Compare and Contrast

While I was flipping through the channels a couple nights ago, and I noticed a "Breaking News" crawl at the bottom of the screen. The News? The Falcons had just hired a new coach. Seeing that I honestly can't remember the last time I had seen that in Detroit. Maybe when news of Stevie Y's retirement, or the occasional score update of a team in the Finals. It's not like hiring a head coach is a new thing in Atlanta. This is their third in three years, which makes the Lions coaching situation seem stable. But it involves Football which is king down here (since NASCAR hasn't started yet). If it involves SEC football or the Falcons its goes to the top of the Sports section. So I thought I'd compare the Detroit teams to their Atlanta counterparts. In honor of the All-Star Game taking place in Atlanta this weekend I'll start with the Red Wings and the Thrashers

Logo:


The Wings have, in my opinion, one of the best logos in all of sports. So good it hasn't changed since it was introduced.



Here is the Thrasher logo. It looks more like a tornado with a head than a bird, I won't even go into how a bird could hold a hockey stick with it's wings


Mascot:

This is "Thrash" who apparently is some sort of Jamaican chicken


While there is no official mascot, the closest thing (other than Mo Cheese or the knitting lady) in Al the Octopus


Embarrassing Slogan:

Atlanta - "Believe in Blueland" I have no idea what this means. It's more cryptic than embarrassing. Guessing it's something to do with the home jersey? Still it's more of a marketing campaign then I've seen out of the Hawks

Detroit - "We Want Stanley" Now the song is in my head...and let us never speak of this again


Things to watch when not watching the game:

Atlanta - The Blue Crew. A group of cheerleaders roaming the arena

Detroit - No cheerleaders, but there are groups of Taylor's finest sporting their Ozzie jerseys.

History:

Atlanta - Not much. The Thrashers are in their 8th season, which was how long the Flames lasted in Atlanta before moving to Calgary. The Flames actually were kind of successful, with only 2 losing season, and making the playoffs 6 of the 8 years in Atlanta. The Thrashers made their first appearance in the playoffs last years getting swept in the first round. They also are likely to make another appearance this season. Atlanta has one link to a Hall-of-Famer. Boom Boom Geoffrion was the Flames first coach. Although current Thrasher Ilya Kovalchuk (who is the franchise leader in points) will be there with a few more years playing the way he does. Interesting side note. 2nd to Kovalchuk in points in franchise history is former Wing Slava Kozlov.

Detroit - 10 Stanley Cups, 22 Hall of famers (Counted players inducted that played 5 or more years with the Wings), and have made the playoffs for 17 straight years. I could go on and on


Now comparing these two teams isn't really fair. One was one of the Original Six, the other is the
3rd newest to the league. With the way the NHL has it's schedule set up, the Red Wings will be in Atlanta as often as Hailey's Comet makes an appearance. So adopting the Thrashers as a 2nd team will have to do for my hockey fix. It's not that bad they have a nice arena (so I've heard) and a young star in Kovalchuk. Plus Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin will be regular visitors.

Georgia (on my mind)

2008 has brought a big move for me. As the updated title of the blog, and the about me sections have listed, I am now resident of the state of Georgia. My few days in Georgia I have found out 2 things. 1) Football (pronounced foobaw) is king. This I found out last Saturday when trying to find a bar with NBA league pass to watch the Pistons-Celtics game. Three bars tried and no luck, but every TV in the bars had the Pittsburgh-Jacksonville game on. The number one story in the local paper is LSU-OSU. There's little mention of other sports, even the high school section appears before the NBA or NHL sections 2) The NHL All-Star Game is in Atlanta this year. Tickets are all sold out, but i might have to make the 20 minute drive into Atlanta to see if I can catch a glimpse of Zetterberg, Datsyuk, or Lidstrom.

