The Tigers have their winter caravan this week, and while it is done much differently than when I covered the team as a beat writer for The Oakland Press from 1986-98, it always brings back memories - most of them fond.
I used to dislike the trip. It meant spending hour after hour on a bus with team president Jim Campbell, who did not like me at all. I remember one time, in St. Clair, he "greeted" me as I got off the bus. He pulled out this old, leather appointment book, and out fell this yellowed copy of a column I had written a couple years before. Below my smiling face, the headline said: “Monaghan’s Pizza Logic Destroying Tigers.” It was very critical of then-Tigers owner Thomas S. Monaghan, who was incredibly off-the-wall.
"Just to let you know how much I follow the #%@* you write in that newspaper, I carry this where ever I go,” Campbell said. Then he started screaming at me, "You wish he were dead, don’t you!!!!"
It was not all bad, though. We used to stop at Win Schulers for a great meal - although the deviled eggs at various stops got to be a bit much. You really got to know the players back then on the bus. I remember playing hearts with players from Cecil Fielder to the late Chris Brown to current White Sox general manager Kenny Williams on the caravan. I used to remember thinking that I was glad we were not playing for money because they had a lot and me none.

Random Thoughts

- Best laugh I got all weekend was watching Steve Mariucci on the NFL Network hem and haw and dodge the subject of his good buddy Andy Reid punting on fourth down when he should have gone for it during the Eagles playoff loss to the Saints. His co-hosts, Rich Eisen and Deion Sanders, just would not let up on Mooch, either. It was as if he were dodging questions from the media as the Lions coach again.

- I really like the concept of a high school basketball tournament to celebrate Martin Luther King Day in Pontiac. Kudos to Pontiac Northern for the idea. Pontiac is truly a great basketball town.

- I am going to Michigan’s game on Wednesday vs. Penn State. The Wolverines should win that game, but it will be a tricky one because Penn State does have experience. The last thing Wolverines can afford is to be upset in conference play at home.

I watched the Cleveland-Phoenix game Thursday night with great interest. As some of you might know, I have found it odd that the NBA has named Steve Nash its MVP not just one year, but the last two seasons. I understand he is an excellent player. That goes without saying. But the best in the league? I have not been buying it. I am starting to change my tune on Nash, however. He was utterly brilliant Thursday. He was clearly the best player on the floor - even better than LeBron James. His vision of the court is extraordinary. His court-vision reminds me a lot of Magic Johnson. Out of the blue, he will find an open man. He can also shoot exceptionally well and has excellent quickness. He is short, and defensively the Suns kind of hide him. Last season, one on one with Chauncey Billups, he just could not handle a point guard with that kind of size and strength when isolated. Yet, he does so many things well - that just might be splitting hairs. Still, if I were choosing sides for a pick up game, I would take LeBron, Kobe, Billups and Dirk ahead of Nash.

Random Thoughts

- The Giants are crazy for giving Barry Bonds a $17 million contract. The guy cannot play any more, he is a distraction beyond any other and people are not excited about him breaking the all-time home run record of Henry Aaron.

- It does not seem right that Tajuan Porter and Malik Hairston are having so much success so far away from Detroit in Oregon. Can you imagine how much better Michigan and Michigan State would be if they had one or the other - or both. And Joe Crawford.

- I still can believe Brady Quinn will be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He just seems so overrated.

I cannot help but wonder if the reputation of Alan Trammell as player has not been hurt by what he did as a manager. Trammell was a great player. He was the World Series Most Valuable Player in 1984, and he should have been the American League MVP in 1987. He hit .300 enough times, won enough Gold Gloves and hit with enough power for his position to be in the Hall of Fame. Yet, his percentage keeps going down. It was 13 percent this year. Conversely, if Trammell had gone into broadcasting, it would have helped his Hall of Fame chances. It did wonders for George Kell, Phil Rizzuto, Pee Wee Reese and Ralph Kiner. They were all shunned by the writers, but were inducted by the veterans committee. Because Trammell and Whitaker have done so poorly in the voting by the writers, it will be difficult to justify their induction into the Hall by the veterans committee. That is a shame. Both deserve better.

Random Thoughts

- I fully expect Wilfredo Ledezma to have a breakout season. It would not surprise me if he wins 12-to-15 games and replaces Mike Maroth permanently in the Tigers starting rotation.

- Drew Brees was named by the Associated Press as the first team All-Pro quarterback. I still think, despite public outcry to have my head examined, that Brees would have meant four or five more victories this season for the Lions. And that if Jon Kitna were the Saints QB, they would not even make the playoffs. Why? Because I believe the first-team All-Pro QB makes that much difference between and losing - regardless of the offensive line.

- I am not sure if the Lions would not be better off if Mike Martz left the team. His offense was all about yards between the 20s, but not scoring when it was needed. Also, his presence seems to keep the Lions from going after a franchise QB. In that way, he is hindering the progress of the organization. The Lions will not win consistently until they have a big-time QB. It has been the one thing missing since their last title in 1957.

