Bleacher Report - Articles by Sean Gagnier

The Young Batters AL Central Fans Will Grow to Hate

Sean Gagnier — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:45:20 -0400

The American League Central is already filled to the brim with rivaries and bitter divides between fans of the various teams. But as the Central continues to collect young talent, new stars begin to emerge and as everyone knows, one team's young star is another team's newest enemy. Pitchers are a whole different beast and will not be addressed at this time. Here is a list of the AL Central's upcoming public enemies.

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Spartans Show Michigan That There Is a Silver Lining

Sean Gagnier — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:28:35 -0400

Times are tough all over the country right now; the economy has been acting up and people have lost jobs, but it seems as though Michigan has been hit the hardest. So the Michigan State Spartans want to remind Michigan residents that there is still a silver lining in all of this.

Throughout the 2009 college football season, Michigan State will have a special decal adorning their helmets. The new decal is called "The Silver Lining" and is an outline of the state of Michigan.

The decal is meant to show that Michigan State University and all of its appendages, including the football team, are set on helping the state get through these tough times.

The symbol is the brain-child of Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio, who said that it was a way of trying to show that Michigan State plays a large role for the overall benefit of the state of Michigan.

Dantonio submitted his idea to Athletics Director Mark Hollis, who immediately loved the idea of showing solidarity and bringing a sort of weekly release for the economically stressed state.

"The Silver Lining" is a simple design that has the ability to speak volumes. It encompasses the entirety of Michigan during this difficult time in the state and has the ability to tell them that things will get better. There is a silver lining in all of this chaos.

But the actions of Michigan State University don't just stop at words and helmet stickers; they go into the real heart of the problem: the auto industry.

Michigan is home to the "Big Three" automakers. With the decline of the economy, they have been hit especially hard, and in turn, the people who worked for those companies share the burden.

So, in an effort to help alleviate some of the monetary problems facing General Motors, Michigan State has reinstated its long-time partnership with the auto company by offering to waive the annual sponsorship fee the company owed for the 2009-10 season.

It may not be anything spectacular, but just as the Spartan basketball team brought the state together when they made their Final Four run in the spring, perhaps this small act will do something just as special.

Tuesday Night Smackdown: Youklis Vs. Porcello and the Fallout

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:16:47 -0400

Playing your first game in Fenway Park is exciting enough, but to be asked to wrestle a charging Kevin Youkilis to the ground is just unfathomable.

It happened to Detroit Tigers rookie pitcher Rick Porcello, making his first career start at Fenway. He lost control of a pitch inside and plunked Youkilis in the back. Youkilis took exception to being hit for the second night in a row and decided to charge the mound.

Some may say that the pitch was intentional, but Porcello claims he did not throw at Youkilis and I tend to believe him. A rookie pitcher in their right mind would not intentionally hit a batter like "Youk."

Youkilis was hit in Monday night's game following Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera being hit, he just took his base without any scenes.

On Tuesday, Cabrera was again hit for the second night in a row, and didn't charge the mound. He merely took his base and went on with the game until he was removed by Leyland.

Youkilis violated the rules of the baseball brawl by charging the mound and firing his batting helmet at Porcello. If you're going to charge the mound, you don't throw your equipment at the pitcher who only has a glove to defend himself.

ESPN's Baseball Tonight analyst Eric Young said about Youkilis and charging the mound in general, that "you don't throw your helmet at the pitcher, you go up there and try to land a punch on him, you don't try to wrestle him."

And that is exactly what Youkilis did. He bolted toward Porcello, chucked his helmet at him, then attempted to wrestle him before Porcello was able to body slam him into the ground.

Porcello did his best to try to get out of the way, but being a rookie he wasn't sure what to do. Instead of drifting towards the third base side and veteran Brandon Inge, he backed up towards first base and fellow rookie Ryan Raburn.

The Tigers infield tried to do their jobs and intercept Youkilis before he reached their starter, but they were playing deep and were unable to stop the charge. If Porcello had drifted towards Inge he may have avoided having to throw Youkilis to the ground as the veteran third baseman and former catcher would have been able to at least slow down the hard charging Youkilis. However, Rayburn was inexperienced and whiffed on the tackle.

In the aftermath, Youkilis was ejected from the game, which was expected and warranted. But Porcello, too, was thrown from the affair. Porcello's ejection was completely uncalled for, he was simply defending himself from being injured by an infuriated batter.

Tigers fans could at least be happy that while walking from the mound Porcello was fiery and continued to voice his disgust with the umpiring crew and their decision.

The day after brought more surprises, as Tigers announcer Mario Impemba noted the Boston perception on the brawl.

By Mario Impemba

So I am perusing the Boston papers this morning to read the local reaction of last night's melee and I run across Dan Shaughnessy's take on Kevin Youkilis' disagreement with Rick Porcello. Here is Shaughnessy's lead:

Kevin Youkilis took a first-pitch fastball in the back, hesitated for a split second, then made a bull rush for 20-year-old Tiger pitcher Rick Porcello. The kid righty was backpedaling when a sprinting Youk flung his helmet at him, then wrapped him up and wrestled him to the ground like a baby calf.

Huh?? Were we watching the same game? Apparently not. Wrapped him up and wrestled him to the ground like a baby calf? Might want to check the video again.

I agree with Impemba on this, Porcello grabbed onto Youkilis, took a few steps and body slammed him into the ground. He wasn't "wrestled to the ground like a baby calf."

Major League Baseball saw it fit to suspend both Youkilis and Porcello for five games for their actions in Tuesday's game.

Youkilis deserved this suspension and he said as much when interviewed, saying: "Basically, I left everything in the hands of the front office," Youkilis said. "Whatever they thought was best for the team was good for me."

But Porcello's suspension is uncalled for, he was merely defending himself and was suspended for "intentionally throwing at Victor Martinez and Kevin Youkilis," said MLB Vice President Bob Watson.

Porcello has appealed his suspension and I can see it being reduced because of its invalidity.

Also fined was Tigers pitcher Edwin Jackson, for what Watson said were aggressive actions. Come on now, aggressive actions? He bounced around the outside of the throng of people and vented his frustration, if that is considered aggressive behavior then couldn't any of the players who rushed off the benches be fined as well?

This debacle has done at least one thing for this series, it has ratcheted up the intensity and brought the national attention to it. And as they say, any publicity is good publicity. Which is certainly true for Porcello, who was able to throw one of the biggest and strongest players in the league to the ground with relative ease.

The Halladay Sweepstakes: Price Too Steep For Detroit Tigers

Sean Gagnier — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:29:11 -0400

When perhaps the greatest pitcher in the league is on the trading block, it draws attention from everyone.

The Detroit Tigers, who are in need of rotation help, decided to test the Roy Halladay waters and inquire as to his cost. It was, however, too steep a price for Dave Dombrowski and the Tigers.

Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi reportedly wanted a package of players from the Tigers for Halladay, the package consisted of SP Rick Porcello, RP Ryan Perry, and minor league SP Casey Crosby.

Porcello, 20, is currently in the Tigers starting rotation with a 9-7 record while posting a 4.62 ERA. Porcello is performing at a level that should secure him a starting spot on next years roster as well as some Rookie of the Year votes, if not the trophy.

Perry, 22, was Detroit's first round draft pick in 2008 and out of the bullpen has an ERA of 3.95, but has significantly lowered that average since recently being recalled from Toledo.

Crosby, 20, is considered as one of the Tigers elite prospects. He is currently at West Michigan, a Class A affiliate, with a record of 8-3 and an ERA of 2.92.

Even though the Tigers are looking to improve their rotation and/or acquire a power outfield player it seems as though the trade deadline will pass quietly in Detroit. As the price on the most appealing players is tending to be excessive.

Michigan State Spartans Non-Conference Outlook

Sean Gagnier — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:56:39 -0400

It seems as though Michigan State is finally beginning to hit its stride with Mark Dantonio at the helm.

They are starting to win, and win consistently, which in turn is attracting some high profile talent from around the nation. But most importantly, Michigan State is beginning to win the in-state recruiting battle over the University of Michigan.

The one thing that can help to improve recruiting and continue Michigan State on its rise in the Big 10 is winning the important in conference games as well as the oft overlooked non-conference games.

First up for the Spartans is Montana State out of the Big Sky Conference. Now it is common for the larger schools to schedule smaller schools in the first few weeks of the season to pad their record for the remainder of the year, but no team can be overlooked.

The first game of the season is always a bit choppy, as players are adjusting to full playing speed and playing for the first time in front a big crowd.

As long as Michigan State keeps its head on straight, there is really no reason for them to lose this game, as they have the edge in every category from points per game to fumbles.

Again, no team can be underestimated because that is when they pull the upset (see Appalachian State over Michigan.)

Up second for the Spartans is Central Michigan, an annual contender in the Mid-America Conference.

Central Michigan features a high octane offense lead by QB Dan LeFevour who is incredibly mobile and rushes almost as much as he passes. LeFevour is the MAC's version of Tim Tebow.

But, Central was beat last season when they faced another high speed offense, so if the Spartans can play fast they should be able to beat the Chippewa’s effectively.

This will be the first test of the season and should tell Coach Dantonio just how his new players are handling their roles.

The first true test of this team will come in Week Three when State faces off against Notre Dame for the Megaphone Trophy.

Notre Dame should be considered as part of the Big 10, as they are annually playing most of the conference. The Irish are always a tough game and with Clausen coming into his own it should continue to be.

Notre Dame rolls out a pro-style game that features the run as well as the passing game, but recently the recruiting talent brought in by Coach Charlie Weis has come into question.

As more and more of Weis' recruits make the starting line up the winning percentage is dipping, it may be nothing but it is intriguing.

State should by this time have figured out which of their quarterbacks will be the starter and he will begin to develop a rhythm with his receivers and offensive line.

If the Spartans come out firing on all cylinders they should be able to overwhelm the Irish. But again, Clausen has the ability to beat teams and should be watched carefully.

The final non-conference game comes in Week 10 against the Western Michigan Broncos. Western Michigan is always a player in the MAC and is not to be overlooked.

The Broncos had an up year last year, beating their rival Central Michigan for the first time in 12 years. But, the Broncos have proved to be a streaky team and may have a down season.

