Leelanau Sports Guy at sportspig.com

Let’s get right into it…

A look at the Michigan State/North Carolina matchup
A nice comparision of the two teams by AP writer Jim O’Connell.

Read the article.
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2005 Preview: AL Central

A preview of the division by Ryne Sandberg. He is picking the Tigers 4th, but I think they will finish higher than that and I think no worse than 2nd. He must have missed the details of Maggs contract…

Read the entire preview.
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Brown’s return delayed again
MLive article by A. Sherrod Blakely

Auburn Hills — With each passing day, the Detroit Pistons move one step closer toward a postseason that may begin without head coach Larry Brown on the sideline.

Brown was asked whether he would consider not coaching the rest of the regular season if there wasn’t enough improvement over the next few days.

Read the entire article.

Here’s another article about Coach Brown:
Report: Brown not sure when — or if — he’ll return to Pistons this season

My view: It might be time for Larry to hang it up. It’s hard for the team to get any consistent play with him missing games here and there. Let’s call Bill Laimbeer and give him the job a few months early…
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Ramsey hired as Eastern Michigan’s new basketball coach
(AP) – Eastern Michigan has hired Charles Ramsey to be its basketball coach.

He was on Eastern Michigan’s coaching staff from 1990-93, helping the Eagles advance to the round of 16 in 1991. The Ypsilanti native played at Fisk University then returned to his hometown to be an assistant high school coach.

My view: A good move by the Eagles as they continue to try to improve their hoops program. No idea how much it will affect Michigan yet, but it’s always hard to lose assistants, especially ones who are good recruiters.
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Report: NHL, NHLPA to meet Monday
Toronto (Ticker) – After a trip to Pebble Beach, the NHL Players Association apparently is ready to get back to business.

In the previous session, the league presented the NHLPA with two new proposals for a collective bargaining agreement, including one with a $37.5 million salary cap and one linking players’ salaries to league revenue.

Read the entire article.

My view: I don’t really care too much, but just wanted to let everyone know they are still talking. Not sure when to expect any real movement and if there will even be a 2005-06 season.

Spartan nets 24 points, 10 boards
Freep article by Mark Snyder

Kansas City, Mo. — Liz Shimek entered Tuesday’s regional final on a quiet note.

“We were in attack mode, the whole team was, attacking on offense and attacking on defense,” Shimek said.

Read the entire article.

My view: Not alot of athletes from Northern Michigan get the chance to shine on a national stage like this, so it’s amazing to see. Watching her in high school, I knew she was good, but I didn’t expect anything like this. She is one of the top NCAA players in the country and has helped the Spartans advance to their first ever Final Four. Just goes to show that if you work hard and have determination to be the best it doesn’t matter where you are from. Shimek is also opening the door for other “Up North” athletes to get noticed and might bring about some more scholarship opportunities. Good Luck Liz!

to catch up with our state sports! It’s been busy, here’s my thoughts on the latest headlines:

MSU wins Austin Regional, advances to Final Four
I don’t want to say “I told you so”, so I won’t. The Spartans were impressive in topping Duke and Kentucky and now face a very good North Carolina team. The Spartans will have some advantages over the Tar Heels, including a deeper bench and their pressure defense. If those two things continue to be as good as they have been, the Spartans will get a rematch with Illinois in the final. Wouldn’t that be something. You have to be very happy for these seniors to finish their careers on a high note like this. I hope it continues, but they will have to do something about Sean May. Wisconsin had no answer for him, so will have to see what Izzo comes up with.

MSU Women advance to Elite 8
What a great time to an MSU fan! Not only are the men in the Final Four, but the women are setting firsts after every win. They face their toughest challenge yet in #2 seed Stanford. MSU has to play a 40 minute game and not disappear for stretches like in the last two games. If they do, they can hang with Stanford.

Bonderman gets Opening Day start
This is almost a no-brainer for Tram, although Maroth could have easily been the choice as well. The Tigers did give Johnson every opportunity to claim the job, but he has had a very poor spring. I think he made the right move. This is something Bonderman wanted and now he can take another step towards being the undisputed ace in 2006. I know I am going to try to draft him in my fantasy leagues, he should have a great year!

