Why I can no longer support the NFL

I wish I could sit here and seriously right that I retired from being a NFL fan because of some moral outrage. Outrage over how the league botched the Ray Rice situation, outrage over the racist name of that franchise in our nation's capital the somehow plays its games in Maryland, outrage over the millions of dollars in corporate welfare given to team owners to build football palaces at the expense of taxpayers.

I wish that were true, but the straw that broke the camel's back for me is the two fold problem the NFL has, and continually fails to address, with its overly complicated rulebook and the terrible job its officials do on the field of play. I am one of those extremely selfish human animals...and yesterday it was those two problems that conspired to screw the team I have supported for my entire football life.

I have never seen a call so egregious, so beyond what we expect from a game of football, and so unfair go unaddressed in my entire history of playing, watching, and working in football. I have never seen a call so wrong, so obviously in error that changed the entire momentum of a game. Let's be clear here the Detroit Lions did not play a complete game in Dallas yesterday...they did however play well enough to beat the Cowboys...and they likely would have...till the referees made an error so huge they themselves could not explain it.

With that being said, I do not place the entirety of the blame on the on the field officials. It is very hard to get every call right or see everything that happens on the field...this is a NFL wide problem and the league itself puts these men in a ridiculously bad position. The rule book is overly complicated...and I could write 1,000 words on that alone...but the league takes guys who have worked with crews for the entire season...up to 20 games in some cases...and then breaks those crews up and mix matched crews for what are the most important games of the year.

I would argue that the wild card round is the most important round since a lot of the teams playing in this round are not post season experienced....and like the Lions have not grown enough to be able to overcome a flawed call...a penalty picked up that would have extended a drive...the proof of that is the very next play in the Detroit Versus Dallas Game...where the Lions lost their poise.

It is not the easiest thing in the world to be a fan of the Detroit Lions...and every season since I started rooting for this team in 1988 has ended the exact same way (in bitter disappointment)...I am pretty lucky I have seen every one of my hometown's teams win a championship save the Lions and I would trade all of them (beyond the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series and the 1997 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup) for the chance to see my Lions play...not even win...in the Super Bowl.

The Referees of the NFL making bone head calls and arbitrary rulings on the field is not a new problem...the failure of the league to use replay to fix those errors is not a new problem. It seems almost every week some official makes a call that helps determine a game on the field of play...that makes the NFL not a sport...but a lamer version of the WWE...And that is why I can no longer support, spend money on, or help promote the NFL.

In a lot of ways I owe that credit for this decision to Roger Goodell...sure he makes a lot of money for his owners and that is his highest priority...but when you cannot take a stand on any one issue you wind up standing for nothing. In the words of Thorin Oakenshiled, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." Goodell only cares about the hoarded gold...and that makes his NFL the Comcast of the sporting world and I already rid myself of that menace earlier this year and now I will rid myself of this one.

Much like Comcast, Roger Goodell needs to learn that I as a sports fan (and even as a sports) writer have options. I can supports the Arena League, I can become a fan of the Canadian League (not to mention the three other pro sports leagues and NASCAR)...I can watch all of these both on TV and via my computer...I have an alternative...is it as good? No, not nearly...but it is football and it will satisfy my football addiction.

Let me be clear here. I bleed Honolulu blue and silver. My home is full of Lions mementos collected over a lifetime of support of my team...if there was a way to continue my support of the team I love without a cut going to Goodell's evil empire I would take that option in a heartbeat...Since there is not I will step away from the NFL until at the very minimum it fixes the problems with its on the field officials and the overly complicated rule book.

Is Jim Leyland a genius?

Detroit Tigers manger Jim Leyland, faced with a must win game four in the 2013 ALCS, made a huge move. Not so much in who would play the game but in the better in which the would hit. Leyland is a stubborn old baseball guy, he likes to stick with the guys that got him there but a change at the top of the order was needed. Austin Jackson hitting lead off was bating just 0.77 with five strikeouts during the ALCS. Simply put not good enough. Leyland dropped him to 8th, and basically moved everyone else up a spot.