Coach Bill Cubit has done wonders with the team since he took over in 2005, but they are not up to the caliber of play featured by the Big 10 and Michigan State.

State should be on a roll coming off their conference games and playing some of the best football of the season and should have no trouble rolling over the Broncos.

Michigan State has a relatively weak schedule this season and if they take care of their non-conference games they will be well on their way to a high profile bowl game on New Year’s Day.

Detroit Red Wings in the Free Agent Market: Who's Coming, Who's Going?

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:40:56 -0400

The Stanley Cup loss is still fresh in Red Wings fans minds, but the painful memories must quickly be pushed aside as the free agent extravaganza is fast approaching.

The Red Wings are undoubtedly going to lose several familiar faces to this annual phenomena.

But, the real question is who stays and who will join the ranks left vacant by fellow UFAs?

First things first, the Red Wings have several free agents on their roster, they are: D Chris Chelios, G Ty Conklin, RW Marian Hossa, LW Jiri Hudler, LW Tomas Kopecky, LW Ville Leino, and RW Mikael Samuelsson.

To a Red Wings fan, the large number of high quality players in limbo may be shocking.

Red Wings Nation already knows that it will be without Chris Chelios next season. Chelios gave the team many great years and contributed to two Stanley Cup Championships.

However, his effectiveness had decreased to the point that he was no longer worth the money.

The money freed up by the departure of Chelios could help the team to sign one of the many other UFAs on the roster.

Perhaps the biggest name on the list is that of Marian Hossa. One year ago at this time, he signed a one year deal with the Red Wings, turning down multi-year deals from multiple teams in an attempt to win the Stanley Cup.

Negotiations between Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland and Hossa have been progressing. The last update from the negotiating table was that the two sides were about $2 million apart from each other.

But, according to ESPN, Holland commented that he was not optimistic about the team bringing Hossa back to the club.

Having turned down large offers last season, it seems Hossa will take that route this season. Detroit is not financially liquid enough to offer a large long term deal to Hossa, so look for him to be elsewhere next season.

Detroit may, however, attempt to trade Hossa's rights to another team to try to get something out of his contract before he leaves for good.

Tomas Kopecky may not be well known to those outside of Detroit, but he has been invaluable to the club over the life of his contract. But, it looks as though he too will not be with the team next season.

Kopecky shares the same agent as Hossa, and it appears he wants to take both of his clients to the open market. Agent Rich Winter has told Holland that Kopecky hopes to do much better on the market than what the Wings were offering.

Things look much better in the Samuelsson camp, though. Holland did not comment extensively on the forward, but said that he will speak to him and his agents on Monday and hopes to get something done before Samuelsson hits the market.

Ville Leino has been called up several times to the parent club, and each time he has excelled.

If the Red Wings are expecting to lose the salaries of Chelios, Hossa, and Kopecky, offering a deal to Leino seems like the smart thing to do.

Jiri Hudler is a restricted free agent, which means he will more than likely remain with the team through at least next season. Hudler has emerged as a good second or third line forward and is a key piece to the puzzle that is the Red Wings.

With all of the chaos that surrounds the free agent period, it is good to know who your players are before you jump into the fray. The Red Wings will look to address their defense and try to replace some of the holes sure to be left in their forwards come Wednesday.

The name that seemed to be on everyone's lips as a target for the Wings was D Jay Bouwmeester, but, after Florida dealt his rights to Calgary, it looks all but impossible for the Red Wings to add him to their defensive corps.

So, the search for a defenseman continues. Notable UFA defensemen are Mattias Ohlund, Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, and Marc-Andre Bergeron.

Ohlund is a solid defenseman. Although he may not be a first line defenseman, he is still a great addition to any team. At 32, he is still young and able to keep up with the youth in the NHL.

He has spent 11 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, but is very likely to call a new place home next season.

Mike Komisarek was injured throughout the last season. This may make some teams shy away from him, but his physical presence and heavy shot make him an interesting option for a team willing to overlook his injury filled 08-09 season.

Francois Beauchemin was also injured during the last season. He seriously injured his knee, but returned midseason.

But, despite that, he continued to play a highly physical game while keeping up his scoring and defensive points. With the departure of Chris Pronger from Anaheim, the Ducks will try very hard to keep him to play with Niedermayer for another season.

Marc-Andre Bergeron is a smaller defenseman. His size may deter teams who prefer to play a more physical game on defense.

But, for the Red Wings, size really doesn't matter as they are consistently one of the smaller teams. Bergeron also has an incredibly heavy shot, which plays well into the Red Wings' defensive scheme.

With many of the Red Wings forwards about to leave for free agency, it is key for the club to replace them with high caliber players from the market.

The names that stand out are: Marian Gaborik, Mike Cammalleri, and Mike Comrie.

Marian Gaborik is a bit of an enigma. He is is one of the most talented players in the league, when he's healthy.

But, that's the problem.

He has always had more than his fair share of health problems. Gaborik may also want to stay with Wind under the new administration that may prove to be more forward friendly, but (more than likely) he will hit the free market.

He will undoubtedly make whichever team signs him much better, as long as they give him plenty of sabbatical time to recover from his injuries.

Mike Cammalleri is only 27 and is coming off of a career high 39 goal season. Last season, Camalleri went 39-43-82.

But, with the Calgary Flames being a bit light in the pockets, it seems that Cammalleri will try his luck on the open market. He is sure to command a high salary with whichever team he chooses.

With the Wings facing financial troubles of their own, I don't see this being an option.

Mike Comrie is a very skilled forward who fell on hard times last season, scoring just 10 times. But, he has been a 20 goal scorer five times and is only 28. Again, he struggled with injuries last season, but, if a team can overlook that, he could turn out to be quite a steal.

And, it seems that every conversation about improving the Red Wings comes back to goaltending. Chris Osgood is one of the best playoff goalies in NHL history—look at his stats.

But, it seems like the Red Wings need another quality backup for him.

Conklin filled the backup role admirably, but he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Through the last two seasons, he is 43-19-7 with a 2.51 GAA. Conklin had some down times last season, but so did Osgood.

With the quality of the free agent goaltenders this year, it looks as if Conklin is the best option.

The only other name on the goaltender free agent list that may draw consideration is Manny Fernandez. Now that Tim Thomas is dug in as the starter in Boston, Fernandez looks to leave for another gig where he could fight for the starters role.

The Red Wings may want to stick with Osgood and Conklin and just bide their time until Jimmy Howard is ready with a free agent class like this.

Whatever happens Wednesday, the Red Wings have some of the best hockey minds in the world at the helm, and the team will surely look different compared to last year.

But, it may just be for the better.

Detroit Red Wings: The Fate of "The Joe" in Question

Sean Gagnier — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:14:44 -0400

Joe Louis Arena has seen the best of time and the worst of times in Red Wings hockey. From the "Dead Wings" Era to the present dynasty.

But the future of the stadium is in question as the deadline to extend the lease is fast approaching.

On Tuesday, Mike Illich will have to notify the city of Detroit whether or not he wants to extend the current lease agreement for the aging arena or if they will leave its friendly confines. The extension would be a 20 year long one, but would be an extension of one of the best lease agreements in pro sports history.

Under the current agreement, Olympia Entertainment—a branch of Illich Holdings—leases Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Arena, and the Joe Louis parking structure for $475,000 a year.

This deal has helped to make the Red Wings one of the richest franchises in hockey.

In comparison, when the Pittsburgh Penguins moved into their new digs, Consol Energy Center next season the lease is for $4.2 million according to Detroit News.

This is evidence of the highly favorable deal the Red Wings received in 1978.

But this deal has some catches.

Joe Louis is one of the oldest stadiums in the National Hockey League and as such needs some serious renovations done to it. Some estimates put the minimum price tag on the renovations around $1.8 million.

However, this would not address all of the items on Illich's list for the Joe. The Joe does not have super suites or private boxes, and thus cannot bring in the same revenue as other arenas.

It is known around Detroit that Mike Illich has had a plan for what he calls, "Fox Town" for the downtown area. Illich already has Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, the Fox Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe within throwing distance of each other in downtown.

He has also said that he wants to move the Red Wings to Fox Town and then build a covered walkway that connects his four assets together creating an entertainment mecca in downtown Detroit.

Negotiations between the city of Detroit and Olympia Entertainment have been on going for years, but the deadline on the lease runs out on Tuesday and details on the progress between the two sides has been kept secret.

Many signs point to the Red Wings building a new stadium for the 2010 season. Illich's history for one has shown that he does not negotiate with the city when he has his mind set on something. Illich is accused of not taking negotiations to keep the Tigers at Tiger Stadium and allowing it to slip into disarray in order to build Comerica Park.

Illich Holdings has also been quietly been accumulating parking lots and land behind the Fox Theatre without a publicized reason. This would seem as though the Illich Family was gathering up enough land to build a stadium on once they decline the lease on the Joe.

Other signs are that Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano (the county was in on the deals that brought Comerica Park and Ford Field) has been contacted about possibly helping to fund a new structure downtown.

So for now, the fate of Joe Louis Arena lies on the chopping block— at least until Tuesday, when its future will be announced.

If Illich does move to build a new stadium, it might not be a bad thing.

Granted, the Joe has become close to many fans, but it seriously lacks many amenities that other stadiums have. It lacks retail space in the interior and through personal experience, does not well accommodate taller people as their knees are jammed uncomfortably into the preceding row of seats.

It will be a sad day when the Joe finally goes, but Hockeytown will be rewarded with a state-of-the-art stadium that is more fitting of the caliber of hockey team that dwells within it.

Yzerman, Hull, and Robitaille Highlight Hockey Hall of Fame's 2009 Class

Sean Gagnier — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:56:51 -0400

The Hockey Hall of Fame has just released that three former Detroit Red Wings will be joining the illustrious ranks of hockey's elite in their first year of eligibility.

Yzerman, the longtime Red Wings captain, retired in 2006 and is placed sixth in career point total in NHL history with 1755.

Yzerman has won three Stanley Cups and a gold medal in 2002 for his role on the Canadian National Hockey Team in the Olympics.

