​Welcome to my Sunday blog, I am sitting here in steamy Michigan now wishing for something I thought I would never say again in my whole entire life Winter and a little relief from these 95+ degree days. I started this blog a few days early, because I had a few thoughts I wanted to get off my chest. I finally have became active again here at the Gab, I was a little busy taking care of things around the house and myself for that matter. As I am facing possible shoulder surgery due to a possible torn rotator cuff, and I will be tied up Sunday of all days when I go have my MRI done to see the extent of the damage to my shoulder. I thought I would start this week with a little tribute to my English friends, no wonder soccer (for which I am not a big fan of), is so fun to watch from time to time......

​It's raining in Detroit again for the second night in a row, not that it matters because they cannot beat the Twins any way. I am still trying to figure out this team, is the absence of V-Mart that important that they cannot even beat the Twins? I really hate to say this, but even if he comes back right now they may not win the AL Central.

​I am in a little bit of a rowdy mood tonight, but this one is getting me in the mood for football. I have been seeing lots of Michigan-Alabama shit on certain channels. I like both Michigan and Michigan St., but Michigan better hang onto their asses in this one because it could be a long, ugly game in Dallas to open the NCAA football season. I don't care if Alabama lost a bunch of seniors, they are simply a different defense and can totally shut down the Michigan running game. If you doubt this at all, they have had all spring and now summer to prepare for this game and oh by the way, just ask LSU....

​I personally cannot stand Nick Sabin, he is a carpet baggin SOB like most coaches are now days. Leaving one job for a higher paying job and screwing over the program that invested money in hiring him. But that is the American way, go to the person who pays you the most screw your former employer........

​I have always been a Lions fan, and got laughed at plenty of times for admitting it. I have seen plenty of good times, mostly when Barry was there, and some awful times when that SOB Matt Millen was in town destroying this once proud franchise. I do not know what this season has in store for us as fans, but here is a little treat for IHM and AFD that I did not even know existed until I stumbled across it on youtube......

​I thought I would throw a little Sunday treat in there for you boys, to break up the bitching I have been doing. I hope you enjoy this little treat. If you cannot see this video, my apologies boys I did not realize that it could not be shown. 

​Last year at this time I was sitting in my Sunday Blogging partner Qwazier's seat filling those big shoes that Hotch fills during the hockey season. I just wanted to welcome him aboard, and I enjoy reading his Sunday posts about NASCAR. By the way bud, I will be watching that race on the 18th of August unless I attend my 30th class reunion that evening...........

​This is why I love watching races at this track, you never know how many cars that start are going to finish the race.

​As I close out this blog I want to get this off my chest, I know many of you have weighed in on your thoughts about Joe Paterno knowingly covering for his long time friend Jerry Sandusky. However, if it is true he went to the administration and told them this was going on, but they chose to turn their heads and ignore it. If anyone should be strung up its those sorry bastards that were part of the cover-up and not Coach Paterno. If that sorry ass administration was not trying to protect the image of the University itself, they would have done something about it when Coach Paterno brought it to their attention instead of looking away. Now because they did not want to do anything about it, they have ruined the image of the University and its students that attend it. I could care less if it ruins the football program, because it is what it is. We unfortunately will never hear Coach Paterno's side of the story, but I am putting some closure to my thoughts about this whole situation. If he really was involved personally, he will answer to God for what he has done, so it is what it is. We have Sandusky in jail for the rest of his life, and hopefully those who covered for him will join him instead of him being the lone one to fall for what he has done. They will never get another top recruit for some time any way, so their punishment will be finishing at the bottom of their division in the Big 10. My question is, why destroy the rest of their athletic programs, or at least hold them accountable as it may seem others want. This is a football matter only, and they already nailed the person they wanted to nail, so let the rest of the student athletes play sports, and the students attend this school. I wonder if enrollment dropped because of this? Never know if their were any other child molesters on the coaching staff will we?

​I dug this one out of the archives, you kind of expect Justin and Miggy to make the team, but Prince winning the vote? He must have been really popular in Milwaukee, and it carried over to Detroit. Congratulations to all of the Tiger All-Stars making the trip to Kansas City....

​Thanks for stopping by and reading my Sunday Blog, I know that we will not agree on some things I have said and that is fine. Feel free to voice you opinion, even a rant or a rave, and even head butt someone that you think is being a jackass on the way through........

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​I was sitting here after work today, and I got to thinking about all of the great memories I have of Tiger Stadium. I remember watching Al Kaline, Mickey Lolich and Gates Brown. 

​I remember my first game at this old girl, it was bat day, Al Kaline hit a home run that day as Mickey Lolich shut out the Twins and Rod Carew 7-0. Mickey always made it look so easy, Al was so graceful in the outfield. And yes even Storminnorman was playing first that day. My problem with the new stadiums are this: they never have the memories that the stadiums they replace have.....