The Tigers responded. The belted out nine hits, but better yet they scored 7 runs. Jackson came up with a key situation early, bases loaded and took a four ball walk to get an RBI. Jackson would finish the game with 2 walks, 2 hits, and 2 RBI. Torii Hunter batted lead off and set the table for the high octane Tigers offense with a hit and 2 RBI.

There is no question that this was the right move, the Tigers won and that is how history is going to remember it. However, should Leyland have made this move for game three?  If he had would the Tigers be up 3-1 with a chance to shut this series out tonight? Had he made this move one day sooner would the Tigers not have wasted Justin Verlander's 8 inning, one earned run, 10 strike out performance?

Again there is litle doubt that Leyland made the right move. It was a tough situation because it is not as if any other Tigers players is really lighting things up right now. Good managers know how to get the best out of what they have, and one has to wonder if Leyland is always capable of that.

Game three was not a must win, certainly not as much as game four was. However, I learned an important lesson from the sports coaches I most admire and respect and that is you do whatever you can do win the game today. There are no throw away games, and that is more true in the post season. We have to wonder if this move came one day late. Granted if the Tigers win the ALCS it will be a question lost to history but if they fall short this might be the question that most needs answering.

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What to watch for in the ALCS: Detroit Tigers v Boston Red Sox

For the first time ever the Detroit Tigers will face the Boston Red Sox in the post season. The Red Sox are a very goo team and this has the making to be a very good, intense playoff series. The Tigers did og 4-3 against the Sox this season, but the loss that stick in every one minds is the 20-4 beat down the Tigers suffered in regular season game 140 at Fenway park. The thing to remember about that is Rick Porcello started, and that is not going to happen in this series. We can also argue that the Tigers bullpen is well rested and should be ready for this test. With that being said starting pitching, especially on the Tigers side, will be crucial. 

We already know what Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander can do even if JV's record in the ALCS is spotty. However they will starts games 2 and three. Anibal Sanchez gets the strat in game one and his record in the ALCS is limited but extraordinary. He did throw 7 innings of no hit ball last year against the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium. Let's hope that tough outing against the Oakland A's is motivating him. 

With all of that being said let us take a look at a few things to watch for in this series:

• Lineup changes- it seems at some point Jim Leyland is going to have to adjust his lineup to get more offensive production. Austin Jackson has been horrific in the lead off spot and Prince Fielder continues to be a post season bust. Add to that ailing Miguel Cabrera and one had to wonder if Jhonny Peralta doesn't see some time at third and if Cabrera doesn't serve as the DH. Having Vmart play first base to light a fire under Prince also seems like a good idea. However those might not be game one changes.
• Phil Coke- he is on the ALCS roster, but what is his role going to be? Will he be able to get left handers out? Let us not forget this is the guy who stepped p big time last year in the playoffs. Maybe he can do it again. 
• Miguel Cabrera- he hit a big home run in game five in Oakland. Does that mean he is getting better? Can he be the guy this lineup needs him to be?
• Unsung heroes- one of the role players is likely going to have to come up big here. Jhonny Perlata has been that guy so far, but who steps up now? AJ, Alex Avila, Omar Infante...one of these players needs to be magical in the bottom of the order.      

The Goal for the Tigers remains clear. Win one of the first two in Boston. Then come home with JV going in game three and Doug Fister going to game four a hoping to win both those contests. The key here is to force the Bosox into having to beat Max Scherzer and/or JVonce to win this series. If they do that they just might be going back to the World Series. 

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Should Jhonny Perlata make the Detroit Tigers post season roster?

Do we want to win a World Series ring, or take some kind of moral stand? In an ideal world we would be free to pursue both. Winning a World Series title and doing it the right way, but we live in a very complex world and winning the right way is not always within a fan bases means. To be far Jhonny Peralta stepped outside of the rules, he paid the price for that in terms of a 50 game suspension, and now is free to rejoin the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers will activate him and he will play in the final series of the year in Miami but that is likely more about due diligence to see if Peralta can handle left field at the MLB level should that need arise in the post season.

That leaves us with the question should Peralta make the post season roster for this club?