Brett Hull was named the league's MVP in 1991 after scoring 86 goals, he also was on the Detroit Red Wings 2002 Championship team with Yzerman and Robitaille.

Luc Robitaille also made the Hall in his first year of eligibility, taking the total number of Red Wing inductees this year to three. Robitaille was a member of the 2002 Detroit Red Wings with Hull and Yzerman.

The final inductee named was Brian Leetch, who helped to take the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994.

This year's inductees are among the best in the sport, and I am glad to say that three of the four players are former Detroit Red Wings.

Congratulations boys on your accomplishment and the new prefix to your names, HOF.

Canadian Hopes For Second Winter Classic Look Dim

Sean Gagnier — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:00:40 -0400

With the new found success of the NHL's Winter Classic, there is one group that feels left out in the cold, Canadians.

Canada is the birthplace of hockey, yet none of her teams have been featured in this annual festival of hockey tradition.

With the 2010 Winter Classic all but chalked up between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, it will be another year before a Canadian team gets a shot at the game.

In the past two Winter Classics it has been All-American, with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks all taking to the outdoor ice.

Sure, in 2003 the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Heritage Classic with the Montreal Canadiens. But this was sparsely viewed in the United States as it was a west coast game held at night, and featured no American teams.

On CBC, the game broke viewing records with 2.74 million viewers across Canada. This should have been an indicator to the NHL executives, but it took them five more years to hold the next outdoor game.

So now, with the Calgary Flames throwing their hat into the ring to hold a Canadian Winter Classic in 2010 it seems like a no-brainer, but they look to be going home empty handed.

NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly acknowledged the mounting pressure from Canadians and the CBC to either create a Canadian Winter Classic or feature a Canadian team in the still young feature.

The Calgary Flames have submitted a plan to hold their outdoor game in McMahon Stadium on January 1, 2010, after the Winter Classic game in Boston.

This proposal must be approved by seven of the 10 members on the NHL's Competition Committee. The forecast looks bleak for Calgary though, as opinions are trending against a second outdoor game.

"The more outdoor games that you have you kind of water down the special quality and nature of the event. From that standpoint I would have preferred to have one event," said Kelly.

Kelly's opinion makes sense, as the Winter Classic is unique; should more events take place, it will attract less fans to the league, and hockey needs to continue attracting new fans.

But there is no reason to continue to deny a Canadian team from participating in this annual tradition. Most Canadian teams have huge followings and would attract an international audience should they be matched up against an American team.

But alas, this too seems for naught, as the broadcasting rights to the outdoor game belong to NBC, and they do not see the need to incorporate any Canadian teams into the annual event.

If the NHL was smart they would capitalize on the growing popularity of this event and try to make it an international affair, pitting an American team against a Canadian club.

Who wouldn't want to see an outdoor game between the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens in Central Park?

The Most Unbreakable Records in Baseball

Sean Gagnier — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:40:05 -0400

Baseball is a game of stats and probabilities, with coaches and fans crunching the numbers of players on both sides. It is a game of failure, where being wrong 70% of the time is considered a good average. But through it all there are some accomplishments that stand above the rest, some records that will never be threatened because of their sheer magnitude. These are the best of the best records in baseball.

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What Makes Hockey the "Coolest Game on Earth"

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:49:48 -0400

From backyard ponds to the grand venues of the National Hockey League, hockey is everywhere. In the northern United States and the whole of Canada hockey is something that is greatly anticipated in the winter. As soon as the rinks freeze, hockey descends upon the nations and the fever returns to the natives.

Hockey is a beloved sport for many countless reasons, perhaps it’s Don Cherry’s ungodly assortment of suits on Hockey Night in Canada or maybe it’s the daily highlight reel stuffing from Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Ovechkin. Hockey is great because it’s difficult to pin it down, there is just too much to love.

Perhaps it’s the feeling of community during a hockey game that makes it so great. Complete strangers come into the stadium and take their seats amongst one another. As usual there is little talking, maybe the occasional small talk, but nothing much.

But once the game starts and the home team scores it is as if you have known these strangers for your entire life.

The goal horn blares and no one is in there seat, they are jumping and screaming with the people around them. Strangers turn around in their seats and high five and scream together with these complete strangers.

With each goal that is scored the unique bond between these people grows, nothing connects them but a shared love for their team, but it doesn’t matter because of that love.

Hockey fans have a certain European feel with their incredible assortment of chants and songs that would impress most UEFA fans. Different chants are meant to accomplish different goals, from the long drawn out calling of a goalie’s name in an attempt to rattle the player.

It is remarkable how clearly chants of “Fleurrrr-yyyyy” come through on television.

The opposite is utilized as well, when a home team goalie comes through with an incredible save a different type of call is rained down upon him.

It is still his name, but this time the tempo has increased attempting to show appreciation for his hard work. Each team has their favourite goalie call, but my personal favourite is the one shouted by Detroit fans of “Ozz-ie, Ozz-ie.”

Each hockey fan knows the rules of the game and chooses to remind the referee each time they don’t agree with the way they are calling the game. When a call goes against the home team and it is a blatant blown call, chants of “bull-$%#*” rain down from the rafters at stadiums across the league.

The same goes for unpopular players, hockey fans have the memories of elephants and they do not forget certain players. In Pittsburgh whenever Marian Hossa touches the puck the fans let loose a chorus of boos, the same is the case for Claude Lemieux and Chris Pronger in Detroit.

Most recently fans in Detroit chose to let Penguin’s captain Sidney Crosby know how they felt about him with chants of “Crosby sucks.” No one ever said they were the kindest fans.

Singing is also a major part of the hockey experience, and it doesn’t stop when the music does.

For example in 2001, when the Detroit Red Wings had all but wrapped up the Western Conference Finals, fans at Joe Louis Arena began to sing “Sweet Caroline” and continued through the chorus multiple times, because they knew the Red Wings next opponent were the Carolina Hurricanes and were convinced of their team’s eventual victory.

Now to the game itself, hockey can be both the most violent sport and the most beautiful sport when it is played right. The hits are heavy and can be devastating, even when it is a perfectly legal hit if your head isn’t up bad things can happen.

Take for example the hit of Detroit Red Wing Niklas Kronwall on Chicago Blackhawk Martin Havlat, Havlat looked down and was leveled by Kronwall. The hit was perfectly legal, but knocked Havlat unconscious momentarily which drew the wrath of the referees.

There is almost nothing as amazing as seeing a perfectly executed breakaway by a skilled player, as they deke and weave between players and sticks and skates on their way to a goal.

It is awe inspiring to see such a feat, and hockey fans are treated to multiple players who deliver such jaw dropping displays on a regular frequency, Pavel Datsyuk, Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.

It is also the only sport in which fighting is allowed. Sure it may be frowned upon by some people, but it is a staple that the sport was built on.

Fights can break out at any minute, the gloves are dropped and it is underway, gut shots and head shots are the norm, but in past years the aim of the league’s “enforcers” was to pull their opponent’s jersey over their head to blind them and further pummel them.

Other sports penalties are enforced by punishing the offending team by giving their opponent free shots or move them farther up the field. But in hockey, they have instituted something that everyone has been through before, the time-out.

Referees watch the action and when someone breaks the rule they are taken to a small room away from their friends who keep playing and told to sit there for a certain amount of time and think about what they did.

Maybe hockey is so loved because of the characters who represent it, Barry Melrose, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky to name a few. Barry Melrose is always around somewhere on the SportsCenter stage and when he makes his comments, they are measured and insightful, not to mention his hair is second only to Mel Kiper’s.

Or Gordie Howe, even at age 81 he is still running around Detroit making a difference in so many lives. Through his charities and just his presence he makes everyone’s life a little bit better.

Mr. Hockey, as he is known, has gotten a lasting reputation in the NHL with a seldom seen feat called the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick,” which is composed of a goal, an assist and a fight.

Or maybe it is the weekly ritual of most hockey fans, watching Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. These games are always tough and represent the epitome of hockey, from the rivalry of the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs to the hard hitting play of the Flames.

The games are always hard fought and enjoyable to watch, but the real treat comes in the intermission when they break for “Coaches Corner with Don Cherry.”

Some say that Cherry is an eccentric who has too narrow a view on the hockey world, but others love him just for those reasons. He is always sporting an incredible suit and brings to the table a bullish temper regarding the game.

Could it be the annual man-challenge? Each playoffs brings around an old tradition, the playoff beard some are monuments to manhood and others are quite lacking (Crosby). But nonetheless, players choose not to shave during the playoffs in an attempt to bring good luck to their team in the tournament. Does it work? Who knows, but it is awesome.

Hockey is a game that surrounds itself with a lot of superstition, such as win a team wins the players go out to meet the goalie at his net and rub his helmet trying to get good luck from him for themselves. It may seem a bit odd, but if it gets a guy out of a slump, then it did its job.

Goalies also are allowed a luxury that no other sport allows, they can customize their helmets to their liking. If they want an eagle on their helmet, no one is going to stop them, they can get whatever they want to.

It is a freedom that some goalies take advantage of to the benefit of the fans when they auction their helmets off to charities following every season, Minnesota Wild's Josh Harding. Others just choose not to bother with the designs and go for a plain helmet, Osgood.

But through all of this, there is a brotherhood among hockey players. Following every game, the two teams line up and shake hands, save a few bad apples, no one is skipped because it is understood that everyone is playing as hard as possible and there are no hard feelings.

There Used To Be a Ballpark Right Here: Tiger Stadium Demolishion Pushes On

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:25:05 -0400

She still stands there, through years of games—the low points and the high points.

Countless fans have passed through her hallways and stared out longingly at the field beyond. But she will leave us soon. Perhaps before her time, but she will no longer stand at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.

And Detroit will mourn.

The Detroit Economic Development Corporation recently voted 7-1 to reject the $33.4 million proposal of the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy and authorize the total demolition of the site.

The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy had provided plans to the Economic Development Corporation to purchase the remains of the old stadium and renovate them into a youth baseball field.

This Conservancy included baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell, who has been a strong advocate for the preservation of the old ballpark. Harwell helped to raise nearly $14 million towards the cost of the preservation of the stadium.

