May 6, 200322 yr What has happened to that once proud franchise over the years is a crime. And if it happened anywhere else but Detroit, I might feel sorry for them. And in all seriousness, Detroit is in trouble for a while. They have huge contracts that run through 2005 that are going to be an albatross around the neck of the Tigers. Plus they have no farm system to speak of either, because they are all at the majors now.
May 6, 200322 yr Have you been through Detroit lately, what is left to loot??? You're not kiddin'. Large chunks of the town are either abandoned, burnt out, condemned or vacant lots. It's sad.
May 6, 200322 yr You're not kiddin'. Large chunks of the town are either abandoned, burnt out, condemned or vacant lots. It's sad. The city and the franchise have a lot in common, it seems.
May 6, 200322 yr This was on ESPN's page 2 today. studying Detroit Tigers highlights lately, trying to get a glimpse into the dugout just to confirm a sighting of Walter Matthau as Buttermaker cracking a can of Budweiser. Nope. All I see is Alan Trammel, with that look. You know, that 3-and-25 look. No, wait! FOUR and 25! Whoo-hoo. Tigers win, Tigers win! It is well past time we leaned on The Cooler and poured out a last few drops of Sparkletts for the ghost of the Detroit Tigers franchise. Shhh! Dmitri is gonna say something! Somewhere, Ty Cobb is spinning in his grave. Then again, Cobb probably started spinning about the same time Ike sent troops to integrate Little Rock. Amid the sadness of the de-clawed Tigers, two things have emerged: 1. The pure comedy of Dmitri Young's quotes. 2. The fortification of a generation of Tigers Fans. As for Young, his work has been priceless of late. When Detroit played out the second half of a sad-sack doubleheader at Comerica in front of less than 100 -- less than 100, dweller! -- Young let loose: "I'd rather play on the road," he fumed. "These people don't care about us." Later, asked by the Detroit Free Press to clarify, Young delivered some MVP quotes on the hostile Tigers fans who are peppering these hapless players: "It seems like it's a public stoning ... more and more come out to kick the horse while we're down." A public stoning! Dmitri Young has gone Shirley Jackson on us, summoning up images from "The Lottery." Classic. "Tigers eliminated in June/Lottery comes soon . . . " As for the other point, look on the bright side. There are legions of kids in Michigan, ages eight to 12, who need to hold strong and stout in this time of darkness. The payoff down the road will be enormous. There is no greater badge of honor than to be the Tigers fan who clings to the precipice during the 3-25 start -- nay, FOUR and 25 start -- to prove his worth as a true fan. It is in this fire that the toughest Tigers fan will be forged. Trust us, dweller. When Detroit is playing in the 2013 ALCS series against the Texas Rangers, that same young kid will be a beer-swilling college student at the University of Michigan, bragging: "Man, I remember when the Tigers had four wins, and Jeremy Bonderman had TWO of them!" Or, "Dude, my Dad took me to Comerica when the infield was Pena, Santiago, Infante and Munson!" It is then, and only then, when the pain will be worth it.
May 6, 200322 yr Author It is in this fire that the toughest Tigers fan will be forged. Trust us, dweller. When Detroit is playing in the 2013 ALCS series against the Texas Rangers, that same young kid will be a beer-swilling college student at the University of Michigan, bragging: "Man, I remember when the Tigers had four wins, and Jeremy Bonderman had TWO of them!" Or, "Dude, my Dad took me to Comerica when the infield was Pena, Santiago, Infante and Munson!" It is then, and only then, when the pain will be worth it. There is truth to that. Those of us who lived through the Sox's 1970 season have that feeling not that I am wishing it on anyone! - it made 1977 and 1983 all that much sweeter - I'd much rather win the World Series the next 12 years in a row than have anyone experience what we did in 70 or the Tigers are now... but I wonder how many fans would fall away if we did - but given all the screaming about a team that is one game under 500... a lot of posters here do not remember what a really bad baseball team can be like when it is your team - the faithful stay. And stay. And stay. And we dream and hope, with no assurance of victories, no assurance of glory, just the assurance that the Sox are our team damn it and no one can change that.
May 6, 200322 yr Well, last year, after an 0-11 start, the Tigs played roughly .500 ball for most of the first half of the season. At this point however, the Tigs are still on pace for a 130+ loss season.
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