The Pine Mountain ski slide was at one time was the highest artificial ski jump in the world and is still known throughout the world as one of the best jumping hills. At the first Pine Mountain Tournament, Bob Roecker, riding for the Duluth Ski Club, shattered the American jumping record with a leap of 257 feet.

For questions regarding tickets, please contact the Kiwanis Ski Club (906) 779-1110 or (800) 236-2447.  This video from Pine Mountain 2008 is a little bright, but it gives you a good sense of this exciting event. Here's another video with lots more jumps from the Continental Cup, but we have to give you this great newsreel from the 1950s voiced by Mel Allen. It was shot in Iron Mountain, and features several local jumpers including then 9-year-old Willie Erickson, a two-time Olympian and FIS World Championship competitor. Also don't miss the jumping videos from the Kiwanis club!

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While there's nowhere near the degree of Michigan hype this year as there was in 2006 when Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL, we have a few points of Michigan interest for when the New England Patriots meet the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI (46) on Sunday.

On the field, Bleacher Report has 8 ex-Wolverines to watch in the playoffs. Most have been winnowed out, but in addition to the obvious - Patriot superstar QB, 3 time winner and 2-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, there's also New York Giants WR Mario Manningham, Giants center David Baas and Romanian-born Patriot punter Zoltan Mesko. The photo to the right is from a cool feature that looks at how Tom Brady would fare as a draft prospect today:

Is not what you’re looking for in terms of physical stature, strength, arm strength and mobility, but he has the intangibles and production and showed great Griese-like improvement as a senior.

The MSU Spartans are bringing their own star power, with beleaguered WR Plaxico Burress (who set the franchise playoff record with 151 yards vs Green Bay) and another WR, Devin Thomas, who had a huge fumble recovery in overtime against the 49ers to set up the game-winning score for the Giants! Chris McCoskey notes another Spartan (Pats backup QB Brian Hoyer), and also former Grand Valley State lineman Nick McDonald, a 2nd year player who is backup center for the Pats and was backup center for the Packers last year.

Speaking of Michigan State, as usual about 20 MSU professors who will gather together on Super Bowl Sunday to break down the tape - commercial tape that is - and rate Super Bowl ads. One of them, MSU teacher Robert Kolt looked at last year's Chrysler ad featuring Eminem:

“Audiences immediately realized they saw something special,” said Kolt, who teaches in MSU’s Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing. “Within months, Chrysler sales soared.

“Company executives point to that Super Bowl spot as a defining moment in Chrysler’s successful, profitable turnaround.”

Speaking of Chris McCoskey, he's doing that thing that writers do sometimes - dissing the Super Bowl hype and the boredom of it all when he's there to cover it. A little tip I heard on ESPN from Colin Cowherd: Nobody wants to hear about how bored you are, because as sports fans they would most likely chop block their grandmother to be in your position!

One of Michigan's biggest impacts will be at halftime when Michigan-born pop music superstar Madonna takes the stage in the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Madonna (whose onstage garb has often resembled a wardrobe malfunction) has said that she's nervous. While we doubt that, we do wonder what she'll be singing. Her new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin" featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. is one possibility and TMZ has some photos of the stage showing "VOGUE" spelled out. Clue? More about Madonna in this feature from Michigan History Magazine.

Finally, if you want to set the table for the perfect Super Bowl party, Lorri Hathaway has a cool feature on Michigan Wine & Football inspired pairings in the Michigan Examiner that has some great ideas for pairings. Some ideas include Pinot Grigio & chips, ham and turkey subswith Gewürztraminer and hot wings with Riesling. There's even a Riesling Salsa made with wine from Chateau Grand Traverse!

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Iron Works #2 - Cranbrook by MikeRyu

Our Michigan February Event Calendar shows that the more the weather tries to keep us holed up, the more ways we find to get out and have fun!! Of course, there's still many, many more and we invite you to fill us in on other February events in the comments.

February Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• Having only 28 days in common years, it is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. 2012 is a Leap Year!
• It has 29 days in leap years, when the year number is divisible by four (except for years that are divisible by 100 and not by 400 in the Gregorian calendar)
• It is the only month of the calendar that once every six years and twice every 11 years, will have only four full 7-day weeks.
• Its birth flower is the Viola (plant) and the Primrose.
• Its birthstone is the amethyst.

February Quotes

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

"Surely as cometh the Winter, I know
There are Spring violets under the snow." - R. H. Newell

"February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March." - Dr. J. R. Stockton

"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour." - John Boswell

"February makes a bridge and March breaks it." - George Hebert

Notable February Dates from Michigan History Magazine

• February 13, 1855 The Michigan legislature protects escaped slaves.
• February 24, 1863 Michigan supports the Emancipation Proclamation.
• February 17, 1864 The First Michigan Colored Infantry is mustered into federal service.
• February 21, 1905 The National Ski Association is organized in Ishpeming.
• February 20, 1909 The Hudson Motor Car Company is organized.
• February 2, 1936 Ty Cobb becomes one of the first players selected to enter the newly formed Baseball Hall of Fame.
• February 8, 1985 The Stroh Brewery announces it is closing its Detroit plant.

Michigan Events for February

Also see the Pure Michigan Blog and the UP Travel Calendar for more events!

Ice Climbing - Tannery Falls
by James Marvin Phelps

February 2 - 5
Michigan Ice Fest, Munising
Ice Fest is an annual tradition that features climbing for sure, but it gives attendees a chance to learn and develop skills, hear from some of the masters if the art and to connect with friends and fellow climbers from around the Midwest! Games, winter gear demos, bonfire, sledding hill, raffles, drinks and food are all part of this event. (check out some of the incredible climbs!)

February 2-5
North American Snow Festival, Cadillac
Featuring snowmobiling, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, snow softball, polar dip, ice fishing, antique sleds, fun run, food, beverages and much more, the annual Snow Festival is a four-day celebration of winter in northern Michigan.

February 4 - 5
Taste the Passion, Leelanau Peninsula
Get a head start on Valentines Day and join the wineries of the Leelanau Wine Trail for an annual weekend celebrating wine, chocolate and love. The event features food & wine pairings at each winery along with special, winter-themed events.

The Swimmers of 2009 Perchville
by sunrisepenny

February 3 - 5
Perchville USA, East Tawas & Tawas City
The 62nd Annual Perchville USA features fishing contests, polar bear dip, a parade and more perch than you can shake a fishing pole at!

February 4
International 500 Snowmobile Race, Sault Ste. Marie
First run in 1969, the annual International 500 Snowmobile Race offers all the thrills of NASCAR on a one-mile ice oval, with drivers reaching speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Includes all kinds of snowmobile exhibits and vendors and was proclaimed by Gov. Snyder as Michigan's premier winter sporting event!

February 9 - 12
Michigan Tech University Winter Carnival, Houghton
Events include the famous snow statues, sporting events including skating, curling, broomball, ice bowling, human sled dog racing, the queen contest, a torch light parade, fireworks, the Sno-Ball and much more.

February 10 -12
Midwest Telefest, Porcupine Mountain, Ontonagon
Telefest is the largest gathering of free heelers in the Midwest! Now in its 22nd season, Telefest has evolved into a tradition and is a hallmark celebration of the telemark turn. During Telefest there will be opportunities to try out the latest tele gear, take an instructional course or clinic, compete in races, cut turns in the backcountry, watch a movie, and dance with friends at the party!

Ski Jumping in Michigan by gkretovic

February 11 - 12
Pine Mountain Continental Cup Ski Jumping Tournament, Iron Mountain
For the 73rd year ski jumpers from around the globe will gather in Iron Mountain to try and claim king of the mountain at the 120 meter Pine Mountain Ski Jump. Known around the world as one of the more challenging ski jumping venues, Pine Mountain over time has attracted some of the world’s best. Countries expected to compete in the 2012 competition include Austria, Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Slovenia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Finland, Germany, Turkey and of course the United States.

February 11 - 19
Detroit Boat Show - Detroit
The Detroit Boat Show has been staged every year for 51 years, and is known as the premier boating event in the State of Michigan. The Detroit Boat Show is known as one of the top boat shows in the country in regards to size, sales and attendance.

Dog sled races, UP200, 2007 by e.rabior

February 16 - 20
UP 200, Midnight Run Sled-Dog Championships and The Jack Pine 30 - Marquette
Three UP sled dog races provide a variety of challenges for mushers. The UP 200 is actually 240 miles in length and is a qualifying race for the Iditarod. Over 15,000 visitors come to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) to see the U.P. 200! It is a favorite winter event for local residents and out of town guests. The U.P. 200 has a dedicated group of over 500 volunteers from the U.P. and the mid-west region that come together to stage this great event each year.

February 17 - 19
Cherry Capital Winter WOW Fest - Traverse City
Winter WOW Fest is a three-day wintertime celebration chock-full of fun for all ages in the Cherry Capital of the World, President's Day Weekend featuring food, wine, music, ice & snow sculptures, a snowboard rail jam and much more.