The answer I have never quite come up with regarding the Lions is whether their troubles are because of the environment causing the people, or the people causing the environment. Obviously, there is something horribly wrong with the culture surrounding the franchise. It is a losing one. Weird things happen to the Lions as a result - like Joey Harrington coming back on Thanksgiving Day and playing like Johnny Unitas against the Lions. And then on Sunday, it was Jeff Garcia lighting up the Giants in a playoff game with Marty Mornhinweg calling the plays for him. Those two guys gotten eaten alive around here. Garcia had some injury problems, but he did act strange, too. Mornhinweg came across as extremely overwhelmed as a head coach. You wonder, however, if it would have been different for both if the Lions were not such a bungled operation. Think about it. Matt Millen is hanging his hat on Rod Marinelli having changed the losing culture. Yet, the Lions lost two more games this season than they did the year before. Dan Miller asked me on FOX 2 Sunday night what changes I would make to their roster and, too be honest, they need a complete overhaul. There is not one area that can be considered a strength. I like Ernie Sims, for example. The gall they have in Allen Park to say the things they do - as if they are getting it right. It is unbelievable. Who is a better QB? Jon Kitna or Jeff Garcia? Who has won more games in the league? Who has taken teams to the playoffs? Who has been to the Pro Bowl? Who is still playing this season? Yet, if you asked the Lions brass, they would act as if Kitna has been better all along. So would a lot of Lions fans, the ones who continue to buy into propaganda. What a farce.

Random thooughts

- Michigan State had a pretty good test at Indiana Sunday and did not pass it. State can have a really good season, but will have to tighten up defensively during the conference season. The Spartans had been playing very well defensively until Sunday. That is what made the loss discouraging.

- Ben Wallace won Round 1 with the Pistons in Chicago Saturday, but that game would have been a lot different if Chauncey Billups had played.. I still think the Pistons, with Billups, would take the Bulls in a playoff series.

Nick Saban is not a good football coach. He is a great football coach. Problem is, he always has to be told he is loved. With him, it is not so much the job, but the courtship that counts. He loves to be the hot candidate and to come into town as a hero. What he lacks is the guts to stick out difficult situations. When he is coaching in the pros, he is a college coach at heart. Then when he is coaching in the college ranks, he is a pro coach at heart. Problem is, he lacks loyalty. It is never about the program. It is all about Nick. And he wears out his welcome quickly. He is the ultimate grouch. People tire of being constantly chewed out. And leaves too often under the guise of family circumstance. That part of his act has become disingenuous. He will do well at Alabama, but do not be surprised if he is back in the NFL within four years. It is just the way Saban is.

Random thoughts

- When Lloyd Carr steps down as the football coach at Michigan, there should be little doubt the Wolverines should go after Les Miles of LSU to replace him- . What is there not to like about Miles - including his U-M background.

- Maybe I am missing something, but Brady Quinn does not strike me as being that good. I just do not see him as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. To me, Troy Smith is a lot better.

- The next great young pitcher will likely be Homer Bailey, a right-hander who figures to make his major league debut with the Reds sometime this season. The Tigers considered taking Bailey with the second overall pick in the 2004 Draft before selecting Justin Verlander. As good as Verlander is, it would not surprise me if Bailey has the better career. He is younger, being drafted out of high school. And yes, I have talked to a number of scouts who have said he is that good.

Lions president Matt Millen makes the bed. The rest of us have to sleep in it. He says he will never quit as the Lions team president. That should not be necessary. Lions owner William Clay Ford should fire him. The record is a matter of record - 24-72 in six seasons. It makes Millen the worst general manager ever in professional team sports. But beyond the obvious, is the arrogance Millen carries with him about that record. He laughs off all criticism. He has no use for fans whatsoever. He has a couple lap dogs in the media who would lick his boots if they were 0-96 the past six seasons because they either have a job that depends on the Lions approval, or they count on Millen, or his minions, to feed them information. It is embarrassing to those of us in the fourth estate. Ford - and Ford alone - enables Millen. Without him, he would not be able to stand alone. Not with that record. It has made him the laughingstock of the NFL. I am sick of hearing about the relationship of Millen and Ford. Or that head coach Rod Marinelli has a great working relationship with Millen. The Lions were 3-13 this season. They were two games worse than they were the year before. They showed no improvement at all. Anything that comes out of Allen Park should not be believed. It is all about deception. Trying to make garbage sound like gold. They do nothing for their fans. They do not care about you at all. You are there to be gouged. And they do not care about winning. Everything about the Lions is predicated on saving individual face. It is a bad organization in every facet, the business and operations ends included. Nothing is about winning. Rod Marinelli is a nice guy, so they present him as a pawn in the equation. Tell me how the Lions were so well coached? Good to see how loyal Marinelli is. Making Donnie Henderson a scapegoat by firing him, apparently to bring in his son-in-law, is a typical classless move. Welcome to the club, Rod. You fit in perfectly. But watch your back. It is just a matter of time until Millen makes it your fault and removes you spine the way he did to Steve Mariucci.

