Lions, Tigers, and some worthy commentary

Mel Kiper, go back to your cave: The 2006 NFL Draft is over.

How did the Lions do? Well, ESPN will probably come out with reports by early Monday that grade the draft performances of every team. Maybe the Lions will receive a B. Or a C. I don't know. I'm not too disappointed or too happy with their picks. But I'm not going to give them a grade.

To evaluate draft performances before any draft picks have set foot onto an NFL field is a waste of energy. You see, the Lions may have made a huge mistake in passing on Matt Leinart yesterday. That said, he could become the next Joey Harrington -- a huge bust. Who knows?

The Draft Guru -- Mel Kiper -- knows. He knows all. For any such predictions and evaluations, I would go to him. But he's also the same Draft Guru who four years ago said Joey Harrington would have a good NFL career and was a worthy pick for the Lions at No. 3. And while much of Harrington's failure is due to the inept coaching in Detroit the last three seasons, he still has not vindicated Kiper's prediction.

Leinart has not proven a thing, either. Will he do well in Arizona? I don't know. My guess is yes, he will. My guess is that the Lions should have taken him at No. 9. But I also don't know anything about the guy they did take, this linebacker Ernie Sims -- other than he hits hard.

I like that they covered many bases with their picks as the draft progressed. They drafted two linebackers, two defensive backs, two offensive linemen and a running back. No receivers, good. No "D" linemen -- which has been our strong area in recent years -- also good. So at this point, all appears OK. But there's still the Leinart factor. Will we regret picking him? Will he haunt the Lions, similar to the likes of Randy Moss, Jevon Kearse, Daunte Caulpepper -- all players on whom the Lions passed in recent years?

Remember, if Leinart had won the Heisman again this year, and his Trojans had held on to win the national title game at the Rose Bowl versus Texas, Leinart would be in consideration for the greatest college football player of all time: three national championships, two Heismans.

Alas, he only ended up with two titles and one Heisman. Still not too shabby. He's got all the tools to be great. So if you're going to evaluate the Lions' 2006 Draft, it comes down to one thing: how well Leinart does as a pro QB. Now we must wait and see...

How 'bout those Tigers? They just stomped all over Minnesota this weekend, sweeping the series and outscoring the Twinkies 33-1. That's right, 33-1! They became just the fifth team since 1951 and the first since 2002 to post a +32 run differential against a team in a three-game series.

This combination of heavy hitting and stellar pitching hasn't been seen in Detroit in years. I just wish they would've saved a few runs for when they'll need them as the season marches on.

But with April gone and the Tigers sitting in second place in the central with a record of 16-9, it's only proper to sit back and revel in the moment. At least until the World Series talk begins next month.

State of the Pistons Address (April 30)

I was in Milwaukee for the Pistons' frustratingly ugly 124-104 loss Saturday. Donned in red, white and blue and a Tayshaun 22, I was an easy target for Bucks fans after the game. And the shouts rained down from every direction.

"Detroit sucks! ... Overrated! ... A series doesn't start 'til a team wins a road game!"

My response: Come talk to me in June, Bucks fans, when your players have been sitting on their couches for a month and your Bucks apparel is already collecting dust in your closets.

Yes, you were better Saturday. You were better in every facet of the game. But that don't mean diddly. The Bucks will not win another game this series.

The game Saturday, for as bad as the Pistons played, is not reason for concern; the Pistons see it as a wakeup call, not a setback.

In each of the past two springs, Detroit has needed fuel to get its Playoff pistons churning. Now they have it. The sheer futility of their play Saturday night will be inspiration enough Monday to get them back in the win column. I'm 100 percent confident of that. But Saturday sure was disappointing; it was the definition of uncharacteristic. Here's why:

1. Ben Wallace seemed to have missed the plane to Milwaukee. He was virtually non-existent. Five rebounds, and one each of the following: point, assists, steal, block, FG attempt and offensive board. He got in foul trouble early, but he didn't pick up another one after the first quarter. He disappeared. Whenever Ben has a game like that -- actually, whenever the Pistons have a game like they did -- he takes it upon himself to will them to victory the next time they take the floor. He's their backbone. Trust that he will be all over the place Monday.

2. Rip lost his temper, and it affected him at both ends of the floor. Usually No. 32 is the one running circles around and frustrating his opponents, not vice versa. Well, Michael Redd was Rip Saturday. He couldn't miss. Rip chased him everywhere, and Redd responded by splashing in Rip's face. We call those eyeball sandwiches. Rip responded with a technical and a flagrant in the second half. That won't happen Monday, for two reasons. First, I expect Redd to come back down to earth and miss a few more than he did Saturday. He's a terrific shooter, but he's not as consistent as some of the league's bigger stars. I also don't expect the Pistons to guard him the same way. They should switch when he curls. They should use different defenders on him to keep him off balance. And they should double team him at times when he's backing down, because he's not a great passer and they need to force him to try and distribute instead of lift and lift and lift. His demise will be to Rip's benefit, and I expect Richard to score more than 10. That is a sure bet.

