Lions be Drinkin' Lions be Smokin'

I’m not going to be the first one to say how bad of an offseason this was for your Detroit Lions.  Two players, two different positions and two arrests each this offseason may have sealed the fate for both Mikel Leshoure and Nick Fairley.  Adding to this laundry list, Johnny Culbreath also was arrested for a dope charge.  It’s really sad to see these young promising players show their true maturity levels in their childish acts this offseason.  These guys are professional football players.  They are paid to perform, not to smoke pot or drink and drive.  Add these arrests to the issues with Titus Young in the past couple of weeks and you’ve got some high draft picks turning into an unmitigated disaster. 

There will ultimately be suspensions for these players.  Leshoure and Fairley for sure will receive suspension, although there is no telling the amount.  My guess is at least four games for Leshoure and maybe eight for Fairley.  Commissioner Goodell has been playing Conan the Barbarian lately, dropping the hammer on the participants in “Bounty-Gate”.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the penalty for the Lions wasn’t a bit stiffer than what we anticipate. 

I don’t mind if this team has the reputation of being the “bad boys” of the NFL.  Play hard, hit harder is just fine with me, but do I want this team to be the Bengals 2.0? Absolutely not.

This team needs players on the field in order to win games.  The Lions gave this fan base ten wins last year.  The benchmark has been set now and there has to be improvement on last year for this team to trend upwards.  Anything less will be considered a failure.  The Lions will be without these players for part of the season and it will hurt them.  How does management steer this ship and right the course? Does the team lack leadership? Does Jim Schwartz change the game plan? Any way you look at it, this offseason has definitely cast doubt on the hopes for this upcoming season.

Let me know how you think this offseason has gone for the Lions.  Are they the Bengals 2.0? Leave a comment, hit my Facebook page http://on.fb.me/INlTqF or get at me on twitter @sportsinthe313 

Panic in Tiger Town

We are now a quarter of the way through this season and the Tigers are 20-21, three games out of the division lead in the AL Central.  I didn't expect a below .500 record 40 games into this season that is filled with World Series promise.  The offense, defense and pitching have all come under fire in the first quarter and all three have contributed to this sub-par record.  Some are ready to write the Tigers off. I won't go that far because I still believe they win the division but take a look at these stats and you tell me if it's surprising that the Tigers have struggled.

1. The Tigers rank 11^th in the MLB in team batting average hitting .257
2. They are 23^rd in the MLB in Team ERA with a 4.17
3. They are 21^st in the MLB in Fielding with a .981

Now by no means should this be surprising and here’s why. 

1.  This is a softball team; plain and simple.  Against pitchers that came from Liberty Park, the Tigers will put up monster power numbers.  If they face a pitcher with talent, they’ll suck.  Dirks has been a nice surprise and Cabrera and Prince are back above .300 and getting hot.  If Avila and Peralta can be 80% of what they were last year and we get the Austin Jackson of his rookie year, this team will be just fine.  I’ve got no worries for this offense as it’ll come around sooner or later.  Unfortunately I can’t say the same for their defense. Let me repeat myself, this is a SOFTBALL TEAM.  At the corners, Miggy and Prince are not known for their defensive skills.  Peralta is a traffic barrel and Rugburn shouldn’t be on the team.  The worst thing this team can do is hit.  No one expects them to be a gold glove caliber team but we should expect much more out of them offensively.  Just score runs.  I don’t care if they give up 10, as long as they score 11. 

2.      As Max Scherzer goes, so do the Tigers.  He is the X-factor this season no question.  If he pitches like he did on Sunday (7 IP, 4 H, 15 K, 1 BB) this team will run away with the division.  If not, then it’ll be a long 5 months of consistently inconsistent baseball.  Their bullpen also needs to right itself.  I don’t want to see Luke Putkonen or Colin Balester anymore.  I don’t want to see Papa Potato doing his dance moves after every out and I don’t want to see games lost because our relievers can’t hold a lead.  Verlander was two outs away from a third no-hitter and he’s looking more and more like the Cy Young winner from last year.  Fister and Porcello need to stay the course and if the Tigers can get 8-9 wins out of Smyly, they should be happy.  