​I remember grabbing Jerry on a Saturday or Sunday and getting in the car and going to Tiger Stadium. Hell, I remember the 80s and 90s well because we would share the costs of the games that day. I remember seeing Jim Abbott and Jack Morris pitch, not one of Jack's better performances that day. I remember Prince standing by his dad, while Cecil was in Detroit, Rob Deer and Mickey Tettleton doing their thing hitting home runs and striking out. I also remember attending one of Al Leiter's better pitching performances when he carried a no-hitter into the 7th inning only to lose it on a Sweet Lou Whitaker single on a day when they would come back to win.

​I remember the good times and the bad, Gibby hitting his home run in the World Series against the Padres who I kind of adopted while I was stationed in the Navy out in San Diego. I kind of felt sorry for the Padres that year because they were overmatched by the Tigers, even with possibly their best team in the history of the organization.....

​I was too young to remember this home run, because as a kid we were not allowed to stay up to watch television late at night so we only heard about it the next day. The point I guess I am trying to make, is why get rid of the older stadiums like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, just to build newer fancier and more costly ticket prices for the fans just to keep up the time. As I grew older, I would just get in my car and drive down myself. I used to love sitting behind home plate, because the press box was right above and if you listened closely you could hear Ernie calling the game.......

​I am not knocking Comerica Park, but it does not have the same feel as Tiger Stadium had. You do not have the poles to look around when watching a game, it has a carnival atmosphere because there are too many other things you can do there with your kids that you could never do at Tiger Stadium. Heck if you walked around the stadium, you would walk by the players enterance to the clubhouse, and if you were lucky you might find a player wandering that day......

​I loved sitting in the bleachers both lower and upper, because in all fairness that was the best view of the Stadium. I miss the ballpark franks, and the peanut vendors outside selling bags of peanuts 3 for a buck. I even miss the panhandlers looking for a buck so they could walk across the street for a beer at the bar outside Kaline's corner. 

​I miss the 4 dollar parking and the walk to and from the stadium, at least I did not have to worry about my safety because it was all near the stadium. Now my favorite place to watch a game is more or less a parking lot, just a few memories of existence are still there........

​I do not attend as many games now because I live a little further away from the stadium, and it will never be the same. I would rather sit at home and watch the games on television, because of the location of the stadium. The parking is not great, just like the neighborhood. But this is just my opinion, others who do not remember this old girl will attend a game in my place.

​There are some who will remember attending games there, and know what I mean, one of the greatest places to watch a game is gone. The question remains which of the two oldest stadiums in baseball will be the first to go? I hope the owners of the Cubs and Red Sox keep their stadiums and do not decide to change.

​Finally, I voted last night for the All-Stars for both leagues. How many of you stuffed the ballots for your team, or voted  for the players that actually deserved to be there? This is why I believe the players should decide who makes the all-star game instead of letting us decide by voting. They see or compete against these players on a daily basis, and know who should be there in the game. There were two players I felt deserved to be there, David Ortiz and Starlin Castro. The reason I claim this to be a farce, is that I used my two email addresses and my wife's two email addresses to vote 100 times last night. If I had voted everyday, I could have added an additional 3,000 votes or so to players like Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera but chose not to vote every day.

​The voting system needs to be changed, no offense to the commissioner. He means well by allowing the fans to decide who plays in the game, but when I can do this it makes it a farce in my opinion.

​Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog, see ya next week......

​I was sitting here getting ready to watch the Tigers and Rangers play, I stumbled across the blog by fellow Wings fan AVD. I wanted to tip my hat first, because this was a great blog with some great points about Joe Sakic. However, this is the reason why the Wings won 4 Cups, without these guys they would not have had the success they have had.  

​Draper, Maltby, McCarty and Kocur were the antagonists. Sure they scored goals from time to time, but they killed penalties, caused penalties by irritating the hell out of their opponents and even fought the opposing teams enforcers to make things right. Do the Wings win those Cups without them, I highly doubt it because those guys were leaders and understood what sacrifices it took to win. Should they be in the HOF, no but in my mind they should not be forgotten for their contributions in the success of the Red Wings over the past 20 years.......

I thought I would bring back a few memories from the 97 season, this one is for AVD......

​Unfortunately for Drapes, this will be the hit that he will be remembered for. 

​So if they consider Sakic a great player in the line of Stevie Y, what about the role players that contributed to the success the AVS had, should they be in the HOF next to him? Without the 4 players I mentioned, the Wings would not have been as successful as they had been.......

Well this is the eating crow version of my Sunday blog after the Heat won their championship on Thursday night against the Thunder. I sure hope they are not under the impression that this will be the first of many to come in Miami, because personally I believe this was a tune up for things to come from the Thunder and we will see them return next year to dominate the NBA and win their first title for Oklahoma City. Everyone knows that there is a learning curb in the NBA, and really it was seen in the calls that went in the favor of the Heat versus the calls that the Thunder received in Miami. The Pistons went through this during their back to back runs in the 80s against the Celtics and Lakers, so it comes with a storied past. But anyway, hats off to LeBron in winning his first championship, he played his ass off during this title run and deserved to win a championship as he carried the Heat during their championship run. In the past, he was known as a choke in Cleveland where he folded up in times when the Cavs needed him to perform. Here is a little taste of game 5....