3. The Bucks shot 60 percent from the field. They had 35 assists. Dinosaurs Toni Kukoc and Joe Smith combined for 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting. This will not continue. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Well, you could say even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a great while. You could also say that Ben's absence due to foul trouble early in the game took away the Pistons' defensive edge and they could never regain it. But I'd say it was more the former. The Bucks were unconscious. They got comfortable in their home barn; they fed off the white-towel-wagging crowd; and when they got way up, their wrists got loose, and their shots fell more easily. There's a lot to be said for a player shooting with nothing to lose. That's how they felt up 20 in the third quarter. And the shots kept ripping the net. They won't get a lead like that again, though.

Yes, I left the Bradley Center with my head down, but that was more because of the energy I had invested and the drive my buddies and I had made -- not because I thought the Pistons were in trouble. No, no, I was not disconcerted. I still believe the Pistons will win in five. I'm just sad that I will forever hesitate to attend a road Pistons Playoff game in the future, for I am, unquestionably, bad luck.

The recipe

A few weeks back, I posted "The recipe" for the first time. This is the second installment of random thoughts and observations...

The Pistons' win over the Bucks last night sure was a joy to watch. 30 assists on 42 baskets says a lot. So did Lindsey Hunter's pass to Tayshaun Prince for a super slam toward the end of the third, when Linds could have easily laid it in, but gave it to his teammate for the flush. I stood up in the bar and told all the Pistons' faithful: "That's why they win! Unselfishness!"

Michael Redd got off finally (29 points), but other than that, Detroit's "D" was ruthless (six steals, six blocks, great outlets leading to a season-high 28 fast break points).

Most of the night, it appeared as though the Pistons were in cruise control. I think that shows how this series will be over in four games.

"We're not playing Milwaukee -- we're playing ourselves," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said after the game. That's right, Flip. This is a merely tune up for the conference semis...

... Did you see Kobe's BOOM on Steve Nash last night? Oh my goodness. Talk about MVP (Most Viciously Posterized). I saw that on espn.com this morning and giggled, shook my head, and just sat and thought about the dunk. Then I watched it again. What an athlete. And what a statement. Really, Nash should not be the MVP (it was announced yesterday that he'll win the award for the second straight year). He isn't the MVP. Kobe is. I feel as though the writers who voted for Nash last year felt compelled to vote the same way this year because Nash had a better season. But if you take Kobe off the Lakers, there's no way they beat the Suns last night. There's no way they even make the Playoffs. To be honest, they'd have a tough time winning 25 games without No. 8, soon to be No. 24 (he's changing it next year). Odd...

... Keith Jackson is retiring. The legendary ABC announcer, known for his saying, "Whoa, Nellie!" will leave the broadcast booth at age 77. The thing is, this isn't the first time he's announced his retirement. In 1998 he planned to retire after that season, so as he went around to different colleges, they honored him and bade him farewell as a celebration of retirement. Then, the next season, he just kept announcing games and I was bewildered. I had thought he retired. Turns out, he just couldn't walk away. This time, he says it's for good. I just hope he doesn't make a second farewell tour. The first one ended up looking pretty arrogant, if you ask me...

... The whole Brett Favre thing in Green Bay really annoys me. Just because he's had a great career there doesn't mean the Green Bay organization has the right to throw away seasons just to accommodate his departure. What I mean is, after last season, why would they possibly want him back to lead the team this year? He was arguably the worst quarterback in football. 29 interceptions? Why not play Aaron Rodgers? Heck, with the fifth pick in the draft this year, why not draft Vince Young? There's a great chance he'll be available there. He may end up being a superstar. An even bigger one than Favre ever was. At the very least, he would undoubtedly be more effective than Favre will this year. I don't know what the Packers are thinking. He cannot be resurrected. His better days are buried beneath a gigantic pile of smelly cheese...

... With the ninth pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select... Santonio Holmes! Wide receiver from The Ohio State University. Oh man, let's hope not. I'm out.

Milwaukee: What is this salty discharge?

I thought Bucks were big, powerful animals. Brawny animals. Not this bunch.

The Milwaukee Bucks lost by 18 to the Detroit Pistons Sunday in Game One of the NBA Playoffs. The Pistons outworked the Bucks, they played with more physicality, and they showed more mental toughness -- as are the trademarks of most successful teams.

The Bucks' response, instead of bearing down and toughening up and practicing ways to counter the Pistons' aggressive play, seems to be to cry.

"Michael Redd was being held and grabbed a lot," Bucks coach Terry Stotts whined.

Charlie Bell complained of scratch marks on his stomach. He said his wife was wondering what had happened. Hey Mrs. Flintstone: It's part of the game.

Players do anything and everything to one another to gain an advantage. Yes, they hold and they grab and they scratch. They also tug, punch, break, strangle, elbow, kick, and gouge. Especially in the Playoffs.

To hear the Bucks whimper is to see an inexperienced playoff team at work. There's no way they will beat the Pistons in this series; they're too young, they're too weak, and they're not nearly assertive enough to dictate the tempo of more than a three-minute stretch.

To admit Detroit is a physical team will not rob the Bucks of their manhood, (however little of it exists). Everyone in the league knows that when they're playing the Pistons, they're in for some banging and bruising. I guess the Bucks just don't know how to deal with it.

My advice to them is to keep their mouths shut and grow a pair of you-know-whats to accompany those antlers. At least then this will be a series.

A quasi-Bulls fan's last request

Give Ben the ball, get out the way, and watch what he do wit' it.

