Michigan vs. Michigan State...is it a rivalry?

The great thing about living close to Detroit is sports radio. I love it, I can turn on 97.1 FM, and when it goes to commercial, I can turn to 113o AM. It is truly a beautiful thing. The focus on both of those stations besides the Tigers pennant race is the game coming up this weekend. UofM vs. MSU. The one common question in regards to this matchup is, "Is this a rivalry?" My answer to that is a resounding YES! As far as the level of rivalry is not important, what is important is it is a rivalry. It doesnt matter whether or not the overall records are close, or the career records are close. This, for as long as I can remember, is always a competitive game. It also gets the fans fired up. Whether its football, hockey, or basketball, the state pays attention when these two teams play. But right now the focus is on football. Amazingly enough, MSU is favored by 1. But that speaks to how competitive this game normally is. And if you know the series, you remember moments, good and bad. For me, I remember Braylon Edwards going off and bringing a victory to the Maize and Blue. I also remember MSU coming to the goaline.....5....4...3...2...1...1...1...snap, and MSU winning. Thats not a typo, those are three ones, but the point is we as fans remember moments from these games. I cant say that about Indiana or Purdue or even Penn St.

Now, I consider the rivalry with Ohio St. to be bigger on the hatred scale. If MSU is playing OSU, I am routing for MSU. Ohio St. is just annoying. I remember going to a conference for college 8 years ago, and learning that people at Ohio St. say they are from THEEE Ohio St. University. Give me a break. They say Michigan fans are full of ourselves, but at least we dont throw the title THEEEE in front of our favorite university.

In closing, think what you want, but UofM vs. MSU is a rivalry. It might not rank on the hatred scale as big as OSU, but it still matters. I plan on enjoying it the battle on Saturday. That is all.

Detroit Tigers potential collapse and ticket blunders

For those that saw or listened to the Detroit Tigers game today, there were a couple of things that probably made you upset if you are a Tigers fan. One, the stadium was half empty. Obviously, a noon game, hard to get to for those that work, but its not the emptiness that makes me mad. What makes me mad is how the Tigers handled last nights rainout. The paying public for last nights game had one option for their rainout tickets. They had to attend the noon game or lose out on the seats. Are you kidding me? I know a guy who got in a freaking car wreck on the way to the game, got to the game, it rained out, and you then tell him he has to come back at noon tomorrow or lose the ticket. This is a Tigers policy that has been in place for a while, but I dont agree with it. Even the Yankees, the evil empire, allows its fans the choice to use those rain out vouchers later on that season, or within a year. People shell out hundreds of dollars for this franchise and that is no way to repay them. Especially when they are choking away this division...which leads to....

My second point! What made me mad about the game itself is that the Tigers continue to blow chances. They keep leaving runners on base! Porcello pitches a gem, 107 pitches, allows one run, and its wasted! Here is a good example. First inning. Curtis Granderson gets a double to lead off the game. Polanco steps to the plate. As a manager, I would bunt the runner over. Why you ask? Because the Tigers are struggling to score runs. Get the guy over to third, now, you can hit a sac fly, you can hit a weak ground ball on the infield, or, heaven forbid, you get a hit, and a run scores! Now its 1-0, and maybe the ball starts rolling. But the Tigers dont do that. Polanco hits a ball to the left side, Granderson gets stuck at second. Clete Thomas then hits a ball to the right side for out two, and Miguel Cabrera gets out too. These type of opportunities arise with this team more than you would think. Start playing small ball now, or you might be playing small ball with your kids in two weeks.

That is all from the Mad Man.