ATLANTA – It’s time for Detroit Lions coach Ron Marinelli to answer a very important question without the same bullshit response, “We’ll just keep pounding the rock.”

I witnessed the Lions pathetic implosion in Atlanta on Sunday and it only took one quarter to identify a very serious issue the Lions defense has.

It was so obvious, the beer-infested fans surrounding me at the Georgia Dome, between their high-fives and “I wish we could play Detroit every week” comments, even recognized the problem.

Acceptable issues on Monday mornings are a certain defensive scheme needing a tweak or the need to create more pressure from your defensive tackles.

Regrettably, the problem with the Lions is much more severe than that. The defensive players do not know how to tackle and if they haven’t learned that skill after years of experience in pee wee, college and the NFL, they certainly will not suddenly master it after a few practices this week.

Tackling is the most fundamental task of a defense. Every play someone will attempt to advance the ball and the defense is assigned to tackle the ball carrier.

Sorry to speak third grade here but there may be a few of the Lions reading this and they need to understand what is their first and foremost responsibility because it appears no one in the Lion’s organization has taught them that yet.

So Ron, here is the question, “Who is ultimately responsible to assure the Lion’s defense knows the MOST FUNDAMENTAL chore of defense called “tackling?”

And don’t use your sorry-ass “pounding the rock”  line!”

Who is responsible for the defense’s performance?

Defensive Coordinator, Joe Barry.

Your son-in-law . . . your daughter’s husband . . . the man who collects a huge paycheck from William Clay Ford to support your daughter and grandchildren.

The guy who’s the Defensive Coordinator only because you’re his “Dad” and you placed him there thinking you could camaflauge all of his incompetence. 

Barry stands on the sidelines and watches his incompetent “D” roll over to a rookie quarterback and one of the worst teams in the NFL then skirts away from interviews and makes himself available on Thursdays to the media. That bullshit’s gotta stop!

The Lions defense were one of the worst in the NFL last year under Barry, compiling a laundry list of stats that should have led to a defensive coordinator change.

Marinelli was comfortable giving offensive coordinator Mike Martz the ax and handing his first defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson a pink slip after only one season due to “lack of performance” so why not address Barry’s performance after last year’s disaster and yesterday’s debacle in Atlanta.

While Marinelli and Matt Millen continue to “pound the rock”the Lions fans will continue to pound their heads against the wall and be expected to sit through what could be another disaterous year until Marinelli gets fired and has to take his son-in-law with him.

An organization should NEVER allow management to hire relatives in positions of that capacity.

Nepotism is defined as, “showing favoritism to family members or relatives by those in power without an objective evaluation of their ability to perform . . .”

Joe Barry was never a defensive coordinator in the NFL, never had proven his ability to perform and the Lions were in too desperate a position to hire a rookie coordinator when they hired him.

Somehow, Joe Barry is coasting under the radar, ducking the severe criticism he deserves. But after his defense just showed the most pathetic display of missed tackling ever seen in an NFL game, that may finally change.

More Lions: Millen gets the Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week award

Millens three-month old Stench Remains with Lions

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax

A twenty-four-year-old Tennessee man is arrested for his involvement in a Las Vegas strip club triple-shooting. A Tampa father-to-be is booked and charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and battery by strangulation; both felonies. The same year, a man is stabbed in the neck during a bar fight and indicted for involuntary manslaughter.

Intercity crime report?

No . . . those arrestees are multi-million-dollar thugs and members of the highest rated sports organization in our nation; the National Football League. (see Sports Mugshot Gallery)

The NFL set another record in 2008 when their championship game was watched by 97.5 million viewers. A thirty-second commercial during their upcoming 2009 Super Bowl on NBC will cost advertisers a minimum of $3,000,000.

With tons of degrading publicity involving hard drugs, hookers and weapons, how have they managed to stay on top? The answer is with a solid, precise marketing game plan. Their marketing/publicity plan is so durable that when these inexcusable actions occur, they find a way to survive them while maintaining their sky-high ratings.

Laying out fresh, creative marketing X’s and O’s like the NFL, NBA and MLB is something the NHL needs to do . . . and they need to do it yesterday!

Just to give you an idea, the Nielson rating website for cable TV shows the week of May 12, 2008 had the NBA Playoffs owning the top 7 spots followed by WWE Raw then in the final spot . . . Sponge Bob at #10.

That’s right; the NHL got their asses kicked in a toe-to-toe bout with Sponge Bob. The dorky yellow sponge named Bob just rammed Bettman head-first into the glass and skated away hoisting the cup and the NHL Playoffs were nowhere in sight on the ratings stat sheet.

It’s time for the NHL owners to set down their martini glasses and take notice.