February 16 - 19
Frost Bite Winter Festival - Harrison
The 2012 theme is "Vegas!" featuring a Casino Party, Fake Vegas-style "Speed Weddings", night out with the Vegas Showgirls and golf and ice fishing tournaments. The golf tournament takes place on 5 groomed nine-hole courses, where novice and veteran golfers hit brightly colored tennis balls over the snow.

February 17 - 19
U.P. Pond Hockey Championship - St. Ignace
The Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Championship features over 150 teams competing for prizes is played on the wild ice of Moran Bay in St. Ignace, part of Lake Huron. The tournament is the only one in Michigan where the 'pond' is actually one of the Great Lakes! Includes and appearance of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team for an exhibition game on Friday.

Winter Microbrew Fest by farlane

February 18
Traverse City Winter Microbrew & Music Festival, Traverse City
The 3rd annual TC Winter Microbrew fest brings over 40 breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies to the Grand Traverse Commons along with local food, beer pairings, heated tents, and a wide range of musical entertainment including fire dancers and silent disco to celebrate winter & brewing and benefit Bay Area Recycling for Charities.

February 18
Romancing the Riesling, Traverse City
Northern Michigan is known for producing top notch Riesling grapes, and this annual event celebrates by sharing some of the best Rieslings the Old Mission Peninsula has to offer. Participating wineries will showcase a Riesling, served in your very own souvenir wine glass and perfectly paired with a food offering. As an extra bonus, guests will enjoy at least 10% off all Riesling wine purchases at the participating wineries throughout the event.

Upper Tahquamenon Falls-Winter
by James Marvin Phelps

February 18
Tahquamenon Snowshoe Race, Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Starting at Upper Tahquamenon Falls, this annual event offers 5K, 10K, 20K and 800 meter Kids Snowshoe races. Many age groups with awards to the top three in each age group for each race.

February 20 - 25
Grand Rapids Beer Week, Grand Rapids
With seven established breweries within the city limits, Grand Rapids is quickly becoming a destination for craft beer culture. GR Beer Week is a celebration of that and will feature beer dinners, rare beer tastings, tap takeovers and other unique events.

February 24
The Great Wine & Food Symposium, Grand Rapids
Escape the snow with an evening of indulgence at The Great Wine & Food Symposium, west Michigan's premier wine tasting event. You'll enjoy gourmet food selections, and your single ticket price includes unlimited sampling of over 300 wines and beers from around the world as classical music drifts through the halls. Order your favorite wine and beer with up to a 40% discount.

February 25
The Outhouse 500 - Coopersville
Join in with the hilarious and wacky fun of the 6th Annual Outhouse 500 on Main Street in Historic Downtown Coopersville! Hosted by the Main Street Merchants Association. Teams parade, then race their uniquely decorated outhouses down Main Street!

February 25
Winter Beer Festival - Grand Rapids
NOTE - this event is (already) sold out!! The Annual Winter Beer Festival takes place at the Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, just north of Grand Rapids. The Winter Festival is a unique opportunity to sample some of the best beers in the world, all brewed in Michigan. The event includes more than 35 Michigan microbreweries and brewpubs with more than 200 different beers available to sample.

Trenary Outhouse Suessical by CreateWithKim

February 25
Trenary Outhouse Classic - The Outhouse Races - Trenary
The Outhouse Classic is an annual race in Trenary where outhouses are built and raced down the main street. There are categories: speed, presentation, best use of theme, most humorous, best workmanship, and most miles traveled. Families come to the event to watch and to compete, there are two different age brackets making competitions fair. A few years ago nuns came to compete and built the Vati-Can. Make sure to head on up to Trenary for the annual Outhouse Classic. Read Absolute Michigan's Sports that ARE Silly: Outhouse Racing or watch Outhouse Classic Outhouse Race in Trenary, Michigan.

February 29
Leap Year!, all over Michigan
February 29th only comes once every 4 years, so do something special to mark it!

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There's no doubt that the 45-28 thumping the Lions received at the hands of the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night was a tough reality check for Lions fans hopeful that the team had reached a new level. The internet fairly exploded with criticism of the Lions and a defensive scheme that was unable to force a punt, and then Lions players exploded back, demonstrating frustration and something of a lack of maturity.

To those tempted to hang their heads too low, let's remember that there are 32 teams in the NFL, and only 12 make the playoffs. Our Lions were one of these. The Detroit News has a look at strengths and weaknesses for 2012, and Michael Rosenberg of the Freep shows us that despite the "one and done" performance this year, these Lions do not have the problems of the 1999 Detroit Lions who lost Barry Sanders to retirement in mid-season and started Charlie Batch and Greg Hill and trailed 27-0 at the half in their playoff game.

Mitch Albom's column about the game and what it means offers further hope. He notes that while the final score was embarrassing, this team started the game tough and strong and is far from an embarrassment. Albom's advice?:

So you can weep, or you can put it in perspective. This was a dramatic Lions season. A 5-0 start. A postgame handshake that turned into mayhem. A mega-season from a Megatron. All those come-from-behind victories. A playoff berth. A Saturday night in the Superdome.

Pretty hot stuff for a perennially cold franchise. Remember, there were years when finding a parking space was the highlight of going to a Lions game.

Believe. Belong. You take your steps in the NFL. The defense needs big help, but by all signs, the Lions are a team stepping up. Even if their last image of the season was a stumble.

Indeed. Here's looking forward to next season ... and your comments. We'll close with a link to the highlights of the post-game conference and this 5 minute recap of the game which doesn't include a look at the Touchdown That Wasn't But Should Have Been (which would have given the Lions a 20-7 lead).

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The Detroit Lions face the New Orleans Saints tomorrow night at 8 PM. The Lions went 10-6 in 2011, finishing 2nd in the NFC North. The Bleacher Report has a nice preview of the game, and while nobody is giving the Lions much of a chance, there's no doubt that we are one of the few teams in the NFL who can get in a shoot-out with a team like the Saints and have a chance of coming out a winner.

Matthew Stafford by clintdavis
More sports from Clint!

While there's no doubt that Megatron aka Calvin Johnson is a huge factor, Mitch Albom notes another thing Lions fans can take comfort in:

We've got a quarterback.

No matter what happens Saturday night in New Orleans, no matter what unfolds in this first Lions playoff season since the last millennium, Detroit fans can say that sentence and take comfort in it.

We've got a quarterback.

It is no small deal.

Until Matthew Stafford came of age this season, the guy behind center for Detroit was a phantom. He changed faces, numbers, body types and 40-yard dash speed, but he remained invisible, a shadow, a wispy symbol of a team that was, in the end, going nowhere.

Stafford changed all that. He can flat out play the position. He's not the fastest, strongest or biggest. But he has the intangible, the "it," he makes a play, he leads a huddle, he swaggers, he yells, he engineers comebacks and puts the ball on a dime.

You know the "other guy"? That quarterback who always played for the great teams that came into Detroit and kicked butt?

That "other guy" now plays for the Lions.

Stafford was one of four 5000 yard passers in 2011 along with as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. ESPN has an in-depth look at Stafford that's worth a look. Now settle back and enjoy this great highlight video...

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Both Eckersley and the '86 winner Roger Clemens won the Cy Young as well, which puts Verlander in some very elite company. You can read more about his accomplishments at his MLB player page and in the Wikipedia entry for Justin Verlander.

On the blog front, Roar of the Tigers named Justin Verlander MVP of Everything and has a look at what hitters experienced. Kurt at Bless You Boys has some notes from the Verlander conference call and adds that Miguel Cabrera  finished 5th, battery mate Alex Avila 12th and Victor Martinez 17th.

An interesting feature on the Tigers' site relates that Verlander was by no means a shoo-in for the award due to the fact many believe pitchers can't really be compared to hitters. However, the stats are pretty compelling:

Verlander -- only the second player in baseball history to capture a Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and Most Valuable Player award over his career -- finished this season with pitching's Triple Crown. He led the AL in wins (24), ERA (2.40) and strikeouts (25), as well as innings (251) and opponents' batting average (.192). (ed: other player was Dodger Ace Don Newcombe)

...As it happened, Verlander went 16-3 in starts following a Detroit loss. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most such victories since Philadelphia's Steve Carlton had 19 wins following a Phillies loss during the 1972 season.

That amazing statistic was one that jumped out for Morosi (Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports).

"Basically, he was the best stopper in almost 40 years for a team that won its division," Morosi said. "That's pretty good. Also, the fact that on the day that he started his 12-start winning streak, the Tigers and Indians were tied for first place. To me, he single-handedly, I think, was the difference."

Here's an AP video to take it home, we'll update if we can find a better one!

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Turkey by Vaughan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and over a million Michiganians will soon be hitting the road to attend family get-togethers and enjoying annual traditions. To help get ready for the upcoming holiday we have compiled a bunch of informative and entertaining Thanksgiving related links for you to enjoy.

Thanksgiving Food & Drink

Thanksgiving starts with turkey, and the folks at Michigan Turkey are getting ready. An article from Whole Foods notes that Michigan Turkey  is not a large conglomerate - they work strictly with farms in west Michigan within 25 miles of the plant. Check out the video below The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a great feature with tips & recipes for making it a local Thanksgiving and mLive's Thanksgiving Page has some excellent info (with more coming) including a recipe for cherry wood smoked turkey that looks absolutely delicious! They note that Thanksgiving is expected to cost about 13% more in 2011, but also offer a few tips for a simpler and lower stress holiday.

