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Editorial: Springtime is sports time in Michigan

Anthony Orlando,
Grand Central Magazine, Sports Editor

Ah, April. What have we had so far? March Madness, the start of baseball season, the end of the NBA and NHL regular seasons, and now the start of the NBA and NHL playoffs.

Oh, and there’s the NFL draft coming up next weekend – what we Lions fans call “our Super Bowl.”

And if all that isn’t enough, there’s spring college football. The Chippewas will be padded up and scrimmaging Saturday at 6 p.m. in Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

It just doesn’t get any better than this, folks.

Here is a rundown of each exciting moment, and my predictions of what to expect.

1. The Tigers will not lose every game this season.

As I write this, the Detroit Tigers are 5-10 and on a three-game winning streak. After a rough start, the lifeless Tigers have come back to us. But isn’t that why we love sports?

We all thought the Tigers would dominate Major League Baseball from start to finish. But as we’re now learning, money does not buy victories .Now that the weather is heating up, so are the Tigers’ bats – and it’s about time.

Will their slow start doom their playoff hopes? In most cases, I would have said yes. But the Tigers, as of April 17, were tied with the team many picked to win the American League Central – the Cleveland Indians. And they are only 4.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox and the second-place Kansas City Royals. Come October, I suspect the standings will look much different than they do now.

My prediction: Tigers finish second in A.L. Central, just missing the wild card spot.

2. The Pistons will make the Eastern Conference Finals.

I promise there will not be a major meltdown like last year when Cleveland’s LeBron James beat all five of the Detroit Pistons starters. The Pistons are deeper than ever with bench players like Rodney Stucky, Jason Maxiell, Jarvis Hayes, and Amir Johnson. They should take out Philadelphia in five or six games (which begin Sunday at 6 p.m. on TNT), and then win their conference semi-finals matchup as well.

However, and I hate to say this, Boston has made me a believer. I thought they were a fluke at the beginning of the season, but after 65 wins and a stellar record against the Western Conference, they have shown they have all the tools to be NBA champs – and that is what they will become.

Yep, I said it. Please send all hate mail to the editor-in-chief.

My prediction: The Pistons make it to the Eastern Conference Finals; lose to Boston in six games.

3. The Detroit Red Wings will avoid becoming a first round victim (again).

But seriously, this whole first-round problem the Wings have been having over the past several years is getting a little ridiculous. They were up 2-0 in the series, and were within minutes of going up 3-0. That was until they found a way to allow two goals in nine seconds, and lose the game. And then in game four they gave up two goals in 32 seconds.

This is getting old.

Will they find a way to win the series? Yes. Are they Stanley Cup Champion material? I hate to say it, but until they prove to me they can actually get there, I’ll take the field. The Wing's dominance in the regular season is great, but the playoffs are a different beast, and unfortunately the Wings have not shown that they have what it takes to be successful in the postseason.

My prediction: It all depends on matchups. If the Wings get Colorado in the second round, I’ll take them. But if it’s Anaheim, watch out. If they get to the Western Conference Finals, I see them playing the San Jose Sharks and losing that series in six games.

4. The Detroit Lions will start a new streak of drafting wide receivers during this year’s NFL Draft.

Not really. Well, maybe. I mean, can anything they do these days really surprise you? The Lions need a running back, and badly. Cutting Kevin Jones might have been justified, but he was still their best hope to have any semblance of a running game.

With Mike Martz gone, the Lions have publicly stated they want to be a ‘run first’ team. So who are they currently slated to be a run first team with? The great Tatum Bell. And you wonder why Lions fans are always cranky or depressed.

Outside from that, they could use some help at linebacker, cornerback, defensive-lineman, and offensive-lineman. On top of all that, I am beginning to think quarterback is a major issue once again. I mean, does anyone honestly believe John Kitna will ever bring the Lions any more than eight wins? Not with the current team at least.

My Prediction: It doesn’t matter who the Lions draft because they will be nothing more than a 6 or 7-win team. I hope they pull out a miracle “move up” and find a way to get stud running back Darren McFadden. But they are the Lions – they’ll find a way to disappoint.

No matter what, if you’re a fan of sports – and especially Detroit sports – this is a great time. So strap in and enjoy. Here’s hoping for a long, prosperous playoff run for both the Pistons and Wings, a successful turnaround for the Tigers, and the belief that the Detroit Lions will not draft another first-round bust.