Stay sick, scratch glass, climb walls, turn blue!

Bear with me for one more Halloween post...

If you are of a certain age, and grew up in Detroit or Cleveland during the 70's and 80's, you know exactly where the post title comes from. If you are over the age of 30, you fondly remember the best late night horror movie host to ever grace the airwaves, The Ghoul.

You'll also remember jokes about Parma, Ohio, his nemesis, Froggy, Cheez Whiz abuse, his constant use of "Hey gang!" and "Overdey!" and his blowing shit up with M-80's.

For you youngsters out there who missed out on the fun, believe me, I'm just scratching the surface of the televised insanity. Late Saturday nights on channel 50 were total anarchy! It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it...

So in the spirit of Halloween, here's the classic opening from "The Ghoul Show!"



Here's Froggy catching some grief from The Ghoul...



The Ghoul would give us these words to live by at the end of every show...

"Stay sick, scratch glass, climb walls, turn blue! But most importantly of all...Do it while you can, but don't get caught!"

Happy Halloween!

Pic courtesy of The Detroit Tigers Weblog. I have to say that Billfer is quite the artisan with a knife...


I hope everyone has a safe and fun All Hallows Eve. Save the Sweet Tarts for me!

Above the Fold - Wednesday, 10-31-07

Addendum 12:30PM: What I was afraid of happening, has. This story is starting to blow up. Scott's post and video are making the web rounds, picked up by Deadspin, The Big Lead, and ESPN, to name just a few. It's been a hot button hot topic on Detroit sports talk radio as well. I just heard some tape of Kitna's explanation on WXYT, in that he was just "Trying to win a contest." He also said that another Lion (Paraphrasing) "Showed up as me, a bible thumper." As we thought, it was all in fun. Unfortunately, it was not thought out all that well by the Lions QB, not realizing there would be some blowback...

You know what great about being a Detroit sports fan? It's never, ever dull.

Between having the 4 major (Or does the NHL only count as 1/2 a major?) pro sports represented,and two Big 10 schools (I won't make a NHL style joke about Sparty, things are bad enough after the Iowa debacle) within an hour drive of southeast Michigan, there's always something going on, to root for, and write about.

The D being a big time sports market also allows more opportunities, to put it bluntly, for strange shit to happen. And happen it has, even though for Lions fans it's deja vu all over again.

A tip o' the cap to Quo Vadimus for directing me to the video of the latest Lions controversy. Let's roll the video (Also available at the website of WJBK FOX 2), and pay particular attention at the 20 second mark.



Yes, that's Lions religiously righteous QB Jon Kitna at a team costume party, costumed as the infamous naked, drunk, fast food eating, assistant coach, Joe Cullen, with his wife as a Wendy's drive-thru worker.

To be honest, it's a pretty lame ass costume. An air brushed t-shirt?

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I'm sure your first thought is of the much reviled, happy footed QB Scott Mitchell, and his Wayne Fontes in Mickey Mouse ears costume of a decade ago. It sure was mine, as it would be for anyone who around Detroit at the time. Mitchell's costume became a national story, and helped grease the skids for the end of the Fontes era.

The patton saint of TWFE, the Big Buck, as Mickey Mouse.

Yes, hard as it is to believe, the Fred Flintstone lookalike in that distinguished picture was the head coach of an NFL team. For some reason, don't envision Bill Belichick or Tony Dungy ever wearing Mickey Mouse ears.

And this was the Lions'overpaid, clumsy lug of a QB as the great Wayne-o

Well, as you might think, the MSM was quick to condemn Kitna. Drew Sharp, unusually positive over the past few days, couldn't wait to get his proverbial knives out, and do a little QB carving.

What was Kitna thinking? Was such brazenness another example of the swashbuckling cowboy attitude that has made him the emotional and spiritual backbone of the Lions locker room? The stunt was consistent with Kitna’s in-your-face style. If you don’t like what he says or what he does, that’s tough. He’s not changing. But he crossed the line this time and owes Cullen an apology, if for nothing else but for pushing that embarrassing evening back to the forefront of local consciousness.

Terry Foster, on the other hand, was a little more forgiving. He takes more of a live and let live view, that it's nothing more than a boys will be boys sort of thing.

We joked about it but was it OK for Kitna to joke about it and was it disrespectful of a position coach? It was in bad taste. He probably shouldn't have done it, but it is not the end of the world. Kitna loves to joke around. We know he is religious, but he is also a big kid and enjoys having fun at the expense of teammates and coaches.

Over at Pride of Detroit, Sean doesn't like what Kitna did, but won't "Completely throw him under the bus" either.

One thing I will say is that none of us know the specifics of the Lions locker room. That is what makes this situation so complex. For all we know, Cullen could be way past the incident and may even laugh about it himself. I really doubt that is the case, but we just don't know. I guess with that being said, I can't completely throw Kitna under the bus for wearing the costume he did, but I still don't think it was in good taste. Was it funny? To an extent, yes. But it still doesn't change the fact that Cullen had serious problems when the incident occurred.

If a friend of mine had done something as stupid as the naked coach did, he'd never hear the end of it. And I mean NEVER. Trust me, there's things I did in my somewhat wild youth that I still catch shit for from buddies, 20 years after the fact.

That's why my thoughts are more in line with Quo Vadimus (Scott thinks the costume was not that big of a deal) and Foster, in that Kitna intended the get up as good natured, if thoughtless, ribbing.

In the big scheme of things, Kitna's costume really isn't a big deal. But you know what? I bet it will become one anyway. We live in a 24/7 media driven world, and that video is tailor made for the 4 letter network, and their pundit squadron of screaming talking heads. Hell, the Mitchell-Fontes costume crapfest made national headlines, and there was nowhere near the media and web presence around at the time. So yeah, I expect some shit to hit the fan.

This wouldn't have ever have been an issue if the Lions had done what they should have a year ago, and canned Cullen's drunken ass after getting busted in that Wendy's drive-thru for naked drunk driving. I know, I know, he was forced to get help, and has been (For all we know) a good citizen since. Thing is, it's the NFL, where 2nd chances for anyone but super talented athletes are few and far between. Why? Because a stunt like the one Cullen pulled can come back to bite you in the ass. Which it now has...

With the team playing their best football in 7 seasons, the last thing they need is even a hint of controversy. I have a feeling Kitna's costume faux pas may dominate the buildup to the Broncos game.

If there's one truism in Detroit sports, it's this... "Wherever the Lions go, trouble follows."

Mike Williams joins "The Murderers Row of Suck"

It almost slipped through the cracks, but there was an interesting NFL transaction Tuesday. The Lions former 300 lb wide receiver, 1st round uber-bust Mike Williams, was released by the Raiders. I'd think it's safe to say that Williams' short, disappointing NFL career is over.

Mike Williams couldn't run a post route to save his life,
but he sure knew the fastest route to Dunkin Donuts

Unfortunately, Big Mike had more interest in trying to find his next glazed donut, than keeping in shape or learning the playbook. His short career was a huge (Pun intended) waste of talent, a #10 overall draft pick, one Hell of a lot of money, and of everyone's time.

Wasted picks the like of Big Mike Williams is why I'll never let up on Matt Millen. Yes, the Lions are 5-2. But they are winning despite of the incompetent boob, not in thanks to anything the dumb ass has done.

What will be Millen's legacy?

That he drafted Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams, "The Murderer's Row of Suck."

All 1st round draft picks, all no longer Lions, and all total and utter BUSTS. I hope that legacy ends up on Millen's tombstone...

Don't let the door hit you in the ass

It's official. The Black Hole of Suck is done. Neifi Perez, is no longer a Detroit Tiger. He has filed for free agency.

Dude, you sucked...

TBHoS will not be missed by the Tigers, their fans, the local media, and anyone that thinks baseball should be played with even a modicum of skill. I wish TBHoS good luck in his future endeavors, as long as those endeavors take place as far away from Detroit as humanly possible.

Answering the Detroit Tigers' "Burning questions," Edgar Renteria edition

Lynn Henning's burning questions make their first appearance of the offseason, thanks to the Edgar Renteria trade. Which means it's time for TWFE to make sense of the latest Q & A.

Subjects covered include a certain shortstop, the cost of obtaining said shortstop, A-Rod, who's in left field, and what the Tigers do next.

Lynn's got questions, I got answers...

Burning questions after the Tigers pulled off a whopping trade Monday for shortstop Edgar Renteria

Q: How good, or bad, was Detroit's trade for Renteria? Does he fill the bill? Did Detroit give up too much?

Henning: Renteria appeared all along to be the Tigers' best option. They had to find an optimum mix of defense and offense that would hold up over 162 games and they probably got their most practical answer in Renteria.

Big Al: To answer Henning's questions in order, as for some odd reason, he doesn't

Great, he was the best fit realistically available, and no.

As Carlos Guillen moving across the infield was set in stone, the Tigers had to do something, and do it quickly. The longer the search lasted, the higher the price would have been. Not that the Tigers got off cheaply...

It's not as if the free agent market had any SS near Renteria's quality (Eckstein? Hell to the no!), or affordabilty (A-Rod? Only in your dreams!), and no one in the Tigers system was capable of making the leap, so a trade was the only the option. The Braves aren't stupid, and weren't going to give away their All-Star caliber SS for never-gonna-be's. Painful as it may have been, the Tigers said "I-75 is the quickest route to Atlanta, guys" to Jurrjens and Hernandez.