Many of these owners have a true love for the game and they need to put politics aside and realize the adverse, long-term effects these poor ratings will have on their league. This is their league, not Bettman’s. Bettman is their employee and as an employee, he is failing miserably at his job. The owners need a man capable of competing with these other leagues for viewers; one who is capable of rallying up support from the gigantic fan base in this country.

No fan in their right mind should support a professional athlete who tortures animals or another who has more mug shots than Robert Downey Jr. just because they wear their favorite team’s jersey. Criminal acts degrade sports and humiliate the leagues yet these leagues somehow continue to produce higher ratings than the cleaner NHL.
Some of the steady onslaught of negative publicity hitting the top three sports recently include an NBA referee admitting to gambling on NBA games, NFL coaches cheating, steroids throughout MLB, under-oath athletes lying to Congress, countless arrests; the list goes on and on.

When hockey fans see these intolerable acts infest sports and these leagues continue to pound the NHL in ratings, is disheartening and makes it clear how pathetic and non-existent the marketing plan in the NHL must be.

The ratings for the 2008 Red Wings/Pens high-energy, fast-paced final’s Game 3 on NBC were reported to be 2.8 for the May 28th game. These numbers are up from last year but don’t be impressed. The 2.8 rating was competing against last year’s historic record low ratings therefore were expected to increase. In 2007, NBC reported the 1.1 rating and 2 share for their final’s Game 3 telecast set an all-time low for any of the network’s prime-time programs ever, sports or otherwise.

In addition, the 2007 opening game of the finals on Versus’ cable network received an embarrassing 0.72 cable rating. Broken down in more understandable numbers, only 523,000 households viewed that game in the entire United States.

As embarrassing as these ratings are, one cannot help to think Commissioner Bettman will be content with the fact the numbers are up and will continue keeping his punch-less marketing & publicity campaign status quo. Even with these numbers up, hockey remains by far, the lowest rated of the main four sports and it’s getting beaten by a landslide; even by a silly-looking yellow sponge named Bob.

The NHL had their dream Stanley Cup Finals match-up this year with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins going head-to-head but where was the publicity blitz and activities the week leading up to this match-up? Nearly non-existent; with an occasional player or coach interview. The NFL has a two-week party and mass media blitz that builds up excitement and draws an incredible audience.

No one should expect the NHL to schedule a weeklong party with the media, players and fans and suddenly have a product and audience that justifies selling multi-million dollar commercials because that doesn’t happen overnight. It has been proven, however, to happen over time.

During this year’s playoffs, the NHL seemed content marketing one single item; Sidney Crosby, Sid the Kid, their knight in shining armor who happened to fall off his horse and not tally a single point in the first two games of the series against the Red Wings. If the NFL or NBA marketed one single player, they would not be where they are today.

The NHL’s competitors should be easy to compete against. Their execs are forced to waste time and energy battling rock-bottom player images and are constantly walking behind their players cleaning up a messy trail left behind in the courtrooms around the nation.
While these MLB, NBA and NFL execs are busy meeting with Congressmen, judges and lawyers, a smart NHL exec would be out campaigning and marketing the NHL’s positive image and offering America’s sports fans a cleaner product. That’s when the public may notice the nice, clean image of your league. Create positive news and obtain the millions of viewers who may be tired of their children wearing jerseys of players who are in prison or getting arrested.

It is unfair for the NHL players who play hard and maintain clean images to see some of these other athletes being offered multi-million dollar endorsement deals. Clean images are an entity no other league can boast about nowadays so why is the NHL not marketing that to the parents and younger generation?

The NHL probably has an official plaque on one of the doors in their office that may read “Marketing and Publicity” but it takes more than a sign on a door and handing paychecks out on Friday to a few people for doing mail-outs and an occasional interview. It takes a well-structured plan. But before you create a plan one must have a vision and that is why it is time for new blood in the NHL front offices.

Commissioner Bettman appears to have no vision of progress for the NHL. If he did, successful marketing plans would be evident and a major sports network like ESPN would still be carrying games instead of a network that sandwiches the games between bull-riding and a show on washed-up rock stars surviving in the woods.

Halfway through the 2007-2008 NHL season; I was watching a popular ESPN variety talk show. One of the show’s well-known hosts was asked whether the Detroit Red Wings would continue dominating the league and win the Stanley Cup in 2008. His response was, he had no idea, couldn’t even name a single player on the team and he didn’t care! His co-host bailed him out with a quick mention of the Red Wings leading scorers, Zetterberg and Datsyuk. I’ve heard Tony speak in detail about women’s tennis and international soccer but yet he was clueless that particular day when NHL hockey became the topic. Commissioner Bettman and the owners need to realize it’s a serious problem when national reporters do not know and worse yet, don’t care about the NHL.

