Out of Place Michigan Sports Fan, What Am I To Do?

As the end of football has come and gone, I find myself turning to the mid-winter period of basketball, both college and professional; hockey; eagerly anticipating spring training season, and football recruits just signed their letters of intent. 

The Pistons(Detroit) are doing well, well enough for a playoff spot, but not well enough to be considered a legitimate threat to the NBA title. They win some, they lose some, and honestly, as I don't live in Michigan anymore, the only coverage I get of any Pistons game is on ESPN, and due to their below average (as of lately) season, even they aren't showing as many Detroit games as usual.

Every Michigander follows hockey, it's a way of life. I am no different. The Red Wings are doing fantastically, and I eagerly await to see how they do in the playoffs come April. The NHL All Star game coming up will surely help to sooth some sore bodies before the highly crucial playoff stretch run in March.

I am proud to say however, that as naysayers were criticizing Detroit's age just a few years ago, they can no longer say that. I fell the management has done a terrific job of making the team of contender for years to come. If only Mike Ilitch could work some of his magic with the Tigers.

The Tigers, again, look promising. They've bolstered their minor league after ravaging it last season; revamped their lineup to (hopefully) find that much needed defensive spark. Offensively, I didn't really find a whole lot of fault with them. But defensively, well, I've been of better fielding teams as an 8-,9-, and 10-year-old.

But they've hopefully restructured their defensive front and that should allot at least another 10-15 W's over last year, which would have put them in the playoff's. Also, the rotation will hopefully hit that junior year surge after their predicted sophomore slump, and matters will only be helped (again, hopefully) with some strong additions in the bull pen.

Michigan football, wow. 2008 was not Michigan's year. I was all for Mich. State's run and definitely for W. Mich's run, do not get me wrong, but I bleed Maize and Blue. I gave 'RichRod' the benefit of the doubt and agreed with many national sports writers that said that the season will go one of two ways—either amazingly successful, or woefully wrong.

Unfortunately for us Wolverines, it went the latter of the two. Inside, I knew it would. But you have to retain the outward optimism. Looking back, the season could have easily been a seven- or eight-win season, if not for a six turnover day in the rain in South Bend, and a few other plays gone the right way throughout the weeks.

I look forward to Coach Rodriguez making a stamp on the Big Ten this year, though I still think Michigan might be another year away from beating Ohio State(frown) and another two years away from national dominance. I do think 'RichRod' will lead us to the National Championship game, and I think it will be done within the next five years.

This recruiting class shows that. A top 10 recruiting class by Scout.com and ESPN after such a dismal year? Imagine what could be brought in to the nation's most premier collegiate football team after a c season(note the successful, not Big Ten championship or national title type seasons—I'm not gonna count my chickens before they hatch).

So, what's a Michigander to do when sports calm down for a while? Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm gonna sit back and relax. Maybe I'll go for a jog.