make George Shinn sell the team.
3. Charlotte Bobcats — With the Hornets moving back to town, there's no reason for the Bobcats. Unless their owner sees potential in the Omaha, Nebraska market...wait, nevermind, you didn't hear anything.

MLB
1. Florida Marlins — Single biggest crime in sports? The Marlins own two World Series rings.
2. Colorado Rockies — Before last season when was the last time you had even heard the word 'Rockies' on ESPN? I'm guessing not since 1993. Not even Rockies fans want to pay any more than $4 dollars to see the team play.
3. Kansas City Royals — Not so much their own fault, but can you really see them ever competing again? With the economic system in baseball, they'll never be able to pay anyone. As soon as their young players develop, they'll have to trade them away for prospects. The cycle repeats and repeats and repeats and repeats.
4. San Diego Padres

NFL
1. St. Louis Rams — Just go back to LA.
2. Baltimore Ravens — Just go back to Cleveland
3. Arizona Cardinals — Just go away.

What the #%$?!

Bill Simmons just wrote an article about the NHL. And the worst part, just reading his article actually made me want to watch last nights Bruins/Canadiens game (if I had Versus.)

Maybe this is one of the first steps that the NHL is taking towards being relevant to the normal sports fan again.

What better way to get into the average sports fan's head than to get into 'The Sports Guy's' head. If I was the NHL, I'd be peppering Simmons with lavish gifts to make sure he knows that hockey is still around.

My Girlfriend Hates Sports

Lets get something straight. I love Sportscenter. From my days as a kid, getting up early before school to watch an hour before I had to get up, to today where on a sick day I can watch 4 hours of Sportscenter in a row. It never occurred to me that people might not like it. I mean what's wrong with Sportscenter? It's UnAmerican not to like it.

That's what I thought before 'The Offical ATB.com Girlfriend' weighed in on some issues. She said that Sportscenter causes headaches. She commented on how all of the hosts spoke very loud and very fast. It was just plain unpleasant for her to listen to.

It got me thinking...Is my Sportscenter, my BELOVED Sportscenter really that bad. Is it not the great institution that I once thought it was?

Is she just crazy or is there something behind her madness?

Tim Duncan is Great!

The Suns/Spurs Game 1 was one of the best basketball games that I have seen all year. I don't particularly like either one of the teams involved, but I found myself rooting for the Spurs, in an attempt to anger my roommate. The back-and-forth nature of the game was enjoyable enough, but it was this play that truly made the game memorable...



Talk about one of the greatest shots in NBA history. Tim '0 for the season' Duncan spotting up for 3 to tie the game at the end of OT. It doesn't get any better than that. And I don't care what anyone says, that was a designed play. He may not have been the number one option on the play, but he was definitely part of the marker board draw-up.

I looked up Duncan's career stats and they're not good. He's 24-126 for his career for three pointers. (BTW, who would have ever have known that Duncan has attempted that many three-pointers in his career. The most astounding stat was his epic 2000-2001 season where he shot an amazing 27 three's!) But that is what makes Spurs coach Gregg Popovich the best coach in the league. Who do you want handling/shooting the ball at the end of OT? Your most clutch players of course...so why not give the ball to Ginobili and Duncan, two of the most clutch players alive.

NBA. Where Amazing Happens.

(Except when you have to suffer through the Atlanta Hawks playing on national TV in the playoffs with something like a 32-50 record.)

MSU Football 2003-2006

Check out this great YouTube video featuring the both the good and bad moments of the John L. Smith-era at Michigan State.

Detroit Sports Radio Rankings

With all of the driving that I do, sports radio has become one of my interests. With that said here is the official ATB.com ranking of Detroit sports radio.

1. Stoney and Wojo — It just seems like these guys are friends and it makes for good radio. I love all of the little gimmicks (drop here?) like Wojo's "Happy New Year" and Stoney's "AHHHHHH, Yesssss." It doesn't hurt that they have all of the most relevant interviews with the coaches and writers you actually want to hear from.

2. Morning show with Jamie — I don't know what it is exactly about this show, but Jamie makes it an interesting listen every time. Although the show seems like it could be a little boring, the topics are usually on target and make for a good show.

3. Karsh and Anderson Middays — The right mix of funny and sports talk. By far the strongest show on 97.1

4. Caputo and Fithian Evenings — Although many people don't like him, Pat Caputo is a guilty pleasure of mine. Something about him just draws me to the radio. Fithian is just there, nothing too bad — yet nothing special.

5. Sean Baligian — I used to really like his show, but time has not treated Sean well. His show has hardly changed and it seems like hes running out of ideas. I still enjoy his "Pick 3" segment, but new additions like "Skirts on Sports" just aren't that funny. And they need to cut it out on the overwhelming pro-wrestling sound-drops that are constant throughout the show.

6. Jim Rome — Yuck. Rome is all schick and it's not a good one at that. Coming up with fake names for marijuana and bragging for 15 minutes about how you haven't taken a caller all week does not make for compelling radio.

7. Valenti and Foster — Simply put, this show sucks. Valenti yells and makes outrageous comments all the time, which is fine if it's done right. He seems like he's trying to be a Skip Bayless-type, except that he can't pull it off. This is DNLR — Do not listen radio. Tune the dial to 1130 and listen to Stoney and Wojo.

Honorable Mentions:
These aren't really Detroit radio shows, but since I live in East Lansing and I have to listen to these, I thought I would make mention of them.

Staudt on Sports — Pretty interesting show, as long as they are talking about MSU or pro sports. Far too often the topic turns to Middle School Basketball or Haslett Girls Softball. At that point the show goes from very good to DNLR.

The HUGE Show — He's got the voice, but the show just isn't that good. Far too much of a West-Michigan bias. I know he's based out there, but I don't even think people who live on the west side of the state care about what's going on there.