No, Pistons fans, I'm not talking about Ben Wallace. I'm talking about the Bulls' Ben Gordon -- one of the greatest scorers on one of the worst teams in the playoffs.

This post is overdue, seeing as how the Bulls played on Saturday, but I wanted to voice my opinion about something that troubled me through the weekend.

I'm a Pistons fan, number one, always. But when the Bulls are playing against any opponent other than the Pistons, I tune in because I enjoy watching Ben.

So when his Bulls crumbled in the fourth quarter versus the Miami Heat Saturday, eventually losing 111-106, I had an idea for them.

LET BEN BRING THE BALL DOWN THE FLOOR.

Yes he had 35 points and did all he could to help them win, but when his teammates were trying to find him as the shot clock ran down, they left their feet with no intention of shooting, couldn't find him, or anyone, and ended up throwing the ball directly into the hands of the Heat. This happened at least three times. Hey Bulls: you wear red.

The interesting thing about Gordon's 35 is that only nine of them came in the fourth. On a normal night when Ben scores 35, AT LEAST 34 of them come in the final period. OK, that's hyperbole, but you get what I'm saying.

His game is jacked up for the Playoffs. While he's usually at his best in the fourth, EVERY quarter seems like a fourth quarter now. And for a team that should probably lose big to the Heat in this series, it's a wakeup call to the only possible, employable strategy that could steal a few games.

Ben should ALWAYS get the ball in the fourth quarter. Every possession. Just a touch. Get out the way and watch what he do.

I guarantee it's something electrifying.

State of the Pistons Address (April 23)

One up, one down.

That's about all this game really meant. The Pistons are 1/16 of the way through a long journey.

Their 92-74 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday was fun to watch; the Pistons played OK -- not great, not poorly, just OK.

What made it fun was their two surges in the second half. Everything was clicking -- especially the fast break, keyed by some beastly blocked shots -- but then they'd fall into some lapses.

The first surge began at the outset of the half, and then when the Bucks pulled within four toward the start of the fourth quarter, Detroit found that second gear yet again and coasted to the win.

It would have been a different story altogether had 'Sheed not carried them in the first half, though.

He scored 17 points and hit three 3s, playing with an obvious energy not quite present in any of the other four starters. (That energy was really there early in the second half, too, when he picked up his first technical of the Playoffs. I thought Flip should have left him in the game, to key off the energy, to tap into his increased productivity that seems to inevitably follow a cheap technical. But he put in Dyess, who played well, and all worked out fine.) 'Sheed has the tendency to coast through games, but when he's on, he is the most influential of any of the Pistons. They were lucky he was there mentally for the duration of this game, because they could have fallen into quite the hole had the Bucks kept up their hot start and the Pistons had remained tepid.

But when Ben came alive in the second half and facilitated some breaks with rejections and great outlet passes, Rip and Chaunce got going, and everyone and everything else fell into place.

So the best thing you can say about the game is that the Pistons played OK and still won by 18. Granted, the Bucks didn't shoot well after the first quarter and I'm sure that their percentage will climb slightly as the series progresses, but I don't think that will matter. I don't expect the Pistons to play just OK -- I expect them to come out with an intense focus from the get-go and win even more convincingly. Which is why they will sweep the Bucks.

NBA Playoff predictions

I've decided to predict the outcomes of the 2006 NBA Playoffs. I do this hesitatingly for two reasons: one, I did it last year and the Pistons didn't win it all (but I'm not that superstitious); and two, when I did do it last year, I did it terribly unsuccessfully. Nevertheless, I'm ready to give it another stab. Here goes:

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

Detroit over Milwaukee in 4
Miami over Chicago in 6
New Jersey over Indiana in 7
Washington over Cleveland in 6

Western Conference Quarterfinals

San Antonio over Sacramento in 5
Phoenix over LA Lakers in 6
Denver over LA Clippers in 6
Dallas over Memphis in 5

Eastern Conference Semifinals

Detroit over Washington in 5
Miami over New Jersey in 7

Western Conference Semifinals

San Antonio over Dallas in 6
Denver over Phoenix in 6

Eastern Conference Finals

Detroit over Miami in 4

Western Conference Finals

San Antonio over Denver in 5

The NBA Finals

Detroit over San Antonio in 4

Yes, the Detroit Pistons will be hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy come June. I don't see anyone coming any close to them, as long as none of their key players are injured (as I say this, I knock on the biggest piece of wood I can find). Their only blip will come in the conference semis versus Gilbert Arenas and the Wiz. I see him mustering an unstoppable 3-point barrage for at least one game of the series.

The most entertaining series of the postseason will be New Jersey/Miami. I see that one having a lot of close games. But the winner's efforts will be all for naught when they collide with the Pistons in Round 3.

Pistons just beginning to rev

No matter how many accolades they receive or how much praise they are given, the Detroit Pistons always find a way to stay motivated.

This season, they had countless reasons to celebrate. Four All-Stars. A franchise record for wins. Hegemonic control of the NBA standings from Day One. All impressive things. But to this team, all meaningless things.

"This is what we've been waiting for," Rasheed Wallace told the AP last week. "We got up for a couple teams, but we weren't really excited about the regular season. We've been waiting for the playoffs since Game 7 last year."