You can get lots of great Thanksgiving recipes and dinner ideas on the Food Network's website and go to Michigan-based Kitchen Chick for a ton of Thanksgiving recipes including cranberry pie!

Michigan Master Sommelier Claudia Tyagi told us:

I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a lot of versatility and a lot of possibility with turkey. You could use a white wine or an aromatic wine. Those tend to go well with turkey, too.

Speaking of wine & recipes, there's a post on Leelanau.com today that pairs recipes from Traverse magazine with wines. Last year Claudia sent us Sylvia Rector's article Give Michigan wines a second look on Thanksgiving. She calls out some more Michigan wines that you'll want to put on your wine shop radar! MyNorth.com suggest a few Rieslings on the sweeter side and they also list some great dry Rieslings (which are awesome if you haven't tried them).

The Centennial Cranberry Farm in Paradise was established in 1876 and has online ordering of all kinds of cranberry products. Absolute Michigan has more about Michigan Cranberries, and lots more Turkey Day food ideas & articles at absolutemichigan.com/Thanksgiving and in our Michigan Grown section in Food & Dining!

Parades & Football!

2011 marks the 85th birthday of America's Thanksgiving Parade, and the parade is one of the country's oldest and most celebrated parades. It kicks off at 9:20 AM on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 24, 2011.

If you Motown is off your radar on Thanksgiving, how about a nice set of parade photos from the our Flickr pool, a clickondetroit.com article - "Thousands Cheered As America's Thanksgiving Parade Rolled Down Woodward " (with video), a historical look at Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade and a TV tuned to WDIV-TV Local 4 at 9 AM (also on for an hour nationally). If you're the prudent type, you might consider building up a calorie credit balance at the Annual Detroit Turkey Trot.

Thanksgiving Day by Dave Hogg

The Detroit Lions 72nd Thanksgiving Day Classic pits the Lions against the NFL leading and currently undefeated Green Bay Packers. We'll have details next week on Absolute Michigan.

Amaze your family, friends with what you learn about the origins and history of Thanksgiving on Wikipedia.

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Do you suppose that Tom Izzo uses lines like "I can't offer you beaches and palm trees, but chances are you'll be playing on aircraft carriers and on national television in March."??

This Friday, November 11th at 7 PM on ESPN the Michigan State University Spartans men's basketball team will face the North Carolina Tar Heels aboard the USS Carl Vinson (Wikipedia/Facebook) in what is being dubbed the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic.  Friday is also Veterans Day, and former Lakers MSU great Magic Johnson and James Worthy of UNC, both former Lakers will be on hand as honorary captains.  They'll also have at least one VIP in the stands, President Barack Obama.

Home Post has a slideshow of the process of turning the deck of the USS Carl Vinson into a basketball court and ESPN has a pretty cool look at the science behind the challenges the players will face in an outside game on a ship. At the bottom of the post there's a video with a look at the special uniforms the Spartans will be wearing that also provides a nice chance to meet a team that is largely unheralded and facing the pre-season #1 team in the nation. A great primer by David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press begins:

The night before Michigan State’s basketball season ended in March, athletic director Mark Hollis sat in a Tampa hotel, proudly disclosing plans for how this season would begin.

On his tablet, he swiped through artists’ renderings of how the USS Carl Vinson will look Friday night in San Diego Bay, with a temporary basketball arena on its flight deck, where the Spartans play top-ranked North Carolina in their Veterans Day opener, with President Barack Obama and thousands of military personnel dominating the invitation-only crowd.

Read on at the GR Press.

Photo credits

USS Carl Vinson PACIFIC OCEAN (June 3, 2011) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) is underway in the Pacific Ocean. Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nicolas C. Lopez/Released) 110603-N-GZ277-247

Michigan State vs. Hillsdale Freshman guard Branden Dawson stretches out for an uncontested dunk early in the game against Hillsdale Friday night at Breslin Center. Dawson netted 10 points for the Spartans in the 80-58 victory. Matt Hallowell/The State News

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It's rights for the title of the state, state champions, who's the best in the state, it's huge, big for the fans, big for the alumni and big for the players and coaches.
~Ryan Van Bergen, UM Defensive End

This Saturday at 12 noon the University of Michigan Wolverines head to Spartan Stadium in East Lansing to face the Michigan State University Spartans . The Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy is awarded to the winner of the game between the Wolverines and the Spartans. U of M holds the series edge at 67-31-5, but the Spartans won again last year, 34-17 comeback to hang onto the trophy for the third straight year. For the 2nd year in a row, both teams are in the AP Top 25, with the Spartans at #23 and UM ranked #11. This game is always a fierce rivalry , but mLive explains that in 2011 it takes on another aspect due to the new Legends & Leaders division structure of the Big Ten¹²:

...all you have to do beat out five other teams to win your division and you've got a shot at the Rose Bowl. Nebraska isn't what we thought they were, and Iowa just isn't that good. The winner of Saturday's game takes control of the Legends.

If you're looking for tickets, stubhub has them for $188 - $499.  The Sports Bank has a brutally honest preview that leads with Spartan DT and NFL Prospect Jerel Worthy's Anti-Michigan Wolverines Tattoo and breaks the game down very quickly and insightfully, and as always the folks at The Bleacher Report deliver with their slideshow of keys to the game and predictions for UM v MSU. The Freep calls it a smash-mouth showcase while the Detroit News lets a pair of former players, Michigan safety Marcus Ray and Michigan State quarterback Tony Banks, lay down the smack. On the blogs, A Beautiful Day for Football wonders if it's "Little Brother No More" and gives some interesting rivalry facts. As Bill Simonson says: "I hope this sports ride never ends."
MSU vs U of M Video Spirit Rally

Choose sides and get in on the discussion over at SpartanTailgate.com or MGoBlog. These are great resources with all the news and updates you need regarding MSU and U of M sports.

Michigan in Pictures has a couple of posts from awhile back about Spartan Stadium in East Lansing (where Saturday's game will be played) and Michigan Stadium aka The Big House.

Somewhere we have to note Whack-a-Wolverine from the Lansing State Journal and we definitely want to hear what YOU think about the rivalry and the game!

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Game 4 - Can we all agree that Nelson Cruz should not be pitched to?

It's one of the best games I've ever been involved in. Great plays by both teams. Just didn't come out the right way.
~ Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland

While we agree with Leyland that last night's game was one of the most exciting playoff games in recent memory, the 7-3 loss to the Rangers on Nelson Cruz's second 11th inning walkoff HR was heartbreaking and places the Tigers in a do or die situation.

With closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit ruled out for tonight, it all rides on Justin Verlander's shoulders this afternoon. While the position is pretty bleak, you can certainly say that there's nobody else who should be in this position. Play ball!

Game 3 - Tigers Win 5-2!

"The only way I don't play tomorrow is if I wake up and I'm dead."
~ Victor Martinez (more on V-Mart)

Following losses in Game 1 & 2 in Texas, many were already writing an obituary for the battered Tigers. After a convincing 5-2 win last night at Comerica, "bruised but not beaten" is the verdict. Following a Victor Martinez solo shot in the 4th to even the score, the Tiger bats woke up and delivered 11 hits including three homers in support of a stellar 7 1/3 inning outing by Doug Fister. Of course there's no way we won't give you the link to this gem - Detroit legend Aretha Franklin singing the National Anthem.

Game 4 starts today at 4:19 PM, and we're declaring today & tomorrow Michigan Leave Your Workplace Early Day!

Games 1 & 2 of the ALCS Tigers vs Rangers

We had a long weekend of baseball in the series, and here's not much you can say about the 2 losses other than "At least it's a 7 game series." Game 1 was a 3-2 loss, but the real loss was rightfielder Magglio Ordonez who was lost for the rest of the season to a broken ankle. Once again a Justin Verlander outing was spoiled by rain, and the Tiger ace summed it up by saying "Quite frustrating. I really felt as a team, we were starting to get into a rhythm there. We were starting to swing the bats better, and it just killed the momentum."

Tonight's game was a hard-fought post-season classic that ran 11 innings with a great performance from Max Scherzer and Jose Valverde pitching out of a 9th inning jam. The Ranger bats proved too much for Ryan Perry who surrendered 3 singles in the 11th before Nelson Cruz hit the first official walk-off grand slam in post season history to give the Rangers a 7-3 victory in Game 2.

The series comes to Detroit for 3 games starting Tuesday night as Doug Fister takes the hill at 8:05 on FOX.

Game 5 - Tigers win the series 3-2!

Last night the Detroit Tigers went into Yankee Stadium and came out with a 3-2 victory.

Game 4 - Yankees win 10-1

There's not much you can say about last night's 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. (except of course "Don't be sad Rick Porcello").

ESPN New York has video and this to say about the man who saved the Yankees season for at least one game:

As a ballplayer acquired in mid-career, Curtis Granderson was not favored to enhance the mythology of New York Yankees center fielders. Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bernie Williams -- they were lifers, men who spent every big league day under the world's most recognizable cap.

