Good Times for Detroit Sports Fans

It's nice to be a fan of Detroit's sports teams these days. Last night, the Pistons went up 3-0 on the Chicago Bulls, to take a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the NBA. Also yesterday, the Tigers beat the Mariners, putting them half a game in first place in the American League Central. Tonight, the Red Wings begin the Western Conference Semis of the NHL, taking on the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. As for the Lions, well, they are currently undefeated.

The baseball team, after an April of fits and starts, has gotten into a groove, winning 9 of their last ten. Mostly it's because the bats have awoken. Placido Polanco and Magglio Ordonez are leading the charge, both among the league leaders in hitting. Gary Sheffield, the major acquisition over the off-season, got off to a horrendous start, has come around, although he's still only hitting in the 220s. The pitching has done enough to get by, although the bullpen is worrisome. Joel Zumaya will be out for three months following surgery to a finger, which means that the ancient Jose Mesa will be integral in set-up work. This makes me extremely nervous, as does any appearance by Fernando Rodney, who has already lost 4 games this season. He retired the side order yesterday, so maybe he's righted his ship.

Tonight starts a key series in Minnesota. The division is a tough one, with the Twins, Indians and White Sox all in the mix. Given the Yankees' slow start, it's highly probable that the wild-card winner will come from the Central, and arguably it's the best division in all of baseball.

As for the Red Wings, after a few years of going out in the first round, they have won two rounds, polishing off Calgary and San Jose, and are now one step from the Stanley Cup finals. My relationship with the Red Wings is probably not all that unusual: I pay almost no attention to them during the regular season, but do try to watch them during the playoffs. It is then I reacquaint myself with who the players are. Fortunately, they've had some players for years, like Chris Draper, Niklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, and Chris Chelios. Other guys, like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, are young and take some getting used to. The Yzerman-Federov-Hull days are long gone.

When it comes down to it, I think hockey is my second favorite sport. The problem is it is hard to find on the TV dial. But I don't think anything matches it for excitement. To me, there is nothing in sports that is as gripping as sudden-death overtime in hockey, especially if it's in the playoffs. I think back to Steve Yzerman's goal in game seven against the St. Blues some years ago, and the bedlam that ensued. It is true that hockey is a game best appreciated in person (which is a contrast with football, which is a game best served by television), but if a person knows what to look for, hockey on TV is very exciting.

As for the Pistons, they have marched right along in this year's playoffs, winning all seven games they have played. I have watched almost none of it, and I don't remember whether I have watched any of their games this year. NBA basketball has very little appeal to me anymore. It wasn't always this way. Back when the Pistons had the Bad Boys I hung on every dribble, and even went to a playoff game back in 1986 when they played in the Silverdome, taking on Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. I watched every minute of their first championship against the Lakers. But somewhere along the line I lost interest. It might be because the game itself is flawed, as it seems that a fourth quarter can last an hour, with a parade of time-outs and foul shots. Or maybe it's the players, who all seem to specialize in thuggish, anti-social behavior. When the Pistons won an unexpected championship three years ago, I hardly noticed.

I certainly wish them well this season, and if they get to the finals (they would have to get past the Cleveland-New Jersey winner to do that) I may pay attention. It's an easy team to root for, put together by Joe Dumars, one of the original Bad Boys. They are a team without big stars, and play together like a unit.

For a city like Detroit, which has little else to recommend, it's important for the sports teams to do well. If only the Lions could take a cue from the other teams (admittedly, the Tigers were in the wasteland for a decade) and get their act together.