Leaders of the Conservancy hammered the decision as "short-sighted" and refused to give up without a fight.

Detroit Economic Growth Corp. Vice President Waymon Guillebeaux said that the ballpark would be totally demolished once there is an agreement on a contract. He went on to say, "We cannot have a partially demolished building remaining indefinitely."

In June of 2008, demolition on the stadium began with bulldozers and wrecking balls removing all of the stadium, save the stretch between first and third base.

The Detroit City Council voted 5-3 in 2008 to allow the Conservancy to have more time to raise the funds needed to save the historic site.

So, instead of Detroit focusing on the numerous run-down, burnt-out buildings that populate the city, they have focused on a historical building and have moved with speed unheard of in politics to demolish the ballpark.

There are hundreds of demonstrators standing outside of Tiger Stadium tonight. They say they will refuse to move to allow this site to be destroyed.

I think she would like that. I think she is looking out at those demonstrators and smiling, because she knows that someone still cares.

I can't help but think of that old Sinatra song and how it fits at this time.

"And there used to be a ballpark where the field was warm and green/
And the people played their crazy game with a joy I'd never seen.
And the air was such a wonder from the hot dogs and the beer/
Yes, there used to be a ballpark right here."

Who is Justin Abdelkader? The Detroit Red Wings find another homegrown talent

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:51:11 -0400

It has been said by many, particularly all of the hockey analysts, that the Detroit Red Wings are the best franchise in professional sports.

And they're right.

Not only do the Red Wings strive for excellence on their team, but they continue to develop the best depth of any franchise.

It seems like no matter which player is brought up from the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' American Hockey League affiliate, every player can immediately come onto the ice with a Detroit sweater on and play at an NHL level, contributing to the team.

During the 2009 NHL Playoffs the Red Wings have been hampered with several major injuries (to date they have lost 50 man-games). To begin the Stanley Cup Finals, they have been without MVP candidate Pavel Datsyuk and stellar face-off man Kris Draper. From looking at the team, it would be hard to tell they were playing two men down.

This is what makes the Red Wings so great. They are able to compensate for injuries by sticking in virtual unknowns and making it difficult to tell there was a change made.

The hockey world now knows two of these previously unknown players quite well: Jonathan Ericsson and Justin Abdelkader.

Ericsson is with the club as a replacement for defenceman Kris Draper and Abdelkader is helping to fill the void left by Datsyuk and Tomas Kopecky. They seem to be too big of shoes to fill for Abdelkader, but he is doing what Red Wings prospects do best, make you forget about the player they are supplementing.

Justin Abdelkader's story begins in East Lansing, Mich. at Michigan State University. In 2007, he helped to lead the Spartans to the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship game against Boston College.

Abdelkader then won the title for the Spartans by scoring the latest game winning goal in NCAA Frozen Four history, with just 18.9 seconds left. For this he was named the Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player.

In 2008, after just one game with the Red Wings, Abdelkader was signed to a three-year contract. He was with the team as they won the Stanley Cup, but did not play enough games to qualify to have his name engraved on the chalice. However, the Red Wings game him a Stanley Cup ring and included him in the Stanley Cup picture.

It took a Red Wings regular going down to bring Abdelkader up to the club again. Again it was during the postseason. Abdelkader was called up for Game Five of the Anaheim Ducks series.

Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock chose to bring up Abdelkader, "because he'll run over people. We expect him to play hard like (Darren) Helm. He's on the fore-check and he's a physical guy."

During the game, Abdelkader scored his first NHL point by assisting Johan Franzen. He scored his first NHL goal in Game One of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Abdelkader drove the net and after shooting grabbed the rebound out of the air, put the puck on the ice and beat Marc-Andre Fleury up high stick side for his first career goal.

Perhaps Abdelkader enjoyed the feeling of scoring an NHL goal because he scored his second in Game Two of the series on what has been described as a "knuckle puck." Brings up memories of the Mighty Ducks movies, doesn't it?

It seems as though the Red Wings have struck gold again with Abdelkader. It looks like he will remain with the team and getting substantial ice-time even after Datsyuk returns. It goes to show that the team that drafts well can win on almost any night.

The Red Wings continue to churn out NHL ready prospects and as long as they continue this trend they will continue to win. Other notable prospects playing a role on the club this postseason are Ericsson, Darren Helm, Ville Leino, and Derek Meech. If you don't know them, it's only a matter of time until they attract the attention of the hockey world.

Mike Illich Means More to Detroit than Just Sports

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:58:11 -0400

In a recent Forbes article, Mike Illich was named as the best owner in the National Hockey League. However, this should come as no surprise to followers of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, as they have seen him take their teams from very dark times and, through skillful management, built one into a dynasty and the other into a team that fights to win every year.

But Mike Illich's impact on the city of Detroit goes deeper than just sports; he supports the city through his vast system of charities, causes, and restaurants. Illich has single handedly begun the restoration of Detroit with funds from his own pocket; he is a true "Favorite Son" of the city of Detroit.

A look into Illich requires a journey back to find out just how he became so successful and developed his management skills.

Mike Illich was born on July 20, 1929 in Detroit, Mich. to Macedonian immigrant parents. Following his high school career, where he played baseball, Illich joined the Marine Corps. for four years. When he arrived home, the Detroit Tigers offered him a $5000 contract to play for them. After three years in the minor leagues, Illich was forced out of baseball following a knee injury.

His knee injury discouraged Illich and caused him to wonder about his future. He came up with a simple idea: a pizza store.

With his wife, Marian, the two opened Little Caesar’s Pizza Treat in Garden City, Mich. in 1959, where it would soon expand across the globe. In the first few years, Illich would work all night long in a back room, making pizzas by hand for the customers that came in.

Little Caesar’s has grown into the fourth largest pizza company in the world, behind Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa John’s. With the success of his pizza franchise came a wealth that he had never enjoyed in his youth, with money coming in from the thousands of franchises across the world.

Illich then bought the Detroit Red Wings in 1982 from Bruce Norris for $8 million. He took over the club during a period where they were referred to as the “Dead Wings.” He took the team, and eventually built it into a new hockey dynasty, with the team competing for the Stanley Cup every season, having made the playoffs for 17 straight seasons.

Illich has made some brilliant moves for the Detroit Red Wings, most notably by tapping Ken Holland as General Manager, and then remaining aloof from the delicate inner workings of the team, unlike some other owners in sports (Davis, Steinbrenner).

Because of his belief in the team and those tasked to run it, the Red Wings have become one of the most successful franchises in the National Hockey League, sitting third in total Stanley Cup wins.

In 1992, Illich made his second major purchase of a sports franchise when he bought the Detroit Tigers from fellow pizza monger Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s. Under Illich’s ownership, the Tigers recorded 12 losing seasons before a stunning turn-around in 2006.

After Illich purchased the Tigers, he began to look to move the team out of the historic Tiger Stadium. In 1999, the Detroit Tigers closed Tiger Stadium for the final time and moved several blocks away to the new Comerica Park. Comerica was built adjacent from another Illich holding, the Fox Theatre. Illich financed about 50 percent of the ballpark, which topped out at $350 million. At the stadium, various Illich holdings run the concessions, bringing more capital into Illich’s coffer.

Comerica Park is considered to be a great success in Detroit, and in 2005, the 76th MLB All-Star Game was played in its confines; this game was the highest grossing in All-Star Game history, which greatly benefited the city of Detroit.

However, despite the recent success of the Tigers, Illich has faced some harsh criticism. The most boisterous of which was the claim that Illich favored the Red Wings and would give them unlimited access to his purse, while the Tigers were left to pick at the scraps.

However, following the team’s great success in 2006, Illich opened his wallet and authorized several large free agent contracts.

Another claim comes from the city of Detroit regarding Tiger Stadium. The media claims that Illich purposely handicapped efforts to redevelop the dilapidated stadium while accepting $400,000 a year for upkeep and instead allowing it to fall further into disrepair.

The stadium was partially demolished in 2008, but a stretch between first and third bases remains standing, an initiative is trying to preserve the remainder for future use.

Other criticisms of Illich stems from the Detroit Free Press, which criticized Illich for refusing to honor the retired No. 6 of former Red Wing Larry Aurie. Aurie’s number was originally retired following the 1938-39 season and hung from the rafters at Olympia Stadium. When Illich purchased the team in 1982, he took down Aurie’s number and refused to consider putting it up with the other honored members of Red Wings history.

The reason behind his refusal is unknown, and the retired status of No. 6 is disputed by the Detroit Red Wings.

Illich is involved in more than sports in the city of Detroit. He holds the largest number of abandoned buildings in the city, including the Adams Theatre, Fine Arts Building, United Artist, and the Blenheim Building. Olympia Development, an Illich Holding, is renovating the Detroit Life Building, recently demolished the Madison-Lenox Hotel to make room for new development and in 1998 took over the Detroit Masonic Temple. Many buildings surrounding Illich-owned properties have been successfully renovated by other owners.

Illich has been at the center of the Detroit redevelopment. He began his push to rebuild Detroit when he purchased the Fox Theatre and renovated it to its old glory. Once renovations were complete on the Fox, Illich moved his headquarters into it and worked to restore Detroit from within it.

At the center of Downtown Detroit stand several buildings that are owned by Illich and makeup the face of the Detroit renovations. In a small area stand the Fox Theatre, Comerica Park, and Hockeytown Café; Joe Louis Arena is just down the road and directly next to Comerica Park stands Ford Field, owned by William Clay Ford, Sr.

This new cluster of buildings has brought new business to the city and revenue that would not normally have been found. Because of the sporting venues in the area, the city of Detroit has sought to beautify the city surrounding them in order to create a more favorable opinion of the city and generate more foot traffic.

Illich’s wife, Marian, owns the Motor City Casino in Downtown Detroit which stands among several other large casinos in the area. Marian recently expanded the casino to include a hotel, her recent projects have brought new capital and jobs to the Detroit area that desperately needs them.

Illich also has many charitable activities, including the Illich Charities for Children, which sponsors a hockey scholarship through the large statewide amateur hockey teams that make up the Little Caesar’s grouping. Illich and Illich Holdings has also donated more than $500,000 to political campaigns and public action committees.