This kind of situation happened last year with the San Francisco Giants. Melky Cabrera served a 50 game suspension for PED use and was eligible to return to the team for the NLCS. The Giants took the high moral road and kept him off the roster for the remaining playoff run. He did not play verse the tigers in the World Series but he did receive a World Series ring for his contributions on the field to the Giants 2012 success.

A lot of hardcore baseball fans, and old schoolers would like to see the Tigers leave Peralta on the sidelines and rally around his loss to win a title. A lot of us do not subscribe to the win at all costs mentality. Given the situation the team is in I think there are some who do and 2013 might be time to take the biggest swing at it. The Tigers are certainly all in to win a title sooner rather than later and if Peralta can help get the team to that ultimate goal, and since he has served his sentence, it is hard to argue against using him in the post season.

As for the final three games of the 2013 season the Tigers have to see what Peralta looks like in left field. He has already lost his spot as the starting short stop to Jose Iglesias and having him in Miami could give Jim Leyland the opportunity to sit Miguel Cabera cause these games mean nothing. The have the division in hand and they are playing the Miami Marlins who are a pitiful excuse for a double a team.

If need be Peralta could play short and Ramon Santiago could play third. Or Iglesias could get some works at short and we can see what Peralta can do in left or at third if they sit Miggy. However with three right handers scheduled to go for the marlins it seems unlikely Peralta will get the start over Andy Dirks in left. It seems like we will only see Peralta as a late inning replacement.

How well he does out there will go a long way towards determining if he plays in the opening round of the playoffs.

With all of that in mind Tigers fans I ask you...Should Peralta have a spot on the post season roster?

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Detroit Tigers week in review: week 21

The Detroit Tigers looked unstoppable over the weekend beating up on the hapless New York Mets. That brings their inter league record to 12-5 and once again the Tigers are able to take advantage of a quirk in the schedule. Having inter league games through out the season is a big benefit to them, and hopefully when we get to the last series against the Miami Marlins the divisional crown will already have been locked up and the Tigers can start a bunch of September call ups to beat Jeff Loria's so called team.

As always we look at he splits to see how this team is doing. The Tigers are 77-54 overall and are up 5.5 games over the Cleveland Indians. They are 6-4 over their last 10 including the loss last night at home to Oakland. The A's have given this team fits as the Tigers have just a 2-2 record against them this year. At home the Tigers are still an impressive 41-24, and have to be on the hunt for home field advantage for the post season. On the road they are still a very good 36-30 but this is a different team when they play at Comerica Park, and based on what we saw last year having home field advantage throughout has to be the prize they are after.

We are getting to the point of September call ups and one has to wonder who will be brought up. It seems a virtual certainty that Nick Castellanos will make an appearance in Detroit and hopefully for the post season as well. Maybe he an even have an impact like Avisail Garcia did last year.

The Good:

• Miguel Cabrera- Much like Ken Griffey Jr was, Miguel is able to put up big numbers and keep himself out of the PED argument. This cat is scary good, and he is the run away AL MVP right now today. He is having a way better season than he did a year ago when he won the MVP and the Triple Crown. He may accomplish that feat again but unlike last year no one can argue that this guy is the most valuable. He is hitting .359, with 43 home runs and 130 RBI. 
• The Starting Rotation- All five pitches have double digit wins, all five have at least 108 strike outs, and the highest ERA of the starting five is Rick Porcello's 4.49. All in a year where we could say Ace Justin Verlander has struggled. 
• Victor Martinez- Victor is now hitting .289 and he is even getting ready to play some catcher. Mostly in the NL parks I wold guess but with the Tigers catchers a little banged up having Victor to take a game here and there is nothing but a positive. So far Victor has caught two games for the tigers and getting him use to the pitching staff is necessary should he be pressed into post season duty as a catcher. 

The Bad:

• Alex Avila- I kind of hate to rag on a kid who is on the 7 day concussion DL but the simple fact here is still hitting under .200 despite the recent hot streak before his injury. that truly shows how bad he was in the first half and I don't see any improvement in this kid. He is what he is a guy who can handle the staff pretty well, but comes up short in offensive production. When the tigers decide they need to upgrade their lineup this is one of the positions where they will have to look at very hard. 

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