Here’s three new sites I really like that have been brought to my attention lately. Check them out!

Fantasy Football Spiral - [www.ffspiral.com]
Here’s what they say, “FFSpiral is the place to be for fantasy football. If you want high-quality, trustworthy information on fantasy football, look no further. Although the NFL is currently in the off-season, there is still plenty of action. If you can’t get enough from our rankings or articles, check out the forums to discuss more strategy or participate in mock drafts. The football season might be on hold, but fantasy football never sleeps at Fantasy Football Spiral!”

Here’s what I say, “I checked it out and they have tons of info! As a fantasy football player, I know I will be checking it out. They have a great section of basics for fantasy football beginners. It looks like their Breakdown’s are going to be very useful. Plus a forum!”

==================

Motor City Sports Magazine - [www.motorcitysports.net]

Here’s what they say, “Motor City Sports Magazine is a monthly publication that covers Michigan sports from a fan’s perspective. It is the only magazine of its kind in Michigan’s sports fan market. MCSM offers its readers something unique: a Michigan sports only magazine. The core teams that will be discussed are the Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers along with the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans. Other Michigan sports teams, such as the Detroit Shock, the state’s Arena Football teams, and other NCAA Division One schools will be covered as they achieve newsworthy accomplishments. High school sports achievements will also be scouted and reported. All content will be a breath of fresh air for the reader due to its originality and content from a fan’s point of view.”

Here’s what I say, “I definitely like the idea. The only thing that worries me is including the colleges and high schools. Since they are calling it Motor City Sports Magazine, it could be misleading and make the entire thing one big mess (kind of like my site, ha ha!). If the title was Michigan Sports Magazine, that’s a different story. It looks like they are working in the right direction with partnerships. Maybe partnering with the Leelanau Sports Guy would put them over the top! Wink, wink…”

==================

MotownSports.com - [www.motownsports.com]
Here’s what they say, “MotownSports.com is a Detroit Sports fan site with the latest team news and information for the Tigers, Lions, Pistons, and Red Wings. Also home to one of the largest message board communities on the Internet!”

Here’s what I say, “I think I have been here before, heck, I might even be a member of the forum already. Lots of great info here. Check it out!”

Here’s the Pistons three picks from last night, and the Detriot Insider’s thoughts…

Jason Maxiell (PF, Cinncinnati) - Insider says: “Fits the Pistons mold? Yes. Is he going to provide scoring off the bench?”

Amir Johnson (SF, Westchester HS, California) - Insider says: “McDonald’s All-American. Probably could have used some college time (I think he was destined for Louisville).”

Alex Acker (SG, Pepperdine) - Insider says: “No idea. Is he a shooter?”

Here’s a couple of articles on the draft…

Pistons get Cincy’s Maxiell in 1st round - Freep article by Krista Latham

Mad Max A Piston - Article by Bearcat Insider Staff

Pistons draft Maxiell because of his toughness - MLive article by A. Sherrod Blakely

From the Record Eagle…

Marissa Treece - Glen Lake - Events: 1600/3200 meter run
Duplicated her feat as a freshman by winning the 1600 (4:56.15) and 3200 (11:07.84) in Division 4 recordsetting times at the state meet. Won the pole vault, 800, 1600 and 3200 at the regional.

Bryan Sevensma - Glen Lake - Event: Hurdles
Northwest Conference and Division 4 regional champion in the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. At the state meet, he was second in the 300 and third in the 110.

You can see the entire team by clicking here [Adobe PDF File].