It’s time to give national announcers outside of Canada a reason to care about the NHL and the players and it is Bettman and the league’s duty and responsibility to do it-it’s their job. When people are not performing in their duties at their jobs we usually see them in the unemployment line. It is crystal-clear; major change is needed. Removing Bettman would give hope to the owners, players and fans. Bettman deserves a pink slip.

If this marketing/publicity issue is ignored and the owners and league turn their cheek to the embarrassing television ratings, will NHL hockey continue on their current destructive path . . . from ESPN . . . to Versus . . . to Animal Planet?

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax

Dear Vince:

We hope you are doing well. There is a lot of concern and confusion surrounding you and your recent ordeal. You’re a young millionaire in a fantasy job yet you feel it is justified to whine about fans booing you; to the extent of refusing to go back into a game.

Stop the Ben Wallace act. The Titans are your employer and Jeff Fisher is your boss. When our bosses tell us to go to work, we do it like you and Wallace are expected to do. Concerning your fans, they have the right to boo and it’s the media’s job to write about you and all the other athletes.

So Vince, where’s the beef? Nobody understands or sympathizes with your pissing and moaning this past week.

If we go to work and someone “boos” us, we don’t have our Mothers step in and defend us, especially on national television. Your Mother held her “press conference” and is asking people how they would feel if people were saying things about them.

Depends. If we were making millions like you while in a fantasy career like you, Vince, then we would suck it up like the hundreds of other athletes do on a weekly basis, go into the game when we’re told, play hard, take the boos and pick up the paycheck on Friday.

And what’s with the running and hiding? Coach Fisher has more important things to do than get frantic calls from your mother.

Coach should be sitting in a room watching films with your hard-nosed teammates who are sucking it up after getting physically and mentally battered on Sunday . . . watching those discouraging game films that verify that your Titans need to resolve their low-rated passing game.

Vince, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re making more per game that most people make in several years combined. You were handed a starting QB job on a respectable NFL franchise and for some reason you believe the fans who pay your multi-million dollar salary do not have the right to voice their opinion when you’re doing a shitty job.

Most of your fans have embraced you since you arrived. They go to real jobs that take a great deal of physical and, or, mental energy. Their reward to themselves for busting their asses all week is to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a ticket and attend a football game to watch guys like you play.

These fans have the right to boo you, your team, the opposition or anyone else, especially when they are displeased with your or the team’s performance.

You know, cheering and booing are the only two common means of communicating to teams and players that fans have. They can also make signs and hold them in front of TV cameras to get their point across as you will soon find out when you return to the NFL.

Why should the common sports world as we know it suddenly stop to accommodate Vince Young because he and his Mom don’t agree with the fans and media’s response. As you already know, your Mom relayed other information to the national media; that you “may not want to play football anymore.”

If you and your Mom cannot accept the fans and media telling it like it is, then hang up the spikes and return all the millions and millions of cash you have been paid. The Titans can give it to someone with the necessary amount of testosterone to handle the NFL QB position.

We know you had an MRI since Sunday’s injury but the concerns are greater than ligaments or tendons in a knee. These concerns have escalated to the point, Coach Fisher now says you will have to earn your starting job back. Looks like you’ve opened a can of worms, Vince.

This morning Chris Simms must have been thinking, “I better turn my cell phone on.” In case you haven’t heard, your Titans just signed Simms, the guy that played through a game in Tampa with a ruptured spleen and bruised ribs. 

After all Duante Culpepper has been through emotionally and physically, he must be thinking, “What a pussy” and “Damn, I wish my cell would have rung!”

Professional athletes are chastised by the fans and the media every day and 90 percent of the time they deserve it, like in your case.

Good luck fixing this one. It may go down as a classic and the media is going to be chewing on this one for a long time . . . like a bad piece of steak.

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions season is still days away and they are already finding ways into the national spotlight. ESPN, the NFL Network and media outlets around the country are having a field day with this one.

Lions running back Tatum Bell’s bag-snatching fiasco this week at the Lions facility was recorded on security surveillance cameras. In case you’re living in a cave and missed it, Bell is accused of, and was videotaped, stealing Rudi Johnson’s Gucci bag from the locker room.

In an interview with The Detroit Free Press on Wednesday, Johnson insisted that Tatum stole his stuff; “All this happened once he got released. He came here to get some stuff out of his locker. That’s when he scooped the bags up. Some real shyster, conniving stuff, man.”

Tatum who was cut by the Lions to make room for Johnson said he thought the bags belonged to another released Lion player who was also sent packing that same day and that he was asked to pick up the bags.

First of all girls, stop fighting amongst yourselves and what the hell is a grown, macho-type guy like Johnson, doing with a Gucci bag to begin with.