But enough of the eating crow portion of my blog, because I still believe LeBron is nothing more than a pompous ass who believes he walks on water, kind of like a kid named Michael Jordan. But that is what sets him apart from every player that the Pistons have, he knows he is the shit, and when he plays to the level he is capable of there is going to be great results.......

I find this day to be rather sad, because around here in Michigan once the trial began we never really heard much until this day. It is a shame that a man of his former stature could be a pedofile and sexually abuse young men. Now he will face his maker in a Pennsylvania Institution not as a well respected coach serving under Joe Paterno, but as one who brought down a storied University and the greatest coach of all time for the crimes he committed. I am sure that he will go to a minimum security prison more because of his age than for any other reason, but he still will have his own issues with his cell mates for which I am sure been relishing this day. What a shame.....

And unfortunately for Jerry, he will have plenty of these where he is at now.........

And how about a little bit of Kate to wake up with............

Is it possible that this team can win the AL Central, while the Tigers battle and try to overcome injuries, or will they fold under the pressure of leading the division during the final 3 months of the season? I personally think they are for real, they have handled the Tigers pretty well this year but only time will tell as the Tigers start to get healthy and make their run. Hang in there Beezer, you got a good team there in Cleveland and they just may surprise you and win it this year......

As two sports seasons come to a close,

another is heading towards the All-Star Break.....

I was asking myself this question:

What kind of ignorance will my football team show this year?

I sure hope that Fairly has learned from his mistakes,

as a matter of fact, I hope the whole team has

you cannot go run around life making asses of yourself,

if you want the respect of your peers.........

This season brings new hopes and dreams

for even the worst of teams.....

Who knows where it may lead,

but if you do not grow up and act like men

you will never realize those dreams........

I just want to clarify that I am not picking on Nick Fairly alone, he was not the only Lion player to make an ass out of themselves last year. The whole team needs to mature if they expect to reach the next level, which can be a realistic goal for the upcoming season if they play well and mature enough to not make the same mistakes they made last year which cost them a few wins......

Its off to my mom's to visit with my niece who lives in Kentucky, she is 13 now and I can remember when she was a baby.

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out here, may your day be a great one with your families. What a great week in sports, King's winning their first Cup (I remember stating earlier, the winner would come out of the East), and I was wrong just like a few million others who were following the playoffs. Hat's off to the other team that plays at the Staple Center for proving us all wrong.

I would normally be placing a few pictures here on my blog, but due to some unfortunate circumstances I am on my back up laptop which is horrible in comparison to my newer laptop. So I am fighting the system tonight as I write my blog, but only for a few more days, when I get it back. So I picked up one of my favorite sports papers, and I am going run a few baseball related stats that I may find interesting by you. By the way, who picked the Cubs and Sox for this game. I am sure glad I love watching Lester and Big Papi play, or I would be watching something else. Nothing against the Cub's, but they are horrible......

Is it me or all of the divisions have great balance, outside of a few teams? Papa Grande looks like Papelbon, blowing save after save. The Rockies lit him up like fireworks on the the 4th Friday Night, he is just horrible in non-save situation. I asked myself why Leyland put him in there in the 9th knowing how horrible he was in this type of game situation. Leyland mismanaged or over-managed his pitching staff again. What else is new, he will get Jeff Jones fired by the end of the year, but as always he will survive.....

37- The number of runs scored by the Diamondbacks during a five game winning streak....

3-13 - The Cubbies record against LHPs no wonder they are 20-40

How many of you playing in our fantasy leagues thought there would be this much parity in baseball this year? Outside of the Rangers who look like they want to try for a third attempt at winning a World Series, the rest of the league is pretty balanced.

6- The number of pitchers used during Kevin Millwood's no-hitter against the Dodgers. What was that kids name that pitched for the Dodger's? He should stay, they might have found a keeper..........

Anyway, this week marks another year with my wife Michelle, who has made me the luckiest father alive. She gave me Taylor and Noah. I state this, because on the 24th we will have been married 12 years. Holy Cow Valbuena's first hit as a Cub was a 3 run homer, wow.......

Tim, what's up with the Indians? Did the trainers revive them or is this just that little run at the Soxs? The central division is going to get interesting now that the Indians and Tigers are starting to get their legs and make a run....................

A friend of mine told me his nephew was drafted by the Reds out of SVSU, he informed me that he has a pretty good shot at making the show. He left for Arizona earlier this week, going to be a tough road to Cinci with their current staff, but we will see........

 Happy Father's  Day Dad, you are the best!!!