In 2003, Illich was accepted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and in 2004, into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he was presented with the key to the city of Detroit. He is only the fourth person to be given the award, the others being James Earl Jones, neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson, and Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis.

Illich’s actions can at some points be criticized, but his overall impact on the city of Detroit cannot be overlooked. He has taken two of the city’s most beloved teams and brought them back to life, he has spearheaded the redevelopment of the entire city, and he has put Detroit back on the map for more than its history of violence and grime.

Illich has truly become Detroit’s “favorite son.”

The Detroit Red Wings Octopus Toss: History and Process

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:56:00 -0400

The tradition of throwing octopi onto the ice surface is unique only to Detroit and the Detroit Red Wings.

Many other teams have tried to create similar traditions, such as fans in Nashville throwing catfish on the ice, but none have come close to the fame and notoriety of the octopus toss.

This tradition began in the 1952 NHL Playoffs, when it took eight wins to win the Stanley Cup. During the first game of the playoffs, a local Detroit fish market owner, Peter Cusimano threw the eight legged creature from the stands onto the ice at Olympia Stadium.

Each leg of the octopus was supposed to represent an individual victory on the road to the Stanley Cup Championship.

In the games following Cusimano’s now infamous toss, the Red Wings went on to sweep both series en route to the NHL’s 1952 Stanley Cup Championship. Now, a Stanley Cup victor requires sixteen victories, but the tradition continues despite the mathematical error.

At several times the NHL has attempted to eliminate this tradition through new rules and punishments. Most recently, on April 19, 2008 when Colin Campbell, NHL Director of Hockey Operations, sent a memo to the Detroit Red Wings stating that Zamboni drivers would be forbidden from cleaning up any octopi that made it onto the ice surface and that any refusal to follow this rule would result in a $10,000 fine.

Campbell stated that it would be the linesmen who would remove the octopi from the ice.

This memo was in response to a Detroit icon, Al Sobotka, who has been driving a Zamboni at Joe Louis Arena for nearly 30 years. Sobotka popularized the octopus toss and brought the weight of the NHL upon himself, through his celebrations after he cleans an octopus off of the ice.

When Sobotka picks up an octopus off the ice he spins it around his head as he makes his way towards the Zamboni exit.

The letter sent from Campbell claimed that when Sobotka cleans the octopus off the ice and performs his celebration he causes “matter to fly off the octopus and get on the ice.”

The ban on octopus twirling was loosened later, allowing Sabotka to perform his celebration by the Zamboni entrance.

Sobotka is so loved for his reviving of this tradition that he has been immortalized as the Detroit Red Wings mascot, Al.

Al, the mascot, is a gigantic purple octopus with glowing red eyes that adorns Joe Louis Arena during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now how exactly does one get an eight-legged creature past the security of a NHL Playoff game?

Not to encourage any rule breaking at playoff games—wink, wink—but the act of smuggling octopi into arena’s is actually quite easy, and any self-respecting Detroit Red Wings fan knows exactly how to successfully perform the task.

But, I will enlighten you anyway.

First, purchase your octopus—try to stay a good distance from the stadium as price of octopi increases as you get closer to the stadium.

Once you have your octopus, boil the creature to reduce the amount of slime and odor created.

Then comes the secret agent stuff, place the octopus into a trash bag and seal it so that it does not leak either slime or odor. Then, wrap the trash bag around either your stomach or upper thigh, taping to make sure it does not move. This should allow any would-be octopus tosser to easily maneuver through security.

The security screeners my wave a metal detector wand over you, but their not about to fondle you in an attempt to find an ocean dwelling animal.

However, let it be known that there is a code of etiquette one must follow for the proper octopus toss. There are several appropriate times that one may throw an octopus, such as following the national anthem performance by Detroit’s own Karen Newman or following a Red Wings goal or final game victory.

Prospective hurlers must also recognize that the creature must not be thrown in the direction of any player—it must be directed towards an empty patch of ice.

Let it also be known that Joe Louis Arena and the Detroit Red Wings do not condone the throwing of any foreign objects onto the ice at anytime.

If you are considering undertaking a octopus toss, alert the people around you to your intent, they will gladly stand up with you as you throw your octopus, to block the view of arena security as to the identity of the hurler.

Now that you are armed with a brief history of the “Legend of the Octopus” and the tactics and etiquette surrounding the famed octopus toss, you are ready to fully enjoy the remainder of the Detroit Red Wings playoff run.

And remember, as long as you don’t get caught it’s not illegal. Go Wings!

A Red Wings Fan's Checklist For Game Seven

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:37:38 -0400

Now that I have safely procured my ticket for Game Seven tomorrow, I can look inwards to what I really want to see happen on the ice of Joe Louis Arena.

1. Detroit Red Wings beat the Anaheim Ducks in a blowout. With the Wings firing on all cylinders, I want to see them chase Jonas Hiller in the middle of the second period. This Red Wings team is absolutely stacked and is capable of scoring in droves. I would like to see the flood gates open so that the Ducks will know who the true Stanley Cup Champs are.

2. Following a Red Wings blowout, the next thing on my checklist is to see a great fight between Darren McCarty and Chris Pronger. As a good Red Wings fan, I can honestly say the only person I hate more than Pronger is Sidney Crosby. And seeing as McCarty was just recalled, I can only see one purpose for him to be on the ice, to beat the crap out of Pronger.

3. Following a season of Red Wings' hockey, I have seen it many times on TV, but never in person, which is why I want to see a Datsyukian deke for a goal. Datsyuk is one of the best players in the league, and can make most people miss as he forges his way towards the net for a goal. It is a thing of beauty and something I have yet to see in person.

4. I will not be one of the clever few who will smuggle in an octopus, but again as a good Red Wings fan, I know how to do it if I wanted to. But, I would love if at least one eight-appendaged creature made its way onto the ice. That alone would make me smile, but something that would make the night even better is if Al Sobotka was allowed to retrieve the octopi and twirl it around above his head.

5. Last, but most certainly not least, I would like to see a well officiated game. Seeing as how this series has been called, I'm not expecting this one to become a reality. But for pity sake, all I'm asking for is a little consistency on the calls. If your going to call the ticky-tack hooking then call it both ways, but don't call the small stuff to overlook the major penalties.

These are the things that will make tomorrow perfect. However, it is an incredible opportunity to just be going to an NHL Playoff Game, not to mention a Game Seven. Look for a follow-up story on Game Seven on Friday. Go Wings!

Addressing Officiating in the NHL

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:19:26 -0400

Tuesday's Anaheim Ducks-Detroit Red Wings game is just the latest exhibit in a growing museum of terrible officiating moves since the NHL Lockout in 2004-05.

Since the creation of the "new" NHL, rules were tweaked in order to increase scoring and overall speed of play.

But instead, the new rules have resulted in innumerable officiating mistakes and the increase of "ticky-tack" penalties.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sought to showcase his league in a way that would attract new fans to the sport. His idea was to free up the forwards and to handcuff defencemen with new rules.

Gone are the days of hard-hitting, all-out hockey, where players were still able to score with a high frequency and the defencemen did not seem to have any problems playing their position skillfully.

In the "new" NHL, the forward is favored. This is akin to the NFL moving towards a quarterback-favorable set of rules. Defencemen and goaltenders are left to suffer.

One of the most noticeable rule changes was the addition of a trapezoid behind the goal. Only in this area can the goaltender play the puck when it goes behind the goal line.

If the goalie plays the puck outside of this trapezoid, his team is slapped with a delay of game penalty.

But how can the NHL justify calling a delay of game penalty? When the goalie plays the puck outside of the trapezoid, he is seeking to move it to one of his teammates. Instead when the puck dies in "no-man's land" a position player is forced to come down and gain possession.

This seems to take much more time than if the goalie simply were able to play the puck to his teammates. The trapezoid should be eliminated, as it serves no real benefit for the game.

After watching a myriad of games, another, more subtle trend has arisen among referees. The new beast of the NHL is the ambiguous hooking penalty that has become the penalty de jour.

A hooking call used to require a player to actually hook another player with their stick and pull—hard to believe actual hooking is required, right?

Now, all it takes to elicit a hooking penalty is to have your stick near an opponent's glove. No effort is needed to have this penalty called.

The officials have stated that they are following the rule book to a "t" on this call, but fans beg to disagree.

Fans of the NHL expect flagrant and obvious penalties to be called, but when a hooking penalty is called in the offensive zone by the referee who is at center-ice, there is a problem. Referee's are making too many of these ticky- tack penalties, and are missing the major ones.

Fans would rather see a penalty go uncalled than to have an official call a penalty on a clean play.

In Tuesday's Ducks-Red Wings game, during the second period, Red Wings defenceman Brad Stewart was called for interference on a hit on a Ducks forward. The replay showed that the Ducks player had possessed the puck just seconds before the Stewart hit.

And by definition, the hit was legal, because a hit is allowed on a player either when they have possession of the puck or have had possession a short time before contact. This penalty resulted in a Ducks power play and a subsequent goal that put the Ducks up 2-0 on the Red Wings.

If the officials feel that they need to enforce the rules down to the letter on hooking calls, then they should do the same on all of their calls.

To call a ticky- tack hooking penalty on stick-to-glove contact because by definition it is hooking, but not to follow the letter of the law on an interference call, is not right.

The NHL is on the right track with their video review system, but lags behind when it comes to rules regarding when it can be used. When a play is stopped by an official's whistle, or his intent to blow the whistle, the goal cannot be reviewed.

This should be changed. On a goal where the whistle is blown to stop play, video review should be allowed to verify the validity of the goal.

Reviews also still must follow the rule of "beyond a reasonable doubt"—if the call on the ice is no-goal, then there must be sufficient evidence to overturn the ruling, and vice versa.

All fans ask for is consistency. If officials want to call hooking to the letter of the law, fine, but do it consistently, not on an intermittent basis that causes headaches for players and fans alike.

It is similar to what fans ask of a baseball umpire to do: Each umpire may have their own strike zone, but as long as he calls it consistently, for both teams there is no problem.

Individually these problems might be overlooked, but they seem to be compounding and slowly changing the game of hockey that we all love.

