Remember me writing that I was going to try and cut down on the number of sports posts in this blog? Well, it remains true--I'm going to try hard and branch out into my other interests besides sports, but the level of excitement in Michigan regarding our local athletic teams will probably prevent me from maintaining this promise at least for the foreseeable future.
For the first time in eons (okay, maybe not eons, but it sure feels that way) both the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions are good at the same time. The Tigers will attempt to eliminate the Evil Empire (i.e. the New York Yankees) tonight and advance to play the Texas Rangers for the American League championship. And for the first time in 31 years, the Detroit Lions are undefeated at 4-0 with their stunning win over the NFL's evil empire, the Dallas Cowboys.
To top things off, on Saturday all the major college football teams in the state of Michigan won their respective games. For those keeping score, that's Michigan State, Michigan, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, and Eastern Michigan.
I'm usually guardedly optimistic about my favorite teams' chances, even in the best of times, so I'm trying not to get too geeked about the Tigers or Lions, but both teams are looking great right now. The Tigers will have Rick Porcello on the mound tonight. He's been inconsistent this season, but I sure hope he can pitch his best game of the year this evening--and maybe the Tigers' bats will cut loose against the Yankees' A.J. Burnett, who has been a disappointment all season for the Bronx Bombers.
The toughest part about this game, at least on a personal level, is that the starting time is 8:37 PM. (Don't ask me how Major League Baseball comes up with these weird game times). It's just too late! I stayed up until the end of last night's Tigers/Yankees game, which did not conclude until about 12:30 AM. Of course, after the Tigers' anxiety-enducing 5-4 win, I was so wired that I didn't feel like going to bed right away and watched a half-hour of the postgame commentary. I didn't finally get under the sheets until 1:00 AM, and believe me, I paid for it this morning when I had to get up at 6:00 to get out the door for work.
The worst part of these late game times is that Major League Baseball has made it quite clear that they aren't concerned about the future of the game: i.e., the kids who will hopefully grow up to become baseball fans. At least the Rangers/Rays game started at 2:00(ish) this afternoon, and the Cardinals/Phillies game started at 5:00(ish). Kids who are interested will at least be able to see those games, but if there for all the young Tiger or Yankee fans out there, forget it. Unless those kids have lenient parents, there is no way they can stay up to see the entire game tonight.
I'm heading towards my diatribe against Major League Baseball, and all the ways that it is mismanaged by Commissioner Bud Selig, but I'll save that for another time.
Well, it appears my writing time is being interrupted by that thing called "life", so I may or may not come back to complete my thoughts here.
Go Tigers! Go Lions! Go Spartans!
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