So here we are before the season’s first Lion fumble in the red zone and the Lions have already found a way to look like a bonehead organization. Reminisent of when Roy Williams refused to tip a pizza delivery guy, like when Coach Marty Morningway won a coin toss in overtime but gave the ball to the home team Chicago Bears who marched down the field and won.

What are the real facts surrounding this snatch-and-grab circus?

Who cares!?

It’s time to put on the pads in Atlanta and try to win this Sunday’s opening game, a battle many believe a showdown between the two sorriest francises in the NFL.

It’s time to lace ’em up and play some NFL football!

There lies the problem. The Lions normally are not capable of playing NFL football. There record over the last several years under Matt Millen proves that. And where is Matt while all this bickering and embarrassment surrounds his Lion’s team?

I haven’t seen Millen comment on this yet. Maybe he’s still walking around looking like a homeless drunk. Millen looks like a guy who’s in the witness protection program lately, in disguise . . . incognito. He may be tired of being recognized in public by ticked off Lions fans.

Tatum has reason to be pissed off at the Detroit Lions organization for destroying his career but he doesn’t have the right to steal another player’s belongings in retaliation.

Tatum is a guy who had rushed for over 1,000 yards prior to coming to Motown and was promised playing time which he rarely saw. When he asked to be traded, the Lions benched him for the remaining games of that season, ruining his chances to pursue a contract during the following free agency period.

Bell, like many other star-caliber players and coaches made the mistake of coming to Detroit then were stuck in a situation that ripped their careers apart at the seams. (Google Marcus Pollard, Damian Woody and Steve Mariucci)

That’s another whole issue and article in itself but getting back to week one for 2008 let’s ask the Lions; can you somehow stop finding ways to embarrass yourselves?

It’s difficult enough for the football fans of Detroit to stay loyal to an NFL organization that remains in our near the cellar in their division year after year; never lives up to their promises and preaches character to their players while giving one of their coaches a little slap on the wrist after he was arrested and charged for driving through a Wendy’s drive-thru naked? (Google Lions Joe Cullen)

Are you ready for some Lions football!

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax

Previously published in The Detroit Free Press and Baseball Digest on May 28, 2008.

ATLANTA – The last time Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox said, “This kid can pitch, he’ll be around here for a while.” he wasn’t kidding. The year was 1988, Cox was the GM for the Braves and the “kid” he was referring to was John Smoltz, a young, hard-throwing pitcher who had just been obtained in a trade with the Tigers.

Since then, Smoltz, who still pitches for the Braves, has blossomed into a sure Hall of Famer, posting 210 wins, 154saves and over 3,000 strike outs.

In May, 2008 as manager of the Braves, Cox made a similar statement, “This kid can pitch, he’s gonna’ be a good one”. This time the “kid” Cox is referring to is another acquisition from the Tigers, 22 year-old starting pitcher, Jair Jurrjens. After eleven starts this year, the rookie pitching phenomenon, is taking the National League by storm.

After being part of an unpopular trade that sent hometown favorite, Edgar Renteria to the Tigers, Jurrjens is now being referred to as the most impressive rookie pitcher the Braves have had in over a decade.

The Braves were at home on Memorial Day Monday and Cox, again showing confidence in Jurrjens, put the rookie right-hander on the mound against the first-place Diamondbacks and their ace Brandon Webb (9-1). Going into Monday’s game, Jurrjens had a 5-3 record with an impressive 2.64 ERA.

At that time, Jurrjens ERA was 4th best in the league and better than Webb’s (2.69).

Against the Diamondbacks, Jurrjens, out-pitched Webb during the Braves 7-3 win, but was pulled with a 5-3 lead because of a blister developing on his throwing hand, just one out shy of recording his 6th victory of the season.

During his post game interview Monday, Cox said, “Jurrjens pitched incredibly good. He’s a young kid; he’s pitched a ton of good innings for us this year.”

Yes he has and his record should indicate that. In two of his past outings, the rookie walked away with no decision after giving up no runs in one game then only one run in another. It is safe to say both of those outings deserved to be victories as well as Sunday’s game if he were left in for one more out.

Jurrjens record could easily be 8-3 right now which would only rub more salt in the wounds of Tiger fans as they watch their team’s starting pitching staff struggle throughout the year.

Jurrjens who has not given up more than four runs in any of his outings this season, is way ahead of Smoltz’ pace, thus far, as Smoltz struggled his first year as a rookie in 1988 then went on to win 12 games in his second year, posting an ERA of 2.94. Jurrjens’ performance is creating a buzz around Atlanta and talk about the possibility of him taking home the 2008 NL Rookie of the Year award.

While Renteria is having a respectable season hitting .279, the Tigers sit near last place with one of the statistically worst starting pitching staffs in baseball, it’s hard not to notice what contributions Jair Jurrjens could be making for the Tigers at this point of the season.