Michigan State's Quarterback Debate

Sean Gagnier — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:18:21 -0400

For many years, the Michigan State Spartans have been lagging behind other teams at one position: quarterback.

But this coming year looks to be different: The Spartans have not just one promising signalcaller, but two.

The pair, Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol, are both sophomores at the university and have bided their time behind two-year starter Brian Hoyer.

A breakdown of these two potential field generals reveals the distinct similarities and the potential for a highly potent Michigan State offense next season.

Cousins seems to have the whole college experience down. He is pre-med and is following a five-year academic plan, but his studies, however grueling, have not overwhelmed him on the field.

He recently stated that the coaches work around his pre-med studies and that he isn't having much trouble learning both the team's offense and his class lessons.

He played in five games last season when Hoyer was injured and performed admirably, going 32-for-43 for 310 yards and two touchdowns. He is 6'3'' and is hovering around 200 pounds.

Cousins has a powerful arm and is deadly accurate with his passes.

"He is a perfectionist; he wants to do everything very, very well. But he understands that there are times when you can't do everything perfectly and you have to adapt," said coach Mike Dantonio.

Cousins has a slight edge over Nichol in game experience after last campaign, having led scoring drives against Ohio State and Penn State.

But Dantonio has stated, "I don't want it to be, 'He played well one time, so he's the guy.' What we're building for is consistency and performance over the long term."

Both quarterbacks seem to have only potential, with both mirroring each other in Saturday's Green-White game. Both players threw for 357 yards and four touchdowns.

It seems like there may be a quarterback controversy at Michigan State come this fall, but Dantonio said, "I don't want to have a quarterback controversy, but I also want to provide equal opportunity for everybody involved."

And in that vein arises fellow quarterback Keith Nichol. He previously committed to Michigan State but left for Oklahoma following John L. Smith's leaving.

Then, after being slotted behind Sam Bradford, he returned to the Spartans.

Nichol is built a bit better than his competitor at 6'2'' and 212 pounds. However, he may struggle grasping the Spartan offense having run the scout team last season. He would sit in on offensive meetings but would only take a few snaps with the team. He has only really had a chance to begin to run the offense this spring.

"I get to go in there and learn something, and then I get to see Kirk do it," Nichol said. "I get to learn from his mistakes, my mistakes, what he does good, what I do well. Every day's a learning process for me."

As the pressure to name a starter mounts, so does the pressure to put these two quarterbacks into simple categories. Cousins is seen as a pocket-passer, akin to Peyton Manning, and Nichol is seen as a more mobile quarterback, similar to former Spartan Drew Stanton.

However high the pressure is, Dantonio does not seem to mind, saying that the two could go neck-and-neck all the way into non-conference play this season.

With these two individually talented quarterbacks, the possibility of Michigan State becoming a two-quarterback season was raised.

"I'm fine with that," offensive coordinator Don Treadwell said. "I've done that at a couple places. You've got to have a plan for both, but it can definitely be done. I'm flexible. If they're both being productive, it's hard to keep them out."

Many would suspect a positional controversy may have a negative impact on the team, but in fact it seems to be having the opposite effect. Wide receiver Mark Dell recently said, "It's actually a fun competition to have, neither one of them really has a down day."

For the last several seasons, the Spartans have run a smash-mouth style of football led by All-American Javon Ringer. But now that Ringer is with the Tennessee Titans, MSU will be looking to open the passing game up.

Treadwell finished, "When you've got a couple of QBs like this, who are fleet of foot and can throw on the run and whatnot, it does provide some more opportunities to change up things."

Quotes pulled from article by ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, stats pulled from Michigan State University Athletic Department website.

Lions Select Matt Stafford: New Front Office, Same Problems

Sean Gagnier — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:18:56 -0400

It's now official, with the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select quarterback Matthew Stafford from the University of Georgia.

The Lions will shell out the largest contract ever to a draft pick, with a six-year, $41.7 million deal, which could end up being worth as much as $78 million if he meets all of the team's goals.

This contract is now the largest to any draft pick ever, exceeding the five-year, $57.5 million contract for Jake Long by the Dolphins and the six-year, $72 million contract of Matt Ryan by the Falcons.

All this sounds significant, but in the end, it is just another chapter in the book that is the Detroit Lions' futility.

The Lions have made the move that will give them the most publicity, but it again, is the wrong choice for the team.

Stafford will be joining a team that has the offensive line skill of the average high school team. Instead of making the move that was best for the team, they made the popular move, and it will cost them more than $78 million.

This team has significant holes on it, and one of the more glaring ones is the quarterback position, but this year's quarterback class is not exactly the draft class of 1983.

The major choices were all juniors at their respective colleges, and do not necessarily have the experience needed to run a NFL offense.

Stafford has a great arm, but while a junior at Georgia he didn't necessarily have a stellar season worth the first overall pick.

The other major quarterback option is USC junior Mark Sanchez, whose stock continues to rise because of his experience at USC, his attention to detail and his ability to successfully run through his checkdowns.

However, the quarterback position is not where the Lions needed to spend their first pick. That position belonged to the offensive line and Jason Smith.

Smith, from Baylor, would have been an excellent and well-informed pick for the Lions. But then again, thinking the Lions are capable of a well-informed pick is like the oxymoron of "military intelligence."

With the addition of Smith, the Lions O-line would have been solidified and would have provided the Lions current quarterbacks with the protection they would need to excel.

Following the drafting of Smith, the Lions should have next looked to the linebacker position. Wake Forest's Aaron Curry was the best available, but he won't fall to the Lions at number twenty.

Curry was the popular choice by people in Detroit. In fact, while the Lions were holding the press conference to reveal their new logo, there was a large crowd of fans outside of Ford Field chanting for the team to draft Curry with their first pick.

With the addition of Curry, the Lions would have had the best linebackers in the league. The corps currently includes Ernie Simms and Julian Peterson; the addition of Curry would have taken it to an entirely new level.

Curry has been evaluated as being able to step into a defense and perform to his abilities in his first season. This quick learning curve would have come in handy for the linebackers as they could easily bring Curry up to their levels.

Instead, the Lions could look to bring in another linebacker at number 20. Mel Kiper's Big Board shows the Lions' options at that point could come down to a choice between two excellent backers. USC's Rey Maualuga and Ohio State's James Laurinaitis.

Both Maualuga and Laurinaitis are exceptional linebackers, but Kiper has Maualuga going to the Lions at number 20. This may be a good decision, but Laurinaitis may be an even better one.

Laurinaitis has had intense experience at Ohio State, not discounting the experience Maualuga gained at USC, but the Big 10 is a different beast than the Pac-10.

The Big 10 consistently rolls out the most successful NFL linebackers, more than any other conference in Division I college football.

The Lions have made their bed in selecting Stafford, all that is left now is for the next fan walkout on a game or a new website popping up asking Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. to fire Mayhew.

But perhaps, the typical Lions fan cynicism is unwarranted. Maybe this front office knows a bit more of what they are doing. But in the pits of their stomachs, Lions fans are seriously wondering if Stafford is the right man for the job.

The Best Sports Typos Redux

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:04:24 -0400

The English language is one of the most difficult to learn and master, it confuses many people to their dying day. But one would think that someone would use some form of spell check on major league teams jerseys before they trot them out in front of a huge crowd everyday. This list is a tribute to the best typos in pro sports. These are not in a Top 10 format, just a list of epic fails. With special thanks to ESPN's Paul Lukas for the idea and several of the photos.

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The Flying Tigers: Detroit's Added Speed Pays Off

Sean Gagnier — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:30:41 -0400

The Detroit Tigers are a much different team than they were this time last year; obviously they have a better record, but there are some fundamental differences between the two squads.

Notably gone are the heavy-hitters without much range, and in their place are smaller, faster players who emphasize defense over the long ball.

Last season, the Tigers were picked by almost every single baseball analyst to not only make the playoffs, but to win the World Series. They not only failed to make the World Series but failed to keep themselves out of last place in their division.

During the offseason, the philosophy behind the Tigers changed and evolved into something different, something that has been vacant from baseball for many years now. They became a team that focused on small ball and defense, rather than hope for the three-run homerun to outscore the other team.

Small ball wins championships; the teams that are able to play well defensively and can manufacture runs when they need to are always at the top of the divisions.

Take the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, with Manager Mike Scioscia running the show. Over the last several years, they have become an incredibly fast team that plays small ball exceptionally well.

Year after year, they finish at the top of the American League West because they are able to manufacture runs and can play defense. They have several players that are more than able to steal bases, frequently utilize the bunt, and are not afraid to squeeze when the occasion arises.

The 2009 Detroit Tigers seem to be modeled after this successful team. With the addition of outfielder Josh Anderson, the Tigers gain another piece of the puzzle that is a winning season.

Anderson comes from the Atlanta Braves, where they would make players take bunting practice. This additional measure helped the players to be comfortable when they were called upon to bunt, and they could do it correctly.

When the Tigers made the trade for Anderson, it was late in Spring Training and Anderson was unable to join the team in Lakeland. While in Toronto, Anderson could not wait to get to Detroit: Not because he wanted to see his new city, but because he wanted to catch up on his bunting routine.

The Tigers have also helped themselves by bringing up shortstop Ramon Santiago from Triple-A Toledo. Santiago has been up and down in the Tigers' lineup for several years, and each time he is on the big league team, he impresses with his speed on the bases and his ability to be able to drop down the bunt.

In the weekend series against the Seattle Mariners, Santiago was called upon twice to drop down a squeeze bunt and both times he executed them to perfection.

With this new speed at his disposal, Manager Jim Leyland should be able to better manage his team successfully. Last season, the Tigers had very little speed and were forced to play station-to-station baseball, which made them very easy to play against.

Now, Leyland can manage his team the way that he feels baseball should be played. He has already showed his affinity towards small ball with his increased use of the hit-and-runs and bunts.

As Leyland becomes more familiar with his new team and learns their traits, he will be able to better move pieces around the diamond with a greater degree of success.

After all, Leyland's World Series Championship came in the National League, when he had a particularly speedy team that could steal bases, bunt the ball, and execute the squeeze play successfully.