...The Yankees dealt (Austin) Jackson after their 2009 championship season because they didn't think his future would match Granderson's present. And so it was fitting in Game 4 of the division series, on a night Jackson would fail to run down the winning two-run blast from Derek Jeter, that Granderson made two catches honoring the tradition of the Yanks' most celebrated position.

Two catches definitely saving four runs, and probably saving five, in a 10-1 thrashing of the Tigers that made a most improbable winner out of A.J. Burnett and pulled the Yankees from the brink of a devastating end.

"He saved the season," Alex Rodriguez said of Granderson. "Not once, but twice."

Tiger Skipper Jim Leyland agreed that the catch was a huge out in his postgame conference. It comes down to 8 PM on Thursday night in Yankee Stadium when Doug Fister will take the mound vs Ivan Nova who shut them down in Game 1. In the Game 5 preview at tigers.com, the observe that the Yanks haven't won a decisive Game 7 or Game 5 since Aaron Boone connected off Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series. Here's hoping that streak can continue!

Game 3 - Tigers WIN 5-4!!

Ladies and gentlemen, your conductor on the Tiger Rollercoaster is Justin Verlander, who threw 120 pitches, including five straight triple-digit fastballs to A-Rod in the EIGHT INNING.

The recap on the Tigers website notes that his 11 strikeouts were the most by a Tigers pitcher in the postseason since Joe Coleman in the 1972 ALCS. His 15 pitches at 100 mph or better is believed to be a career high. Here's video highlights from last night that include some of that heat, and also some photos from Game 3. Let's not forget Leyland's decision to start Ramon Santiago and Delmon Young's continuing offensive heroics.

Roar of the Tigers has a great post (with her awesome cartoons) on the first three games of the series, what it's been like watching them. Starring (of course) Max Sherzer as (I think) Godzilla, it's a must-read!

Tonight Rick Porcello gets his first postseason start. In other news, the Tigers have ALCS tickets on sale now!

Game 3 Preview

Tonight it's a do-over of Game 1's Battle of the Aces as Justin Verlander starts opposite C.C. Sabathia tonight at 8:30 at Comerica Park. Click that image to the right for a preview video from MLB TV. Kurt over at Bless You Boys wonders how this statement from Papa Grande makes you feel...

"It's over already, (Justin) Verlander has it tomorrow. The next day we have the celebration in Detroit. They have a good team, but I think that's it for them."

--Tigers closer Jose Valverde after the game.

Game 2 - Tigers win 5-3

The Tigers took control of the series last night on the strength of a strong outing by pitcher Max Scherzer, holding off a 9th inning Yankee rally and hanging on for a 5-3 victory to even the series at 1-1.

It was a power-pitching form the Tigers saw in Scherzer when they acquired him from Arizona in the trade that sent Curtis Granderson to New York. With a fastball that topped out at 98, five miles above his regular-season average, his changeup became a dangerous swing-and-miss pitch.

"He was really good, the best I've ever seen him," Teixeira said. "Great fastball, his changeup was really, really good, and the numbers don't lie. He just dominated us."

Also check out this cool article on the Tigers' use of social media.

Game 1 - Tigers lose 9-3

Not much to say about this one. As the Detroit Tigers recap relates what Doug Fister was thinking:

It was almost surreal in the Stadium as the game resumed in the bottom of the second inning on Saturday night with the same lineups for both clubs -- sans the starting pitchers -- and the score tied at 1. In the press box, Fister was announced as the replacement for Verlander. But Fister said it wasn't so surreal for him on the field.

"For me, that was a scheduled 8:37 start, and it wasn't anything different," he said afterward. "It's tied 1-1. It's basically a 0-0 ballgame in my head, just as always. I go up there facing the Yankee lineup, and it's no different for me if it's bottom of the first, top of the first. It's all the same."

Doug Fister by Keith Allison

Game .1667

The playoff opener between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees was suspended because of rain in the second inning Friday night, wiping out both No. 1 starters for a few days. The game will resume tonight at 8:37 PM with the score tied at 1, but neither Verlander nor Sabathia will be back on the mound until they get some rest.

"I do feel bad for the national audience," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Certainly, it was really a marquee matchup. That's a little sad, but that's just the way it is." started for Detroit against in a highly anticipated matchup between two of baseball's best pitchers. The teams played for 30 minutes before the game was halted.

According to a rule adopted by Major League Baseball after rain and snow wreaked havoc with the 2008 World Series, the game is not postponed. So it will pick up Saturday night at the point of suspension - weather permitting - with the Yankees coming to bat in the bottom of the second inning.

Doug Fister now gets the start The forecast calls for rain through late Saturday night, so who knows if they will get it in!

Cabrera 1 by RichardDemingPhotography

Post-season Preview

Detroit Tiger slugger Miguel Cabrera captured the American League batting title with a .344 batting average. After batting .390 in August, Cabrera went .429 (39-for-91) from Sept. 1 onward, racking up 12 doubles, six home runs and 21 RBIs. He had just six hitless games from Aug. 1 on and carries a nine-game hitting streak into the playoffs. The Detroit Sports Site notes that the last Tiger to win the AL batting title was Magglio Ordonez who hit .367 in 2007, and that Cabrera joins Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols as just the third active player to win a batting title, HR title and RBI title in his career.

Cabrera wasn't the only person to close the season in style. Justin Verlander captured the "Triple Crown," leading the AL in  Wins (24), Strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40). Jayson Stark of ESPN took a look at AL MVP candidates and thinks that the winner will be none other than the Tigers' just-about-unbeatable ace, explaining:

If the essential question is, "Which player has done more to change the face of his team's championship season than this man has?" the answer, for me, is: Nobody. Yeah, it may be true that if the Tigers didn't have him, they'd have some other ace. But as their GM, Dave Dombrowski, said, "I've had other aces. But they never had the year Justin Verlander has had."

Verlander certainly rolls into the post-season as one of the most dominant pitchers of recent years. Andrew Kulha of the Bleacher Report notes, however, that Verlander is not the only arm capable of mowing the Yankees down:

Since being traded to Detroit from Seattle, Doug Fister posted an 8-1 record with an incredible 1.79 ERA. Those two are arguably the best one-two pitching combo in baseball, and followed by either Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello, they create one of the best pitching rotations in baseball.

He feels that the Yankees won't know what hit them, and he's definitely right on Doug Fister who torched the competition in September, going 5-0 with a ridiculous .54 ERA for September and was named AL Pitcher of the Month. Mitch Albom and just about everybody else at the Freep expect the Tigers to surprise the Yankees.Before you cry "Homer" be sure to have a look at the picks of ESPN writers who are split nearly down the middle.

The Tigers are red hot, roaring into the post season having won 30 of their last 39, and they face the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. The opener is TONIGHT at 8:37 PM in Yankee Stadium. MLB.com columnist Marty Noble thinks the opening duel between Verlander and Yankee ace C.C. Sabathia has the makings of a classic, and the article includes great video interviews with Verlander and Sabathia. He notes as others that both teams bring an incredible amount of hitting & pitching firepower to the game. Alex Remington at Yahoo Sports has 10 very interesting numbers for the Tigers/Yankees series including a surprising "0" - the number of times a Tiger pitcher started this year on short rest. That plus an average age of 31 for Yankee pitchers means that the Bengals are bringing the fresher arms to the battle!

All post-season you should definitely tune into to some of our favorite Detroit Tiger bloggers:

• Roar of the Tigers where Samara throws down some of the most hilarious comics and posts you've ever seen, backed by a big league knowledge of baseball. Today she's celebrating the wonders of autumn from Cabrera's batting title and the simple fact that the Tigers are wicked awesome!
• Mike at the The Daily Fungo has a roundup of everyone's predictions (with special guest) and you can also follow him on Twitter.
• Over at Bless You Boys, Kurt eyes the Yankees three-man playoff rotation of Sabathia, Ivan Noma and Freddie Garcia with no small measure of trepidation. There's also a post asking for favorite Tiger playoff memories that you'll want to check out.
• The Detroit Tiger Weblog is gearing up for the post season where they will feature (just as the regular season) posts on every game.

Much (much) more Detroit Tiger news, history and links at absolutemichigan.com/Tigers and Detroit Tigers on Michigan in Pictures! We'll take you out with this hilarious video from Fox Sports Detroit of the Tigers Division-clinching celebration a couple of weeks ago. Share your links, comments and such below and Go Tigers!

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"It was up there. I mean, it was unbelievable. You know, especially early on some of those third downs, you couldn't hear yourself think and you know, that's just the potential of this city. We know that they can get behind us like that and come out and really wreck a game for another team."

Detroit is a sports fan's dream today as the Detroit Tigers play Game 2 of the American League Championship series vs the Texas Rangers this afternoon and the Detroit Lions get ready for their first Monday Night Football appearance in a decade!

Ford Field by dmitriyk

1. The Reason for the Return is Relevance. The Lions haven't hosted a Monday night game since October of 1974. The Detroit News reports that downtown hotels are booked, bars are opening early and 2,000 standing-room-only tickets sold out online in four minutes. It's the first MNF game ever at Ford Field, and Lion kicker Jason Hanson observes: You're a relevant team again. It comes with winning. You're playing a game that people are paying attention to.