Now it’s back to work…

These are some of my favorite articles I stumbled across today…

Player Spotlight: Jeremy Bonderman Fanball.com article by John Tuvey

It’s not just Detroit fans excited about Bonderman. He is going to be a stud. It’s nice to see a Tiger pitcher that everyone else wishes they had.
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Shimek: Forward got start on farm with chickens, corn and calves – Freep article by Mick McCabe

Another great story on MSU star Liz Shimek and her “Up North” background.
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Hamilton proves his worth during his absence – MLive article by A. Sherrod Blakely

As much as you want to talk about Big Ben or Chauncey, Rip is the player that makes the Pistons offense go. The last two games have been ugly with a capital “UG”. Offensively the Pistons look confused. Hurry back Rip!
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Millen would consider drafting U-M’s Edwards

Williams, Rogers and Edwards? WOW! It nice like Millen said that the Lions don’t have to focus on one position and can take the most talented player. They should have alot to choose from regardless if they trade down or not!

Here are today’s top stories…

Bly: Lions are ready to win – Detroit News article by Mike O’Hara

A good article about Dre’ Bly and his thoughts on the Lions and their offseason moves.
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Tigers unhappy with Johnson – Detroit News article by Lynn Henning

Johnson has been a disappointment since the Tigers brought him in last year. He is the veteran on this Tigers staff and if he can regain some form of consistency, it would be big for this team.
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Despite struggles, Ledezma likely Tigers’ 5th starter – MLive article by Danny Knobler

Right now the Tigers have three consistent starters, Bonderman, Maroth and Robertson. Ledezma has looked great one inning and horrible the next, and is showing his youth. He will struggle at times this season, and be brilliant others and could end up being around a .500 pitcher.
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MSU is wary of Duke sharpshooters – Detroit News article by Dave Dye

This should be a great game and I think the Spartans will finally get over the hump. Redick and Ewing make Duke go and if the Spartans defense can keep them under control, they can win this game. The Spartans are a deeper team and should be able to keep up some good defensive intensity throughout the whole game.
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Pistons anticipate energized Cavs, after Silas fired – Mlive article by A. Sherrod Blakely

I think Silas got a bad deal on this, but he will bounce back. The Cavs are a one-man show, but that man is Lebron, so they are still a dangerous team. The Pistons can put some more distance between them and the Cavs with a win and they are getting closer to clinching a playoff spot and the division crown.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Spartans found a way to win. Lindsay Bowen led the way with 19 points, and former Glen Lake star Liz Shimek added 14. Bowen hit 4 threes in the 2nd half, to help the Spartans advance farther than ever before. This could be exactly the type of game they needed to continue their amazing season!

(1) Michigan St. 61, (8) USC 59
AP article by Chuck Schoffner

Minneapolis (AP) — With quick hands and a sure shot, Rene Haynes spared top-seeded Michigan State the embarrassment — a disappointment — of an early exit from the NCAA tournament.

Hearts were pounding on the Michigan State side because it was a scary game for the Spartans (30-3), who were outhustled and outrebounded by their young, scrappy opponent. But they survived to reach the round of 16 for the first time and will take a 14-game winning streak into the semifinals of the Kansas City Regional on Sunday, where they will face fifth-seeded Vanderbilt.

Read the entire article

A busy weekend, and thankfully, I got to actually watch some of it!

Spartans advance to Sweet Sixteen
Text from AP article by Jimmy Golen

An afterthought during the regular season and sentimental second choice in the NCAAs, Michigan State finally is stepping out of the shadows.

Maurice Ager scored 19 points and Paul Davis had 11 points and 14 rebounds for Michigan State (24-6). Izzo improved to 21-6 in the tournament — a winning percentage second among active coaches to Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski — and set the Spartans up for a matchup with the Blue Devils in Austin. Duke defeated Mississippi State 63-55 on Sunday.

Read the entire article

My view: This team is getting better and playing together better than at any point this season. Sure they have only gone through the #12 and #13 seeds, but other top programs are being taken out by lesser seeds, so the fact they haven’t is very encouraging. That had to be one of the best games I have ever seen Paul Davis play and if he can play at that same level against Duke, the Spartans will be cruising to the Elite 8.
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Sunday’s key matchups
Yahoo! Sports article by Clark Kellogg

Michigan St. vs. Duke
This is a rematch of an early season meeting, which Duke won in Durham. I like Michigan State here however. The Spartans are an efficient offensive team. They’re deep and athletic enough to really bother Duke on the perimeter.
Pick: Michigan State.