This season, only one of the Tiger’s starters has more than three wins and with the Tiger starters having ERAs between 4.58 and 6.66, they could use a young right arm like Jurrjens’. While the top four starters for the Tigers have given up at least seven home runs each, Jurrjens has given up just a total of two long balls in his 11 outings.

Many Braves fans hated to see Renteria get traded and were bitter and questioned the move. Over the years, Bobby Cox has shown he has a knack for recognizing talent, and the Braves manager liked the potential he saw in shortstop Yunel Escobar.

When Jurrjens’ name came up in trade talks, he jumped on the opportunity to land the great prospect, even at the expense of Renteria, his all-star shortstop.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Escobar was hitting .310 compared to Renteria’s .279. Both players each had 4 home runs, 4 errors and almost an identical number of RBI’s.

Clearly the Braves have not lost any offense from the transaction and have made a huge gain in their starting rotation. With John Smoltz on the mend from typical aches, pains and injuries of a 40 year-old pitcher and Tom Glavine turning 42 years-old this season, Jurrjens success coupled with the evolution of Escobar is making Braves fans forget about the loss of Edgar Renteria.

With solid starting pitching hard to acquire in Major League Baseball, this trade appears to be an excellent move by the Braves.

Time will tell if the Renteria/Jurrjens trade will haunt the Detroit Tigers and their fans, like the Smoltz trade of the 80’s.

In the meantime, in Atlanta, the team and fans are reaping the rewards.

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax

ATLANTA – At All-Star break the Atlanta Braves were poised to make a run. Their schedule allowed them a realistic opportunity to create a tight, four-way race in the NL East.

Being in the hunt for a playoff spot would put the Braves in the position most analysts expected them to be in throughout this season. Being in the hunt could also convince Braves GM Frank Wren to stop accepting calls inquiring about a Mark Teixeira trade.

On July 16 with the Braves sitting 6.5 games behind first and the last-place Nationals coming to town, it wasn’t time for the Fat Lady to sing just yet.

A lot has occurred since the Braves laced up their spikes and took the field after All-Star break and most of the news is bleak.

The underachieving Braves lost the first series after break to the overachieving Nats, allowing one of the worst offensive teams in MLB to score 29 runs at Turner Field.

Scurrying out of Atlanta with their tail between their legs, the Braves went on the road where they regrouped and won a three-game series against the division rival Florida Marlins.

Although the Braves lost just one of those games, their biggest loss occurred during their Game 3 win when All-Star third baseman Chipper Jones strained a hamstring hustling to beat out a throw to first base.

Taking the momentum from their road series victory in Florida, the Braves continued on to the City Of Brotherly Love for their much anticipated series against another NL East division rival, the Philadelphia Phillies; a series they would have to play without Jones who was still nursing his hammy.

Citizens Bank Park is known as a hitter’s ballpark and is an intimidating place to take the mound, even for seasoned veterans. That didn’t seem to faze Braves rookie phenomenon Jair Jurrjens who started Game 1 and hurled eight innings of shutout ball, leading his Braves to an 8-2 win for his 10^th victory of the season.

In Game 2, capitalizing on the hitter’s park theory, the Braves scored nine runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 9-3 lead and were primed to win back-to-back road series for the first time all season.

The Phillies had other plans. They answered with seven in the bottom of the fifth to take a 10-9 lead and steal that game from the Braves.

The Braves bats stayed alive for most of that Phillies series. Offensively, they averaged nine runs per game, scoring a total of 27 runs in the three games . . .  but that wasn’t enough; not when your bullpen squandered every lead they are handed.

The Braves blew dominating leads of five and six runs during Game 2 and 3, their bullpen collapsing both times and causing the Braves to surrender the most important series of the year. They were clearly in position to return home in the thick of the NL East playoff race.

Instead, the Braves returned home for seven games against tough opponents, the Cardinals and red-hot Brewers, and will be playing without their All-Star cast.

Brian McCann suffered a concussion during Game 3 from a collision at the plate and is listed game-to-game while Jones and No. 1 starter Tim Hudson were placed on the 15 day DL beginning July 28^th.

This is deflating news. Even the most optimistic should consider throwing in the towel.

There is a window of opportunity in sports and the Braves window is slamming shut. After this past week of blown opportunities, GM Wren is expected to not only answer the phone when it rings, but also place a few calls of his own.

With the deadline looming just hours away, Teixeira should be packing his bags. And as for The Fat Lady . . . it’s time for her to warm up her mic.

Previously published in Baseball Digest Daily on August 22, 2008.

DETROIT – Witnessing the demolition of Detroit’s historic ballpark, Tiger Stadium, is like attending the burial of a loved one. While we cannot stop death from consuming one’s final breath and beat of a heart, we can never allow it to pilfer the memories.