Random thoughts

- Does Boise State belong ahead of Michigan in the final polls? That is a tough question. If Michigan played Boise State at neutral site, I still think the Wolverines would win handily. Oklahoma was undermanned this season and probably overachieved this season because the Big 12 was down.

- If Bears coach Lovie Smith were wise, he would skip the formalities and start Brian Griese at quarterback during the playoffs. Rex Grossman is awful.

- The place of Steve Yzerman in Red Wings lore is unquestioned. What is often overlooked in all the discussion about his ability as a leader, however, was his skill as a player. Before his balky knee and age caught up to Yzerman, he was probably one of the Top 20 players ever, in terms of skill, to play the game.

 

I know this nation has had a love affair with the National Football League. Me, too. I enjoy the NFL immensely - despite the Lions foibles. Honestly, and I know it surprises a lot of people, but if asked to make a choice, I would probably say hockey is my favorite sport in the sense I would rather watch a hockey game than anything else - especially at the game. College football is special. I cannot get enough of it. I used to feel the same way about college basketball, but to be honest, it seems like only the NCAA Tournament counts anymore. I do not get as fired up for the regular season as I used to when I remember many important Big Ten games, some I was fortunate enough to cover for The Oakland Press. I still watch an inordinate amount of college basketball, though. I just cannot name the starting lineup of every Big Ten team - and half the ACC - like I used to be able to. And the NBA is always interesting, for one reason or another, and the Pistons remain, in my opinion, championship quality. But when you come down to it, baseball is the best sport. What separates it is the tradition. Take the Hall of Fame, for example. What a great debate the balloting sparks every year. Should Lee Smith be in? How about Goose Goosage? Is Jim Rice a Hall of Famer? How about Andre Dawson? And that is before you even touch the Mark McGwire question. Go to the book store. There are as many books about baseball as there are for all the other sports combined. Honestly, I cannot wait for the baseball season to start if for no other reason than to see how the Gary Sheffield deal turns out.

Happy Holidays

This will be my last blog posting until after the New Year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday week and a happy New Year. I will be back posting blog entries every Monday, Wednesday and Friday following the holiday season. And I would like to thank you all for supporting this blog this past year, and for reading The Oakland Press. I enjoy the interaction this blog allows with our readers, who have provided great insight on many issues.

Pat Caputo

There was a point last season, during the second half, when I must admit I wondered if the Tigers should give Jeremy Bonderman a long-term contract. As good as his fastball is - and the fact he probably has the best slider in the American League - aside, there seemed to be something missing. Too many big innings. He would pitch seven innings and six would be great, but he would give up a lot of runs in that one big inning and lose. Or he would struggle mightily in the first inning. They needed him a couple key starts during the second half - and he did not come through. But that changed during the postseason. He was really good in some pressure-packed games. I do not believe, either, that his problems have been the lack of a third pitch - the conventional thinking. He has a good changeup and a decent forkball (he has thrown both). This is more a mental hump he had to get over about getting out of jams. He seemed to do that during the postseason. And he has made a little more pro gress in that area each season. Bonderman is a tough kid mentally. He gets through the tough times. Given his talent and experience, the four-year, $38 million contract they gave Bonderman was a very good signing by the Tigers.

Random thoughts

- Are the Red Wings really playing Columbus again tonight? Yuck. Is Garry Bettman clueless or what?

- Kalin Lucas from Orchard Lake is the ideal Tom Izzo recruit. Not only is he talented athletically, but he has the attitude to fit the program at Michigan State. He is smart and he is tough - the prototypical MSU player, actually.

- I follow college football as closely as anybody I know, but I do not know anything about Middle Tennessee State. I wonder Phil Steele knows anything about Middle Tennessee State? The Motor City Bowl has to do better than that in the future if it wants to remain a viable entity.

Has it ever been more obvious that the Lions must make a quarterback change? Every week, the same scenario develops. The Lions game is relatively close. Then Jon Kitna does something like take a sack he should not have. Or fumbles. Or is intercepted. He is at his absolute worst during the fourth quarter when a game is on the line. It is unbelievable Lions head coach Rod Marinelli sticks with him and still proclaims him as the Lions quarterback next season. This is going nowhere. It is time to see what Josh McCown can do. He may not be better than Kitna, but it is doubtful he would be worse. He did have some 300-yard passing games with the Cardinals, the Lions are paying him relatively a lot of money and he is young enough that their might be some potential there. As is, they are just wasting time with Kitna.

Random Thoughts

- With Kevin Jones injury such a factor, the Lions might to consider pursuing restricted free agent running back Michael Turner. It is doubtful the Chargers will be able to match offers for Turner considering what they are paying LaDainian Thomlinson. Turner is a sensational player.
- In the red zone early in the final quarter Sunday, the Lions probably should have tried throwing the ball to Mike Williams. Seems like he was pretty effective when they threw his way Sunday. Maybe - just maybe - he should have played more this season. Make that a lot more.
- Carmelo Anthony should get a least a 10-game suspension for the cheapshot punch he threw Saturday night in New York. At least he was contrite about it with what seemed like a sincere apology.