Read all of Clark Kellogg’s Sweet Sixteen Picks

My view: I sure hope he’s right! I think MSU does have a chance, and it would be another great chapter to the final part of the story for these seniors if they can go out how I am predicting. The Spartans have a legitimate shot at the National Title, say it with me! Go State!
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Pistons knock off Spurs for 12th straight home win
Text from AP article by Larry Lage

The San Antonio Spurs insisted they weren’t thinking about Sunday’s matchup with the Detroit Pistons being a possible NBA Finals preview.

But Chauncey Billups scored 25 points, including five straight to blunt a late Spurs’ rally, and the Pistons went on to beat San Antonio 110-101 on Sunday.

Read the entire article

My view: Yesterday was one of those great days in sports. Pistons, Spartans and Tigers were all on at about the same time, so got to watch bits and pieces of each. The parts of the Pistons game I was were both encouraging and discouraging. I will start with the good. Defense. This team when it comes time to need a stop, will get it. The bad, Tony Parker abusing Billups at times. I wasn’t sure what Billups problem was, but he was getting beat every time down the floor for a couple of stretches in the first half. He played a solid game down the stretch though, so no real worries here.
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Tigers: Infante takes the field, Guillen makies fielding debut
Fanball.com article

News
Tigers second baseman Omar Infante played in the field on Sunday for the first time this spring. Infante has been battling a sore right shoulder since the start of camp, and he’s only appeared in a few games as a DH. He remains day-to-day, according to the Associated Press.

It’s still not a given that Guillen will be ready for Opening Day, but this is a huge step. The biggest thing in recovering from such a knee surgery is being able to plant and cut in the field, and it’s good to know he feels strong enough at this point to attempt that work.

My view: Great news! Sunday versus the Cardinals was the first game I have watched this spring and I have to say I am very excited about this upcoming season. If Jason Johnson can be consistent over an entire season, he will give this team a chance to win some games. The offense is going to be fun to watch and will score lots of runs, so the Tigers starters don’t have to be perfect, just solid.

Here’s some of the top stories…

MSU point guards ready to step up in NCAAs – MLive article by Steve Grinczel

MSU is a hard team to figure out. Depending on the team that shows up they coudl either: A – lose to Old Dominion and suffer another disappointing end to a season; or B – make a run and end up in the Final Four. I have seen them picked anywhere from losing tonight in brackets or winning the entire thing. I am hoping that the Seniors have a few more games left to finish their career on a high note. That would make a great story and would make the pain of some of the hard losses go away. They have the talent to do it, but what we don’t know is if they can ever mentally be tough enough and pull it off.

Tigers still waiting on Infante, who says he could be ready next week – MLive article by Danny Knobler

As spring training marches on, the Tigers are still waiting for some very valuable players to see quality action in the field. Shortstop Carlos Guillen is getting closer to playing in the field, but unsure is Omar Infante’s injury. Up the middle was one of the Tigers strong suits (at times) last season and they two guys must get healthy for this team to have any chance to win the division.

Talks go nowhere after NHL’s diminished offers – MLive article by Ansar Khan

This is what we can expect over the next few months. I hope the players realize that the offers aren’t going to get any better than what they have already turned down. The players only chance is to “wow” the owners with a proposal that can put an end to this ridiculous lockout.

As I surf my favorite blogs, here’s my favorite articles from the last few days…

With Garcia it is not an “if” but more a “when” – Luke Waltons Forehead article by the Sports Dude

Congress is trippin’ on the juice! – Luke Waltons Forehead article by the Sports Dude

Interview with Evan Brunell of Firebrand of the AL – Detroit Sports article by Dan

OU Wins! – Beyond Boxscores article by Brian

Tigers Release Sanchez – The Detroit Tiger Weblog article by billfer

In the feel good story of the year, the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies defeated Alabama A&M 79-69, to advance to play #1 seed North Carolina. Rawle Marshall led the way for the Grizzlies with 29 points as they dominated the game from the start. Here’s some articles on Oakland’s incredible run…

Yahoo! Sports Recap – (16) Oakland 79, (16) Alabama A&M 69 – AP article by Rusty Miller

HEELS, YES! Grizzlies dominate, draw top seed N.C. – Freep article by Mark Snyder

OU: Bring on the Tar Heels – Oakland Press article by Keith Langlois

My view: Besides being a great story, it gives the school some national publicity and gives the players a chance to shine on a national stage. It might not be much fun when the actual game rolls around, but it’s something they will never forget. My hat is off to coach Greg Kampe and his Golden Grizzlies, you make us Michiganders proud!

Plus one of these years a #16 seed is going to knock off a #1, so why not this year?