By Game 7, 'Sheed of course means the 81-74 loss to the San Antonio Spurs last June - a game which, if the Pistons had played better in the fourth quarter, would have been theirs and would have made this year's pursuit one for a three-peat.

That loss, though, made these Pistons infinitely hungrier. As training camp commenced in October, 'Sheed sent a message to the team, to the league, that there would be no repeat of last year. He arrived in great shape - antithetical to his usual preseason overweight poundage. After the Pistons won the title in 2004, 'Sheed admittedly spent most of the summer celebrating. And you know how 'Sheed do.

But now, the waiting is over. The Pistons' time has arrived. The Playoffs begin Saturday.

Regardless of how insignificant the Pistons cast off the 2005-2006 regular season to be, it was a historic one. Let us remember 10 of the most exciting and important moments of the campaign chronologically:

Nov. 4- Only the second game of a long season, it jumpstarted the Pistons' momentum. With eight tenths of a second left on the clock, Detroit had the ball on the sideline down one in Boston. Tayshaun Prince triggered and found Rip Hamilton in stride off a curl, and his lightning-quick release swished through the net from 18 feet out as the buzzer sounded for a Pistons' victory. They went on to win their first seven games and 15 of their first 17.

Nov. 10- A beautiful display of the Pistons' mettles: teamwork, grittiness, and clutch play. Against the always-running Phoenix Suns, all five Detroit starters scored in double figures. But with 4:56 to go, the Pistons trailed by six. The men in blue and red then proceeded to score 17 of the game's final 21 points to win, 111-104, cementing themselves as the league's powerhouse and setting the tone for the season that no lead is insurmountable.

Dec. 25- In a Christmas Day rematch of the NBA Finals, Detroit hosted San Antonio at The Palace. Ready for revenge, the Pistons were prepared for a close battle, but the Spurs showed up with coals in their stockings. Detroit dominated every facet of the game, winning 85-70 and outrebounding San Antonio 57-30.

Feb. 15- So long, Darko Milicic. His days in Detroit as the Human Victory Cigar ended in a trade with the Orlando Magic that also sent point guard Carlos Arroyo to Disney World. In return, the Pistons acquired center Kelvin Cato and a future first round pick. Parting ways with Darko was bittersweet: While it robbed the Pistons of a No. 2 draft pick still with great potential, it also freed up valuable cap space for the future re-signings of Chauncey and Ben Wallace, whose contracts expire in the next two seasons. And I didn't like seeing Carlos go. His on-court connection with Antonio McDyess seemed too innate to be over. But Dyess surged forward and so, too, did Arroyo. He's now the face of the Magic in Central Florida, which boasts a large Puerto Rican population.

Feb. 19- Four Pistons converged on the All-Star court in Houston and represented the team fittingly. Not only were Chaunce, Ben, 'Sheed, and Rip part of the Eastern Conference's 28-13 second-half run that led to an eventual victory, they wrote tributes to Tayshaun, the only other Pistons starter not to be named an All-Star, on their shoes. Talk about a team.

March 1- Pistons' President Joe Dumars announced the signing of free agent and 10-year veteran Tony Delk. At the time, it didn't appear to be a major move, as Delk had only played one game all season. But Detroit fans and the rest of the NBA soon learned that Delk's game was on point. He went on to shoot a scintillating 45 percent from behind the arc as a bench spark in the seasons' final months, averaging eight points per game. Why his former team, the Atlanta Hawks, played him in only one game before his release remains a mystery.

March 22- In Miami a month earlier, the Pistons had succumbed to the forces of one Dwyane Wade - perhaps the league's "next Jordan" - as he scored the Heat's final 17 points and willed them to a 100-98 victory. So this game was redemption; the Detroit "D" reawakened. Wade was held to just 13 points on 3-of-15 shooting. While the calendar may have welcomed spring, the Pistons were unwelcoming hosts for their Miami visitors, winning 82-73.

April 2- Despite a late arrival from 'Sheed, who forgot to spring his clocks forward for daylight savings, Detroit did in the visiting Phoenix Suns and Chaunce showed the world who the league's best point guard is. He walked all over reigning MVP Steve Nash, scoring 35 points and holding the Canadian to 13. The game also marked a milestone for the Pistons' starting five, who made their 73rd consecutive start as a unit, an NBA record.

April 3- Pistons president Joe Dumars is one of the league's most crafty general managers. In his playing days, he was one heck of a shooting guard, too. On this day, Dumars - who played in six All-Star games, won two championships and was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team four times in his career - was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. It's only a matter of time before he is enshrined as an exemplary executive, as well.

April 16- With a 103-97 win over the visiting New York Knicks, the Pistons won their 64th game of the season and became the winningest team in franchise history. When they look back on it years down the road, the players are sure to be proud of the milestone. But for now, there is no basking in their success. The glory has yet to come. Their focus is on one thing: another ring. NBA Playoffs, welcome.

In response: Farewell Tiger Stadium?

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick says he will make a decision in May on whether or not Tiger Stadium should be demolished. See article.

Tiger Stadium is a hallowed Detroit landmark, and the day it ceases to exist won't be a happy one. But if Kilpatrick does decide to raze the historic ballpark, I'm not going to shed any tears. And if uproar ensues upon a go-ahead from Kilpatrick to bid the stadium good bye, I'll be thoroughly surprised.