Q: Does he have significantly better range than the man he replaces, Carlos Guillen?

Henning: He has marginally better range. He has a much stronger arm. He also can hit .300 or better and, this is noteworthy, he can take a walk. If his .390 on-base average last season is an indicator, he should help produce plenty of runs in 2008.

Big Al: According to the standard fielding stats, and the (Incomprehensible to me) sabermetric zone rating stats, what Henning says is true. Renteria will be just fine defensively, and a welcome addition to an already powerful offense.

The Tigers acquired a healthier shortstop, who's better defensively, and a step down offensively. Then again, every shortstop in the majors would be a step down offensively from Carlos Guillen. Still, Renteria is a good offensive player, in the top level of shortstops.

The Tigers are also anticipating that a 1st base playing Guillen will be much healthier than a shortstop playing Guillen. Vital as he is to the Tigers offense, that's another check to add to pro side to this trade. Really, the only con is the cost of 2 very good prospects.

Q: Did the Tigers have to give up two hotshot prospects on the level of Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez?

Henning: It was clear all along that the Tigers were going to lose a promising starting pitching prospect in any trade for a quality shortstop. The guess here was that it would be Double-A right-hander Dallas Trahern. Jurrjens is not the kind of pitcher you want to ship to another club, but that's the reality of the marketplace.

As for Hernandez, he's likely to be a .300-hitting, base-stealing leadoff man for the Braves for a long time. The Tigers understood that. But with Curtis Granderson and Cameron Maybin already likely to cover lots of ground when they line up as outfield starters, the Tigers could afford to part with Hernandez and worry about grooming a power-hitting right fielder.

Big Al: Henning brings up a couple of good points. We knew the Tigers were going to go the trade route to find Guillen's successor, and the cost would be, at the very least, one of the Tigers hotshot pitching prospects. I'll admit, my first thought when I heard about the trade was, "No! Not Jurrjens!"

But I also had to keep in mind that my impression of Jurrjens was based off of a very small sample size, a handful of late season starts. As good as he looked at times, his ERA was over 4.70. The shoulder injury he suffered in September was also a red flag. That the Tigers are committed to stockpiling young arms made the trade, in my mind, easier to accept. You can never have enough pitching, the reason being is so you can make moves like trading for an All- Star shortstop.

As for Gorkys, all I know is what I read from sites like Take 75 North, and the posters that follow the Tigers minor league system closely at Motown Sports. The general consensus being that he's got MLB tools, and was the fastest player in the system, but is a long ways (3+ seasons) from being an every day major leaguer. His main value in the bigs would be speed, and hitting for average, but odds are good that he won't develop a powerful enough bat to play a corner outfield position.

In other words, he's a center fielder, blocked by both Curtis Granderson, a budding superstar, and Cameron Maybin, who's a more impressive prospect, and will be in the Tigers outfield in 2 seasons, max.

With those two in front of him, it's no wonder why the Tigers thought Hernandez was expendable.

Q: How shocking was it that Alex Rodriguez is opting out of his Yankees contract? Did the Tigers have any shot at him?

Henning: Everyone knows Scott Boras, who is A-Rod's agent, has a pursuing team up his sleeve. That team figures to be the Angels. The Tigers never figured to be a player for A-Rod even before the Renteria deal was made.

Big Al: Considering Scott Boras is A-Rod's agent, I'd have been shocked if he DIDN'T opt out.

Having A-Rod in the middle of an already powerful lineup was nice to dream about, but that's all it was, a dream. The only reasons why you'd see the Tigers even mentioned as being on the periphery of the A-Rod sweepstakes was their need for a shortstop, and their good relationship with Boras.

It was never going to actually happen, and the trade for Renteria effectively ends that silly talk.

Q: Why not?

Henning: There were too many perils. To tie up $30 million a year -- which will be somewhere in the neighborhood of A-Rod's deal -- in one player was not going to happen in Detroit. The Tigers would have had to spend millions more to reconfigure Comerica Park to make it fair for a hitter of Rodriguez's style and status. He has lost too many tape-measure home runs in Detroit to endure such frustration when he's likely to challenge Barry Bonds' career home-run record.

Big Al: Why not?

Money money money money money money money money money money money money!
Money money money money money money money money money money money money!
Money money money money money money money money money money money money!

Also because of the, cash, moolah, clams, bread, greenbacks, legal tender, lettuce, Benjamins, cheddar, bucks, dough, C notes, paper, chips, coin, jack, lucre, wampum, loot, the long green, and scratch involved!

For that matter, there's one more reason. He's going to cost too much!

Boras will get enough money to choke a goat for A-Rod's services. The Tigers have cash, but enough to choke a goat? I don't think so.

Q: Would A-Rod not cure the Tigers' ills as a man who could have played shortstop and added 50 home runs to the lineup?

Henning: Can he pitch, too? Everyone forgets that it's still about pitching. The Tigers will be further ahead, for years to come, by investing in pitching first. Notice that the Yankees have had problems getting back to the World Series the past six years, all because they were consistently outpitched.

Big Al: As great as 50+ home runs, and 150+ RBI would be, the Tigers have more than enough offense. (Even though a left-handed bat would be a very nice addition) Their offense wasn't as good in 2006, yet they were a World Series team. Their pitching is what carried them to the World Series.

The Tigers missed the 2007 playoffs because of their pitching issues. A combination of injuries, ineffectiveness, and inexperience did in their pitching staff. The Tigers' 2008 hopes are pinned on how that pitching holds up.

I'm sure Dave Dombrowski's main focus from here on out will be on acquiring pitching.

Q: What's up for the Tigers?

Henning: They have 15 days to sign their impending free agents, which for them means Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones (Sean Casey will not be pursued). After 15 days, the players can become open-market free agents.

Big Al: Don't forget, they need a left-handed bat. Let me remind you, a left-handed bat! Do you hear me Dombrowski!? A LEFT-HANDED BAT!

Well that, and re-signing The Gambler and The Rollercoaster. Another arm or 2 would be advisable, but nailing down Rogers and Jones (Or a capable replacement for Jones, say, Rivera?) are next on the offseason to-do list.

Q: Will the Tigers sign both Rogers and Jones?

Henning: The belief here is yes. It will not be easy, but it seems reasonable to expect that deals will be worked out with both pitchers, which is imperative if the Tigers are to be a playoff team in 2008.

Big Al: Considering the Tigers are unquestionably in win now mode, I'm 99% sure they will be singed to the line that is dotted. I'd anticipate both getting fair 1 year deals. To be honest, I'm fine with that, as I think they both still have something left in their tanks.

Q: What about left field?

Henning: They will try to sign a left-handed power hitter. The most practical choice there is Geoff Jenkins after the Brewers formally declined his 2008 option.

Big Al: As long as he's left-handed, and has proven to have some pop in his bat, I really don't care who the Tigers sign to play left.

Jenkins would be a nice 1-2 year stopgap solution. I'm positive he's on the Tigers' short list of left field candidates, along with free agents like Brad Wilkerson and Cliff Floyd (To name two of the more prominent FA's), along with the in-house option, Ryan Raburn. (Though he's a righty, he earned a long look this spring after his performance in August and September)

Q: Will anyone from the Tigers' starting rotation, such as Nate Robertson, be traded for a catching prospect?

Henning: No. Not during the offseason. The Tigers will never risk backing themselves into a corner. Any team that comes out of spring training minus five reliable starters is asking for disaster. And any team in baseball would be happy to have Robertson as its rotation's No. 5 man.

Big Al: No. No. No. A thousand times, no! They've weakened their pitching depth already with the Renteria deal. There's no way in Hell will they trade their #4 starter, at least in the next 12 months, for what would essentially be a backup catcher with the 2008 Tigers, or in the minors for most of the season.

Obviously, they are looking for Pudge's replacement, but with their push to win, and win now, that hole may not be filled till November of 2008. There's too much at stake going into this coming season to trade one of the rotation members, unless something unprecedented happens over the next few months, and the Tigers acquire a 2nd front line starting pitcher (Assuming Kenny Rogers signs).

With their objective being quite obvious, win big in 2008, I wouldn't put obtaining another big time arm past the Tigers. The winter months are going to be a fascinating time for Tigers fans.

Above the Fold - Tuesday, October 30, 2007

We all know what the hot topic is in Detroit today. The Tigers started off the MLB hot stove league on Monday afternoon, not with a bang, but with a swift surgical strike, in acquiring All-Star SS Edgar Renteria from the Atlanta Braves for prospects. Not just any prospects, but 2 of the Tigers top 5, the very highly regarded SP Jair Jurrjens, and CF Gorkys Hernandez.

The MSM is in near lockstep, totally in favor of the trade. They are pleased with the Tigers aggressiveness, while showing a win now mentality.

The News' Terry Foster posted to his blog with the headline, "Renteria is the right move." It was the only move, actually...

This is a move made by a team that is serious about winning a championship. This is the new Tigers, a team that makes a community proud. For too many years when big names were available we saw the Tigers do nothing.

