Did the Tigers overachieve? I don’t think so - not when Justin Verlander finished third in Cy Young voting, Rick Porcello third in Rookie of the Year balloting and Miguel Cabrera fourth in MVP voting. Look how young those players are? The cupboard is hardly bare for the Tigers.

Random Thoughts

- The Red Wings must start winning - and winning now. Here’s why: At the start of the new year, the Red Wings play 14 of 19 games on the road. Many of those are on trips out West. That includes their first five games of the new year.
The Red Wings were playing better, but recent losses to Dallas and Nashville were disappointing. They need to play with a sense of urgency. It’s not that early in the season anymore.
If the playoffs started tonight, the Red Wings would not be in the field.

- Michigan State middle linebacker Greg Jones is a really good football player, but the best in the Big Ten? It didn’t seem like he dominated games like you’d expect from a player given that award.

- Talked to Yale Lary, the Lions’ Hall of Fame safety from the 1950s and 1960s, during Sunday’s game against the Browns.
Lary was also one of the greatest punters of all time, routinely averaging 45 yards or more per punt per season. Punting is one area the game hasn’t really improved over time. I asked him why.
"I think it’s because we had to punt in all different types of weather conditions," Lary said. "Even in practice."
He added that he does think punting is still very good in the NFL.
"The Lions have a really good punter here in Nick Harris," Lary said. "He is one of the best."

My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press about why Lions need to keep Thanksgiving Day game: http://tinyurl.com/npj8op