Let's consider what it is: a building with tremendous history, yes -- but also a building that is idle, much like numerous other unused edifices around the Motor City.

What separates Tiger Stadium from those eyesores, though, is its remarkable yesteryear.

For countless Detroiters, the landmark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull represents much more than the site where the Tigers took to the diamond for upwards of 90 years.

Originally called Navin Field when it opened in 1912, it became Briggs Stadium in 1938. Then in 1960, when John Fetzer became the team's owner, he gave it its lasting title: Tiger Stadium.

The Corner has played home to two World Series teams (1968 and 1984) and more than 100 million fans have passed through its turnstiles. It's a cathedral of sorts, full of timeless memories and echoes of long, unforgettable summers past.

But the sources of those echoes are long removed from the stadium's walls. Various events have been held there since its closing in 1999 when the Tigers' new home became Comerica Park. Movies have been filmed and other minor sporting events held, but nothing that has added to the well-being of the city. In fact, Detroit has spent nearly $4 million maintaining the stadium for the seven years since its last game, which, to me, seems absurd.

These days, it sits peacefully, neither a distraction or a subtraction. While many of Detroit's buildings are eyesores and reasons for critics -- Detroiters and non-Detroiters alike -- to spit condemnations, Tiger Stadium lives. And it’s OK. Just OK.

Everyone should realize, though, that if it's not torn down soon, it, too, will be labeled eyesore. I don’t want to see it defaced with graffiti, broken into, or begin to fall apart. While its memories will never fade, the longer this stadium stands, the more its holiness will evaporate.

Tiger Stadium's true farewell came on Sept. 27, 1999. I was fortunate enough to be there. Alongside my dad, we watched the Tigers dispatch the Kansas City Royals, 8-2. The win was punctuated by the game's final hit -- a grand slam by Tigers catcher Robert Fick which caromed off the black roof in right field. It stirred memories of Cecil Fielder and other “long gone” -- if I may borrow respectfully from Ernie Harwell -- former Tigers bombers.

After the game, a parade of Tigers legends graced the field. Names like Gibson, Kaline, Trammell, and Whitaker -- fully donned in bright Tigers white with the Olde English D -- trotted out for one last ovation. Next to me, my dad started to cry as the roar became deafening, and I couldn’t help but get a little emotional, too. Once the celebration subsided, the Tiger Stadium home plate was moved to the team's new home: Comerica Park.

I’ll always remember the events of that day because they were so fitting: a Tigers win in front of Tigers legends and true Tigers fans. It should have meant closure.

But Tiger Stadium lingered and lingers. When it comes time to demolish the sacred grounds, just remember that they have already been given a proper good bye, and let it go in peace.

The best when it counts

When healthy, Tracy McGrady might be the most talented player on the planet. Dwyane Wade's game is on the rise, too. LeBron James is perhaps the most physically gifted player to ever grace a basketball court. And Kobe Bryant is, well, Kobe.

But for my money, the most electrifying player in the NBA wears the No. 7 on his jersey for the Windy City. His name is Ben Gordon.

He's listed at 6'3'', but he looks more like 6'0''. BG is explosive, yet the majority of his game takes place below the rim. And he's quiet, which makes his big-time abilities scream out at you, like the jolt of a jester exploding out of a jack-in-the-box.

I consider Ben the best player in the league.

In the fourth quarter -- you didn't let me finish. While Chauncey is Mr. Big Shot, and Paul Pierce is the Truth, Ben is the Savior, if you're a Chicago Bull.

When the Bulls are in a tight one in the fourth quarter, he doesn't just hit one or two big 3s to put the fork in his opponents (like Chauncey does with regularity). He doesn't just get to the line virtually every time down the floor, draining every sap of energy out of the other team (quotidian for P-double). Ben does more. Every night, when the clock strikes 12 for the fourth time, he puts the Bulls on his back and scores and scores and scores in inconceivable ways time after time after time.

Tuesday night, in a barnburner with important playoff implications, Ben took the Bulls on his ever-increasingly-broad shoulders for the umpteenth time this season and flat out told the red-hot New Jersey Nets, "Uh-uh. No, no. Not tonight. This is my game."

He finished with 36 points, including 19-of-21 from the free throw line. 21 of those came in the final 12 minutes. Eight of them came in a 50-second stretch with under three minutes to play, the Nets well within reach.

For a non-Bulls fan like myself, the display had to have been breathtaking. And he does this every night, in an array of mesmerizing ways.

Rainbow fadeaways with defenders draped all over him. (Those are called "eyeball sandwiches" in hoops jargon.) Quick-as-the-speed-of-light drives -- between towering big men, up and under swailing arms -- resulting in nifty lay-ins, often for the and-one. And once in awhile, if you're lucky enough to be watching, he'll show off his ballistic hops and let out a rare scream of emotion. It's tough to keep quiet when you've just put Anderson Varejao on a poster, your unspeakables right in his face.

Yes, Ben is the best when it counts. It's just too bad he plays for such a mediocre team.

Right now, Chicago is struggling to even make the postseason. Don't be surprised, though, if Ben strings together a series of games like the one he played Tuesday and wills the Bulls into the playoffs.