Even though I'm down here in "the ATL" as the kids are calling it, with XM and DirectTV I will be able to watch or hear every Tiger game. The downside is with inter-league play on the West Coast this year, this might be the first time I don't see at least one Tiger game in person since I was 15. My best bet was for a game in Tampa Bay, but I will actually be back in MI for a wedding that weekend. There still is the off chance for a field trip to Lakeland, but that's still up in the air. So as the season draws closer I hope to post more often, and give a glimpse into what the media in other market has anything to say about the Detroit teams

My name is Dave Dombrowski and I have Brass Balls

If I'm posting it must be huge news...

It takes brass balls to sell real estate, and to be a MLB GM. Dave Dombrowski, you my friend have a ginormous set. I suddenly picture the Winter meetings as a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross, with Dombrowski yelling at Dayton Moore "Coffee is for Closers!". While Lil Stienbrenner was setting imaginary (possibly illegal) deadlines and sabre-rattling with Theo Epstien, Double D swoops in and steals the show. Let's just look at what Miguel Cabrera averaged over the past 4 years:
HR - 31
RBI - 115
BA - .319
OBS - .396
SLG - .552

Oh yeah, HE"S ONLY 24!!!

Wrap your brain around this line-up
Granderson
Polanco
Sheffield
Ordonez
Cabrera
Renteria
Guillen
Jones/Thames
Pudge


Oh yeah the Tigers also got Dontrelle Willis. I'll admit, his recent numbers aren't great for a number #1 pitcher. But in Detroit He's more than likely battling with Jeremy Bonderman for the number 3 spot. So the rotation goes like this:
Verlander
Rogers
Bonderman
Willis
Robertson


The price they paid was high...in theory. Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin are high caliber prospects. For every John Smoltz, there are three Seth Gresingers. Worst case scenario, the Tigers let Cabrera and Willis walk in 2 years and get 4 1st round draft picks in compensation. Then use the players they pick to restock, or reload. Now Dave about that bullpen...

Dave Dombrowski: Always Be Getting Closers

A Look Back

Well a tough end to the season, non-stop work days, and wedding planning issues, and before you know it, it's been over a month since posting. Well the perfect storm of busyness and tiredness has subsided for a week or two so I thought I'd go back to what I had said in the beginning of the year.

Well if Matt Holliday's phantom tag of home plate was called correctly I would of had 2 of 4 NL playoff teams right, but he was called safe and San Diego was out. The good news I picked 3 out of the 4 AL teams correctly. The bad news, the one I was wrong on was the Tigers. As for my award predictions, lets just say I was really lucky getting Dustin Pedroia right, because I was waaay off with every other pick.

As for the World Series, douchey fan base aside, I hope that Boston wins. Why? Well if I keep stating that the AL is a better league than the NL, I kind of have to root for the team that represents them. Also, I'm not sold on the "feel-good" aspect of the Colorado team. Why should I root for them, because they are riding a ridiculously long winning streak? That doesn't make me feel good, that makes me feel even more pissed that the Tigers couldn't do that. Plus I don't care than Todd Helton's never won anything. His stupid goatee makes him look like the Domino's Oreo Cookie pizza guy.

Give it time Todd...Give it time

Speaking of annoying commercials, if Mr. Helton doesn't get hurt as the University of Tennessee's starting QB, there's a good chance we're not watching Peyton Manning cut that meat 15 times every Sunday. Also, I have an unnatural hatred for all things Colorado, dating back to the days where John Elway's huge teeth were terrorizing the NFL and the Claude "Le Turtle Grande" Lemieux led Avalanche. Finally, I just can't root for a team that wears purple. So there's that.

I wont make a prediction, because history has proven me very crappy at it. But I will watch and it should be a good series.

So You Say the Season's Over???