At the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, demolition experts and heavy machinery continue to flatten Tiger Stadium, one beam and support at a time. Those bulldozers may rip the concrete and riveted steel girders out of that structure and bury it in a nearby landfill, but it will never purge the heart and soul out of that ballpark.

Tiger Stadium has done more than was ever asked of it. It provided the hard-working, blue-collar fans of Detroit a place to escape from the stresses of their physically-demanding jobs at the steel mills and auto assembly lines.

Though ancient, rusting and long-outdated, it withstood decades of punishing winters and the wear and tear of millions of fans stomping in it’s aisles over the years.

While preservation groups and a few politicians continue their efforts to stop the complete demolition of the stadium and convert a portion of it into a museum, the wrecking ball continues to dismantle the historic landmark.

Before the stadium is reduced to a final shovel of dust, it is a great time to reminisce about our experiences there.

The first game I ever attended at Tiger Stadium was on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Donning my full baseball uniform with ball glove in hand and chomping on an oversized wad of baseball card bubble gum, I accompanied my Little League baseball team to a game against the Minnesota Twins.

The area near the ticket windows felt like a disaster scene to a scrawny eight-year-old, like me. People scurried around like ants, bumping into each other, trying to gain position and make their way to the ticket windows and into the stadium. I felt like a human pinball but somehow managed to stay connected to my group.

Once inside, I bee-lined straight to the hotdog vendor where I quickly learned Mom did not make the best hotdogs. There was something about those Ballpark Franks at Tiger Stadium. They seemed to plump more when they cooked ‘em.

The journey through the short tunnel to our right field seats was almost surreal. Hustling through that corridor seeing only the blue sky, I couldn’t wait to get a full view of the park.

As I made my way to the end of that tunnel I saw the most extraordinary image I had ever seen; like Dorothy stepping out of a black & white world into one full of vibrant colors in her Land of Oz. The blue skies, vast field of vibrant green and borders of perfectly manicured dirt has left a lifelong impression etched in my mind.

Tiger Stadium provided many memories for Detroiters over the years; most notably the 1968 dramatic comeback World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals and the record-setting Tiger team of 1984 led by World Series MVP Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson.

It’s amazing how some of these images remain as clear as if they happened yesterday . . . Norm Cash crushing the leather off the ball, sending another one over the right-field roof and onto Trumbull Street . . . Mark “The Bird” Fidrych pacing the mound like a maniac, having full-on conversations with the ball triggering a roar of approval from 53,000 screaming fans.

Many hard-working blue-collar families in the Motor City took advantage of “Family Night” games at Tiger Stadium. On Family Night, the head of the household would pay $3.50 for a reserved upper deck seat down the third baseline then only .50 cents apiece for the remaining tickets.

That’s $6.00 to take a family of six to a MLB game and the product was outstanding with baseball icons Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Willie Horton and Denny McClain in the lineup. Family Nights were the only time I remember my father refusing overtime on the docks.

Many of us remember Tiger Stadium being the home of the Detroit Lions back when the team and fans endured the weather conditions, playing outdoors on natural grass, like the game is meant to be played.

Three layers of clothing many times was no match for the frigid Canadian winds that blew off the Detroit River on some of those December Sundays. The only heat provided during those games was the body heat of the thousands of devoted Lions fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder in their seats.

Peering through a steady cloud of cold breath, hot chocolates in hand, the fans survived those frigid afternoons and many of us learned at an early age what being a loyal, die-hard Lion fan was all about.

While the crews rip apart and haul away the remaining twisted steel and concrete we should reflect on the treasured memories provided by Tiger Stadium.

Like loved ones who have passed on, Tiger Stadium has been a huge part of many of our lives . . . and like loved ones, the memories will survive forever.

With the constant buzz about the NHL expanding their league to places like Las Vegas, Nevada, I was reminded about a humorous incident that occurred in Tampa Bay during their first ever NHL hockey game.

I was living in Central Florida when the Tampa Bay Lightning was franchised under the direction of Phil Esposito with the support of Japanese investors.

Originally from Detroit and brought up an avid hockey fan, I was salivating for NHL hockey so I snagged a few tickets for the inaugural game; the Lightning against the original six Chicago Black Hawks on October 7, 1992 at Expo Hall.

Expo Hall was an arena located at the State Fairgrounds and was normally used for rodeos and tractor pulls but this was NHL expansion hockey so even this makeshift arena could not stop many of us fans from filling it up.

After driving through a muddy bumpy dirt parking area, following the painted plywood parking signs, I made my way into Expo Hall.

The referees called more penalties than I have ever seen in a game allowing the Lightning to live on the power play. The Lightning went on to win the game 7-3 with forward Chris Kontos scoring the first hat trick in Lightning history.

Hat trick!

Where are the hats?