Now they became major players again by getting Renteria. And what did they give up? They did give up a couple good arms. I admit. But they are prospects and you never know if a prospect will ever become a star.

In a shocking turn of events, the Freep's resident contrarian, Drew Sharp, praises a Detroit team for the second consecutive day! He agrees with yours truly, in that "It has been 20 years, Detroit. Time to get over your lingering John Smoltz-itis." No damn kidding, you are preaching to the choir! That's saying something, as I normally think Sharp's opinions are overtly negative, often to the point of lunacy.

Prospects are always trade bait, it's a fact of MLB life. People tend to over value their own property. How fans tend to feel about their team's prospects is a prime example of that axiom, as Sharp explains...

The Tigers can acquire a Gary Sheffield one year and an Edgar Renteria the next because they boast a plethora of young potential that piques the interest of other teams.

The love affair with the unknown is misdirected. You must adopt the “one-third principle.” If you have 10 highly regarded prospects, you’re lucky if one-third of them are good enough to regularly contribute on the parent club. Another one-third are busts who inevitably are out of baseball and the final one-third are used as trade bait to collect the veteran pieces necessary for consistent pennant contention.

The only MSM'er that appears to disagree with the trade is the News' beat writer, Tom Gage, doing so in a 1 sentence long blog post. I hope he's not being paid by the word.

Yes, they just got Renteria from the Braves for Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez - that's a huge amount to give up in my opinion.

In the blogosphere, the reaction was mixed, mostly due to the fact that it took 2 of the Tigers most promising prospects to get the deal done.

At the great great granddad of all Tigers weblogs, The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Bill is concerned, despite Renteria's undeniable talent, that the Tigers "Got a lot older." He also found an interesting article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...

It appears that the Braves are sending some cash to the Tigers. I find this odd, since the contract is fairly manageable with $9 million owed next year and an $11 million option for 2009. Are the Tigers going cheap now, saving money for another big free agent, inking Granderson/Verlander long term? Odd for cash to change hands in this one.

Ian is torn between the Tigers taking care of a need, but possibly mortgaging the future the process. In fact he's "Still trying to sort it all out in my head," at Bless you Boys.

I'm thrilled the Tigers got what was probably the best shortstop available, someone proficient with both the bat and the glove. But to give up one of their best minor league outfielders, along with a top pitching prospect seems like a rather high price at first glance. I could've seen trading either Hernandez or Jurrjens in such a deal. To see them both go is a bit of a surprise.

Kurt is optimistic over the trade at Mack Avenue Tigers, as "I really can’t think of too many times a Dombrowski trade has cost the Tigers." Kurt's right on the money with that thought. He is more concerned about the pitching side of the deal, though...

I was just getting used to having Jair Jurrjens around. He’s a good young kid at 21. Doesn’t get stressed on the mound. He was part of the Tigers reloading their young staff.

I would have been happier if say, Dallas Trahern was the pitcher selected for the trade. Just sorta throwing potential toward the Braves, not throwing a proven major league guy.

At the go-to site for all things sabermetric, Tiger Tales, Lee comes up with a runs created table ranking AL shortstops, plus Renteria. Surprisingly, "He ranked ahead of all American League shortstops." He's also not that worried about Renteria's underwhelming '05 American League performance with the BoSox.

There is some concern about the sub-par year (4.5 RC/G) he had in the American League for the Red Sox in 2005. He also had a lot of trouble defensively that year. However, I believe his problems had to do with a quiet sensitive player playing in the frenzied Boston environment and were not because he can't handle the American League. I believe he will produce as well as or better than the Sean Casey (5.1 RC/G) who he'll effectively be replacing in the line-up.

That's "Above the Fold" for Tuesday, 10-30-07!

According to ESPN, Favre >>> Any deity

After watching the 4 letter literally get down on their knees, and suck off Brett Favre for the entirety of the MNF pregame, I hope to God that Favre and Green Bay get their asses kicked from Denver, all the way to fucking Kiln, Mississippi, and back to Cheesehead Land.

Please, enough of making an over the hill, turnover prone QB out to a deity. You wouldn't have even known that the Broncos were even playing, it's been nothing but "Farve! FAVRE! FAVRE!"

It's been so over the top, even the ESPN suits have to be saying, "Jesus Christ, what were we thinking?!"

Edgar Renteria is a Tiger, yet the first thing fans think of is the John Smoltz trade?

The long rumored move finally happened this afternoon. Edgar Renteria is a Tiger! The Tigers just got better at two positions, when compared to 2006. Renteria is a better defensive shortstop than Carlos Guillen, and he's no slouch at the plate, hitting .332, with a .390 OBP, for the Braves in 2006. The Tigers merely replaced one All-Star shortstop with another All-Star shortstop.

Though I would have been fine with Guillen at short for another season, I have to admit he is a huge upgrade over Sean Casey at 1st base. The Tigers are now a much better team than they were at the end of the season. (This also puts an end to the pie in the sky A-Rod talk)

Yet the first thoughts I see from fans is that the Tigers gave up too much in Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez. It's the John Smoltz trade all over again! That trade was a generation ago, and we need to let it go. This is a move the Tigers had to make. I repeat, HAD TO MAKE.

Yet I hear baseball "Expert" Pat Caputo on WXYT already moaning the Tigers are making a mistake in trading Gorkys Hernandez, claiming we may be looking back in anger at this trade for a long time. Come on Caputo, overreact much?. Sure, Hernandez has shown he has tools, but he's a LONG LONG LONG way from being close to major league ready.

You aren't going to get Renteria for Nate Robertson and Ramon Santiago. Atlanta's GM wouldn't have taken the call, let alone make the trade. It takes something to get something, and it's not like Renteria is another BHoS...

Guillen wouldn't have moved to 1st base for just anybody.
Edgar Renteria is not just anybody...

Jurrjens and (Especially) Hernandez won't become proven, big time major leaguers for 2-3 years at the earliest, probably longer. And that's giving the two prospects the benefit of the doubt in saying they will become productive big league players. There's no guarantee that they will, and Renteria is a proven, elite level shortstop who also happens to have a reasonable contract.

Give me proven over prospect when you are a team that has a short championship window. Yes, the Tigers have a title window that is still wide open, but it could close sooner that we may think.

The Tigers top position players are on the sweet side of 30. Maggilo Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, Placido Polanco, Gary Sheffield, Brandon Inge, Pudge Rodriguez, and for that matter, Renteria, are all over 30. So are top reserves Vance Wilson and Marcus Thames. The two free agents the Tigers are odds on to re-sign, The Gambler, Kenny Rogers, and The Rollercoaster, Todd Jones, are 42 and 39, respectively.

Their manger could collect social security. Jim Leyand, no smoked spring chicken, is only signing 1 year contract extensions at a time. That's a man in win now mode.

Between you and me, the Detroit Tigers are not a team that has the option of waiting on prospects to fill a hole.

I'm not worried about giving up a couple of good prospects. 5 years ago I'd be screaming bloody murder. But the Tigers of today are not the penny pinching Tigers of yesteryear, run by a GM who couldn't draft his way out of a wet paper bag.

The current Tigers regime has proven that they can pinpoint, then sign, top amateur talent. So the Tigers traded Jurrjens? They still have bigger time prospects Andrew Miller and Rick Porcello. They traded a 19 year old Hernandez? The Tigers still have 20 year old uber-prospect Cameron Maybin. Don't forget, Curtis Granderson is only 26, and coming off one of the best seasons ever by a Tigers outfielder. Both play the same position as Gorkys, by the way.

Dave Dombrowski realizes that he still has a few holes to fill. The roster is far from being a done deal. He knows they need to find another starting pitcher, a bullpen guy, a left handed bat, a corner outfielder, and Pudge's eventual replacement. I'm confident that they will fill those holes.

The off season is less than 24 hours old, and the Detroit Tigers have just fired a warning shot across the bow of the American League. They are acting like a big market team should, and are going to pull out all the stops to win it all in 2008.

Answering the Detroit Lions' NFL week 8 "Burning questions"

It's the Monday after a Lions game, which means it's time for TWFE to answer Lions beat writer Mike O'Hara's burning questions. Today's topics include the Sarge's influence on the team, how important the beating the Bears will turn out to be, who was the difference maker in Sunday's victory, and the "P" word.

Let's do this Q & A!

Burning questions after the Lions' 16-7 victory over the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday:

Q: The Lions outplayed the Bears in every area, except for one punt return by Devin Hester. They're 5-2. Why are they better than the team Rod Marinelli inherited when he became head coach last year?

O'Hara: Coaching.

Marinelli and his staff have developed young players. The previous two head coaches didn't do that. Marty Mornhinweg didn't have the experience or the tenure to do it. He was fired after five wins in two seasons. Steve Mariucci's teams started bad and stayed bad.

The players who are expected to lead the Lions are doing that -- Roy Williams, Kevin Jones, Ernie Sims, Shaun Rogers, Cory Redding, Dominic Raiola and a few others. But the young players have gotten better.

Fundamentals are stressed every day in practice, and it shows in their play. Cornerback Keith Smith had another interception Sunday. Stephen Peterman, a guard who was cut by the Cowboys and signed as a free agent, is a solid starter at right guard.