It’s that time of year and everyone has their predictions and ideas for the NCAA Tournament, here are mine…

Chicago Regional
My Pick: Oklahoma State
My Sleeper Pick: Alabama
A Better Pick Than Mine: Illinois

Syracuse Regional
My Pick: North Carolina
My Sleeper Pick: Villanova
A Better Pick Than Mine: Connecticut

Albuquerque Regional
My Pick: Louisville
My Sleeper Pick: Gonzaga
A Better Pick Than Mine: Wake Forest

Austin Regional
My Pick: Michigan State
My Sleeper Pick: UTEP
A Better Pick Than Mine: Duke

Final Four
My Champion: Michigan State
My Sleeper Champion: Gonzaga
A Better Pick Than Mine: Illinois

So that’s it. This is the last chance for the Michigan State seniors and they are going to leave school with the biggest trophy of all. Of course I have been known to be delusional by picking my favorite teams to win, so I guess you are on your own.

Here’s the article. No replacement named yet, but either they like one of the young guys (Logan or Granderson) or maybe Craig Monroe?

Stay tuned…

Draft Sharks (www.draftsharks.com writes:
Jeff Garcia signed with the Detroit Lions as a backup to starter Joey Harrington. The two sides agreed to a 1-year, $2 million deal Saturday afternoon. Garcia was released by the Browns and bypassed job opportunities with Denver and Seattle. The decision reunites Garcia with Lions coach Steve Mariucci, who coached the 35-year old QB to three straight Pro Bowls from 2000-02. The Lions will be Garcia’s third team in three years. Make no mistake, there’s a very good chance he could beat out Harrington before training camp is over. Not a bad deal for Detroit…

My view: One year and $2 million? That’s a steal. A great job by Detroit at not overspending and they got the one guy who can come right in and make an impact by pushing Joey to better play or pushing him right out of the way period.

The Pistons drafting Darko and passing on Carmelo Anthony because they already had Tayshaun Prince looks better and better every game.

Here’s some recent articles on Tayshaun…

Prince’s career night gives Pistons OT win – Freep article by Perry A. Farrell

Prince lifts Pistons over Hawks in OT – AP article by Paul Newberry

Prince makes big move in the Pistons’ offense – Detroit News article by Joanne C. Gerstner

Inside Dish: Pistons’ Prince paying off in the post – Sporting News article by Sean Deveney

An older article, but Mike George is looking smart…
Will Tayshaun Prince ever become an All-Star? – HoopsWorld.com article by Mike George

Here’s some non-NCAA Tourney news, look for my breakdown later today or tomorrow of the changes of our Michigan teams, I haven’t had a chance to study them yet…

Lions agree to terms with QB Garcia

Allen Park, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions and Jeff Garcia agreed to terms on a one-year contract Saturday, reuniting the quarterback with coach Steve Mariucci.

His addition should provide immediate competition for starter Joey Harrington. The former first-round pick was booed often at home and challenged regularly by Mariucci in 2004, and has been inconsistent throughout his career.

Tigers: Guillen debuts

Article by Fanball Staff – Fanball.com

News
Tigers All-Star Carlos Guillen made his spring debut on Sunday. He went 0-2 after replacing Magglio Ordenez as the designated hitter. Guillen had not faced live pitching since he tore the ACL in his right knee on September 11. “I’ve been taking groundballs every day. I’m moving around good. I’ll see day by day how I feel,” he told the Associated Press. Guillen hopes to play shortstop by the end of the week.

Views
This is a nice start, but Guillen’s ability to cut and track down balls at short is a much bigger step than facing pitching. We’ll continue to monitor his progress, but obviously we have some concerns about him repeating his 2004 success until we see him fielding and hitting without problems.

Larry Brown to have more surgery

Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP) — Pistons coach Larry Brown will have additional surgery related to the hip operation that caused him to miss six games in November.

“We’ll all do the things that we’ve been doing all season,” Heard said. “I have no doubt that we’ll keep things running until Coach gets back.”

My view: Garcia was the best fit among the free agent quarterbacks available considering his experience with the West Coast offense and his past connection with Mooch. He is still good enough to start and should push Joey enough to either lift Harrington to a high level or earn the job himself.

It’s good to see Guillen back. He is a player the Tigers need to be healthy and contribute. The Tigers would gladly take another season like last as far as stats.

This will give Larry a rest before the final push at the end of the regular season. Here’s hoping the surgery goes well and he’s back and better than ever.