I love Killer! I have really enjoyed his Scouting Reports for every Lions player and even some of the coaches. Here’s his latest post about the health of running back Kevin Jones…

According to a source close to the situation, the odds are 50-50 that Jones will be ready by the start of the regular season on Sept. 9. That might sound like a noncommital copout, but here’s why the situation is up in the air: Jones is far ahead of schedule on his recovery and he’s running at full speed, but he still doesn’t have total confidence in his cutting ability.

That sounds like good news to me though. Here’s another interesting bit…

…the coaching staff also believes a healthy Jones is the most talented back on the roster and gives them the best chance to win. When Jones is ready, he’s going to play.

I agree with the coaches. Kevin Jones gives the team the best chance to win, but the combination of Tatum Bell and T.J. Duckett is a nice backup plan if Jones isn’t ready. Whoever is the starting back is going to get plenty of touches both running and receiving in the offense. I hope KJ can pull it off and get ready. Even if he is you are going to need the other two backs because Jones hasn’t shown he can play a full season. Watch for lots of fireworks from the Lions backfield in 2007!

Read Will Kevin Jones be ready Sept. 9? It’s 50-50 at Lions Insider

Photo by Sighted

Traverse City resident Dallas Drake is coming home. Originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1989, he played two seasons before being traded and has spent the last six seasons in St. Louis. The former Northern Michigan Star signed a one-year deal.

“It’s exciting,” Drake said. “I still feel I have some good hockey left in me. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the (Red Wings) organization. Year in and year out they’re one of the top teams in the league. There’s got to be a good reason for it.”

Drake will be asked to add some “grit” to the Wings lineup and some toughness…

“He’s a very physical player who will add grit to our lineup and make our team even more difficult to play against,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said in a statement. “He’s a veteran player, and you can never have enough experience and leadership on a team.”

The Wings are still looking for a top-6 forward but the signing of Drake now gives them 13 forwards on the roster.

Read Traverse City resident signs 1-year deal with Detroit in the Record Eagle

A quick look at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and two Pistons make the “shining” list.

3. Cheikh Samb, Detroit Pistons – Samb showed a nice touch around the basket in scoring 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He also rebounded well (10) and played physically despite his lanky build in Detroit’s 80-78 win over Memphis. Despite his positive play, the 7-foot-1 Samb is still most likely a season or two away from being a contributor due to his very thin 195-pound frame.

It’s nice to hear about some phsical play from Samb as he is very skinny and will need to get alot stronger to be a contributor at the NBA level. He’s not ready for the active roster yet, but he could end up being a steal from the Lakers for Maurice Evans.

4. Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons – The No. 15 pick last month, Stuckey is very strong with the ball and is very smooth. He can score when he wants but does not force anything. He has a nice jumper and he can take it strong to the basket. Stuckey was 9-for-16 from the floor and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line as he led all scorers with 27 points.

I am very excited about watching Stuckey coming off the bench this season. He’s a player and seems to have a great shooting stroke. If he can provide some instant offense off the bench he will make the Pistons a much better team offensively.

Read Summer league report at Yahoo! Sports

The Detroit Tigers just swept the Boston Red Sox and have now won 5 in a row, but all anyone is talking about is…

Curtis Granderson ended up saving the game, and all I can say is WOW!

On a side note, is I can’t believe how underrated Granderson is. An outfield featuring Granderson and Maybin makes my head spin, I can’t wait to see it!

The Major League Baseball All-Star Break is actually a little past the midway point of the season, but I thought I would give my two cents on some surprises and disappointments on this 2007 season. Most of the are obviously Tigers related, hey it’s my blog!

Top 5 Surprises

5. Curtis Granderson’s 15 Triples - The number doesn’t surprise me except that he has hit most of them on the road and not in spacious Comerica Park. Granderson is really coming into his own as a potential All-Star.

4. Dmitri Young - I still have some love for Young from his Tiger days and to see him hit almost .340 and help the Nationals is great. I thought he might be done, but he’s proving he can still hit for average and power.

3. Justin Verlander - It’s not a surprise to many, but it is for me. I thought he might have a “sophomore slump” after winning last year’s rookie of the year award. Was I ever wrong. He’s thrown a no-hitter, might get the start in the All-Star Game and has been the Tigers best pitcher this year. He’s a great pitcher who is on pace to win 20 games in only his second season.

2. Milwaukee Brewers - The N.L. Central might be the worst division in baseball, but the way the Brewers jumped out of the gate to take control impressed me. They have some great young players led by Prince Fielder and a solid pitching staff, so I think they could be this year’s Tigers. The Brewers have slowed as of late, but still should hold on for the division crown.

1. Magglio Ordonez - This was an easy one. I knew having Gary Sheffield batting in front of him would give him some good pitches to hit, but I didn’t expect a .370 batting average and among the league leaders in just about every offensive power category.

Top 5 Disappointments

5. No Tiger Games In Person - I’ve also only been to one Traverse City Beach Bums game so far as well. I have to get my act together.

4. Roger Clemens - I’ve never been a Roger Clemens fan, I admire his career and he seems to have a great work ethic, but to keep coming back for what amounts to a little over half a season, making a ridiculous amount of money drives me insane. Just call it a career and you can ride off to Cooperstown quicker! He’s 2-3 and just lowered his ERA to below 5 with 8 solid innings against the Twins, but enough is enough.

3. Andruw Jones - To think that Jones is batting .199 and making Brandon Inge look like a batting champ is beyond me. Usually guys blow up in contract years but Jones has done the exact opposite. I still think he can have a strong second half, but to think that the career .263 hitter can’t get to .200 is baffling.

2. Tigers Bullpen - One of the teams strengths last season has become their biggest weakness this year. Todd Jones has been inconsistent, although as of late he is coming on stronger. Joel Zumaya’s injury and Fernando Rodney’s inconsistency (and now injury) have put some young pitchers into roles they weren’t used to. I don’t know if a major trade is out there, but I think the Tigers need to try to bring in a veteran just in case both guys don’t come back healthy and regain their magic of 2006.

1. New York Yankees - That payroll along makes me sick, but to think they are under .500 paying that amount of money is insane. Take away A-Rod and they might be 10 or 15 games under .500.