After several seconds, a lone hat, a worn-out looking baseball cap, came floating down like a feather in the wind, gliding to a smooth landing onto the surface of the ice.

With tens of thousands of fans in the seats, we usually never know what loyal die hard sacrifices his hat . . . but this night was an exception. The hat-tosser was the fan, one section over, who was being escorted out of the arena by security personnel for littering debris on the ice.

The innocent man pleaded, trying to explain the tradition, but these dedicated security personnel would have no part of this “radical, rule-breaking” fan and continued tugging the man by the arms, leading him up the stairs.

After watching for several seconds, a few nearby fans rushed to the fan’s aid, trying to help explain the tradition to no avail. Finally, a nearby security guard rushed over and saved the fan from expulsion. The disgruntled fan was allowed back to his seat bringing laughter and a huge ovation from those of us familiar with the game.

Since this incident 16 long years ago, Tampa has evolved into a city that loves hockey. A city that proudly hangs their Stanley Cup champion flag from the rafters of their current home, the Ice Palace, the home to many hat-tossing loyalists who have gotten to know and love the game.

So viva Las Vegas . . . “Hats off” to expansion hockey!

David Stern is getting more predictable by the interview. When he gets in front of the microphone, he is sounding like an old, warped vinyl-repeating the same few lines over and over again.

When questioned about NBA officiating and conspiracy theories, Stern is quick to give yet another rundown of referee Tim Donaghy’s criminal record, his bad character traits and how he is a convicted felon awaiting sentencing.

Stern’s strategy of repeating the same phrases throughout an interview may have worked initially but now it is making him look like a back-peddling politician who has nothing better to say.

Any sports fan not living in a closet knows about the bad deeds Donaghy has committed, we certainly do not need to hear them repeated by Stern. What we do need to hear is an aggressive fact-filled rebuttal to Donaghy’s accusations of the league extending series and referees calling games in favor of certain teams and players.

The NBA’s latest move in retaliation to Donaghy’s accusations is requesting he return approximately 1.4 million dollars to the league to cover portions of Donaghy’s salary and various other expenses including league provided tennis shoes.

It’s hard to argue with this latest move by Stern and the NBA but hitting Donaghy in the pocketbook is no solution to the bigger issue at hand. Stern must rebuttal the allegations head-on before they evolve into a long-term headache.

Relying on deflecting conspiracy questions back to how evil and vindictive Donaghy is only buys time. Stern should consider a quick closure to this massive thorn in his side before another grudge-holding politician like Senator Arlen Specter or George Mitchell comes out of the woodwork.

That Congressman may be Bobby Rush of Illinois who in 2007 requested a meeting with Stern to discuss the Donaghy issue. Rush also indicated in a letter to Stern, that he may call a hearing and referred to the matter as “one of the most damaging scandals in the history of American sports.”

With the most recent formal accusations coming forth from Donaghy and his attorney, Congressman Ross’ interest in this case may be rekindled.

If Congressman Ross gets involved as Senator Mitchell did with the MLB steroids issue, Stern and his referees may have the challenge of addressing the court’s video evidence while under oath.

Donaghy included what appears to be the 2002 Kings/Lakers playoff Game 6 in his letter to the court. If the court views and investigates that game, they will likely take the rest of the accusations seriously.

Watching the tapes of that game it’s obvious something was terribly wrong with the officiating. The calls were blatantly one-sided with the Lakers taking 27 free throws in the 4th quarter and going on to win the game. The referees performance was questionable enough to motivate Ralph Nadar to ask for an investigation.

What motivates the media to aggressively pursue the truth in this matter is the fact that a man in Donaghy’s position has nothing to gain, except guaranteed extra years behind bars, if he lies directly to the people who convicted him. This isn’t a convict sitting in jail complaining to his cellmate. These accusations were formally presented in writing to the court.

It makes no sense whatsoever for Donaghy to lie at this stage of the game so there must be at least a little bit of truth to his allegations. The accusations are also supported by what investigators may view as incriminating video tapes. . . and there lies the problem for Stern and the league.

It’s hard to imagine Commissioner Stern or any other exec from the NBA would ever give a “direct order” to referees to “fix” a game or extend a series. That just did not happen! These execs would destroy their personal lives if they did such a deed and they are much too intelligent for that.

Las Vegas places these games on the board with point spreads every day so imagine the criminal consequences the league would face if it were proven they purposely altered the outcomes of games . . . it is clearly illegal and would justify sharing a cell with Donaghy.

However, there is nothing illegal about informal conversation in casual atmospheres between NBA execs and some of the “company men” referees regarding the game of basketball, playoff series and ratings.

Could casual conversations between David Stern, NBA execs and referees about Game 7 ratings have led to referees calling one-sided games like the Kings/Lakers Game 6?