Relevance also bring numbers, and the Lions are not just shooting to shatter the 62,257 for a 2007 game against the Green Bay Packers, they have a shot at the 68,206 who attended Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006.

2. The last time the Lions lost a regular season game was 24-20 on December 5th at the hands of the Bears, who are 10-4 during coach Lovie Smith's tenure. While the two teams definitely don't have a storied rivalry, there's definitely little love lost. The Detroit Zoo and Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo have a little wager on the game.

3. Hank's Loss is the Lions' Gain. After the country music star compared the President to Hitler, MNF went looking for a replacement for the opening video tonight. They found Detroit Lion legend Barry Sanders. Read all about it here and tune in tomorrow for a copy of the video!

4. So how 'bout them Tigers? An early rain delay in Arlington pushed the Tigers to this afternoon as well. The extra day of rest has at least one positive after news that Magglio Ordonez is done for the season - it looks like Tiger #3 hitter Delmon Young will be in the lineup. Add an extra day for starter Max Scherzer and things are looking pretty good for the Tigers.

5. Who wins? The CBS Sports preview (video below)has 5 experts and ALL 5 select the Lions. ESPN's MNF page has the Lions all over it and their experts are mostly picking the Lions as well. MLB experts are split but one thing is for sure, it's a wonderful week to be a Detroit sports fan!

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Yesterday the Detroit Tigers powered to their 11th straight victory, a 5-0 shutout hurled by Justin Verlander, his 11th in a row as well and 23rd victory overall. The Tigers are now 12 1/2 games atop the AL Central and reduces their magic number to clinch to 4.

11 in a row ties the longest winning streak ever by the Detroit Tigers (September 9-21, 1968), and we thought it would be great to feature a little something from the other Tiger squad they are tied with, the 1968 Detroit Tigers. It's almost a half hour of footage from when the Tigers clinched the pennant and is a rare and wonderful look at one of the best baseball teams of all time.

Check out Mayo Smith at 6:30, and let's hope Jim Leyland is looking like that a whole lot over the next several weeks!

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That alone is enough for a little excitement. A little. From headlines like "The Lions might be ... good" and "Detroit Lions: Why They Are a Sexier Pick Than the Houston Texans", you can tell that nobody is letting the Detroit Lions' perfect 2008 preseason and subsequent perfectly awful 0-16 season slide too far from the top of their mind.

After all, they are the Lions.

But are they? The Lions languished for an eon with uncertain hands at the tiller but it seems as if the last 2 years have featured smart and and focused decisions like the drafting of Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best & Ndamukong Suh. Like the steady hand the Tigers have enjoyed, it seems to be paying off.

From the upstart editor of SBNation to the not-at-all upstart Adam Jones of ESPN and longtime NFL writer Peter King, folks around the league are priming us for a not-awful season of football. Bleacher Report has an intriguing (if over the top) look at 8 Reasons the Detroit Lions will make the Super Bowl. They require a lot of ifs from if Stafford & Best can stay healthy to if the offensive line can really gel and if the and if a trio of free agent signings - linebackers Stephen Tulloch & Justin Durant and cornerback Eric Wright - can make the difference coaches hope. It's clear that the Lions have a talented receiving corps, a solid (if fragile) backfield and a defensive line that is downright scary so...?

Locally the Detroit Free Press & Detroit News have them finishing 9-7. On the blog front, The Lions in Winter sees very real challenges, especially if Stafford goes down to injury, but sees them as a playoff team. Speaking of blogs, while Pride of Detroit doesn't seem to have decided yet, their offensive and defensive previews are well done and we're adding it to our blogroll. If you have a favorite blog, post it below!

One thing is clear, Lions tickets are hot, with the Oct 10 Monday Night Football game sold out and Thanksgiving versus the Green Bay Packers close to selling out.

While this isn't Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen's Another One Bites the Dust, someone had to do it...

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You have one takeaway from this weekend.

Even when he is not at his best, Justin Verlander is still better than you, me, and the vast majority of Major League Baseball.

Indeed. There's a nice article on ESPN looking at Verlander's MVP case and the Bleacher Report takes a look at Verlander and his chances to hit 25 wins and take home the MVP hardware:

Verlander by OtisDude

Justin Verlander won his 20th game this past weekend. The 28-year-old right-hander now sports a 20-5 record and it's only Aug. 29. The conventional wisdom is that Verlander is going to win the Cy Young award, and there are also a fair amount of people who think that he should be the MVP. Those that feel that way almost always say the same thing: "He should be the MVP, but he won't win."

The naysayers may very well end up being right. After all, no American League Pitcher has won the MVP award since 1992 when Dennis Eckersley won it and no starter has won since 1986 when Roger Clemens took home the hardware.

It's been 19 years since a pitcher won the MVP and it's been 21 years since a pitcher hit the 25-win mark. In 1990 Bob Welch went 27-6 and won the AL Cy Young award. Verlander would need to have a great September to get to 25 wins, but at this point Verlander has provided very little reason to think he can't have a great month.

Whatever happens, it's clear that Verlander is a special player who is helping power the Here's a great interview from 2009 by Chris Rose of Fox Sports where you can learn all kinds of quirky facts about Verlander including how he checks the radar gun and why his number is 35!

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Alex Avila by by ArtCPhotos

The Detroit Tigers head into the All Star Break 1/2 game in the lead in the AL Central with a 49-43 record. That record is well reflected in the fact that the Tigers placed FIVE players on the AL roster.

Alex Avila, Catcher

In just his 3rd season, Avila makes his first All Star appearance. With 4,144,384 votes, he's the first Tiger voted to the starting lineup since 2007. He carries a .286 average into the game with 10 homers and 46 RBI. Tiger skipper Jim Leyland commented "That's a pretty good tribute to him and the job that he's done. Good stuff, and certainly well-deserved."

Justin Verlander, Pitcher

A four-time All-Star, Verlander is 12-4 and tied for second in the Major Leagues with Atlanta's Jair Jurrjens, one behind Yankees ace CC Sabathia. Yesterday Verlander also became the first Tigers pitcher to reach 12 wins by the All-Star break since Jack Morris did it in 1987. His 2.15 ERA is 3rd in the Majors, he's already tossed one no hitter in 2011 and he was named AL Pitcher of the month for June for his ridiculous dominance (.92 ERA in June). He's only lost once since April 29th.

Miguel Cabrera, First Baseman

A six-time All-Star, Cabrera makes his 3rd consecutive trip as a Tiger. With a 2011 batting average of .311, the slugger is right on his .313 career numbers and has smacked 18 homers with 59 RBI. With 1498 hits at age 27, Miguel is halfway to 3000 hits and considered a candidate for the elite 3000 hit club.

Jose Valverde, Pitcher

With 24 saves, Valverde is the American League leader in saves and has been a big part of the Tigers strong start. Now in his 9th season, "Papa Grande" makes his second straight All Star appearance. He is also one of the most animated players in the majors, as you can see in this video.

Jhonny Peralta, Shortstop

Peralta just joined the Tigers from the Division rival Cleveland Indians. Although he's in his 9th season, he makes his first All Star appearance in 2011. He's hitting .312 with 14 homers and 50 RBI. He was named to the team by AL manager Ron Washington to replace Derek Jeter.

From the Blogs....

Kurt over at Bless You Boys has some cool All Star moments including Lance Parrish throwing out 3 runners in 1982. The Daily Fungo talked with Jason Beck of MLB.com yesterday and has some good insight about where the Tigers are right now.

Also be sure to check out our post on Michigan in Pictures about the first All-Star game and Charlie Gehringer, who scored the winning run of the first All Star Game in 1933 on a Babe Ruth homer and played every inning of the first six All-Star games!

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Surfing Michigan by farlane

We've pulled together a great collection of Great Lakes & Michigan surfing videos with a few links:

• The photo was taken on Lake Michigan at Leland. You can see more surfing photos on Michigan in Pictures and also on Northern Michigan Surf on Facebook and in the Surfing slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool!
• The best of the bunch is below, a TV special on Grand Haven filmmaker Vince Deur's movie Unsalted. the 7 minute short introduces you to the history and present day of Great Lakes surfing. There's also a couple of outtakes that take you to surfing hot spots like Michigan's Lake Superior shore in winter! Last December we ran Michigan Film: Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience that has all the details (including where to get it!) and tons of clips from the definitive work on riding the freshwater wave.
• The Roxy Get Outside Tour recently visited Grand Haven, Michigan with a couple pro female surfers. They also answered the "Michigan question" and visited the Great Lakes Surf Association (more Michigan footage including waterskiing at the Roxy blog)
• Surfing isn't just for lakes any more, there's also the Grand River Surf (featuring some cool Police tunes...)
• If surfing isn't fast enough (or the waves aren't big enough) there's always kiteboarding. Boarding Lake Michigan Waves from South Beach in South Haven shows you highlights of surfers, kiteboarders and windsurfers. Every September, the King of the Great Lakes Kiteboarding Competition is held in Grand Haven. You can visit Mackinac Kites for information on the event.
• Pure Michigan gets in the act with the Fresh Water Surfing page.
• Check out Absolute Michigan keyword surf for surfing articles and surfing-related businesses! Might as well try Absolute Michigan keyword kiteboard too!