In fact, if they do manage to qualify, Ben is a good enough player to win his team a series. As long as it's not against the Pistons, whose own Mr. Big Shot -- while maybe not as electrifying -- ain't too shabby in the fourth himself.

Shifting gears

I love the Masters golf tournament. Yes, because it's a tradition unlike any other, and because the glasslike greens, the picturesque rolling fairways, and the vibrant azaleas are as aesthetically pleasing as it gets when it comes to televised sporting. (Not to mention the CBS golf commentators are incredibly unique and crafty at what they do; if you had never seen a televised golf tournament, you'd think they were all kooky. But their soft, carefully plodded words underscore the drama which never ceases to exist at Augusta in the second weekend of April.)

But the Masters also represents a bridge between the NCAA Tournament and the NBA Playoffs. It's an imperative transitional event. While March is the most exciting month in sports because of all the hoopla surrounding the Dance -- brackets, speculation, and so forth -- sports throughout April, May, and early June are more consistently enthralling. Not as enthralling as the Dance, but what I'm saying is that because the tournament is only played on 10 different days, that's far fewer than the amount of days in the spring that will have a big game to offer. Sportscenter will have no nights off.

Let us walk through the itinerary.

The Tigers play their opener at Comerica Park today against the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox. At 2-4, the boys from the south side aren't beginning their season the way their fireball manager Ozzie Guillen would have hoped. Which makes them dangerous. He's the best in the bigs, in my opinion, and he'll have them fired up in Detroit for the 1:05 first pitch this afternoon.

It should be fun following the Tigers -- especially throughout the early spring -- to see if they can continue their torrid start. Chris Shelton's stats at this point are through the roof. In six games, he's hit five homers, touched 35 total bases, and is hitting for a .583 average. As a team, they're hitting .308.

From the diamond to the hardwood, where the Pistons have five regular season games to go before they begin their playoff march toward a second NBA title in three years. Ben Wallace's recent actions -- while seemingly hurtful to the team -- will actually help. By refusing to re-enter Friday night's game against Orlando, he undermined Flip Saunders' authority. Then, yesterday against the Pacers, he went out and ripped down 22 boards. Chauncey might be the MVP and the face of this team, but Ben is its backbone. The disrespect he showed Flip is not reflective of Ben's personality in any way; it's a long season, and something like that is bound to happen. In fact, it's so rare on this team that it only speaks to its cohesiveness. Whatever your view, that one occurrence will recharge big No. 3 and make him hungrier, which will rub off on everyone else, and I think you'll see the best defensive team in this playoffs wearing red and blue.

Also this spring: the NHL Playoffs, the Kentucky Derby, the French Open, and my personal favorite, the Kalamazoo College men's tennis team's pursuit of a 68th consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship. Yeah, that's right. 68. I should write a story about them and submit it to ESPN. I doubt there's much knowledge of that great feat outside of Kalamazoo, not to mention any other record of similar stature to be found elsewhere in this country.

The recipe

I shall call this the recipe, a random string of thoughts and observations it shall be...

Dwight Gooden's going to jail. One of the most promising pitchers of the last 20 years, in trouble again, this time for doing cocaine while on probation -- although he didn't have to be locked up. He had two options: one was to go to jail for seven months or so, which he decided to do. The other was to extend his probation, but if he violated it again, the sentence would be upwards of five years. I guess there's no lifestyle change in his forseeable future, eh? Talk about taking your medicine...

I watched the women's national title game Tuesday and was impressed. Maybe it was because the game was an OT thrilla and I hadn't seen any hint of that in the men's Final Four, but I actually saw some great plays and some great players. Maryland came from way down at halftime to take the lead with a few to go, and it seesawed until Tolliver the Terrapin hit an ultra-clutch three from the right wing to tie it. Then, the Terps looked like GM in the UConn game in the men's tournament, owning OT, then winning their first title. I usually don't like women's hoops, but this was a great game that I could not find myself turning away from with the remote...

The Tigs! It didn't take long for me to sniff October. A 14-3 romp of the Royals on Thursday cemented the inevitable truth that the men with the Olde English D on their hats will be playing in the Fall Classic come autumn. They're the best team in the history of baseball...

Pistons/Heat tonight. I don't like how Miami's starters are faking injuries before the playoffs. J. Williams is not injured, he just wants to delay another matchup with Chauncey before he's forced to succumb to his inferiority in May when the Pistons beat the Heat in the Conf. Finals for the second straight year -- this time in a sweep. White Chocolate, you wimp, you make me sick.
Pistons 134 Heat 6

March Madness holds true to its name

Every March, in the midst of the NCAA Tournament, it seems as though I am making the same proclamation.

“This has to be the most exciting tournament ever,” I say, to whoever will listen.

Underdog teams make the Big Dance what it is: the most entertaining event in sports.

Last year, it was West Virginia almost making it to the Final Four as an eight seed, playing fourth-seeded Louisville to the wire in a regional final, only to let a 22-point lead unfurl as a Cardinal 3-point assault ended the Mountaineers’ hopes.

Later that night, Illinois beat Arizona in what I consider the greatest NCAA Tournament game I’ve ever seen. Channing Frye was magnificent, scoring in a variety of nifty ways, finding a way to put the ball in the hoop all night long against Illinois’ renowned defense. He catapulted the Wildcats to a big lead, and Arizona, a three seed, led by 15 with four minutes to go. That’s when the Illini’s Deron Williams spearheaded a frantic comeback. Steal after steal, 3 after 3, improbable make after improbable make, Illinois somehow surmounted Arizona and made its way to the Final Four.

Those two games, of many, are still ingrained in my mind from the 2005 tournament.

This year, after watching the first two weekends of the tournament, I was ready to deem the 2006 tournament the best ever; I thought it had one-upped its predecessor.

But the NCAA Tournament abided by its March Madness moniker almost too faithfully, as the three games of the Final Four — all played in April — were some of the least exciting contests of the Big Dance.

On Monday night, Florida played UCLA in Indianapolis for the national championship. While the game should have been the culmination of the season, of the Dance, this year’s matchup lacked the usual buildup a title bout deserves. It didn’t have the star appeal of, say, the 2005 final, when heavyweights Illinois and North Carolina, the two top-ranked teams in the tournament, went to battle in St. Louis. That game was a classic, down-to-the-wire thriller, and the Tar Heels needed 26 points from behemoth Sean May to hold on, 75-70, for coach Roy Williams’ first national title.

This year, the Gators and the Bruins shared the floor for one of the most one-sided title games in the history of the tournament. Joakim Noah’s six blocks and a barrage of second-half dunks from the Gator big men were impressive, but the Gators dominated every facet of the game, and the final score, 73-57, was actually closer than the game seemed.

Which makes the Final Four a letdown. Don’t get me wrong; Florida deserves credit for its game plan, for its near perfect execution (the Gators scored 73 points on a Bruin defense that had not allowed more than 45 points in its two previous games). But considering the numerous barnburners of the first four rounds — the buzzer beaters, the excruciating finishes — the Final Four, the tournament’s Last Dance, was a ballet. The first four rounds were a passionate Rumba.

The star of the 2006 tournament was George Mason, from Fairfax, Va. Before the tourney, many people would have asked, “Oh, what team does he play for?” Now, it’s safe to say the nation knows that George Mason is, indeed, not a player, but a team full of talented ones.

On weekend one, the 11th-seeded Patriots upended two of last year’s Final Four teams (six seed Michigan State and three seed North Carolina). The next weekend, after easily handling Wichita State in the Washington, D.C. regional semifinals, George Mason, from the Colonial Athletic Association, a team that had never won a tournament game before its first round victory over the Spartans, took on the Dance’s top dogs: the Huskies of Connecticut.

In the Game of the Tournament, the Patriots rallied from nine points down at halftime to take the lead late in the second half, only to be caught by the Huskies as Denham Brown’s last-gasp lay-up attempt hung on the rim, tried its best to fall off, but trickled through the nylon to force overtime.

That’s when the Patriots showed their mettle. In the extra period, George Mason looked like the Big East squad, the team that had been in the national spotlight and ranked in the top five all season long. Connecticut looked like the mid-major that didn’t belong, Huskies with tails between their legs. Mason hung on to win, 86-84, and became the first 11 seed to make the Final Four since LSU in 1986.

The Patriots fell to Florida Saturday, but they had already made their presence felt as a legitimate national contender. Coach Jim Larranaga seemed to enjoy the ride more than anyone. Before the tournament began, he told his team to have more fun than any other team in the field of 64. There’s no question the Patriots did that.

Now, had George Mason beaten Florida and advanced to the title game, this tournament would stack up elsewhere in history. The same can be said of LSU. The Tigers had been impressive in coming out of the Atlanta regional, beating Duke and Texas, but in Indy, they failed to show up. If they had shown the Bruins their swagger, perhaps the Final Four would have been more indicative of the tourney’s March games

Alas, it was not. So many images — Tennessee’s Chris Lofton’s prayer from the corner being answered versus Winthrop on the tourney’s first day to prevent the two-seeded Volunteers from going down; 14 seed Northwestern State’s Jermaine Wallace hitting a step-back, fade away rainbow to secure the upset over three-seeded Iowa; Texas’ Kenton Paulino displaying the ice in his veins with a last-second 3 to lift his Longhorns over West Virginia after the Mountaineers’ Kevin Pittsnogle had just made a 3-bomb to tie it — made this March one of true madness.

If only the Final Four could have danced to a similar beat, the 2006 NCAA Tournament would have been the best ever — the maddest of the mad.

Is 2006 the year for the Tigers to roar?

It's April, and for Detroit Tigers fans, that means optimism is in the air.

Every year, no matter how bad the Tigers were the year before, or how many (or few) offseason moves were made, fans around the Motor City, talk show hosts, beat writers, and columnists say that if a, b, and c all happen, the Tigers could have a good year. Well, they haven't had a winning record since 1993, and they haven't made the postseason since Reagan was in office.

But why not give it another shot? There's no reason to be pessimistic. Why? Because it's a long season. 162 games. Six months. The later monotony and the hopelessness kick in, the better. So here goes: The Tigers could make the playoffs this season! I say this for three reasons.