Donaghy mentions meetings did take place so some sort of meeting probably did. He mentions discussions took place and they probably did but not as secretive as a hard-core conspiracy theorist would like to think. And again, Donaghy has too much to lose if he lies.

Donaghy is a desperate man who is trying to take a few more people with him and although his statements may only have some underlying truth to them, they do not seem to have the most important elements . . . intent and proof.

Even if informal meetings/conversations did take place prior to some of the games in question, as Donaghy suggests, intent could never be proven unless specific dialogue occurred and criminal intent were proven and that is very hard to imagine.

Stern needs to address this issue head-on and nip it! MLB assumed their steroid issue would magically go away only to see it land in front of Congress tarnishing the league.

If Stern decides to ignore this and let it play out on it’s own, he may regret it later on. There are better ways to spend your summer off than having a date with Congressman Rush.

Previously published in Baseball Digest on July 15, 2008.ATLANTA, Ga. – It’s the bottom of the 6th inning with two outs and a man on base for the Arizona Diamondbacks who trail the visiting Houston Astros 7-5. Diamondback’s Manager Bob Melvin decides to call on a right-handed pinch hitter.

Houston manager Cecil Cooper makes a trip to the mound and counters Melvin’s move by making a pitching change, bringing in reliever Dave Borkowski to come in to get the important final out of the inning.

The raucous crowd of Diamondback fans at Chase Field rise to their feet as the pinch hitter digs in, staring through Borkowski awaiting the delivery. Borkowski, confident, rears back and fires the ball, challenging the hitter.

The ball is greeted with a solid crack of the bat and the crowd erupts as the ball sails into the right field seats for a two-run pinch hit homer to tie the game. In a matter of seconds, one pitch, one crack of the bat. . . and two runs on the board for the Diamondbacks.

Unusual? This time it was.

The pinch hitter was Micah Owings, a member of the Diamondback’s starting rotation. A pitcher who many believe may be the purest hitting pitcher ever to play the game.

Last year while playing in front of friends and family at Turner Field in his home state, Owings had a record-breaking night at the plate going 4 for 5 with 2 home runs, 6 RBI’s and 4 runs scored while earning the win against the Atlanta Braves. His 11 total bases for a pitcher is a feat that had not been accomplished in nearly 50 years. Those are numbers A Rod would call home about.

Owings went on to hit .333 last season with 20 hits, including 4 home runs, 15 RBI’s and a .683 slugging percentage in 60 at bats. It’s no wonder Bob Melvin felt confident to give Owings the call at a crucial time in that tight game against the Astros earlier this season.

In addition to Owings, baseball fans expect a solid at bat whenever Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano steps to the plate. At the time this article was written, Zambrano was hitting an astounding .362 this season with 17 hits including a home run, two doubles and a triple.

Zambrano exhibited a solid swing throughout the 2006 season when he belted 6 home runs escalating his major league career total to 13.

Zambrano and Owings have both compiled impressive stats and have proven they are not automatic outs like most other pitchers. When these great hitting pitchers step up to the plate, it seems to turn up the volume of the hometown fans and create uncommon pressure for the guy on the mound, adding a unique element to the game.

Before being traded to the American League where the DH is used, Dontrelle Willis ran up some great numbers at the plate for the Florida Marlins while being placed as high up as 7th in the batting order.

Like Owings, he once hit two home runs in the same game. He did it in 2006, the same year he connected for a grand slam in another contest. During the 2007 season, his final year on the Marlins, he hit .286 with an on-base percentage of .348.

Rick Wise is another member of this elite group. In 1971, the Phillies starter pitched a 4-0 no-hitter against the Reds while hitting two over the fence at Riverfront Stadium. Again in the same year, he added a second two home run game to his record.

Throughout baseball’s long history, other pitchers have evolved into serious threats at the plate. The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a few, like Orel Hershiser who batted .356 in 1993 and Don Drysdale who hit .300 and connected on 7 long balls in 1965.

In recent history, Jason Marquis now pitching for the Cubs accrued some real impressive numbers when he batted .292 in 2004 followed by .310 in 2005; both seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals while winning 28 games as a starter during that same span.

When these great hitting pitchers are in a game, opposing pitchers have the task of studying an additional hitter in the line-up. Today, pitchers have learned not to throw three quick fastballs over the plate to Owings or Zambrano or they may end up on the bad end of an ESPN highlight reel.

When these starters get the call, NL managers Melvin and Lou Piniella have the luxury of having the additional bat in the lineup; like having a DH. In fact, during spring training Melvin used Owings in the DH slot during some inter-league games.

These athletes are MLB’s rare breed of hitters. A strong hitting pitcher adds an exciting element to the game and pumps up the volume when they step to the plate in front of their hometown fans.

Makes some baseball fans wonder, how great is the DH rule?

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax