Author Archives: AD

Bay of Cigs: The Departed

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Last baseball season, I kept a Detroit Tigers diary here called “The DET Offensive,” a nod to all of the offensive firepower Detroit added in the offseason, primarily in the form of Prince Fielder. This season, the return of Victor Martinez and the acquisition of Torii Hunter make the Tigers even more of a threat with the bat. Their biggest question headed into the year is at the closer position. Jose Valverde had a perfect season two years ago, but he dropped off significantly last year, and GM Dave Dombrowski sent him packing as a result. Phil Coke filled in at that position quite admirably during the playoffs, but for whatever reason, he isn’t being considered for it as we head into the 2013 season. Instead, management seems to be waffling between minor league sensation Bruce Rondon (intriguing) and Rick Porcello (GAHHHHH!).      Continue reading →

Hollywood Nights: The Detroit Pistons’ Season in One Play

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As Marcus points out, the image of the next generation of Lob City fans, who will know the Lakers as little more than middling renters of their team’s arena, is heartening.

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Previously
Hollywood Nights: Generally, No man is an Island
Hollywood Nights: No World Peace in the Windy City
Hollywood (Disco) Nights: A Hero at the Forum
Hollywood Nights: A Magic Haiku
Hollywood Nights: Z-Bo and Bishop Don The Magic Juan

The world’s best cover band: Reviewing Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Recordings, by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia

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For two nights in 1973, frequent musical partners Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia met for their regular gig at the Keystone in Berkeley, CA and really locked it in. The full recordings of both nights now are available for the first time in a four-disc box set.

What do we call it when two top musicians– one an icon, one underrated– come together outside the brightest lights and get down to just performing music? As an initial, analytical matter, one can’t help but mention the Traveling Wilburys, but the feel’s all different here. This isn’t a tongue-in-cheek supergroup experiment shrouded in quasi mystery; rather, it’s two professional musicians doing work as such in a Bay-Area coffeeshop. Top-tier talent playing almost nothing but popular and classic tunes: The world’s best cover band.

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Is this the most Old Testament player in college basketball today?

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isaiah canaanProvidence’s God Shammgod likely has an eternal hold on the most deific name in college basketball history, but Murray State’s Isaiah Canaan should at least be able to claim the most Old Testament name of the 2012-2013 season. The above shot probably is the last you’ll see of him this year, though, as his Racers just fell victim to a Belmont comeback in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.

(Apologies for the poor quality of the above image. I was watching the game almost literally on a web feed from a Pakistani VCR, which is of a quality and nature of which neither I nor the Justice Department are likely to approve.)

Give The Man His Due (via Sports On Earth)

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LAS VEGAS — Jerry Tarkanian shifted in his easy chair to find a place it didn’t hurt so much. “My butt is sore,” he said. It’s what happens when you’re 82 years old and you fell four years ago. Back in the day, Jerry Tarkanian roared. On this day, his voice was a whisper, tiny and airy as a child’s.

“He’s worn out by physical therapy this morning,” his wife, Lois, said.

Maybe it’d be better to talk another day?

“No, no, he needs this,” she said.

In early April, for the first time, Tarkanian will be a  finalist for election to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

A question to him: Would you like to be in?

His lips barely moved. “It’d be nice,” he said.

What would your players think?

Again, a faint breath of air. “They would like it.”

We should shout it out. Jerry Tarkanian belongs in every basketball Hall of Fame. He built teams at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas that were wonders of the craft. They were at once aggressive and careful, disciplined and relentless. To see UNLV leave Duke alongside the road in the 1990 NCAA championship game, 103-73, was to see basketball made beautiful. In 31 seasons at Long Beach, UNLV and at his alma mater, Fresno State, Tarkanian’s teams won 778 games. He took UNLV to the Final Four four times.

This is also worth a shout: Tark was right all along. He called the NCAA corrupt long before such thinking was fashionable. … Read More

(via Sports On Earth)

NCAA issues its best decision…ever?

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In a story breaking late Friday evening, the NCAA “denied the Football Rules Committee’s proposal to require an institution’s uniform to be a different color from the field of play.” This means that Boise State can wear its blue uniforms at home games, at least as far as the NCAA is concerned.

This is one of the first topics ALDLAND tackled, way back on August 3, 2011. At that time, BSU was just about to start its first season as a member of the Mountain West Conference, which didn’t make its new member feel welcome by issuing a bill of attainder prohibiting the Broncos from wearing blue at home conference games. As I pointed out then, the rule made no sense, since the conference permitted member Colorado State to wear their green uniforms at home conference games, and CSU has a green field. It’s also as good a time as any to remind people that the players don’t operate from the vantage point of the Goodyear Blimp while playing the game.

The NCAA’s recent decision to reject a proposal that ALDLAND has shown to be nonsensical, unworkable, and flawed may be the best decision in its history. As the internet will tell you, though, the bar is pretty low. We nevertheless take a moment this evening to applaud the high point of Mark Emmert’s tenure as NCAA president. This pour of Woodford is not for you, Mark, because that would constitute an improper benefit.

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Previously
There’s a new dress code in the Mountain West Conference

NHL realignment: Take two

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This might be the new NHL division map. No one seems to know for sure, and the internet is full of conflicting maps. This one appears to have come from Canada, though, so that seems legit.

We covered the initial saga of the latest episode of this story back in December 2011. What foundered then now is coming to be realized, at least in the short term: the NHL is rearranging itself into two conferences, each with two divisions. You can read about the details, consequences, and history of the negotiations over this issue in this article.

The NHL’s problems don’t have much to do with realignment issues, so I feel free to evaluate this proposal purely as a myopic fan of my team, the Detroit Red Wings. The linked article tells me that, from that vantage point, I’m supposed to be happy about all this:

[T]he Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets love the plan, because they were Eastern time zone cities playing in the Western Conference. Detroit owner Mike Ilitch had been lobbying commissioner Gary Bettman for 15 years, so his team could have better travel and his fans could have better TV start times, and he felt he was owed the move to the East. The Wings are an Original Six team that sucked it up and played at a disadvantage for a long time.

I don’t like it, though, even if that means I’m out of step with Mr. I. Here’s why:  Continue reading →