Here’s some interesting articles I found on the web, about some recent news stories you may have missed while enjoying the Pistons attempt to repeat…

Detroit Lions News
McQuarters signs one year deal - Fanball.com article

Golf News
Par 3 Shootout tees off in Gaylord Monday - Record Eagle article

Detroit Pistons News
Pistons are geared for more runs at championship - USA Today article by Roscoe Nance

Pistons show heart of a champ in defeat - Washington Post article by Mike Wise

Wings/Hockey News
Ellis emerges - Hard-working free-agent signing steadily develops in minors - Red Wings Central article by Matthew Wuest

Detroit lands 2010 NCAA Frozen Four - Record Eagle article

Cherry fest expands with cooking, sports - Detroit News article by Susan R. Pollack

MSU Football
TC West’s Gordon commits to MSU - Record Eagle article by Dennis Chase

Detroit Shock News
Shock’s Riley and Stinson Bring Steps to Summer School - WNBA.com article

I am not alone when I say that “you make us proud”. You guys played hard and never gave up. In a game where nothing seemed to go your way, there you were at the end with a chance to repeat. I give some credit to the Spurs, they are a great team, led by a great player, Finals MVP Tim Duncan. I know Joe D. will tinker a bit and revamp parts of the lineup (we need bench help, please), and that the Pistons will be back.

Here’s some random thoughts on the game/series/season…

• I watch the fourth quarter of these games, and can’t figure out why the PIstons don’t go to Rasheed more. The Spurs had no answer for him. Last night he scores on two possessions, then the next time down we go away from him. I will never understand this. It’s not just the Pistons that are guilty of this, I see it at every level. I know when I coached, I went with the hot hand. No idea why the Pistons don’t.

• I was shocked when in the third quarter when all the Pistons big men were in foul trouble that Duncan had one. I was trying to figure out with how physical the game was that could happen.
• I don’t like Bruce Bowen, but you have to respect how hard he works. He controlled Chauncey in the 4th quarter which pretty much prevented the Pistons from repeating.
• Larry Brown is a great coach and will be missed if he leaves. He has really taught this team how to win, and get the most out of their abilities. If he retires, I wish him good luck. If he stays, I think the Pistons will make it 2 out of 3.
• Duncan was easily the best player on the floor last night. The Pistons contained him for a while, but once the foul trouble started he took over. Great players do that. He is a great player.
• Darko Time? Next season the Pistons should through him to the wolves so to speak. 10-15 minutes a game would be enough to start seeing if we really have a potential future star here. Let him play some meaningful minutes (provided he earns them) and give us some more depth along the frontline.

That’s it for now, back to work on this busy Friday. I will follow the Pistons in the offseason and try to post breaking news and stuff right away.

Once again, great season Pistons!

After two strong pitching performances in Minnesota, the wheels fell off for the Tigers. Jason Johnson had a rough start in the top of the 1st and that was all the Twins needed as they stopped the Tigers winning streak with a 6-2 victory. The main damage was done on a bases loaded wild pitch. Johnson then forgot to cover home, so it allowed two runs to score. On a positive note, Chris Shelton homered and continues to impress. Here’s a Game Recap.

Fanball.com reports that Carlos Guillen was not activated today and may not be on Friday.

I had to change it from Friday Five with Norm to just Five with Norm, because both of our schedules didn’t allow us to post it every Friday. Now it can be any day of the week so watch out!

So here it is…

1. Game 7! - I wasn’t around then, but this has to be the biggest Game 7 in Detroit’s sports history since the ‘68 World Series. That World Championship brought the city together. Hope that’s the case again tonight.

2. Chauncey Billups - Win or lose, could probably be the Finals MVP. Who should be the Finals MVP? In my opinion, win or lose, Ben Wallace.

3. NBA Age Limit - Like it matters.

4. Placido Polanco - What a find. The real question is………….what do you do with Omar Infante if Polanco signs an extension here?

5. Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes - Go away, both of you. I’m tired of hearing about it………….but they are really in love (yeah OK). Maybe they will both be in the Dawson’s Creek movie when it comes out. Cruise can play her father.

If you want to let the Detroit Insider know what you think, you can always send him an email at norm@sportspig.com or post a comment!

With the Pistons hogging the press, the Tigers are quietly playing some very good baseball. It continued last night getting Nate Robertson’s best pitching performance of the season in a 8-1 win over the Twins at the Metrodome. The bats are heating up and the Tigers look like legitimate wild card contenders. Add to that they will get Maggs and Guillen back in the near future and this team could be dangerous.