1. Their bats. I was fortunate enough to attend a spring training game at the lovely Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., this spring, and the Tigers smashed four home runs en route to a 15-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Yes, it was spring training. Yes, it was one game. But I think it showed where the Tigers potential problems will not lie this summer: at the plate. From 1 to 9, they have guys who can swing the bat. I'd say of the eleven hitters who will see substantial time, ten of them are good enough to hit .300 for a season. Will they all do it this year? No. I'm just trying to emphasize how talented they are from top to bottom. The only exception is Nook Logan, who happens to be my favorite Tiger. He's been called the fastest player in the bigs. He's a tremendous center fielder. But he has yet to show much skill with the wood in hand. If he can up his on-base percentage and hit more line drives, he'll be in the lineup more than last year, when he only made sporadic appearances.

2. Jim Leyland, the new manager. He won a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997. He was skipper of the great Pittburgh Pirates teams of the early '90s. The Detroit News calls him the most direct, no-fluff manager the Tigers have had in 30 years. So does that automatically make them a winner? No way. But it does say something. Alan Trammell, as much as Detroiters loved him for being a hell of shortstop, was a horrible manager. He refused to bunt the ball. He terribly mismanaged the bullpen. But he had never been a manager before, and stepping in cold turkey and building a winner is not easy to do (the exception: Ozzie Guillen and the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox). So Leyland has the experience. I'm hopeful he can help build some confidence. And if he is able to find a comfortable balance between manufacturing runs via small ball and letting these talented hitters swing away, the runs will cross the plate in masses.

3. The men on the hill, if they decide to coincide and have breakout years. What I mean is, there are four young hurlers who will be in the rotation, plus 41-year-old Kenny Rogers. I think we can count on him for 12-15 wins. Now if the younger guys -- led by Jeremy Bonderman, who arguably should have made the All-Star team last season -- can all have their best seasons ever, then the bats will have some support. Joining Bonderman are lefties Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson, and 23-year-old Justin Verlander, who will have rookie status this year after only two appearances last season. None of these guys are big names, but they do have good stuff. If they can establish a toughness (which Leyland will aid, being one of the better pitching managers there is, experts say), then a tone can be set for the season. The bullpen remains a question mark, though. With former Tiger Todd Jones back on staff for a second go-around in Detroit, he brings experience, but does he have good enough stuff to be a lock-it-up, reliable closer? I guess we'll see. My inkling is that for the Tigers to make a push, especially if they're in the thick of things come the trading deadline at the end of July, general manager Dave Dombrowski will have to find one or two solid relievers to propel this team through a pennant race and into the October postseason for the first time in two decades.

Whatever happens, baseball is back for Opening Day today. And while I'm a little more psyched for the Pistons' playoff run to begin, I can't wait to see if the Tigers can roar. Let's play ball!

Thoughts

Chauncey for MVP? Sure looked like it Sunday.

He scored 35 points -- 28 in the second half -- in the Pistons' come-from-behind 109-102 win over the fast-breaking Phoenix Suns at the Palace.

The Suns led big at half time, but Rip's aerial connection with B-b-b-b-b-b-Ben -- they had three alley-oops in the third quarter -- got Detroit going, then Chaunce started stroking. He made five 3-pointers, including a 35-footer at the end of the shot clock midway through the fourth, that seemed to take the wind out of the Suns' sails.

Some concerns:

Once again, the Pistons got way behind early and had to play the starters big minutes to secure the win. As I've said before, it would be nice to see the bench get some substantial minutes here in the last nine games of the season, not only to rest the starters' legs, but to develop a substitution pattern -- something of which there currently is no semblance.

'Sheed picked up his 16th technical Sunday, too, apparently in defense of his fellow Wallace, as Ben was fouled hard by Tim Thomas but no flagrant was called. If the call is not rescinded by the league, 'Sheed will be suspended for the Pistons' next game, at home versus New Orleans. I'm not too worried about the game, though. I think Detroit will play inspired ball, Dyess will flourish in a starting role, and that win No. 60 will be earned...

Disinterest in Indy?

The results of the Final Four games last night didn't surprise me, but the way the games were played did. Florida needed a barrage of threes from Humphrey and a slew of missed layups from GM to win its second national semifinal in seven years. UCLA whooped on LSU by displaying a stifling defense -- so befuddling, Big Baby never looked more appropriately named. The Bruins aren't exciting, especially on the offensive end, but they're effective. Their coach, Ben Howland, is a disciplinarian to a tee, and that shines through their play. I expect the national final Monday to be a low scoring affair -- like the Bruins' last two games -- and for Florida to come out on top in a close one: Gators 54, Bruins 52.

But, as has been the case throughout this crazy dance, I'll probably be wrong. Don't be surprised to see an 88-34 final, with UCLA cutting down the nets.

Don't be a fool

April Fool's Day is here! This is a day where the prankster in me usually comes out a little bit, just to do a little fooling, although I must say I've never gotten after it too wholeheartedly. I usually poke fun at my friends with a few far-fetched schemes and whatnot, but never before have I pulled off a bigtime fooli-oolio.

So I wondered about some of the greatest pranks of all time, to get a little juice of my own going. Some of these are ridiculous. See here. I like the Swedish color TV con, where the dude had every Swede pulling a stocking over their televisions. That's skillfully done.

If any readers have ever pulled off a classic prank or have any creative ideas, please, let me know. I'd be happy to lend a devilish hand in helping to facilitate the "Big Fool."