Did we miss something? Of course we did!! Tell us and/or add a link in the comments.

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Lidstrom, our fearless captain
by Buzz Click Photography

Last night, the Detroit Red Wings fell one goal in a bid to come back from a 3-0 hole in their series with the San Jose Sharks. NHL on the fly has a wrap-up of the 3-2 loss. In Drew Sharp's column in the Freep, captain Nicklas Lidstrom said:

"It's very disappointing that we didn't finish it out like we wanted, but it's impossible not to feel good about the character and heart that we showed to even get ourselves in this position where we could take four straight."

Here's a nice touch of class by the Wings as they thank Hockeytown and all their fans for a season of support.

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5x5 Night is a monthly event in Grand Rapids that allows 5 people to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who decide how to award $5,000 on the last Tuesday night of every month. The third 5x5 happens tomorrow night at the Grand Rapids Ballet with an afterglow at Founders Brewery. Tomorrow night's presenters and topics sound pretty interesting:

• Bruce Burgess – Mull-it-Over
• Mick Hanna – Easy Crutch
• Phil Lund - The Mars Plan
• William Stewart – Compression Beehive Frame
• Charlie Wollborg - Face-to-Face > Pixel-to-Pixel

Michigan Radio has a cool interview with Rick DeVos and Bill Holsinger Robinson of Pomegranate Studios about 5x5 Night. Learn more at 5x5night.com and Pomegranate Studios.

Last month AJ Paschka got all five votes and $5000 for his very cool Weather Collage idea, but we'll feature Landon Bartley's more locally focused call for a Grand Rapids Sister City Window Webcam Project. You can check out all the pitches on the 5x5 channel.

Photo: Prepping for the first 5x5 Night at the GRAM by pomstudios.com.

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John Grooters

Absolute Michigan  caught up with John Grooters, producer and director of Frontier Boys and asked him a few questions about this Michigan-made movie. One thing that makes the film unique is the fact that the story is actually set in Michigan. Read on for the interview and also check out the trailer!

How did the community of Charlevoix respond to your filming and to the rather difficult story?

The community of Charlevoix was cooperative with the filmmakers of The Frontier Boys on several fronts. We had great support and cooperation from the City Council, City Manager's Office and Mayor Boogie Carlson, from the Charlevoix School Board, from the City of Charlevoix Fire Department and Police Department, as well as from a number of local business and churches. The Sheriff was resistant at first, but when he saw our intention was to depict the town Sheriff in a very positive light, he became a wonderful friend and helper of the film. We think small towns like Charlevoix are often portrayed in films in unflattering lights, and it was one of our objectives to counter that.

We also were welcomed very warmly in Mancelona and East Jordan, and in all Northern Michigan communities we have made enduring friendships. Now that the film has played in Charlevoix, Elk Rapids, Frankfort, Petoskey, Lansing, and Grand Blanc and has opened in Traverse City, Midland and Marquette, it is our goal to have more people come to see the film than actually live in town. I think we're close!

What do think Michigan offers to filmmakers as a setting?

I'm a big fan of our state. I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and moved to Michigan as a high school freshman. To this day, I am a fan of all four of our seasons and of our abundance of green grass, black dirt, and blue water. I'm especially in love with the Northern Lower Peninsula, and so it was easy for me to choose Charlevoix as the setting of The Frontier Boys. We chose to film in the doldrums of the late winter; for many it's the ugliest time of the year. However, the weather and the change of season were both integral to the arc of our story. We were telling a story of survival, and a story of hope. The promise of spring is an annual and tangible reminder of hope for us Northerners.

How do you think Michigan has enough assets to continue to grow as a movie industry hub?

The film industry in Michigan was growing and was on the verge of becoming a stable and solid industry. In 2010, Michigan was number two or three in the nation as far as production dollars spent. I hoped that the state would continue to invest in the industry statewide as I believed that it was good for the economic, marketing, and future health of Michigan. Outside the benefits that the Michigan Film Incentive brought to entice the industry, our company was here and producing projects long before the incentives, and we hope to be viable long after them as well. We still offer the hardest-working people with the most honest and fair prices in the business. Our production and post-production company in Holland (Grooters Productions) continues to attract work from all over the country because of our quality and value. And our state's natural resources, diversity and beauty will always be an attraction.

You can watch the trailer below or at the Frontier Boys website.

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Team Spirit of Detroit by Maia C

The Detroit Red Wings open the 2011 NHL Playoffs at home tonight vs the Phoenix Coyotes at 7 PM at the Joe Louis Arena.

It's their 20th straight NHL Playoff appearance, and Wikipedia tells us that the Red Wings are 2nd in Stanley Cup appearances with 24 and 3rd in wins with 13. Their last Cup win came in 2008 and while the Wings don't skate into the playoffs as an overwhelming favorite, they are seeded third in the West and expected to have a strong showing. A lot of the team's hopes rest on the health of leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg won the Conn Smythe playoff MVP trophy in 2008 but was last seen wearing a knee brace after being hurt last week vs. Carolina and is out for (at least) tonight.

The Detroit News sportswiters issued their predictions and the Freep's Helene St. James has a very nice breakdown on the Red Wings' playoff chances. Michael Rosenberg writes that it feels like every team in the Western Conference (other than top seed Vancouver) feels day-to-day, saying:

The Wings have as good a shot as anybody. But they also have some concerns, starting with Zetterberg's knee. It sounds like the Wings might need to win this series without Zetterberg -- or at least, without a healthy Zetterberg. That's a concern, and the Wings already have more concerns about this Red Wings team than they normally do at this time of year.

The Wings allowed 241 goals, more than any other playoff team. Their goal differential of plus-20 was 11th in the league. Mostly, though, there is the sense that there is no bedrock there, no clear area of superiority.

During the playoffs you'll want to tune into the On the Wings blog along with Winging it in Motown and the official Detroit Red Wings blog. America Jr has a nice interview with Red Wings Chris Chelios at the Red Wings media event, but we'll take you out with the Red Wings 2010/2011 hits:

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On The First Day of the Baseball Season,
Every Team is in First Place (and other cliches)
by DetroitDerek Photography

It's probably fitting to lead off with that quote from a Yankee great as the 2011 Detroit Tigers prepare to open the 2011 baseball season in New York. This afternoon at 1 PM (after his pre-game rituals are complete), Tiger ace Justin Verlander will take the mound at Yankee Stadium, starting for the 4th Opening Day in a row. Tiger skipper Jim Leyland reports he is as unworried about his status in the last year of his contract as he is in the lineup: "People make a big deal about a lineup. It doesn't mean anything," Leyland said. "It's a simple thing. It's not complicated at all. I mean, we've got the big boys in the middle. We've got some speed up top. We have a little power at the bottom. That's what it is. There's no magic formula for a lineup."

The projected lineup for today shows that they had a solid off-season. The biggest addition is 4 time All Star and career .300 hitter Victor Martinez, who is expected to bat 5th and ensure that Miguel Cabrera gets pitched to. The Tigers are expected to contend this year, but a lot will depend on the strength of their pitching, particularly the starting rotation. The five hurlers are all in their 20s, all former top draft picks, and all able to dominate a game in different fashions if they're on. The fact that several are throwing the ball in the high 90s never hurts.

On to the blogs...

Samara at Roar of the Tigers says we have a roster, so bring on the season. As only she can, Samara highlights things that have been happening in "terrible" cartoons. She's unsurprised that Joel Zumaya & Carlos Guillen are once again on DL Island but excited about Will Rhymes getting the job at second base, his calmness in the face of werewolves and his long hair.

The News & Notes for Opening Day in the Detroit Tigers Weblog threw a link to the Freep writers' predictions for 2011. Mitch Albom pegs them at 2nd on the strength of Victor Martinez but lacking enough in the pitching department to overcome both Chicago and Minnesota. John Lowe & Michael Rosenberg both feel that the additions of Martinez, Joaquin Benoit and Brad Penny will be enough for 1st place and Rosenberg even calls for a Cy Young from Verlander. Predictably, grumpy old Drew Sharp has them in 3rd because of too many ifs, a tough early schedule and because he's grumpy old Drew Sharp.

Kurt at Bless You Boys wishes you a Happy Opening Day Morning and offers a link to Ernie Harwell on baseball, and it's great to hear Ernie on Opening Day. He also gives his and readers' Keys to 2011 including hitting better with runners in scoring position (with runners in scoring position, the team hit just .256 last year) and running more.

Mike at the Daily Fungo has Baseball Tonight's Detroit Tigers Preview and calls out starting pitcher Phil Coke as his 2011 X-Factor.

What do you think, what are you reading and are you ready to PLAY BALL? Oh yeah, almost forgot Ernie Harwell. You can see him perform Casey at the Bat for a group of kids but his traditional "first pitch" is below.