What’s been impressing me lately is how they are scoring their runs. They aren’t relying on the long ball and are playing fundamentally sound baseball. The addition of Placido Polanco has really helped this offense find a groove. Omar Infante is starting to raise his average and Brandon Inge is continuing another strong season.

I don’t know where they will finish, and it’s looking like no one will catch the White Sox, but the Tigers aren’t far out of the Wild Card so it should be an exciting rest of the season.

Alan Trammell was selected as a coach for the All-Star Game by Red Sox and AL Manager Terry Francona, now the only question remains is how many Tigers are going to join him. If I could pick three it would be Bonderman, Pudge and Inge. Realistically I think it will be Bonderman and Pudge. Either way it will be a fun weekend in Detroit.

Here’s some recent articles on the Tigers…

Detroit 8, Minnesota 1 - Yahoo! Sports article by Jon Krawcynski

Tram, Ordonez target next week - Freep article by Mark Snyder

Starters working quickly - MLB.com article by Jason Beck

Immediate Returns - TigerBlog article by Jeff

Douglass up, Ginter Down - The Detroit Tiger Weblog by billfer

Here’s the new logo for the Traverse City Beach Bums Minor League Baseball team.

I plan on covering the Beach Bums as a part of my blog on a regular basis once play begins, and will try to keep you up to date on the latest from the team.

As they get ready for their inaugural 2006 season, you can check out the links below for updates and the latest news.

Beach Bums’ ballpark ‘awesome,’ says commish - Record Eagle article by Dennis Chase

Beach Bums June 12th Newsletter (includes photos)

Visit the Beach Bums Official Site

WOW! What a game. Rasheed Wallace in the 4th quarter was huge. Chauncey Billups scored 21 points and had NO turnovers. Rip Hamilton bounced back and had a game we have come to expect. Ben Wallace was making plays everywhere. These are the Pistons we have come to know and love and now they are back!

With San Antonio planning a Thursday parade, the Pistons decided to rain on it. Rain down threes that is. Billups led the way with 5 of the pistons 8 three-pointers as they finally broke the 80 point barrier in San Antonio.

Now we have a rarity in the NBA Finals, a game 7!

Here’s some articles on the game…

Rasheed keeps Pistons pumping Freep article by Drew Sharp

Still Kickin’ Detroit News article by Bob Wojnowski

Heart of a champion Yahoo! Sports article by Dan Wetzel

Not alot of people are giving the Pistons much of a chance, but I am hearing some people that think if Detroit wins game 6, they will win game 7 as well. This Detroit team plays some of their best basketball when they face elmination and with the Spurs Jeckyl and Hyde play in the Finals, they could stil take the title!

To repeat as champs the Pistons need 3 things to happen…

1. Rasheed must play his best game(s) as a Piston. He is a legitimate superstar, who San Antonio can’t match up with. Sheed must take over this game early and often.

2. Rip must break out of his slump. I know Bowen has been playing great ‘D’, but Rip has been missing alot of easy shots. He must shake off the “non-calls” and make his shots.

3. Big Ben must keep playing like he has the last three games. He has been amazing and must play with the same energy on the road.

If these three things happen, the Pistons can and will make sports history!

Let’s hope they are right! Go Pistons!

I am back from vacation at Cedar Point (it was a blast!) and alot has been happening while I was gone. I would have loved to take the sports blog on the road, but the “boss” doesn’t allow it. So here’s my thoughts on everything going on.

NBA Finals
After two great games at the Palace the Pistons had a chance to really take control of the series, but handed it to the Spurs with some questionable play down the stretch. Rasheed has been getting lambasted by the national press for leaving Horry wide open, which I am sure won’t happen again. Billups was spectacular in the 4th but disappeared in OT. Rip is having some moments, but is also forcing alot of shots. Ben Wallace is back to his old hustling, dominating self. If the Pistons are to have any chance of taking two in San Antonio, they will have to shake off this OT performance. I was disappointed they didn’t get the ball to Rasheed more in OT. The Spurs really have no answer for him on the defensive end.