The Tigers speedsters are not limited to Anderson and Santiago. Other notable players are Curtis Granderson, who, two years ago, became the third ever member of the 20-20-20-20 club. Members of this club have hit 20 home runs, 20 doubles, 20 triples, and have stolen 20 bases.

Tigers' First Base Coach Andy Van Slyke said that because of Granderson's injury last season, he was unable to steal as many bases as he could have. Van Slyke added that this season, he has talked to Granderson about stealing 40 bases.

As the season continues, look for more small ball to be coming out of Detroit. This year's Tigers can fly around the bases but they still have the power to hit balls over the fences. A multidimensional team is the best thing to have during the season; that way, opponents will be unable to shut down all facets of the game.

Road To Miami Is Clear: Chicago Bears 2009 Schedule Is Released

Sean Gagnier — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:01:04 -0400

In the week leading up to the 2009 NFL Draft, the 2009 season schedules are released, and the Bears made out very favorably.

The acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler has made an impression on the NFL schedule makers. Maybe it was their curiosity about the Bears' new signal caller, or they were simply playing to the Chicago Bears' nationwide fan base, but the Bears have been given the nod in five prime-time games this season.

The Bears' first regular season game is on prime-time in Green Bay. This should be an excellent game, as it will be a matchup of two of the premier quarterbacks, if not the only, in the NFC North. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers stepped into the starter’s role after the shenanigans surrounding Brett Favre subsided, and he played admirably.

Mike Ditka commented on playing in Green Bay, “When you play in Green Bay, you are testing yourself as a Chicago Bear. It is a great experience as a player and a coach.”

Jay Cutler will be making his first regular season start for the Bears, and the eyes of the nation will be on him and the team to see how he performs in the second-largest media market. Cutler looks to be a great fit for the Bears for years to come. With a cannon arm and exceptional accuracy, he should be able to handle any hurdles the Norris Division can throw at him.

In Week Six, the Bears head south to Atlanta to take on the upstart Falcons on national television. Again, this game looks to be a quarterback shootout between Jay Cutler and second-year Falcon quarterback Matt Ryan.

Ryan proved last year that he was not the typical rookie quarterback. When under pressure, he did not simply evacuate the pocket and throw the ball away. He was able to roll away from the pressure and still deliver accurate passes down the field. The Chicago defense must be able to cover the Falcons' receivers while putting pressure on Ryan behind the line.

In Week 10, the Bears are reunited with Hall of Famer Mike Singletary in a Thursday night prime-time game against his San Francisco 49ers. Singletary was the rock of the Bears' defense in their heyday, and now the Bears have to go to San Francisco and see him standing across the field in a 49ers coaching uniform. This game would have been better if would have been held in Chicago, but look for a Bears victory over the struggling Niners.

“It won’t bother him much, Mike is focused on turning the Forty-Niners into a winning team, and the Bears will just be another opponent on the schedule. He is very professional, he’s all business,” said Ditka about the Bears matchup against Singletary.

The next week, the Bears play host to the Philadelphia Eagles in a difficult game in prime-time. The Eagles are a tough opponent and will pose problems for the Bears if the defense does not show up with force.

The last game of the season is also the Bears' first appearance on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Last season, this game may have seemed more daunting, but with the departure of veteran starting quarterback Gus Frerrotte and the limitations of Tavaris Jackson, the only true threat on the field is half back Adrian Peterson.

Peterson is more like an Abram’s tank than a running back. He has intense speed and an ability to cut quickly and change direction, while being able to toss defenders out of his way with seemingly little effort. Stop Peterson, stop the Minnesota Vikings.

The Bears look poised to take the NFL by storm with their 2009 schedule, the easiest in the entire league, with their opppnents having a .414 winning percentage last year.

Mike Ditka said, “If the Bears can take care of their division, play almost perfect football in the division, the rest of the games will fall into place.”

Look for the Bears to finish at the top of the NFC North, or at the very least, end up as a wild card team. Check out the rest of the Bears' 2009 schedule here.

BREAKING NEWS: Mark Fidrych Found Dead

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:58:34 -0400

Mark Fidrych, the pitcher loved in Detroit for talking to the baseball, was found dead at his farm in Massachusetts today.

The D.A.'s office said Fidrych was found by a family friend underneath a pickup truck at his Northboro home around 2:30 p.m. He appeared to have been working on the truck at the time of the accident.

Fidrych was 54 years old, he was selected as the 1976 American League Rookie of the Year, and made the All-Star Game twice in 1976 and 1977.

"The Bird" was a very successful pitcher until he injured his rotator cuff and couldn't find the plate any more.

Fidrych gained his nickname, "The Bird," through his striking resemblance to the Sesame Street staple. Fidrych would often run his hands through the pitchers mound dirt, and talk to the baseball before delivering it to the plate, he would also frequently give high fives to teammates in the center of the field.

Fidrych was a man who obviously loved playing the game of baseball, in stark contrast most baseball players today who'se loyalties are questioned because of their big paychecks.

Fidrych moved back to Massachusetts to a 107-acre farm in Northborough, where he worked as a concrete hauler and helped at his mother-in-law's diner.

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, dead at the age of 54.

It's Just Manny Being Manny, Right? Ramirez Wants Out of Los Angeles

Sean Gagnier — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:43:04 -0400

Manny wants out of Los Angeles. That took all of one month.

Ramirez, who held the city of L.A. hostage for the entirety of the offseason, then begrudgingly accepted a two-year deal worth $45 million, said that he wants to return to Cleveland.

"I would like to play for Cleveland one more time, to go back where I started," Ramirez stated in a USA Today interview. "I have so many good memories there, why not? I think to go back where you started is everyone's dream."

When Manny was traded to the Dodgers in 2008, he singlehandedly led them to the National League West title and into the National League Championship Series by batting .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBI in his 53 games as a Dodger.

Once he vaulted the Dodgers into the playoffs, he batted a healthy .520 with four home runs and 10 RBI with 11 walks.

Now he wants to return to where it all started, Cleveland. Maybe the $45 million made him homesick.

Ramirez recently talked with Jim Thome, the White Sox DH, about a possible joint return to Cleveland. Ramirez played with Thome in Cleveland from 1993 to 2000.

Thome said that Ramirez talked about them both becoming free agents following this season and returning to the Tribe together.

"Manny was very sincere when he brought that up to me. Manny was saying how special that would be for us to both go back together. He was very passionate. Baseball's such a weird thing. You never know what's going to happen," Thome said.

Their reunion in Cleveland is a possibility as Thome's contract is up at the end of the season, and Ramirez can opt out of his remaining year following the season.

Ramirez stated that he loves Los Angeles, but the city reminds him too much of Cleveland.

"I love L.A. I really do. But the way the city responded to me, it reminded me a lot of how it was in Cleveland," said Ramirez.

Detroit Tigers Have Found Their Closer, and It's...Fernando Rodney?

Sean Gagnier — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:01:41 -0400

Last year, the Tigers coined the slogan "Who’s Your Tiger?"

For most people, it was a simple question, and their answers came quickly: Cabrera, Inge, Zumaya, and Verlander. Nobody was mentioning Fernando Rodney, for he wasn't anyone's favorite. The guy made just 13 saves and compiled an 0-6 record in 48 appearances in '08.

But what has happened to our tormentor this season? He has been given the reins as the Tigers' closer, and surprisingly, has not blown a win yet. This raises yet another question.

Who is this guy, and what has he done with Fernando Rodney?

In all seriousness, there are no complaints here, but the stats stand in stark contrast to each other. Last season, Rodney was just the Tigers closer du jour and turned in an ungodly 4.95 ERA.

But I guess this was the norm for Tigers fans. Ever since Rodney came up to the big leagues in 2002, he has treated the Detroit faithful to sub-par pitching while occasionally tantalizing the scouts and managers with glimpses of his true potential.

In 2006, Rodney had his best season, as he went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA and seven saves, which he obtained after an early season slump by then-closer Todd Jones. But despite his success and his mighty contribution to the Tigers' march to the World Series, he relapsed into his old ways in time for the postseason.

In a World Series game, Rodney was one of several pitchers to commit an error that directly led to a Tigers loss. Apparently, "PFP" was not on the list of workouts that Playoffs.

In 2007, Rodney continued his slide back into mediocrity, amassing two wins and six losses with a 4.26 ERA. Jones served the entire season as the closer and gave the fans a coronary during each save opportunity, but if any of those in the stands had been asked, they would gladly have chosen the roller coaster ride that was Todd rather than put the ball in the hands of Rodney.

But this season, though it may be just seven games young, Rodney has been tapped as the everyday closer and has yet to surrender a run. In his appearances through Sunday, Rodney has pitched three innings with three strikeouts and has earned himself two saves.

Something must have happened over the offseason. Last season, it was a gamble putting Rodney in, as he couldn't find the strike zone with any consistency. But so far in this young campaign, he's pitching to his potential.

Last season, Rodney was interviewed following a couple of dominating outings and asked what he was doing differently. His response was that he wasn’t "trying to impress" anyone anymore; he was just "throwing the ball," rather than "trying to pitch."

It seems that when Rodney feels the need to look good, he overthinks and starts to try to locate every pitch with pinpoint accuracy. He then over-throws and puts too much speed on the ball, which prevents it from breaking.

Granted, the opponents that Rodney has been up against to this point in the '09 season are not exactly top-caliber teams. But both Toronto and Texas have their fair share of quality hitters.

Apparently, this new Rodney isn’t fazed by good hitters.

One can only hope that this stranger wearing Fernando's jersey is here to stay, and that he tied the old Rodney up and left him in a room somewhere where he can’t come back and ruin another game.

If this new fellow sticks around for any period of time, there might just be a new answer to the question of "Who’s Your Tiger?"

Breaking News: Detroit Red Wings Lock Up Franzen in 11 Year Deal

Sean Gagnier — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:46:52 -0400

The Red Wings signed Johan Franzen to a 11 year, $43.5 million deal to keep an essential part of their Stanley Cup run for the foreseeable future.

The contract breaks down to $3.95 million per season, meaning "The Mule" has been inked to the second longest contract in Red Wings history.

The longest deal was earlier this season when the Wings retained Henrik Zetterberg for an additional 12 years.