Casey FitzSimmons, Sean McHugh and Jon Bradley -- the 300-pound fullback converted from defensive tackle -- are positive role-players on offense. Gerald Alexander, a rookie starter at safety, had an interception.

Coaching -- the nitty-gritty repetition of attention to detail in practice -- is making the difference. That's why if the Lions get good, and they have a chance now, they'll stay good.

Big Al: Yesterday, I gave Mr. Pound The Rock, Rod Marinelli, the TWFE "Charles Foster Kane begrudging clap of approval." If that isn't proof that I'm beginning to buy into the Marinelli way of doing things, well, I don't know what else I can do.

I'm going to have to agree with O'Hara. More than anything else, the difference in this edition of the Detroit Lions is the coaching.

I'll give credit for the signings of Edwin Mulitalo and Dewayne White, but for the most part, the talent isn't all that much different compared to 2006. The Lions did more "Addition by subtraction" (Dre' Bly, Mike Williams) than anything else with their roster. They have their fair share of Matt Millen acquired dead weight (Damion Woody and Tatum Bell, to name two), and they are getting next no help from their 2007 draft class (Only two picks are getting any significant playing time, Calvin Johnson and Gerald Alexander).

It's obvious that the team is buying into the Sarge's "Pound the rock" philosophy. They aren't getting too high after big wins, or too low after bad losses. Mistakes are being kept to a minimum, which is refreshing to this Lions fan. It's been great watching other teams commit turnovers and silly penalties, rather than the Lions. I'm sure much of that is a result of Marinelli's mantra of "Teach, teach, teach."

The Lions have the appearance of a disciplined team for the first time in...Well, forever. Discipline has been an issue for decades. Under Darryl Rogers? Don't make me laugh. Wayne Fontes, even in his playoff seasons, couldn't keep them from making the dumbest of mistakes. Bobby Ross? The General himself couldn't keep the Lions from imploding. Marty Moronwheg? Hell, no! Mooch? Not even close, the players ran the team.

Marinelli has this Lions team, for the most part, playing smart, mistake free football. That's a major accomplishment, and the main reason the Lions are winning.

Q: How important was beating the Bears?

O'Hara: Simple math makes it important, especially in the North. The Packers are 5-1 and play in Denver tonight. The Lions are 5-2. The Bears are 3-5 and have lost twice to the Lions. The Vikings are 2-5 and have lost once to the Lions.

The Giants (6-2) are the only team in the NFC that isn't in first place with a better record than the Lions. That means the Lions would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. It doesn't end today, and there are nine games left, but the Lions are giving themselves a chance.

A year ago, they were 1-6 and didn't have a chance.

Big Al: It can't be said enough, it was a monstrous win for the Lions. They needed to win a game on the road, if only to wipe the taste of the Redskins and Eagles debacles away. It was a victory that the fanbase needed to see. It may be the signature win we've been hoping to see, giving the fans hope that the Lions are legitimate playoff contenders, and not frauds.

The fact that the win was also a divisional game against the defending NFC champions made it that much bigger. It virtually eliminated the Bears from playoff contention, and sets the Lions up nicely for the rest of the season. The season is far from over, but beating the Bears is definitely a win to build upon. They will be pissing away a ton of goodwill if they can't follow up with more good performances.

It's up to Marinelli and his staff to make sure that they do perform.

Q: Where was Sunday's game won and lost?

O'Hara: At quarterback, and up front. Jon Kitna outplayed Brian Griese of the Bears. That's not surprising. Griese doesn't have much of an arm, and the Lions broke on his throws to get four interceptions. Kitna played it safe for the most part. He didn't risk any turnovers.

Up front, the Lions won the ground game. They ran the ball better, and stopped the run better. That put the ball in the hands of the quarterbacks, and Kitna beat Griese, as he should have.

Big Al: Kitna was unquestionably better than Griese, and the Lions dominated in the trenches (Especially the Lions' D-line, they were GREAT), but the big difference, in my mind, was Kevin Jones totally outplaying Cedric Benson. It wasn't even close. Think the Bears are regretting the Thomas Jones trade more and more as the season goes on? Benson is awful, a waste of a #4 overall draft pick, while the Lions' Jones is a quality NFL back.

When the Lions have a running game, as they have over the past two games, they become a much better offensive team. That the Lions developed a solid ground attack coincided with Kevin Jones return to health was not a coincidence.

One of the biggest plays of the game was Jones' 34 yard run the 4th quarter. None of Benson's carries came close to the impact of that run. Let alone Benson couldn't catch a cold, let alone a swing pass. His dropping a pass on the Bears' first play from scrimmage spoke volumes.

Q: Calvin Johnson, the Lions' rookie receiver, aggravated a back injury on an end-around in the second quarter. He was yanked down from behind by Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. Should there have been a penalty against Tillman for a horse-collar tackle?

O'Hara: No. Tillman did not grab Johnson by the back of the jersey at the neck. His right hand was wrapped around Johnson, and he grabbed him from the front. It was a clean, legal play, no question.

Big Al: When I first saw the play, I thought that it was a horse collar tackle as well, but the replay confirmed that it was just a very high and hard tackle. I agree that it was a clean hit. Considering Megatron's massive size, I'm surprised that a cornerback could even hit him that high.

I was damn concerned immediately after the play went down, as Johnson fell awkwardly. I'm relieved to hear that he only tweaked his back, and should be fine for the Denver game. He's a playmaker, someone that the other team always has to watch closely. His remaining healthy is vital to the Lions playoff chances.

Q: The Lions are 5-2. You picked them to be 9-7. Will they make the playoffs?

O'Hara: Yes, but that's easy for me to think and easy for me to say. If the Lions start thinking and talking that way, they're in trouble. Nobody gets trophies in October. They should keep doing what they're doing -- playing one play and one game at a time. If they win enough games, they'll make the playoffs. Then they won't have to talk about it.

Big Al: Will Detroit make the playoffs? I'm not going to make any predictions, other than there will be Hell to pay from both the media and fanbase, and questions raised about Marinelli's stewardship, if they don't. The 5-2 start has raised expectations exponentially. Before the season started, I bet every one of you would have been happy with a .500 record. Now, missing the playoffs would be a HUGE disappointment.

I said yesterday that with their fast start, the Lions absolutely HAVE to make the playoffs. There's two reasons why. The NFC is weaker than TBHoS's bat, and the NFC North is already down to a two team race.

Think about it. Realistically, the Lions don't have to worry about beating out several teams to make the playoffs. They only have to beat out one, count 'em, one, team, that being Green Bay. The Vikings are lousy and don't have an NFL quality QB, and the Bears are on the verge of an implosion, and don't have an NFL quality QB. Those two teams are done. Stick a big ass fork in 'em, their seasons are over.

The Lions play the Pack twice, and just a split will have them in great shape. But if they somehow sweep the Favres? (Which will really be an accomplishment, as they haven't won in Wisconsin since the Majik Man was the Pack's QB) The Lions will win the division. I never thought I'd be saying that as little as 2 weeks ago. Christ, I never thought I'd be saying that at noon yesterday...

Above the fold for Monday, 10-29-07

I'm going to be trying some new things with TWFE, one being a daily link dump (I'm calling it "Above the Fold" for the time being, but I'm willing to hear suggestions) that will concentrate on the day's biggest local story from the viewpoint of the Detroit MSM and blogosphere. Some days will have more news and opinions than others, obviously. But I think it'll be a M-F (Or however it ends up shaking out) post that'll fun for you to read, and fun for me to do.

Now, let's move on to the dumpage...

There's only one big story in Detroit today. The Lions' 16-7 victory over the Chicago Bears is the talk of the Motor City. It's bigger locally than the Red Sox winning the most anti-climatic and boring ass World Series in memory, A-Rod opting out of his Yankees contract and looking to become richer than both God and Bill Gates, Michigan winning without Henne and Hart, while making a massive jump in the BCS rankings, Sparty being in the midst of another downward spiral of self destruction, and the most welcome news that Saturday's in-state battle between the Wolverines and Sparty will be televised on ABC, rather than the network that's only a rumor to most fans, the Big 10 Network. (You could hear the sigh of relief all across the state)

Jon Kitna is caught signaling to God how many converts to Christianity he had on Sunday...

The MSM columnists are out in force, and boy howdy, have they changed their tune in regard to the Lions...

In the Freep, Drew Sharp says the "P" word, and it's not "Pumpkin." (Though the Bears looked like an arena league team in their bright orange Halloween worst) Sharp mentions the Lions and playoffs in the same paragraph, and not as a punchline.

They possessed the efficient look of a playoff team, never once flinching as a determined-yet-graying former champion made one last desperate lunge for salvation. They’ve become a contradicting amalgam, a mixture of their quarterback’s wild-eyed idealism blended with their taskmaster’s rock-jawed stoicism.

The Lions re-introduced themselves to the NFL Sunday after six and half seasons of comic irrelevance.

Over at the News, Bob Wojonowski thinks that this might be a "Special" Lions team. Not "Ride the short bus" special, but "Playoffs" (There's that word again) special...

This is how playoff teams develop — I'm guessing. Williams volunteered the P-word, but I must admit, this is getting weird and interesting and impossible to ignore. All 5-2 teams do not make the playoffs. (When the Lions were 5-2 in 2000, they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs). But they all have a solid shot.