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Rodman was recently named as a finalist for induction to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, but likely due to the fact that he wasn't a big scorer and (probably more to the point) lived one of the most troubled off-the-court lives ever are definitely standing in his way. The Bleacher Repors asks if he belongs in the Hall. They decide he does, noting that:

Since 1973, Dennis Rodman owns five of the top eight single-season rebounding averages. Five out of eight!

The other three on that short list came from Elvin Hayes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone, all of whom are Hall of Famers.

A secondary reason that supports Rodman's body of work has to do with the fact that he won five NBA Championships.

If you dare, you can visit dennisrodman.com and definitely check out this high energy highlight video!

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Approaching Spring by mayerdavid1978

(sorry this update is a little late!) Our Michigan event calendar for the month of March features all kinds of signs that spring is just around the corner with some cautious reminders that objects around the corner may be further off than they appear.

Quotes

"March is a tomboy with tousled hair, a mischievous smile, mud on her shoes
and a laugh in her voice." - Hal Borland

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." - Charles Dickens

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." - Lewis Grizzard

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson

"Spring is nature's way of saying, Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Fast Facts
March's birthstone is Aquamarine and Bloodstone. They symbolize courage.

Its birth flower is the Narcissus.

March in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Daylight-Savings time occurs on March 13, 2010, at 2:00 AM - time to spring ahead!

Think spring! The vernal equinox occurs on March 20, 2011, at 11:21  PM EDT.

Things to Do, Places to Go

March 1 - April 30
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming - Grand Rapids
Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming is Meijer Gardens most popular annual exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. March 1–April 30, visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

March 3 - 4
Kalkaska Winterfest - Kalkaska
Date changed for 2012! One of the largest races in the Midwest. Longest continuous running race in Michigan -- Since 1965. Largest purse in Michigan -- $6,000. The only race in the state with an Unlimited/Open Class.

March 11 - 12
Uptown Film Festival - Birmingham
The inaugural UFF is a two- night celebration of the Michigan film industry, and in particular, productions created entirely, or in part, within the state. It was established by leaders in the Michigan film industry and will be held annually to recognize the industry and individuals' accomplishments within the state. (visit on Facebook)

March 12
Annual Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon - Calumet
A laid-back, skier-oriented weekend in Calumet on the beautiful Keewanau Peninsula. You can choose between 26-km and 50km distances including a separate category for 26-km classic skiers. The Junior Bear Chase is a youth Nordic ski race for skiiers up to 16-years-old.

March 12
Brew-Ski Festival - Harbor Springs
Suds and snow. Is there a better combination? Our first annual Brew-Ski Festival features 100+ craft brews, entertainment and an evening of parties. We'll be pitching a big ole' tent at the base of the slopes where you and friends can purchase tickets and sample a variety of brews. The frothy samples are served up by brewery representatives while you enjoy music, brats and spring conditions.

March 11 - 13
Flushing Walleye Festival - Flushing
The event features:

• Outdoor Show Exhibits
• Fish Fry
• Trout Pond
• Outdoor Show
• Firefighter's Pancake Breakfast
• Guest Speakers
• Texas Hold'em Tournament/Poker Night
• Youth Group
• Chili Cook-off

March 17 - 20
Lansing Home & Garden Show - East Lansing
The strongest Home & Garden show in the Mid-Michigan area fills the MSU Pavilion on the campus of Michigan State University. Incredible gardens, extensive landscaping projects, a Standard Flower Show and three free seminar stages surround hundreds of exhibits featuring construction, remodeling, kitchens & baths, retail garden centers, pools and spas and home services.

March 17 - 20
Ultimate Sport and RV Show - Grand Rapids
Michigan's finest tradition for the avid fisherman, hunter or outdoor loving family! Over 350 exhibitors will be at the show with the latest outdoor gear, travel information and fishing boats. The features are famous: World Class Taxidermy, Antique Lures, Trout Pond, Woodcarvers, Pellet Range, Fishing Simulator, Rock Wall and Fly Casting Instruction. Nearly 100 fishing and hunting semainrs will be held on 4 stages, including "Lake Ultimate," the 110,000 gallon indoor lake. Michigan sportsmen never miss it!

March 18 - 20
Carnival Weekend at Boyne - Boyne Falls
It's party time once again. Boyne Mountain pulls out all the stops as Mardi Gras moves north for the weekend. How can I get some of those beads you ask, come to Boyne Mountain and find out. Bands, costume competitions, the slush cup and parties all over the resort make this a weekend to remember. You might want to plan on using a sick day for Monday.

March 19 - 20
Kalamazoo Living History Show - Kalamazoo
The largest, nationally recognized, juried show in the Midwest devoted to pre-1890 original or reproduction living history supplies, accouterments and related crafts. More than 10,000 historical re-enactors from pre-Revolutionary through the Civil War, history buffs, collectors, and the general public from 18 states and Canada come together for a festive weekend to buy, sell and trade. The event attracts over 270 of the finest craftsman and dealers of living history supplies and related crafts from throughout the United States.

March 22 - 27
Ann Arbor Film Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for creative, inspiring, and influential films of all types: avant-garde and experimental, story-based narratives, documentaries, and animation. As the longest-running film festival of its kind in North America, the AAFF is steeped in a rich tradition of ground-breaking cinema.

March 25 - 27
Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival - Kalamazoo
Come to the Kalamazoo Museum for a celebration of Kazoo's legacy of stringed-instrument design and manufacture. This free event invites visitors to meet instrument designers and learn about their trade, to hear live performances from area musicians, and to attend a variety of workshops for guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele and more!

March 25 – April 2
Royal Oak Restaurant Week - Royal Oak
A nine-day event celebrating the delicious diversity of the City's dining establishments. Held from Friday, March 25 through Saturday April 2, this annual event features special fixed price three-course dinner menus for either $15 or $25 from  almost two-dozen restaurants.

Did we get them all? Not likely!! Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

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Wikipedia says that Ben Camey Wallace was born in White Hall, Alabama and the tenth of eleven children. He came to the Pistons with Chucky Atkins in what proved to be an amazing trade of Grant Hill, and his awards include being named NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times, a feat only matched by Dkembe Mutumbo. He has also been voted to 6 All-NBA Defensive teams and led the league in both rebounds and blocked shots in 01-02 and 02-03, the first to do that since Hakeem Olajuwon.

You might also want to check out Ben Wallace at NBA.com and PistonPowered's argument that Ben Wallace remains the greatest thing about the Detroit Pistons.

You can see Big Ben's Top 10 plays (as selected by some guy on YouTube) but to really get a sense of the Beast of the East, you need to watch Ben Wallace - The Evolution of a Beast, a great tribute to Number 3.

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The Big Chill by Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

On Saturday (December 11 2010) the University of Michigan Wolverines met the Michigan State University Spartans in The Big Chill at the Big House (Wikipedia entry). A world-record smashing crowd of 113,411 saw the Wolverines pummel the Spartans 5-0, and UM AD Dave Brandon left open the possibility of future hockey at Michigan's largest stadium:

"That's not something you do every year," Brandon said after the six-minute fireworks display that capped Saturday's day-long festivities. "You've got to make it special."

Michigan officials made sure the inaugural outdoor hockey game inside the 83-year-old Ann Arbor landmark was memorable. Fireworks highlighted a pre-game ceremony that also included a stealth bomber flyover and followed each of Michigan's five goals.

Microphones were placed at ice level, piping the sounds of the game into the stadium's bowl to provide fans a more traditional hockey experience. There were video highlights played on the end zone scoreboards throughout the game, leading up to a choreographed fireworks display set to music from "The Big Chill" movie.

Here's the highlight reel from the game and you can see video of the record-setting crowd below!

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1934 Thanksgiving Day Game
University of Detroit Stadium.

Thanksgiving. The story of Pilgrims, Native Americans and the first feast has been retold and acted out in countless grade school programs.  We also anticipate foods not typically served during the course of the year: an entire turkey, cranberry sauce, marshmallows melted on sweet potatoes – and no doubt dozens more.  We anticipate the Christmas shopping season, and Santa simultaneously appears in multiple cities. Since 1920, whether you like it or not, Thanksgiving is also a day for football.

“But Why Detroit?”

It is hard to grow up in Michigan and not have at least seen or heard the Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving afternoon.   Detroit has played in every Thanksgiving game since 1934.  Like turkey, it's a tradition.  But why Detroit?

Detroit entered the National Football League in 1934.  A local radio executive, George A. Richards, had purchased the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans and moved them to Detroit. The Spartans were members of the NFL from 1930 to 1933.

Richards knew it was risky to schedule a game on Thanksgiving, but the new team needed to find it's place alongside the Detroit Tigers (1901) and Redwings (1926).  By playing on Thanksgiving, the team had the nation's attention.

G.A. Richards,
Pro Football Hall of Fame

A Detroit Tradition

On somewhat short notice, the Lions played the Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit stadium.  26,000 tickets were sold two weeks prior to the game.  Despite the fact that the Bears won the Turkey Day clash 19-16, the experience was a success.  In 1935, Richards signed up for the holiday game again.  This time, Detroit beat Chicago in a game that propelled them to win the 1935 NFL Championship–in their second year!  (The Tigers also won the World Series that year and the Redwings the Stanley Cup in 1936. Take that, Great Depression!).  The enthusiasm and success of the new organization's Thanksgiving Day game sealed the tradition for Detroit, and that tradition has been in place ever since.