40 games in and there plenty of season remaining.  The Tigers have a big series with Cleveland starting tonight.  Valverde and Jackson should be back and I expect them to take two of three from the Tribe.  This team in the long run will be fine; it’s just frustrating how they've played through the first quarter of the season.  

Let me know how you think the Tigers have done by leaving me a comment, checking me out on Facebook or tweeting @sportsinthe313

State of the Pistons Address

Another season gone by and another season down the drain for the Pistons.  A sad 25-41 record in a shortened 66 game season has the Pistons yet again heading to the NBA Draft Lottery and it should’ve been worse.  In the only professional sports league in the U.S. where losing is actually winning, the Pistons delusional front office manages to win just enough to put themselves on the outside looking in. 

Why win games in the NBA when your team is inferior compared to their opponents?  Let’s be real here for a moment.  The NBA is made up of six elite teams, a handful of good ones and then the rest are just garbage.  Your Detroit Pistons are in that last category.   It’s the blind leading the blind in Auburn Hills where a brand new owner has allowed a GM to resign the entire team to multi-year contracts which prevents money being spent on any talent going forward. 

I will give credit to Joe Dumars for winning a championship and I’ll give him credit for a couple drafts picks but other than that, he’s been living on easy street.  I think Dumars has gotten a free pass since he won that title back in 2004 and since then hasn’t done a damn thing.  Horrible drafts, awful trades and a merry-go-round of head coaches have resulted in a 121-191 record since 2007.  Sure, Joe drafted the building blocks for the future in Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight but I’m even critical of those picks.  I say that because both those players fell to the Pistons.  It would have been foolish for him not to select them.  He hasn’t had to make any tough decisions in the past two drafts and that worries me because you can’t bank on the fact a quality player is going to fall to you  every time.

The Pistons have two players to build around.  Outside of that, I’d be fine if they get rid of the entire team.  There is no future with Tayshaun and Stuckey and Big Ben.  They’ve got wasted contracts in Charlie V, Austin Daye and Maxiell.  The only way a team can start the rebuilding process is by cleaning house and starting fresh.  Unfortunately they missed the mark again this year.  We’ll have to stick out another dumpster fire of a season and hope they really suck to have better chances of drafting top talent. 

The state of the Pistons isn’t good.  They suck.  Lose some games, get some more ping pong balls and hope that the Detroit Pistons grab the number one pick of the 2013 NBA Draft.

Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment, hitting me up on Facebook or checking me out on twitter @sportsinthe313

laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaater

All Smiles for Drew Smyly

Let's meet Drew Smyly                                                                                          

6-3, 190 lbs. Throws: Left

Drafted in 2010 in the 2^nd round out of University of Arkansas

2011 Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year

In 2012, third best prospect in the Tigers organization behind Jacob Turner (P) and Nick Castellanos  (IF)

Pitched for the Lakeland Tigers (A) and Erie Seawolves (AA) last year

Throws four pitches (four seam fastball, slider, cut fastball and changeup)

The Tigers have a very right-hand dominated rotation.  With World Series hopes on the line this year, I didn’t like that the Tigers had an all right handed rotation and was lacking a lefty presence.  It also didn’t help that Doug Fister had been on the DL since April 7^th because that posed the Tigers with an early challenge.  But things are starting to turn around for the Tigers, and I attribute that to Drew Smyly and his ability to string together some solid starts to close the back end of that rotation.

In Smyly’s last three starts, he’s pitched 18 innings, giving up a total of 14 hits and has only given up a mere four earned runs.  Over those 18 innings, he’s amassed 21 strike outs and has walked four.  Now he may only be 1-0 on the season but he’s got a solid 1.61 ERA which is tied with Jared Weaver for best in the AL and a WHIP of 1.18 which is top 20 in the AL.

I want Smyly to mature and develop with  the Tigers. He's young and can learn the game from his teammates which will help his development throughout the season..  I’m sure there are going to be growing pains along the way and that’s expected.   Since Fister’s return from the DL, all of the sudden, the Tigers rotation looks a lot more complete heading into the summer.  Now we can wait for their offense to come around and this division will be ours.  Smyly’s next start is tonight against the Mariners.  I don’t expect to see this guy slow down at all because he's got the resources not many other young arms have.  Its unknown how he will look in September but for what we've seen of him so far, I'd say he's put smiles all over the faces of Tiger fans.  If you don't believe me, check out these game highlights against the Yankees.

As always, follow me on twitter @sportinthe313, “Like” me on Facebook and come back next time for a “State of the Pistons” recap as they head towards another draft. 

Detroit Sports Mount Rushmore

Detroit has had so many amazing athletes through the years and now it’s your chance to tell me who you think should be on the Mount Rushmore of Detroit Sports.  There are no restrictions on this poll.  I want to know who you think belongs and why.  Your explanation doesn’t have to be long and reasons don’t have to be justified.  Just tell me what you think. 

I’ll start it off and give you my picks.

 

Steve Yzerman: Is there a guy that better exemplifies Detroit Sports?  Yzerman spent all 23 years of his illustrious career with the Red Wings. He won three Stanley Cups, was a ten time NHL All-Star and had his number 19 retired by the Red Wings in 2007.  Stevie Y came to Detroit as a young 18 year old kid and turned into one of the most beloved Detroit sports figures of all time.

Alan Trammell: Tram was another guy that played his entire career with one team.  He spent 19 years with the Tigers highlighted by the 1984 World Series Championship and was a part of one of the best middle infield in all of baseball.  He and Lou Whitaker were the Thunder and Lightning of the Tigers during their time together.  He earned three Silver Slugger Awards (1987, 1988, 1990) and four time Gold Glove (1980-81, 1983-84). Tram will forever be synonymous with Detroit Tiger Baseball.    

Barry Sanders: I could not make list without Barry being included.  Probably the best Lion of all time, Barry left the game way too early and had so much more to give.  He won the hearts of this city with unbelievable touchdown runs and his speed and agility made defenders look stupid.  His number 20 was retired by the Lions in 2004, he owns 10 team records and I consider him to be the greatest Lion of all time and one of the best running backs the NFL has ever seen.

Dennis Rodman: Yes I know, it would have been easy to pick Isiah or Dumars but c’mon, the Worm was AWESOME! Rodman was a badass throughout his entire career, won two championships with the Pistons and earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice in 1990-91.  Rodman will go down as one of my favorite Bad Boys of all-time.

 

Now I want to know what you think.  Leave a comment or find me on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/INlTqF) and let me know who you think belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Detroit Sports.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @sportsinthe313 and like me on Facebook.  Until next time, Cooper OUT  

The Ghost of Millen Past

I thought that the days of Matt Millen were over! I mean I spent ten years scratching my head on draft day wondering what in the hell was he thinking. Now the Lions are Millen-free, went 10-6 last year and made the playoffs. The real work for Martin Mayhew starts today as he takes his third draft class into the 2012 season and tries to build on last year’s momentum. Mayhew has drafted Stafford and Suh, two players that are the prized pieces for the Lions on offense and defense and then he’s also drafted bunch talentless nobodies that can’t hack it in the NFL.  2012 proved to be an important draft class for a team on the brink of success.


Results from the 2012 Draft
This year’s draft reminded me of a college beer pong game. The people that are playing are doing a fine job and then you have one of your drunken friends ask to throw a celebrity shot that completely misses the table. The Lions drafted 23^rd overall, a position that isn’t going to garner the sexy pick. Picks outside the top 20 are position addressing picks that fill a need on the field instead of filling a stadium. But the Lions, I’m convinced, were visited by the ghost of Matt Millen. It’s the only way I can justify the players that they chose.
The Lions spent their first two picks on, surprise, offensive players. They took O-Tackle Riley Reiff from Iowa and (I’m shaking my head in disgust while typing) Wide Receiver Ryan Broyles from Oklahoma. It makes no sense why they went that direction. This team has needs on defense, not offense. Matt Stafford is great and Megatron is the best receiver in the game (On a side note, I think he will break the Madden Curse). Their offense will keep them in most games but it’s their defense that will win those games. Blatantly ignoring the teams most pressing needs at Linebacker and Defensive back does not bode well for a team already thin in those positions.  I thought the Lions draft plan was simple, draft defense, defense, and more defense. What do they do instead, spend their top two picks on an Offensive Tackle and a (wait for it) WIDE RECEIVER! Welcome back Matty! We haven’t missed you one bit!

I’m disappointed (to say the least!) in the way the draft went this year. I would have liked it a lot more if the Lions addressed their needs in the secondary with the 2^nd round pick. It’ll be important for them to take some chances on undrafted free agents, a lot of whom are very talented players. They still need a running back and I wouldn’t be opposed to them signing a defensive end, one that they could pair up with Willie Young and have opposite of Cliff Avril.  I guess Mayhew and the rest of the Lions brass weren’t watching the same games as me last year.
Overall grade: C-. What is it going to take for the Lions brass to realize that defense wins championships? Top picks are meant to be starters, not works in progress.  I understand that picks in the 3rd-7th rounds were all spent on defense and I’m sure Mayhew is hopeful one or two of them pan out. My problem is that their offense wasn’t an issue last year.  Stafford threw for 5000 yards and Calvin had an MVP type season.  The Lions failed to address their most serious team needs on defense picks in 1^st and 2^nd rounds and it’ll show this season when they’re getting bombed because their defense can’t get off the field.
Make sure to follow me on twitter @sportsinthe313, like me on Facebook and check back next time when I do a special Pistons Recap for my dear friend Dan Chandonais.

Welcome to Bizarro World

The Weekend Recap from the past weekend in Detroit Sports; the Tigers continued to struggle offensively and defensively as they dropped three of four games against the Rangers and the Red Wings were bounced from the playoffs by the Predators and

A curious story coming out of Tigers camp is how the Tiger fan base has completely turned their backs on Brandon Inge.  I mean, I don’t blame them.  He’s hitting .056 heading into tomorrow’s series with the Seattle Mariners and yet Leyland still trots him out in a shower of boos from the fans.  I wish the Tigers would put him out of his misery.  It would benefit Inge and Tiger fans alike but I don’t see it happening anytime soon, and that is what’s so bizarre. Inge is absolutely delusional and the only reason he plays is because Ilitch loves him.
The Tigers dropping three of four to the Rangers in the big picture is not a problem.  It’s April (in the D), the Tigers don’t have a healthy pitching staff and their offense will come around, it’s just a matter of time.  This division is still theirs to lose and in the end I don’t see that happening but the Inge distraction has to go.  This is a World Series caliber team and the fans do not deserve to watch players who have averages below .200 when they come to the ballpark.  Call up Danny Worth and give the kid a shot.  He was a 2^nd round pick and at this point, what do the Tigers have to lose?  

Moving on, I want to put this Red Wings season behind me and keep this short and sweet.  The Wings are old, the Wings are too cozy and the Wings are in need of a major shakeup before the start of next season.  Here’s a critical question for Wings fans.  Finish this sentence, The Red Wings off-season needs to be __________.  My answer; their off-season needs to be daring!  I don’t think the Wings can afford be anything other than daring because they going to have to veer off the course that has taken them to the playoffs all these years.  This team is in need of a young and big defenseman to replace the loss of Brad Stuart and they need some forwards, especially wingers to anchor their first and second lines.  Zach Paraise, Ryan Suter, Alexander Semin and Teemu Selanne would all be great off-season acquisitions that would greatly help them next season.  If you have thoughts or an answer to my critical question, leave a comment or hit me up on twitter. 

As usual hit me up on Twitter @sportsinthe313, share me on Facebook and check back on Wednesday when I’ll take a look at the Detroit Pistons and what a dumpster fire that franchise has become.