Tigers win 4 out of 5
With the Pistons attracting all the headlines, the Tigers have quietly won 4 out of 5 games and have reached .500. They are still in 4th place, but are playing better ball. The offense is waking up and since the callup of Chris Shelton and the trade for Polanco things are looking up. A crucial 3 game series in Minnesota starts tomorrow. Taking 2 out of 3 from the Twins would be nice.

NHL 2005-06 season on?
That seems to be the rumor going around. They would be crazy if they didn’t get it started in time. Of the 7 people I know who still care about the game, that is a big major issue. If the lockout erases any of the upcoming season also, the NHL might never be the same again. I love hockey, but am getting frustrated by the lockout. I am of the opinion, that I don’t really miss it, so they had better come knocking on my door and earning my interest when they start!

That’s my two cents! If you haven’t been to Cedar Point I highly recommend it. Lots of stuff to do for kids of all ages!

Could the Pistons be missing more easy shots?
I don’t recall seeing Rip miss so many layups or 4 footers. Bowen is in his head and maybe a return to the Palace will get him on track. I know Bowen is a great defender, but I am sick of seeing his face after every foul called on him act so surprised.

Where have you gone Tayshaun?
Was David Copperfield responsible for this disappearing act? Defensively he is slow, and on the offensive end his shots are bricks. He of course has the job of trying to defend arguably the Spurs hottest player, but he needs to at least hold his own and score some points. 3 points? Awful.

What’s wrong with Big Ben?
It looks like he is working hard, but things just aren’t going his way. He needs to dominate the boards and it hasn’t been happening. A 7 game series with Shaq and Zo might have worn him down a bit, the Spurs are killing the Pistons on the glass. The only man who can change that is Ben.

When did the Pistons start getting so sloppy?
If I would have seen Robert Horry step in front of one more lazy pass, I would have kicked the TV. That was brutal to watch and shouldn’t happen in the NBA Finals. Maybe in the preseason but not too defending champions. Billups, Arroyo and Hunter need to take care of the ball if the Pistons are to have any chance.

Will the Pistons ever stop whining?
I hope there aren’t too many young players paying attention to the Pistons play, because alot of bad habits will be picked up, most notably complaining about everything. Sure some calls haven’t gone their way, but if you are hustling, scrapping and giving 110, you can make your own breaks. That’s always the way I was taught as a player and how I now teach as a coach.

Will the Pistons be going back to San Antonio?
The Palace will be rockin’, despite the Pistons first two games. I think the Pistons can win at least 2 of 3 and go back to Texas. Of course they will have to do a complete 180 from how they are playing, but it can be done. The Pistons starters have to step it up or else we are looking sweep.

You can read about the game in the Freep.

You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game. Rasheed Wallace looked unstoppable, the Pistons D was all over the floor, and Rip was getting open, but as the game wore on all of those ceased to exist as the Spurs dominated after a poor first quarter to win Game 1 of the Finals 84-69. As I watched the 2nd and 3rd quarters I couldn’t believe this was the same Pistons team I had watched in the 1st.

Lots of Pistons struggled, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Rasheed and Lindsey Hunter all had sub-par games. To think they even had a chance with that many guys struggling is amazing. And that is one of the good things that they can take from Game 1. How poor they played and how well the Spurs played. You have to think that Detroit won’t have that many guys struggle on one night.

McDyess looked like he was very jittery in his first NBA Finals. He is a key part of the Pistons success and will have to give them some quality minutes off of the bench. Hopefully Larry Brown is working his magic today and the Pistons getting back to some basics.

Read about the game in the Freep.

A couple of articles from today’s Record Eagle. Victoria Alfonseca scored on an assist by Becky Houdek for the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Fremont. Great job!

Suttons Bay wins Division 3 regional - Record Eagle article

It’s time to say ‘thanks’ to Chris and Juan - Record Eagle article by Jeff Peek