Just as we've made a big deal about the pattern of the Lions' two crushing losses, there's an undeniable pattern to their five victories. They control fourth quarters and make big plays. They don't dominate and probably never will. In the NFL, you don't have to dominate to win more games than you lose.

At Mlive, the Killer sings the praises of one Mr. Pound The Rock, Mr. I Don't Need Your Respect, Lions head coach Rod Marinelli.

Coach Rod Marinelli has been preaching for 18 months to play one snap at a time and to not dwell on what happened the previous play -- whether it was good or bad.

And this team, on both sides of the ball, is really responding to it.

The blogosphere was abuzz over the Leo's as well.

The gang at Fire Millen are "Officially excited about the Lions!" A stunning admission from the most well known anti-dumbass GM site. Understandably, the buffoon running the Lions is excluded from the kudos given...

Congratulations to the Lions from Rod Marinelli on down. No kudos to Millen or Ford since for all the grief they have caused over the years, they deserve nothing but harsh criticism…the only thanks they will get from me is if Millen steps down or Ford sells the team. I’m congratulating the team and the coaches, not the Lions as an organization.

Quo Vadimus still sees plenty of issues to be concerned about, as all Lions fans do, but Scott also admits that "This is not your father's Detroit Lions team."

Now, of course, all was not perfect (I'm a Lions fan, I've been trained to see the negative in even the greatest of starts). Kevin Jones had a fumble, they kicked to Devin Hester once and it cost them a touchdown, and I'm not sure why, up 13-7, the Lions were going for it on 4th and 1 from the 2 yard line (you need to go up two scores there and kick the field goal -- Luckily Chicago jumped off-sides and made the issue moot) but today is not about the negatives. Detroit has swept the NFC Champion Chicago Bears, winning on the road, showing the world they can win on the road. Most importantly though, they proved to them themselves that the Philadelphia and Washington debacles are behind them, and now the team has a lot of confidence going forward.

Sports & Spice would like some private time with her "Special secret football boyfriend," otherwise known as the 2007 Detroit Lions. Get a room you two!

And doing so without stupid fights in the media, without controversy in the locker room, with a seemingly decent if scary looking QB, a WR who still wants the ball more but talks up his young teammates, an RB that just goes and plays, and on and on. Right now, I'm just kind of enjoying it, and I don't want to jinx it. It's like starting a new relationship - you want to shout from the rooftops how you've found the most fun, most lovely, most outstanding thing in the world - but you don't want to talk about it for fear it'll fall apart.

The Fanhouse calls out the trash talking Bear, Tommie Harris. They are also claiming the Lions are "The second-best team in the NFC behind the Giants." The Giants? I think the Cowboys and Favres may have something to say about that...

Still, it's nice to see the Lions being mentioned with the NFC elite. Though it's like being the smartest kid in special ed, when compared to the fast tracked elite kids in the AFC, but it's a start.

Let's harken back, way back ... to Monday. Tommie Harris:

"Detroit don't come into Chicago and win in our stadium."

Yes ... they do. And for the second-straight week, they eschewed Martzian football for playoff football. In fact, they played the same type of game the Bears rode to the Super Bowl last year (minus one Sex Cannon, of course). Maybe the Bears want to study the game film to learn a few things from Detroit (when was the last time anyone could say that?).

That's "Above the Fold" for Monday, 10-29-07!

The Detroit Lions are 5-2. That is not a typo, the Detroit Lions are 5-2: Lions - Bears final thoughts

Here's the links to the usual Sunday TWFE blathering, my Detroit Lions quarter by quarter blogging...

Bright hunter orange is not a flattering color: 1st quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

The orange unis aren't helping: 2nd quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

Hester is killing me: 3rd quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

The clock is your friend: 4th quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

1. To put this win in some perspective, if Denver can knock off the Packers Favres tomorrow night, the Lions will be tied for the NFC North lead. I repeat, tied for the NFC North lead. In late October, no less. The Lions? Yes, the Detroit Lions.

Brian Griese isn't hurt due to another Lions sack/hit/pressure/hurry,
he's lost his lunch thanks to looking at those ugly ass orange unis all afternoon.

Beating the Pumpkins Sunkist Hunting vests Syracuse Orangemen Denver Broncos Faygo orange pop Chicago Bears in Chicago, the defending NFC champions, is a big time win. It's the signature win that we fans have been waiting for, the game that could prove they are not frauds. So the question begs to be asked, are the Lions fraudulent? Are the Lions a legitimately good team?

No matter what what I, you, the media, the NFL may think, it doesn't matter. All the Lions have to say is, "We're 5-2." (Mike Furrey might add, "We're 5-2, media bitches! Kiss our ass!")

2. As much as I've ragged and ripped upon Rod Marinelli over the past season and a half, over his in game decision making, his questionable personnel moves, his "Pound the rock" mantra, and the fact that he was 3-13 in his first season, you cannot deny that he has turned the Lions around. An impressive feat in itself, but to do so with the huge handicap of having a blithering, porn 'stached idiot as your GM? That has to put Marinelli at the top of any "Coach of the year" talk. (If not "Coach of the millennium!" The Millen baggage is that substantial...) Not that "Coach of the year" consideration is a barometer of future success. Remember, Wayne Fontes won NFL coach of the year after the 1991 season.

So thanks to the Lions' 5-2 record, and the fact that he's done it despite the clueless 800 pound gorilla that is Matt Millen riding upon his back, Rod Marinelli earns this week's "Charles Foster Kane begrudging clap of approval" from the TWFE!

3. Amazingly, today's win has the Lions are in prime position to make a serious run at the playoffs. In their favor is that the Lions play in the Pop Warnerish NFC, but you just have to play the games on your schedule. So what if the NFC is the JV to the AFC's varsity? The playoffs are the playoffs, period. The Lions finish just 4-5, and they will be in playoff contention all the way to January. Go 5-4, and they will be a playoff lock.

At least record-wise, the Lions find themselves hobknobbing with the NFC elite. That's pretty heady territory for the Leo's, I hope to Hell they can handle it. We've seen previous editions of the Lions that couldn't...

Enthused as I am about the Lions fast start, if they stumble to an 8-8, or worse, finish, I'm wouldn't call this season a success. At this point, at 5-2, they absolutely HAVE to make the playoffs. The NFL is designed for "Worst to first" type of improvement, with the weighted schedules and salary cap. The Lions are overdue for their turnaround. The Lions have a good shot to be the 2007 version of last season's New Orleans Saints.

4. To most everyone's surprise, the 2 upcoming Lions - Favres matchups now look absolutely monstrous. The NFC North division is essentially a 2 team race between Detroit and Green Bay. For all intents and purposes, at 2-5, the Vikings are done. I think it's safe to say the Bears are toast as well, as the Lions now hold the divisional tiebreaker over Chicago.

I like the chances of the Lions at least gaining a split with the Favres, as they have always played him tough in Detroit. I've been in the Silverdome and Ford Field stands as witness to many a stupid Brett Favre interception over the years. As good as he is, Favre's a turnover waiting to happen, and the Lions have been living off of the opposition's mistakes this season.

5. I'm not sure how hurt Calvin Johnson was after being tackled awkwardly on his end around, which may have something to do with his lack of receptions. Still, Johnson had all of 3 touches today. Hurt or not, he's not getting the touches he needs. Megatron is a playmaker! Get him the damn ball!

6. I still can't believe the Lions are 5-2! I think we all looked like this after the score went final...

OH, YEAH!!!

Hey, I just had to get this picture of Kevin's impersonation of the Kool-Aid Man
from Thursday's "The Office" on the blog somehow!

The clock is your friend: 4th quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

As we start the 4th, Kitna rolls right....FUCK! He has to throw the ball well into the stands on 2nd down. No one was open, red zone issues are coming back to bite them on the ass...

3rd and goal...Jones goes wide...It's strung out...He's down at the 1! SHITSHITSHITSHIT! The Lions couldn't punch it in, and have to settle for a chip shot from Hanson. It 's good! Lions 16-7.

On the upside, the Lions are up 2 scores. On the downside, it was a prime opportunity to 2 make it a 2 TD lead.

DONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTER
DONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTER
DONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTERDONOTKICKITTOHESTER

Hanson boots the kickoff out of bounds, the Bears start on the 40. Well, that's better than Hester running into the end zone...

Come on defense! Make some damn plays! SHIT, Benson takes it over the 50, 1st down on the Lions 48.

Griese's back...He's hit as he throws....PICKPICKPICKPICK!!! Keith Smith with the diving interception! Great catch by Smith! Feel free to give 1/2 the pick to Ernie Sims, who just crushed Griese on the blitz! Nice play all around!

An out to Williams gets 9, then the Lions 400 lb fullback, Bradley, gets the 1st down! Come on, lets run some clock!

False start, Lions. Rosen says it's on Mushy Mohammed? Whatever... It's 1st and 15. A Jones run gets 2.

Kitna's back to pass...Holds it....Holds it...Holds it...Holds it...Sack. Saw that coming...Kitna's down at the Lions 40.

A short pass to Williams gets 10, and the Lions will punt.