After the past few days, everyone I know recently has come up to me and said "What's happened with your Tigers?". Um, they lost three games in row, like they've done numerous times in August, hence we are in this situation of non-playoffs. Me, I've been taking the Kübler-Ross approach to things (finally something to show for all those psych classes in college)

Step 1: Denial
- When Joel Zumaya and Kenny Rogers come back the bullpen will be fine
- Maybe Cameron Maybin can replace Craig Monroe
- Jeremy Bonderman just needs to pitch through his struggles
- There's no way the Yankees and the Indians can keep winning

Step 2: Anger
- Sure C.C. Sabathia's good now, but it's going to be hard for him to pitch when he loses a foot to diabetes
- I would like to punch Jhnonhy Peralta in his eye socket.
- I hope one of "Grady's Ladies" gives him the clap.
- If the ball is hit to the right of you STAY AT SECOND!!!!!
- THROW THE BALL ALREADY BETANCOURT!!!!
- What the hell is Zach Miner doing out there another inning?
- Casey Blake is a gigantic piece of poop.

Step 3: Bargaining
- If the Tigers win this game, I swear I'll start looking at those reception halls like I told my fiancee I'd do weeks ago.
- Come on at least win one game...
- If Cleveland goes 1-10 in their last 11 games...there's still a chance

Step 4: Depression
- How in the hell did this happen?
- Seriously...Cleveland?!? First the Pistons now this.
- Guh, this suuuuuucks.

Step 5: Acceptance
- Oh well at least we had meaningful baseball in September
- I wonder if Jair Jurrjens will make the rotation next year?
- Who will the Tigers sign in the offseason?

So yeah, it was a letdown after last year awesome ride. But we still got a lot of excitement this season, and hopefully for years to come. So I'm going to sit back and enjoy the last couple of games I have tickets to and think of the good times, and root for the Angels to beat the Yankees, Indians and Red Sox.

Game 149 Recap

Tigers 4 Twins 3

Win their win tonight, the Tigers guaranteed themselves another season above .500. As little as three years ago I'd be happy with that...and part of me still is. But after last years playoff run I want more. Thanks to the Red Sox there is still a chance.
As for tonight's game a was just happy going in that The Tigers would at least stay even with the Yankees. The sound of Johan Santana going up against Yorman Barzardo didn't sit too well with me. I'm not sure why, Detroit (counting tonight) has been responsible for 3 of Johan 12 losses. Only Cleveland has racked up more wins on Johan. The Tigers did by attacking early. The big hit coming off the bat of Pudge, clearing the loaded bases with a double. The Twins chipped away, but unlike most of the games earlier this year, the bullpen held the lead. A healthy Joel Zumaya makes all the difference. Now the Tigers are 2.5 back of the Yankees with 13 games to go.

Tiger Hero:
Joel Zumaya. Pudge put them ahead, but Joel slammed the door. Joel got Joe Mauer to ground into a double play to end the 7th, and sitting down the 4-5-6 hitters in order in the 8th, and got the win

Tiger Zero:
Gary Sheffield. Shef, along with Marcus Thames, were the only Tigers not to reach base. I expect that from Marcus, but not Shef.

Tigers Record:
W - L
82 - 67
2.5 GB New York for the Wild Card

Game 148 Recap

Tigers 4 Twins 2

The Tigers finally are staring to string together good games, but with Cleveland winning yet again, it might be too little to late for the Central. The Tigers hope for the playoffs looks to be with the Wild Card, and If the Red Sox hold on come back to beat the Yankees, overcoming 2.5 games in the last two weeks is a possibility. As for tonight's game Nate Robertson pitched his best game since...well the last time he pitched at the Metrodome. And any time you get a Pudge walk, let alone a base loaded walk by Pudge, you know things are going the Tigers way. Then again as I am typing this the Red Sox have just blown a 7-2 lead in the 8th...ugh.

Tiger Hero:
Timo Perez. Timo just keeps hitting, going 3 fo r4 tonight and driving in 3.

Tiger Zero:
Sean Casey. 2 K's and stranded 4 runners tonight.

Tigers Record:
W - L
81 - 67