While the Detroit Lions claim the longest run of Thanksgiving Day games, the Detroit Herald Football Club was the first Detroit team to participate in a Thanksgiving clash.  The Heralds played the Dayton Triangles on Thanksgiving Day 1920. This was one of six separate professional football games played in the United States that day. (Click here to see a list of all Thanksgiving Day games 1920-2008).

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Wikipedia says that Sparky Anderson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 76, was the first manager to win a World Series for both a National League and American League team and that he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. His plaque notes his sunny disposition and says:

His career totals include 2,194 victories, the third most in Major League history, two Manager of the Year Awards, five league pennants and three World Series crowns. His heavy use of the bullpen staff earned him the nickname "Captain Hook," but this practice has now become the standard for Major League Baseball.

The quotation above (and photo) came from the Detroit Athletic Co. blog, and Bill Dow has a nice piece entitled Special Moments & Thoughts from Sparky Anderson. Samara at Roar of the Tigers has created a tribute image and Bless You Boys has a solid roundup of articles about Sparky that you should check out including this Joe Posnanski column in Sports Illustrated about George and Sparky and a Detroit News column by Tom Gage that has a huge collection of memories of Sparky from players and friends such as fellow Tiger Hall of Famer Al Kaline who says:

"Sparky was one of the greatest people I've met in baseball. He was a leader to his players both on and off the field. He was an incredible person and I cherish the time I was able to spend with him. He was a great leader and a great baseball man."

Mitch Albom writes that losing Sparky is like losing one of the family and Ian Casselberry rightfully drills the Tigers organization for their shameful failure to retire Sparky's number, noting that he managed the Tigers from 1979-1995 and his 1,331 wins are the most in franchise history.

The Daily Fungo has gathered some great videos of Sparky Anderson that you'll want to check out including Sparky on WKRP in Cincinnati and this hilarious piece with Chuck Daly and Sparky. We also found a cool photo tribute, but the best piece out there right now is from the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Tigers with team members including Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell.

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Pistons at Timberwolves by First Team Photo

Wikipedia notes that last year was the worst since 1994 for the Detroit Pistons as they finished with a 27-55 record, last in the Central Division.

2010-2011 starts with the roster, and the change starts with their two rookies. In her 2010-2011 Pistons Preview, Natalie writes:

If you can call having a horrible season and finally getting a lottery pick a move then Greg Monroe is it. Finally the Pistons draft the Big Man they so dearly need. You can't pin all your hopes on Monroe until he proves himself in the NBA. Monroe, a skilled rebounder and passer at Georgetown will have to show up every night and contribute to be live up to Detroit's expectations.

Detroit also picked up a what may turn out to be a draft steal in the second round. Terrico White had a strong showing in the Summer League and turned heads with his dunking abilities during the rookie photo shoot.

White unfortunately had surgery on a broken bone in his foot and won't see the court until early 2011. That's a better case than defensive stopper Jonas Jerebko who will be sidelined 5+ months. Speaking of injuries, the Pistons took a flyer on one of the NBA's most often injured superstars, Tracy McGrady, as Detroit Bad Boys notes in their preview:

Beyond the draft, Dumars made solid decisions in free agency. He extended the Benaissance for another two years, inking Ben Wallace to a contract worth not much more than the vet minimum. He gave Will Bynum one of the most fair contracts issued this summer, not spending a penny more or less than what the little fella should have earned. While Joe still had the mid-level exception in hand, he opted instead to issue a flyer to Tracy McGrady, the two-time scoring champion who had been crippled by back and knee injuries. In the off (like, very off) chance that McGrady stays healthy, the Pistons could luck into some real talent.

The upcoming season is critical for Rodney Stuckey, as he's got a lot of pressure to become the point guard that Dumars hoped when he traded Billups away. While Stuckey is optimistic, the predictions for the Pistons are not. Motown Lowdown tipped us off to this less than flattering the Marvel cover for the Pistons from ESPN the Magazine (more about the Marvel covers). Is Joe D really trying to re-create the Bad Boys? While "doom" may be too strong a word, as you can see in mLive's survey of sportswriters, there's not a lot of folks out there calling for success for the Pistons.   Many point to the Pistons' overabundance of wing players and relative lack of defense, and John Hollinger of ESPN.com sums up the opinion of many:

Detroit will be better because Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva will play better and the others are likely to spend less time on the injured list. Additionally, I expect Greg Monroe to pay dividends right away. All those changes may help make the Pistons a halfway decent offensive team, albeit a well-nigh unwatchable one that continues to play a sleep-inducing pace while running mid-90s style isolations. In the big picture, Detroit's perimeter depth makes a playoff appearance possible if everyone has a good season and stays healthy. That's a best-case scenario, though.

One of the biggest stories that will affect the Pistons in the upcoming year has nothing to do with what's on the court, but rather who's picking up the bill. Mike Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings is apparently seeking a monopoly on major sports in the Motor City by seeking to add the Pistons to his holdings. While the move would enable Ilitch to seek a new combined downtown arena for the Pistons & Red Wings, you can put Drew Sharp in the not-a-fan of the move column.

Here's Flintstone TV talking to some of the Pistons including Rip Hamilton & Tracy McGrady at their 2010 Media Day:

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Tracy McGrady by Keith Allison

Those of you who weren't producing a giant wine festival might have noticed that the Detroit Pistons signed 31 year-old all star Tracy McGrady. Yesterday, they made it official. Michael Rosenberg writes that the Pistons have nothing to lose with Tracy McGrady:

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars signed McGrady for $1.35 million, the minimum for a veteran. That makes this low risk to the point of being almost no risk. The Pistons added talent without committing to it. It was a no-brainer for them. They can't mess up their championship chemistry, because they don't have championship chemistry.

What does the Pistons blogosphere think? (and please tell us what YOU think in the comments). Kevin at Detroit Bad Boys agrees that McGrady has injury and 3 pointer jacking issues but says:

The team can't possibly be wedded to the notion that a Hamilton-Prince-Gordon ensemble is going to win basketball games. Otherwise, why even bother with T-Mac? McGrady can plug in easily at the two or the three, and can defend both positions quite well. Plus, if he begins to play well, and the Pistons aren't, the pressure to give him more minutes will be overwhelming. Again, lottery teams don't have logjams. They have holes.

...If nothing else, having an aging superstar whose legacy is on the line gives us fans something to be excited about. It's like a movie, but at matinee pricing.

Charlie Villanueva via Twitter “@TheReal_TMAC It's official, welcome to Detroit Basketball. Doubters will become believers, all will witness your delivery. Let's get this!”

Danny at Need4Sheed:

Honestly guys, I can't find anything positive about this move. ...Right now, this roster has even less balance than it had before. Without another move in mind, or agreed to in principle, this move makes absolutely 0 sense. The guy is a talented player, in 2003. Right now, he's just going to eat minutes from guys who need them to get experience and/or he's taking up a roster spot from a big man who the team so desperately needs.

Eric at SlamOnline (includes a cool highlight video):

It doesn't matter what point they are at in their careers, it never seems to work. The trend stays the same: Superstars just can't play in the Motor City. Bob McAdoo tanked. Allen Iverson quit.

It's because players are supposed to become stars in the D. Isiah Thomas set the tone. Jerry Stackhouse lit up the League. Chauncey Billups was sculpted into one of the best floor generals of his era.

Here's the Pistons Eli Zaret on Pistons Insider talking with T-Mac.

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UPDATE: Tom Izzo chooses to stay at MSU. That wind you're feeling is a sigh of relief from Spartan basketball fans as the winningest coach in MSU history chooses to stay at State.

Final Four Homecoming #3
by Blackbeard Ben

Tom Izzo, wildly successful head coach of the Michigan State University Spartans, is certainly Michigan's top coach, so it's no surprise that the Cleveland Cavaliers are considering him   for their head coaching position. The State News says:

Reports by the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Tuesday said the Cavaliers have informally offered Izzo a 5-year contract potentially worth $30 million or more, and includes the use of owner Dan Gilbert's private jets.

Grant said the Cavaliers are looking for a coach who is “a winner” and is defensive-minded.

Also check out more about Izzo from Absolute Michigan, this piece looking at the pros & cons of Tom Izzo to the NBA from Slam Online,   this Freep article and the video below.

Izzo's possible departure sparked a big rally at MSU, as fans sought to convince the coach to state at State. If you'd like to express your support for Tom Izzo, there is of course a Keep Tom Izzo at MSU Facebook page. You might prefer, however, to head over to weloveizzo.com to do it and also to read what other folks have to say! The State News quotes Cam Gnass who set up the site:

“I was sick of everyone saying why he shouldn't take the job,” he said. “Is that really the message we should be sending him? This is just to let him know we love him and (we're) letting him make his own decision.”

Gnass said the website has received more than 1,500 messages as of Sunday afternoon, and is receiving three or four new messages per minute.

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