The fans get all excited, anticipating a Hester return. Get serious... If this kick is anywhere but WAY THE FUCK OUT OF BOUNDS, Marinelli should be fired on the spot. Harris, as he should, kicks the ball towards Mexico, and Hester never gets a chance for a return. The Bears take over at the 17.

Benson gets 1 on 1st down. Griese fades...SACK! Griese never had a chance, as Dewayne White was on him like orange on a pumpkin!

Griese is way off on a 3rd down pass, and the Bears will have to punt! Yes folks, the Lions forced a 3 and out when they had to have a 3 and out! Amazing!

Walters takes the punt to the Bears 45! Yes! The Lions are in position to put a hammerlock on this game. Now if they could just do so...

Fuck me! Jones fumbles on the sweep! Bears ball at their 38. Do the Lions always have to do things the hard way? Why yes, yes they do.

GOD DAMN I...YES! Berrian drops the pass in Lions territory, 2nd down! Whew.

NEAR PICK! The pass bounces off of Clark, almost a turnover. 3rd and 10. Need a stop!

SHIT! Hester gets 19 on a pass from Griese. Come on, come on, come on...Ball at the Lions 42.

Good pressure from the Lions on 1st down, incomplete pass. The other, worse Adrian Peterson gets a couple on 2nd down, 3rd and fucking long. MAKE A PLAY DEFENSE!

Incomplete...WHAT? A real late flag, interference Lions. Wilson was mugging the wide out. Shit.

Griese back to pass...He's hit as he throws...It's a moonball...End zone tip drill...PICKPICKPICKPICK...Gerald Alexander! He's running it out! He's to the 30, 1st down Leos!!!! Hot damn, and son of a bitch, how about that?

2 runs by Jones leave the Lions 3rd and 1, and he's over the century mark! Come on, get the 1st....Williams! 1st down Lions at the 45! Slant to Williams gets 9 more, and the clock is moving....4 minutes left..Keep running please...

Jones up the gut, just short of the 1st down, it'll be around 3 minutes left when the Lions snap the ball...GOD DAMN IT! The 500 lb Bradley is stuffed on 3rd down! Bears call a TO, Lions will punt the ball into the southern hemisphere...

Hester is motioning to the crowd, but he is not going to touch the ball anywhere, anytime, at least on a kick. False start Lions, but it's not that big a deal. Just more room to just kick the ball to fucking Panama! Nice kick by Harris, it's out of bounds at the 9 yard line! BEE-YOU-TIF-FUL!

2:45 left in the game, Bears need 2 scores, have 2 TO's, and Brian Griese at QB. I like the Lions' chances.

2 passes to Olsen get the Bears to their 25, 2:34 left. White with the pressure on Griese, incomplete pass. 2:29 left. AHHHHH! Near pick, the Bears' Clark juggles a Griese pass, but it falls to the turf, harmlessly. FUCK!

2:18 left. Griese passes for the 1st down. Griese with another pass, the Bears are to the 50. 2 minute warning. Bears still have thei 2 TO's.

At this point, I'm not too worried about a score, just want the clock to run. Pass to Peterson gains 7. Clock is still running! FLAG! And it's not on the Lions, false start Bears! Ball at the Lions 48. Griese gets outright drilled, but completes the pass off the other Peterson, clock still running, under 1:30 left.

Griese completes another 1st down pass, Bears are at the Lions 30, spike! 57 seconds left, 2nd down. Flag? I'm not sure what's up... The refs pick up the flag, claiming the Lions did not have 12 men on the field. But there's a booth review? Come on now.

This is where I can put up with the "Bend, don't break" stuff. The Bears are moving down the field, but doing so slowly, and in small chunks. As I said earlier, a score won't mean shit as long as the clock keeps running.

Bears get 5 yards on the booth review, the Lions did have 12 men on the field. Typical. Get your act together, Lions!

Griese back to pass...Long pass down the middle to Hester at the goal line...BIG HIT...It's broken up, and Hester is still down! He took a HUGE hit from Paris Lenon and Kennedy! 52 seconds left, as Hester slowly moves off the field. That takes away the Bears' biggest (Only?) weapon!

Griese is back again on 2nd and 5...Looks to Mushy Mohammed the end zone...ANOTHER MOONBALL? PICKPICKPICKPICKPICKPICKPICKPICKPICK!

The much maligned Fernando Bryant with the easy interception in the end zone! Game over!!! Game is God damn over!!! Griese throws his 3rd interception in the end zone! If the Bears only had a quarterback...

All that's left is for Kitna to take a knee. It's official, the Lions SWEEP the defending NFC champs! 16-7 Detroit over the Orange is your final score!

Wow. This may have been the best overall game of the season for the Lions. The offense won the 1st half, and the defense won the 2nd. Kevin Jones had the Lions 1st 100 yard rushing game since...Well, your guess is as good as mine. Jon Kitna didn't make any huge mistakes, and took care of the ball. The defense pressured Griese all day. And most important of all, the Lions again won the turnover battle, 4-1.

I did not see a 5-2 record coming. Ever. Period. Case closed. Yet, here are the Lions at 5-2, and in prime time shape to make a serious playoff push.

I'm shocked, flabbergasted, stunned, and to be totally honest, silly happy, that I was so wrong!

Hester is killing me: 3rd quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

The Lions will receive the 2nd half kickoff, and Cason takes a knee. Lions start at their 20. On 1st down, Jones drops his shoulder, lays out a Bear for 2 yards!

Kitna drops back...It's Shawn McDonald with a GREAT sliding catch, a 29 yard pickup at the Bears 50! 2 Jones runs leave the Lions a 3rd and 5. YES! Furrey's open at the Bear 35, 1st down!

Kitna back to pass...This time it's Casey Fitzimmons breaking open at the Bears 25, another 1st down! Just like that, the Lions are on the move, and deep in Bears' territory.

Ah, God damn it...TO Lions, Kitna doesn't like the formation. Come on, get it together!

This time the TO doesn't help, as a shovel pass to Jones gets 1 yard.

BLITZ! Kitna gets rid of it, and thankfully doesn't get hit as he throws it away. 3rd and long...

Kitna's back to pass...God damn...YES! Kitna threads a needle to McHugh at the 14! 1st down! The Lions pick up where they left off at the half, with the offense running on all cylinders.

A short run, and an incompletion leaves the good guys with a 3rd and 8. No mistakes, NO PICKS!

WOW! What a catch by CJ, but it's well out of the back of the end zone. Good Lord, did he lay out...

FUCK! Hanson drills the chip shot field goal off the right upright! DAMNSHITFUCKCHRIST! Still 13-0, Detroit. GOD DAMN IT!

Alright, let see if the Lions D can continue to play well. //crosses fingers//

It's Benson off tackle, gets 8...BALL'S ON THE GROUND! Damn it, he was down. 2nd and 2 from the 28. But the Lions force 2 incomplete passes, and get the much needed 3 and out! Nice series for the D, and the Chitown fans ain't happy. Booing is in the air. So is a punt....

The Lions will start at their own 17 after a solid punt. Let's go, run some clock!

A quick out to Roy gets 3. Kitna sets up a screen, has to run...GET RID OF IT...Which he does. Shit, there's a flag, penalty on the Lions. Bears decline, 3rd and 7. Ahh, Christ. Incomplete pass, Lions go 3 and out. KICK IT AWAY FROM HESTER!!! A-W-A-Y!!!

GOD DAMN IT! Hester takes the ball back into the Lions territory, he's down at the Lions 25. FUCKFUCKFUCK! Kick it the Hell out of bounds, kick it in the fucking lake, anywhere but to fucking Hester...

Alright, time for the D to make a few plays. Benson gets 11 on 1st down, but it's coming back! Holding Bears! YES! 1st and 20 from the Lions' 36. The D stops Hester on 1st down for no gain! That's more like it!

ARRRGH, that Mushy Mohammed guy is open at the 20...1st down Bears. I'd be happy if the defense can hold the Bears to 3. VERY happy...

3rd and 4, big play! FUCK...TD, Bears. Griese with the TD pass to Olsen. He was too wide open, not well played by the Lions. 13-7, Detroit.

Lions will start at the 31, nice return by Cason. Let's make a few plays, get the points back!

GO YOU S.O.B. GO!! Jones breaks a few tackles, and he's off! He's down at the Bears 35! As Ted Nugent sang, that's just what the doctor ordered!

Kitna back...It's McDonald! He's to the 24, 1st down!

Kitna back again...Furrey for 12! Another 1st down, and the Lions are in the red zone at the Bears' 11. Jones up the gut gets just 1. 2nd and 9.

OHHH, it's Williams on an out, and he's down sat the 3 on a shoestring tackle! He was that close to scoring...

Jones up the middle...He looks just short of the 1st. And he is, by inches. Marinelli is going to go for it on 4th down...BIG BIG BIG PLAY!

The Bears jump!!! YES!!! 1st God damn down! Thank you, Pumpkins!

1st and goal from inside the 1...Jones gets stuffed short of the goal line! ARRRGH! 2nd and goal, Jones may have lost 1/2 yard.

And that's the 3rd quarter! 13-7, Detroit! I'm not used to the Lions being in tight, important games! It's been so long...

The orange unis aren't helping: 2nd quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

And we're back. On the 1st play of the 2nd quarter, the closest thing the Lions have to a hall of famer, Jason Hanson, nails the glorified extra point! 3-0 Detroit Lions!

