betterREDthandead

Frankly, it's also too easy By the way, it might not be in that article, but Tyson has said it. This isn't the first place I've seen it.

Funny....that's what I say whenever MSU wins

No worries, I have a Sportspeak translator implanted in my brain. When Ken Rosenthal writes: "Just because." What he means is: "The editors told us someone had to pick the Cards, because it wouldn't look like a very good Series otherwise, and I drew the short straw, and everyone already knows the Tigers have superior hitting, pitching, and fielding plus they're well rested and have home field advantage, so I can't actually analyze the Series and have the Cards come out on top otherwise I look like a complete idiot and my hate mail will triple." It's really worth going to ESPN.com and looking at the state breakdown of their online polls. If there's a question that concerns players or teams in two or more different states, homerism takes over every single time. It's fascinating. For example, suppose the question is "Who should win AL Rookie of the Year?" and the choices are Justin Verlander, Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Liriano, or Jered Weaver. I think this question was actually asked, too, right about the time Liriano was pitching the lights out. Most of the country was lit up in Liriano's color, but Massachusetts and Rhode Island were for Papelbon, California for Weaver, and Michigan for Verlander. And also check this out: every time there's a question asked where homerism is possible, and Michigan is involved in some way, the state of Michigan will always be the most homeristic state. Always. Honestly, it happens every time. For example, in the above question, the Michigan percentage of Verlander votes is higher than the Massachusetts percentage of Papelbon votes, or even the Minnesota percentage of Liriano votes. I read this as fans from Michigan being more loyal to their team than anywhere else

This is kinda scary. The Tigers are favored. Like, big time. There isn't an analyst or scout in the country who thinks the Cardinals can win. That kinda gives me the heebie-jeebies. Here's the Cardinals' rotation: Anthony Reyes for Game 1, followed by Jeff Weaver, Chris Carpenter, and Jeff Suppan. A little bit of a thank-you to the Mets is in order, for forcing the Cards to go with their worst pitcher to get things kicked off.

Actually Michigan typically runs 4th among public schools. They've got that spot fairly well nailed down. I don't know who's 5th, but I know UVA and Berkeley are always neck-and-neck for #1, and UNC usually gets third. I should know - the Cav Daily runs the story in extreme detail every time there's a ranking done, for obvious reasons of bragging. Tech sucks.

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY.......... holy crap I can't wait. I bought TiVo yesterday, I've always wanted TiVo, but now more than ever. I'm recording the whole Series, every pitch.

The Yankees are sooooooooooooo half an hour ago. They're out like the fat kid in dodgeball. Time for the Tigers to focus on Oakland - unfortunately, despite the better record, the A's have the home field advantage. Here's the schedule and the pitching matchups, with regular season and playoff stats included. Gm. 1 - Tue., October 10, 8 PM ET - Detroit @ Oakland Probables: Barry Zito (16-10, 3.83; 1-0, 1.12) vs. Nate Robertson (13-13, 3.84; 0-1, 11.12) Gm. 2 - Wed., October 11, TBD - Detroit @ Oakland Probables: Esteban Loaiza (11-9, 4.89; 0-0, 3.60) vs. Justin Verlander (17-9, 3.63; 0-0, 5.06) Gm. 3 - Fri., October 13, 8 PM ET - Oakland @ Detroit Probables: Kenny Rogers (17-8, 3.84; 1-0, 0.00) vs. Rich Harden (4-0, 4.24; 0-0, 0.00) Gm. 4 - Sat., October 14, 7:30 PM ET - Oakland @ Detroit Probables: Jeremy Bonderman (14-8, 4.08; 1-0, 2.16) vs. Danny Haren (14-13, 4.12, 1-0, 3.00) Gm. 5 - Sun., October 15, 4 PM ET - Oakland @ Detroit* Probables: Nate Robertson (13-13, 3.84; 0-1, 11.12) vs. Barry Zito (16-10, 3.83; 1-0, 1.12) Gm. 6 - Tue., October 17, 8 PM ET - Detroit @ Oakland* Probables: Esteban Loaiza (11-9, 4.89; 0-0, 3.60) vs. Justin Verlander (17-9, 3.63; 0-0, 5.06) Gm. 7 - Wed., October 18, 8 PM ET - Detroit @ Oakland* Probables: Danny Haren (14-13, 4.12, 1-0, 3.00) vs. Kenny Rogers (17-8, 3.84; 1-0, 0.00) *if necessary Tigers in 6

Yes, and I'd like to see him redshirt, though it depends on how Jameel Sewell does for the rest of the year. In the end I think Sewell might be better off as a running back, though to be perfectly fair, his receivers drop balls like they've got thumbtacks sticking out of them. And I thought Marques Hagans should have been moved to receiver, and I was dead wrong on that one. At the moment, Rivals.com has our 2007 recruiting class ranked #6(!) But it's still early. As usual, Al Groh is recruiting the daylights out of the nation's linebackers.

Despite the fact that nobody cares (the ACC is kind of a steaming junkpile this year, nobody's really all that good) it's time for me to brag about my 'Hoos again. The South's Oldest Rivalry played out again tonight and the Wahoos stomped all over UNC, 23-0. The Heels haven't won a football game in Charlottesville since 1981, and that didn't change tonight. (Side note: The hated Ronald Curry was a two-sport star at UNC and he never won a game in either sport in Charlottesville. And that was when the ACC was a nine-school conference and you played every team at home every year in basketball.) I really should have put a plug in for this nationally televised game, even though UNC sucks and UVA is on a down-year. Scott Stadium is beautiful and highly underrated, for one, and the nice thing about watching ESPN at UVA is that the announcers always marvel on the air at the beauty of the Grounds; and more so than other schools, they always find ways to include shots of the school in the broadcast. I mean, you know, not to get you guys, like, jealous or anything, but it's the most beautiful school in the country.

Honestly, I think Rob Parker is the only idiot in town to have any thoughts of holding a grudge against Tram. Everyone knows the team that Tram was given was not a good team, especially in 2003. And I don't even hold 2003 against anyone. 2003, believe it or not, is one of my favorite Tiger seasons. '03 is why I'm such a fan of guys like Maroth and Inge. Hey, by the way, this Game 7 is pretty good. 2 outs, bottom of the 9th, Mets down 3-1 but the bases are loaded and Beltran's at the plate..... Edit: It's over - rookie closer Adam Wainwright absolutely freezes Beltran with a breaking ball. Cardinals win the pennant. Tigers-Cardinals, baby! Old-school.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061019/ap_en_..._series_pregame Bob Seger and Anita Baker are going to sing - Seger will do "America the Beautiful" before Game 1, with Al Kaline and Willie Horton throwing out the first pitch, and Mike Ilitch and Ernie Harwell on the mound as well. For Game 2, Baker will sing the anthem, and the first pitch will be Sparky Anderson, with Alan Trammell on the mound also. Sounds good to me

Well, we find out tonight who the opponent will be. Game 7. Who's everyone pulling for? Me, I think I'm leaning toward the Cardinals.

What....he wants them to hit back this time?

I'm at work. Not good times.

Rob Parker of the News wrote (I'm paraphrasing) "it's too early to heal the wounds left by Tram's firing.", this in reference to the idea that Tram should be invited to throw out a first pitch. WTF. I have never liked Parker and I never will. This is why. What better way to let Tram and the city know that his work is part of the reason we're here today, and we appreciate it. Alan Trammell was in some respects a sacrificial lamb and that's not right. I say Lolich to Freehan for Game 1 and Tram to Lou for Game 2. As for the anthem, whoever you don't pick for it could still sing at the 7th inning stretch. But I am totally in agreement that every major sporting event in Detroit, such as the World Series, should always feature Detroit artists like Seger or the Four Tops (who I think sang the anthem during the ALCS). Oh, and they must find a way to honor Ernie. Something at Comerica Park must be named for Ernie. The Ernie Harwell Broadcast Booth. Harwell Field at Comerica Park. The Ernie Harwell Flagpole (which needs to be moved back into center field, by the way). Any ol' thing, but something.

I dunno....Verlander's so closely removed from college where they have no DH, I'd think that might work better. But really, I would never base the rotation off of who's a better hitter. I mean, three of the four pitchers have to bat anyway. And we are a little better equipped than most AL teams would be for the Series, the DH in our lineup is just an extra outfielder rather than one of the lineup's big boppers who can't field well, like so many other AL teams have (Thomas, Hafner, Giambi, etc.) My rotation would be exactly the same as it's been. Why mess with what works? Except for the day Carpenter or Glavine pitches, we have the clear advantage anyway. And we bombed Carpenter en route to a sweep of the Cards in the regular season. P.S.: Besides, if I had to choose which pitcher not to bat, it'd definitely be Rogers. I don't want the 41-year-old huffing and puffing around the bases, potentially in a warmup jacket....if he's on first, Granderson could hit a double or triple and probably catch up to him.

Hell no he wouldn't I guarantee you Sparty would have found a way to lose to Marshall and/or Syracuse.

FWIW, the Mets won Game 4, so the NLCS is now essentially a best-of-three. One more game in St. Louis, and then back to Shea for one or two more. We'll have to wait til at least Wednesday night to learn the Tigers' opponent.

I could sit here all week posting fun stories about the Tigers, but this one kind of stuck out to me. Adams Street comes alive with Tiger-mania This is why I don't like parking-lot ballparks. Kauffman Stadium comes to mind. Maybe future generations of Tigers fans will think of Adams Street the same way we think of Michigan and Trumbull.

you DEFINITELY won't regret it. it's a must-have.

Other than the big Michigan-OSU game, I'd definitely say USC has a harder schedule than either Big Ten powerhouse. Cal and Oregon are both decent, Notre Dame is too, and USC has squeaked by weaker teams for three weeks now. The computers actually have Ohio State third, which is interesting. Here's a brainless, moronic, sour-grapes comment from Tommy Tuberville, coach of Auburn: Uh, "enamored by not losing"? I got a thing for you: the teams that don't lose tend to be the best! Duh. News flash: National champions don't get steamrolled by Arkansas AT HOME. I didn't see Michigan rolling over and dying for Wisconsin. Oh. And there's this. If not-ever-losing is a bad way to decide a national champion.....then HOW THE BLUE F##K DO YOU EXPECT THE PLAYOFF TO WORK??? Just declare an SEC team the champion since clearly the fact that they keep losing to one another makes them the best?? Idiot.

Well, there go the dreams of perfection. I kinda expected this after Buffalo got absolutely waxed last week in Chicago. A Lions-Raiders game might look a lot like the Snow Bowl between Michigan and Ohio State in 1950. Even if played indoors.

Media poll....the one that more often than not has the better rankings.

Midweek games are out for me, as a general rule

Coaches poll has USC #2, Michigan #3. But the coaches poll is the one that gave bogusly gave Nebraska half a championship in '97. Yes, I still have lingering resentment over that. And there's still a couple of cracked-out nutjobs putting West Virginia first in the media poll. More bad news: #2 has gone down the last two weeks, first Auburn then Florida. This Iowa game is a huge trap - Iowa will be pissed about losing to Indiana. Fortunately the game is at the Big House. Oh, and check out who's ranked #25: Wake Forest. Rutgers is still ranked too. That's unreal.