Detroit looks to do the same with soon to be free agent Marian Hossa, but with the signing of Franzen it looks like the coffer might have run dry.

Franzen is in his fourth NHL season, and leads the Red Wings with 34 goals. He has racked up 59 points this season, trailing only Pavel Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Hossa on his team.

Franzen averaged 11 goals in his first two NHL seasons, but last year he tallied 27 scores and an additional 13 in the playoffs, giving him the nickname "the Mule."

Franzen has had his injuries, last season he suffered a subdural hemotoma that sidelined him for six games while the blood trapped between his brain and skull absorbed.

Franzen was drafted in the third round by the Red Wings in 2004.

Top 10 Mascots In Sports

Sean Gagnier — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:25:26 -0400

They are the characters that make us smile, that can help us through the tough times our teams are experiencing, they are the characters that do things to the opponents that we all wish we could get away with. These characters run around and harass the opponents, they interact with the home team and on occasion have pranks pulled on them by those same players. They are the furry embodiment of sports. They are the mascots, and these are the ten best.

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Brandon Inge and Adam Everett Give Detroit Tigers Defense Teeth

Sean Gagnier — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:31:49 -0400

Following a disappointing 2008 season the Detroit Tigers were forced to take a long look at themselves and figure out a way that they could improve for the next season. The Tigers looked at their team and realized the age old axiom of, defense wins championships, and took it to heart.

During the offseason the Tigers adjusted their focus from a power hitting team, which was slow on the base paths, to an agile defensive minded team that has some pop in their bats.

Following the 2007 season, the Tigers adopted a "win now" approach by trading for shortstop Edgar Renteria. Renteria, a 32-year-old veteran of the Dombrowski era in Miami, was brought in to provide an added pop in the lineup as well as serving as a replacement for the beleaguered and oft-injured Carlos Guillen at shortstop.

Renteria was not adequately scouted by the Tigers prior to their trade to acquire him; he was batting at a sub .300 level, accumulated only a .342 on base percentage and had averaged only about 10 home runs a year. Despite his stats, it was obvious that his knees were significantly hampering his range at shortstop.

With his decreased range and speed, it was near impossible for Renteria to be effective at his position on the field. This inability attributed greatly to the Tigers troubles during the 2008 season, as Renteria gave up many runs because of his troubles.

In return for Renteria, the Tigers shipped rising star starter Jair Jurrjens off to Atlanta.

Jurrjens was brought up to Detroit for seven games during the 2007 season. The rookie won three of those games and lost only one with a 4.70 ERA. After the trade, Jurrjens was given a spot in the Braves rotation and went 13-10 during the 2008 campaign with a 3.68 ERA.

The fallout from the Renteria trade was a major reason why the Tigers sought to improve their defense for the 2009 season.

During the 2008 season, Brandon Inge played a myriad of positions for the Tigers, but because he had either never played the position before, or in the case of catcher had not played in many seasons, his numbers suffered.

Now he is back at the position he loves, third base. Inge was tapped as the Tigers starting third baseman by then head coach Alan Trammel. Since that season, Inge has excelled at the position.

He has racked up a .958 fielding percentage, which is deceptively low. He has perhaps the best range of any player at his position, and his previous life as a starting catcher has given him a cannon for an arm.

He is incredibly agile and can cover his position, in addition to a large portion of the rest of the diamond. In a recent article, it was calculated that during the 2007 season, the last time Inge was the starting third baseman, he saved the Tigers a total of thirty-four runs.

This attributes to the Tigers success—When third base is manned by an adept player, the offense has less work to do and the pitching staff is given a boost of confidence.

In the 2009 season, the Tigers have come to their senses and given him his old position back. Inge said that he loves playing at third base and that he hadn’t played catcher in a long while, to which he attributes to his low numbers and slow start.

In perhaps the quietest pick up of the 2008 offseason, the Tigers acquired shortstop Adam Everett of the free agent wire for a bargain $1 million.

Everett played last season for the Minnesota Twins, but was hampered by injuries and was only able to play in 44 games. Previously, while he was in Houston, Everett racked up a .976 fielding percentage.

Everett, 32, will take the position of Renteria in 2009, and could not be more the antithesis of last season’s shortstop. Whereas Renteria had seriously compromised range, Everett has great range at shortstop and can cover a lot of ground quickly.

The new tag team of Inge and Everett form what is perhaps the best left side of the infield in the entire league. Both Inge and Everett have massive ranges and can cover them aptly.

In previous seasons, the left side of the infield was questionable. As Guillen’s knees deteriorated, so did his range. This season, the left side is anything but questioned. The new dynamic duo should be able to save the Tigers 40 plus runs this season and help keep the team in close games.

There is a downside however; neither player has much of a prowess with the bat. In his career Brandon Inge is a .237 hitter with 410 RBI’s. Adam Everett is not much better in the batter’s box either being a career .246 hitter with 234 RBI’s.

But then again, the Tigers did not sign them for their bats did they? The Tigers signed Everett and moved Inge to create a more solid defense, and they have succeeded.

This season, Leyland has been hitting Inge and Everett at the bottom of the lineup where they belong. S place where they can utilize their speed in a sacrifice bunt attempt, or try to bring in a run on third base.

The Tigers will have to count on their big boppers higher up in the order to get their runs for them, and maybe Inge and Everett can try to bring them home.

Now that the Tigers have sorted out their fielding problems from last season, they finally have gotten their teeth back in Inge and Everett. The Tigers defense this season should be one of the best in the major leagues. Not only because of an exceptional left side, but also because of former Gold Glover Placido Polanco and first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who has improved greatly following lessons from “Big Cat” Galarraga.

BREAKING NEWS: Jay Cutler Traded to Chicago Bears

Sean Gagnier — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:03:31 -0400

The Denver Broncos confirm that they have traded QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears for QB Kyle Orton and first round picks in 2009 and 2010, and a third round pick in 2009.

The Broncos sent the Bears a fifth round pick in 2009—a pick that they had received from the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the off-season.

Jay Cutler will replace Kyle Orton on the Chicago Bears, who have been looking for a QB for many years.

"The Chicago Bears have probably gotten the best QB they have had in more than three decades." said ESPN's John Clayton.

The Chicago Bears beat out the Redskins, Lions, Buccaneers and Titan to get the young quarterback.

Cutler, 25, had recently become disgruntled with the coaching staff and ownership when his name was floated in trade talks for the New England Patriots Matt Cassel.

Cutler is halfway through a six-year contract that he signed as a rookie coming out of Vanderbilt in 2006.

As a starter in Denver, Cutler is 17-20, but that number is not indictive of his playing potential because of the Broncos poor defense.

Not only did the Bears bring in Jay Cutler, but what is going to get lost in the commotion is that the Chicago Bears signed Orlando Pace from the free agent wire after he was released from St. Louis earlier in the off-season.

"Both of these moves were no brainers. Owner Jerry Angelo wanted to shore up these positions quickly. And many Bears fans are estatic", said a Chicago-Sun Times sports writer.

ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said about the trade, "This move puts the Bears at the top of their division, and a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They have a wonderful defense and a Pro Bowl quarterback in front of a great running back. They could very well win the Super Bowl."

Adewale Ogunleye commented on the trade, "Getting a QB that has been to the Pro Bowl is a huge plus. I don't have any problems with the way he got out of Denver, he had a right to do it. I beleive we have a proven player in Jay Cutler"

"We need to get our defense playing its A-game again, if we can do that, like we were when we got to the Super Bowl a few years ago, we can to it again," said Ogunleye.

It's About Time: Detroit Tigers Release Gary Sheffield, Trade for Josh Anderson

Sean Gagnier — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:54:47 -0400

Today, the Detroit Tigers announced they would eat the $14 million remaining on Gary Sheffield's contract and released the former slugger.

Sheffield had said he was looking forward to this coming season because his shoulder was pain free and looked to reclaim his former glory. Sheffield did not see his release coming, and around 9 a.m. he was called into manager Jim Leyland's office and told the news.

Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski said, "We think it makes us a better club, however, he has had a tremendous career."

"But it was a situation when we were looking at our roster that it would be hard to keep (both) Marcus Thames and Sheffield,” he continued. “We believe Marcus can be a very productive hitter for us."

If no teams pick up Sheffield off waivers, as is expected, he will end up becoming a free agent. Once designated a free agent, teams may sign him for the league minimum of $40,000 while the Tigers are on the hook for the remaining $14 million.

This move, however blindsiding it was to Sheffield, could have been forecast. Last season, Sheffield was complaining about his playing time and his role as the designated hitter for the club. Following his comments the Tigers designated him for assignment, but no team came calling and he remained.

In the past, Sheffield has worn out his welcome and it seems he had done so in Detroit. In New York he came in with a bad attitude because in his words, "Torre wanted Guerrero over me, and he made it known." Because of this he never really felt comfortable in New York and he too made it known to whoever was around.

Sheffield is a cancer to clubs. At first his impact may not be noticeable, but if given enough time before being excised he can rot the clubhouse from within. His comments can divide teammates and bring unwanted media attention upon the club regarding unflattering topics.

But with Sheffield leaving Detroit, there is an opening at designated hitter for the Tigers. I cannot see anyone better to fill that role than Carlos Guillen. His knees and diminished range are the reasons he lost the shortstop and first base jobs, so to put him out in left field where he has to cover more ground is foolish.

Guillen as a designated hitter makes perfect sense as he is switch-hitting power hitter who can easily put balls in the seats. How exactly is a pitching staff supposed to pitch to a lineup when the designated hitter can hit from both sides of the plate with power.

With Guillen taking the designated hitter job, left field is left open, and the best candidate for that position is Marcus Thames. He has consistently showed up, has delivered in clutch moments, and deserves a starting job after his service to the club.

However, with the Tigers trading for Josh Anderson, the left field contest is clouded a bit more. Early this morning the Tigers sent bullpen prospect Rudy Darrow to the Atlanta Braves for Anderson. Anderson, a left-handed outfielder, can play any of the outfield positions and is an accomplished base stealer.

It took right up until the beginning of the season, but the Tigers finally look to be making the right moves for this team this season. They have removed distractions and have added young players to spark the offense of this club once again.