OK, now keep the fucking ball fucking away from fucking Hester! It can't be that damn hard, can it?

A little trickeration from the Lions! Hanson fakes the onsides kick, then pooches it to the Bears 35. At least it wasn't kicked to Hester, and I like the Lions at least showing the threat of the onsides kick. A little creativity goes a long way in the NFL...

Griese hits the not very good version of Adrian Peterson for 5, then Peterson makes me eat my words with a 7 yard run for a 1st down.

It's a wide toss to Hester, and Kenoy Kennedy takes him out at the knees! A diving stop for a 6 yard loss! Beautiful play by Kennedy, the 1st from him in a loooong time. So far Hester has been a non factor. Let's hope it stays that way.

A incompletion, and false start on (Not the Lions' George Foster) the Bears leaves them with a 3rd and 21! A dump off to Peterson gets them back to the original line of scrimmage, and the Pumpkins will punt.

Damn it, the Sunkist oranges down the ball at the 3! OK, let's see some of that "Vaunted" Lions offense, and get themselves out of trouble. No stupid mistakes! KTHX!

Jones gets 9 on a sweep, giving the Leo's a little breathing room. But the Bears stuff Jones on an off tackle run, leaving the Lions with 3rd and inches. Come on, get the damn 1st down!

AAAARRRRRGH! It's play fake that fakes no one on the Pumpkins, and Kitna is sacked at the 7! I said, "No stupid mistakes!" But do the Lions listen? Noooo!

Damn it! Hester has the punt...Whew, Lions stop him at the Bear 45. Nice coverage by the Lions. How about another 3 and out?

FOX is calling this a must win for the Bears, and Chicago crosses them up by giving the ball to Benson, getting 1. That's not going to win you anything. A short pass leaves the Bears 3rd an 2. Come on, get the stop!

ACK! Benson gets 3, Bears now at the Lions 43. The Bears continue with the dump offs that worked so well for the Buccaneers, getting 8 on a dink to Benson. The Bears continue to pound Benson, getting a couple, leaving the Pumpkins with another 3rd and very short.

Tim Ryan says the Bears need to "Pound it!" When did masturbation come into the conversation?

Benson gets the 1st down, Bears at the Lions 30. I hate this Tampa 2 "Bend but don't break" stuff. Another dump off leaves the Bears with a 3rd and 6. Let's stop bending!

Griese checks off...Looks in the end zone...IT'S KENNEDY WITH THE PICK! The audible backfires! But for some reason, Kennedy doesn't take the touchback, and runs it all the way out the...7 yard line. Nice play, but not smart, not smart at all to run it out.

Still, it's another Lions defensive takeaway, and the Lions stop the Bears!

YES! Jones get the Lions out of trouble with a 19 yard run! Running game is solid today!

Offense is playing well, but now looks confused as Kitna tries to make an adjustment, and has to call a time out as the play clock runs down.

The TO pays dividends, as Kitna hits CJ for 21! Johnson was wide open at the 47. Only the 7th Lions pass of the day! Who'd a thunk it?

Flags down....Kitna drills a pass to Johnson deep down the middle at the Bears 30! YES! Bears offsides, Lions 1st down! Damn it, Kitna has to call another TO. Well, I'd rather he use them rather than draw a penalty. Still, the Lions look at bit discombobulated...

The TO again pays dividends, as Kitna hits Williams for 10, and the 1st down! A very nice drive so far, chewing up both the clock, and yards.

It's the end around with CJ! Gets around the corner...OOOO, that didn't look good...

Johnson was brought down awkwardly with a neck high tackle, and limps off! I hope to God he's OK. Jesus, Johnson just blew around the left corner! God damn, he's fast for such a big man! Thanks to CJ, it's 1st and goal at the 4.

It's Jones between the tackles...Big ass hole...TOUCHDOWN LIONS! 8 plays and 93 yards, a wonderful drive by the Lions. We saw plenty of the Lions "Vaunted" offense! 1:53 left in the half, and it's 10-0 Lions!

Nice kickoff by Hanson, as he kicks it deep down the left sideline away from Hester, gets a good bounce, touchback.

Let's go defense, stuff the Pumpkins! A pass to the TE gets the 1st, but the Lions stuff the Bears, leading to a 3rd and 10 from their own 31. Griese back...Heavy, heavy pressure, the pocket collapses...Griese is on the run, but slides a yard short of the 1st! you know Kitna would have dove for the 1st down!

With 4th and a little more than a yard, the Bears will have to punt! D does their job!

Lions will take over at their 20 with 1:03 left in the half. The Bears DB has big trouble with Williams, called for hands to the face, 5 yards and 1st down.

YES! Just a great pass from Kitna, drops a beauty just over the DB, it's Williams at the Bear 34! Lions have to use their last TO...

Kitna takes a shot at the end zone to Roy...THROW THE FLAG! The Bears DB gives Williams a slight push, and gets away with it, incomplete. That very easily could have been called interference.

Instead, it's a52 yard FG attempt for Hanson....He got all of it...SHIT! It hits high up the right upright...But he gets the kiss, and it's through!!! 13-0 Lions!

As Rosen talks about kicking away from Hester, FOX shows a clip of a football landing in Lake Michigan for the umpteenth time...It was funny once, guys. Just once...

The Lions do kick away from Hester, but it's out of bounds, Bears ball at the 40. Time for 1 play.

And that play is Griese taking a knee, and the Pumpkins fans BOO lustily! The half ends with the Lions up, 13-0!

The Lions have had a very balanced offense so far. To illustrate, they have 11 1st downs. 6 passing, 4 rushing, 1 via penalty. Kitna has been very efficient, 11-15-114, but has been sacked 3 times. FOX tells us that's 91 (!) for the season. (Hey, that's what I heard. I think...)

The Leo's defense has played well, holding Griese to 86 yards passing for the half. The biggest play being the end zone pick.

All in all, one of the best halves of football the Lions have played this season. Let's hope the trend continues in the 2nd half...

Bright hunter orange is not a flattering color: 1st quarter Lions - Bears thoughts

All sort of questions are swirling around today's Lions - Bears grudge match.

Are the Lions for real? Will Detroit get blown out on the road again? Will the Bears punish the Lions in retaliation for embarrassing them in their first meeting? Which team is the true playoff contender? And most importantly, who in the Hell thought the Bears' ugly ass orange alternate unis were a good idea? They look like God damn pumpkins...

Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan are live from Soldier Field, while I'm semi-lucid from TWFE HQ.

But first, FOX says we have to visit London, and the "Super Bowl atmosphere" (HA! Please...), for the US and British national anthems. Whatever... Does anyone seriously think the NFL will ever catch on overseas? I'm going to avoid making the obvious soccer joke.

Finally, it's game time. Will the Lions kick to Devin Hester? It's a pooch kick, but Hester gets the ball anyway. Rosen goes apeshit with excitement, as Hester scrambles his way to the 38. Jesus Christ, he's scary!

And what do you know, the Lions force a 3 and out! Will wonders never cease! The D neither bent, nor broke. The Lions will start at their own 10 after the punt.

On 1st down, Jon Kitna looks for Calvin Johnson DEEP down the right sideline! It's broken up, but at least they put the threat of CJ out there. 2 Kevin Jones touches give the Lions a 1st down. Offense is looking good so far. I spoke too soon, Kitna nearly gets picked as he badly overthrows Roy Williams.

Jones off tackle for 1 yard sets up a 3rd and 9 from their own 33. Kitna finds Troy Walters...1/2 yard short of the 1st down. Is it that hard to run the pattern to the Goddamn sticks? I guess so.

Lions will punt, hopefully put of bounds, and away from Hester. Which Nick Harris does, thank you very much. Bears take over at the 35.

2 short Benson runs sets up a 3rd and 4. For some reason Rosen sings the praises of Benson.

SHIT! Big Baby is shown on the sidelines, and he's in a great deal of pain! SHITSHITSHIT!

A Lion offsides, and 2 Benson runs, get the Bears across midfield. Rogers' arm is being heavily taped, let's hope he can play through the pain. While I was busy panicking, Griese hits Berrian at the Lion 32.

FUMBLE! But Benson gets back his own drop. It's now a big 3rd and 3, which Griese gets easily on an out to Mushy Mohhamed. Benson is stacked up on 1st down, and the injured Rogers sacks Griese on 2nd! Yes, Big Baby!

3rd and 18, and the Bears chicken out on throwing deep, and fool no one with a TE screen, which gets only 4 yards.

It's a 40 yard figgie attempt for the Bears...Gold's kick is....WIDE LEFT! Lions dodge an early bullet!

A Jones draw that fools no one, and sack of Kitna, leaves the Lions 3rd and 15. Kitna rolls right, has lots of time....Looks for Williams DEEP...Where's the flag, Roy was mugged! Yes, there's the yellow! 47 yard interference call against the team wearing safety orange!

Kitna drills a pass to the wide open Mike Furrey, a 23 yard gain to the Bears 5! AHHH, Jones wide right loses 2 yards. The Bears were all over it. DAMN IT! Kitna holds the ball too long, when he finally tucks it away, he's a second too late doing so, and is sacked at the 13! SHIT! Get rid of the damn ball!

