Above the fold - Detroit sports weekend in review

Michigan and Michigan State basketball: This past weekend we were witness to teams heading in opposite directions. Sparty is a good team that is playing horrifically (By Spartan and Izzo standards), and the Wolverines, who are going nowhere (Unlike the tournament bound MSU), but getting better by the game.

Sparty was outright spanked 80-61 by an Indiana team that was reeling from the latest NCAA infractions committed by the man who's never seen a phone he wouldn't make a call from, Kelvin Sampson. MSU has pissed away any chance at winning a Big 10 title, and are dropping from a high to a middling seed in the NCAA's. Spartans Weblog is trying to look on the bright side, and comes up with 10 reasons why...

1. There are only a handful of college basketball fan bases in the land that can feel despondent about a team with a record of 20-5 . . . and we’re one of them.

This is not to say we shouldn’t feel despondent. It’s only to say we should actually feel good about the fact we’re despondent.

I hope Tom Izzo has something up his sleeve, as this group of Spartans suddenly has the appearance of a one and done NCAA team. But we are talking about Izzo, so my money would be on his turning the Spartans around by March. He's earned the benefit of the doubt...

On the flip side is Michigan. Now on a 3 game winning streak, the Wolverines may have played their best game of the season in beating tOSU 80-70, in a nationally televised matchup. The Maize Rage bum rushing the court after the victory capped what was the definite high point of what has been a trying season overall for John Beilein.

Michigan is still a long way from being even a top tier Big 10 team, and a couple of seasons away from competing for a NCAA berth. But the 3 game winning streak has shown that Beilein's system is finally beginning to take root. At MGoBlog, Brian touches on the sudden hoops turnaround...

What happened to the clueless team from earlier in the year? Well, with Harvard spiraling its way towards last place in the Ivy League we can safely assert that it takes more than a couple months to organize a system at maximum entropy, and it takes more than a couple months to turn the smartest basketball team in the land into a confused gooey mess. The progress Michigan was decidedly not making from the Amaker era -- at points during the first Ohio State game the offense was indistinguishable from the random, purposeless ball movement of yore -- has all come in a rush.

So for now the future is bright. Check back in two weeks.

Considering Michigan basketball had hit rock bottom under Amaker, it doesn't take all that much for things to be looking up for the Wolverines. It also helps that a legitimate talent like Manny Harris is around to brighten Michigan's future. It's not bright enough yet to wear shades, but wearing a billed cap wouldn't hurt...

Detroit Pistons: It being All-Star Weekend, other than Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton (Uh, Rip...Look at the 3 point line next time, K?) making token appearances, and 'Sheed treating the game with all the respect it deserves (That being very little), there's little to report.

The NBA's All-Star Saturday Night, save for a few Dwight Howard and Gerald Green dunks, was a total snoozefest. The same can be said for Sunday's All-Star Game itself, which is a showboating, no defense, crapfest. (And I have to say "What the fuck?" when it comes to the All-Star unis. They were ugly to the eyes, and confusing as all Hell during the game) I'm glad the overrated weekend is over, and the Pistons can get back to much more important issues, such as preparing the playoffs. Moving on...

Detroit Red Wings: 6 straight losses. I didn't see that coming. The Red Wings have built themselves a big enough cushion in the Western Conference that the losing streak has barely put a dent in their lead. So I'm not worried...Yet. If the struggles continue for another couple of weeks? Well, let's not talk about what would currently be a hypothetical. I'm in a wait and see mode. Wait till the injuries heal, and then we'll see...

I do think that a trade or 2 will be made by the deadline. The Red Wings are too good (When 4 of their top players aren't sidelined by injury, anyway) , and too close, to not go all in for a run at the Stanley Cup. Could Darren McCarty be one of the pieces to help put the Wings over the top? Going by his first game with the Griffins, I wouldn't bet against it...

The Wings play the Nordalanche tonight. Now is the time to turn things around, as there's very little better in life than the Wings beating down on that team in Colorado.

Detroit Tigers: The following describes all Tigers fans going into this season...

Workouts have begun! Pitchers and catchers have reported! Full workouts are almost here! 6 weeks till the season starts! Pennant and World Series, here we come! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! //head explodes//

It's all happiness and good feelings in Lakeland, save for the Brandon Inge "situation." It's become the story of the spring. Everyone is saying the right things, but it's obvious Inge wants out, and the Tigers are doing their damnedest to oblige. Ian takes at look at possible suitors for Inge, few they may be, at Bless You Boys.

I'll toss out some more arbitrary speculation, playing off a post that ran on MLB Trade Rumors the other day. San Francisco has been circled as a possible landing spot for Inge ever since Miguel Cabrera took over his position. Meanwhile, the Giants are looking to deal pitcher Noah Lowry. That got me wondering if we could have a match. Lowry's under contract for two more seasons, along with a club option for 2010, that would total $13 million. (Without the option, Lowry's owed $6.75 million.)

I have a nagging feeling the "situation" is going to drag on for quite some time to come, and Inge is going north as a Tiger. Thus, the Tigers will occasionally showcase their disgruntled former 3rd baseman to teams in need, and will continue to troll the league for trade partners.

It's become clear it may be easier to finds takers of Inge, and his big contract, if he shows some pop in his bat over the first few months of the season. Inge is will be biding his time as a super sub till the July 31st trade deadline.

Detroit Lions: I hear there is new Lions blog in town, and is worth checking out...

Other than that HUGE news, there's not a peep coming out of Allen Park. At Mlive, the Killer thinks there's some sort of "Curse of Bobby Layne," which is utter bullshit. The truth? It's the "Curse of William Clay Ford," period.

That's "Above the Fold" for Monday, 2-18-08!