A short pass to McDonald at the 7 brings back bad memories of your typical Joey Blue Skies dump off on 3rd down, and leaves Jason Hanson with a chip shot field goal attempt. Which will have to wait...

That's the 1st quarter folks. It ends 0-0, with the Lions on the verge of getting 3.

Paying respects...

I wasn't able to see any of Sparty's self-destruction against the Hawkeyes, and very little of the Wolverines (Closer than the score indicated) win over the (Fools) Golden Gophers on Saturday. As I like to say, real life got in the way. Unfortunately, real life was all too real this week.

My day was spent paying respects to my brother-in-law's dad, as earlier this week he passed away, at a much too young age, from a heart attack. The afternoon was spent with friends and family at an Irish-style wake, with an open bar, of which Chuck would have highly approved.

Chuck was a fun guy, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, who was also a big fan of Detroit sports. I tipped many a beer with him at family get-togethers, with discussions usually centering on the team we love, and love to hate, the Detroit Lions.

Here's hoping the Lions win one for Chuck today. He will be missed.

Housekeeping: State of the blog

I've been wrestling with a severe case of writer's block the last few days. Even when I did get something posted, it was a struggle to do so. Between you and me, whenever I write an "Inside Millen's brain" installment, it's often due to the fact that my idea well has run dry. There's been nothing but fumes in that well for several days.

I think that it has something to do with the current Detroit sports landscape. The Wolverines are rarely on TV, we all know the story as to why, so no need going there again. Ask yourself how fired up are you about Michigan playing the 1-7 Gophers tomorrow? As bad as the Big 10 is this season, in a year when a MAC school would finish mid pack in the conference, Minnesota is still unable to field a competitive team. Not exactly the most compelling matchup of the weekend. At least WXYZ is doing the fans a solid, and picking up the ESPN Classic feed of the game for all the Comcast and Charter subscribers who can't get the 4 letter's network of last resort. The folks at channel 7 gets a well deserved TWFE tip o' the cap.

On the pro side, there's no significant news regarding the Tigers expected for at least a few more weeks. The Pistons' regular season is still a good 5 days away, and Hell, it's the NBA regualar season we're talking about... While the Red Wings are playing well enough, when their biggest stories are the playing/contract status of the hugely disappointing Igor Grigorenko, and Dom Haseks' creaky hip, well, 'nuff said about the overall excitement level of the NHL regular season. As for the Lions, I'm still not sure if they are a good team or not. I have a bad feeling that Brian Griese is going to carve the Lions up. But I'll have my normal Lions commentary on Sunday, regardless.

The World Series matchup has been underwhelming, especially after a thrilling ALCS. With the Rockies playing the part of the freshman team scrimmaging aginst the varsity Red Sox, the games haven't been all that compelling. Even last night's 2-1 BoSox victory, though close, had the feeling of it being fait accompli. To be honest, even though I had fired up the DVR for the NBC comedy lineup anyway, I ended up watching their 4 great comedies in real time, than follow this snoozer of a World Series. Jack Donaghy doing role play on "30 Rock" was much more compelling than watching the Rockies helplessly flail away at Boston pitching.

Anyway, that's why things have been on the quiet side at TWFE this week. I am contemplating doing more recurring pieces so there will still be content when my creativity isn't flowing, and the Detroit sports landscape is slow. I'm thinking of doing more in the way of daily link dumps and/or news roundups, power ranking summaries, and my thoughts in regard to them, possibly extending my "Burning questions" bit to cover the Pistons (I'm not sure about doing the Wings, as I'm the first to admit that I'm don't come close in hockey knowledge compared to the Wings' bloggers) more live blogs/running diaries, You Tube stuff, that sort of thing.

I'm also going to commit to spending more time replying in the comments, as I have been too God damn lazy in replying to you guys (Like 'eff, Uncle Omar, Ian, Gun-Totin-Wacko, k, you all know who you are) who take time to comment. I very much appreciate your feedback.

I'm still going to have plenty of my normal "Pulled out of my ass" opinion pieces, but I'm hoping to do more with TWFE soon, and I want to have content you all can look forward to reading on a daily basis.

As always, thanks for reading!

TWFE's World Series predcitions

If you ask a non-baseball fan who's playing in the World Series, they'll say, "The Red Sox and Yankees, right? I do watch a little ESPN, you know!"

If you ask a non-baseball fan about the "Colorado Rockies," and they'll say, "Isn't that the team that guy who's in the Circuit City ads with Mike Ditka played for?"

Tim McCarver will continually pull imaginary "Facts" out of his ass.

The blogosphere will call McCarver out over every one of said "Facts," raking him over the proverbial coals.

McCarver will call Matt Holliday "Underrated" at least twice a game.

After a liner off the left field wall goes for only a single, McCarver will blurt, "Manny Ramirez plays the Green Monster as well as Yaz did!"

McCarver will use "Big Papi" and "Clutch" in the same sentence any time David Ortiz is at the plate from the 7th inning on.

The MSM will say McCarver is "Great!"

Joe Buck will sound irritatingly smug.

The state of Colorado will be fed up with all the "Red Sox Nation" talk halfway through game 1.

The rest of the nation be fed up with hearing about the "Red Sox Nation" by the end of game 3.

David Ortiz will not start any of the games in Denver. Thus, the next day every columnist in the nation will bemoan the fact that MLB never gotten the 2 leagues to agree on the DH rule.

Manny Ramirez will hit a home run, pose for pictures at the plate, then take 5 minutes to round the bases. McCarver will growl, "That would never happen when I played!" He'll then claim Bob Gibson would "Make him think twice about doing that again" the next time Manny's at the plate.

Bill Simmons will write 25,000 words about the Red Sox over the next 2 weeks, and make 22 "This is our country" jokes. If it somehow happens (A possibility, if weather delays cause a game 7 to be played on November 4th) that the BoSox win the Series, and the Patriots beat the Colts on the the same day, his head will explode in an orgasmic fervor.

The umpires will butcher at least one call so badly that it costs someone a win. There will be a mass call for instant replay in MLB the next day.

There will be an arrest for an attempt on the life of Dane Cook. The wannabe killer will say in his defense, "FOX played one Dane Cook "October" commercial too many. Something had to be done!"

2 games will end after 1:00 AM EDT.

The day after the first extremely late finish, every columnist in America will write something about kids not being able to watch the games.

At least 1 game will be played in below freezing weather.

1 game will be snowed out.

Josh Beckett will win 2 games, be voted World Series MVP.

BoSox win in 6.

Telling the MSM to "Kiss my butt" is silly and counterproductive....

Let alone it's not a pleasant thought picturing the "Worst columnist in Americs," or the Little Fella, actually doing so... Ewww.

We've seen it all too often with the Lions. Win a few games, get off to a good start, surprise a few teams, some Lions feel a need to mouth off about it. The latest to do so being Mike Furrey's statement he wanted all to hear after their win over Tampa.

"Hey media, we are 4-2. You can kiss my butt!"

Don't the players have better things to do that read their press clippings, or listen to sports talk radio, looking for any reason to believe they are being disrespected? Just win a few more games, and the cynicism that surrounds the Lions may finally lift.

When Roy Williams, of all people, is the voice of reason, that's telling me something. He knows how quickly a good start can turn into an ugly losing season, as he saw a 4-2 start in 2004 become just a footnote in what became an awful 6-10 season. Still, his quote seems a tad new age.

"I don't think we have momentum, we just have each other."

Awww. Hey, whatever works...

I do prefer Williams' "We're buddies in a foxhole" sort of thinking, compared to Furrey's media grandstanding. You'd think, considering their different backgrounds and reputations, that it would be Williams dishing out the media trash talk.

Williams putting his foot in his mouth is to be expected, as he often seems to lack a filter for his thoughts. That it came from Furrey, someone who's had to work for every scrap of NFL respect he now has, disturbs me. If he can fall into the "We deserve respect from the media" trap, you have to wonder how many Lions have the same attitude.

I hope it's just the exuberance coming off of a big win that caused Furrey to mouth off. Dominic Raiola claims that's all it was, nothing more. As he put it, "He (Furrey) was fired up."

be it fired up, or actually feeling a lack of respect, what the fans and media think should be the LAST thing on the player's minds.

What should be on their minds?

1. Beat the Bears!
2. Will I get laid after we beat the Bears?
3. Do have time to play some Madden after we beat the Bears?
4. The Big 10 Network sure is a clusterfuck!
5. Why does Coach Marinelli walk like he has a stick up his ass?
6. I have Shaun Rogers at 387 lbs in the pool, I gotta be close!
7. Beat the Bears!
8. Where Millen been hiding?
9. Is that really Tim Donaghy's cousin on "30 Rock?"
10. Beat the Bears!
11. How does Tom Brady get all that poon?
12. I'm benching every Bear on my fantasy team, as we are going to beat the Bears!
13. Seriously, why does Marinelli walk like that?
14. Why did Mark Cuban get eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars?" DAMN!
15. Beat the Bears!
16. Peyton Manning has one big ass head!
17. Is Ohio State really the number 1 team?
18. Lee Corso has a baby arm? Who knew?
19. Beat the Bears!
20. I need to pick up some beer. After we beat the BEARS!