Author: brian wallace

Detroit sports fan for life!!
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Detroit Pistons Stan Van Gundy’s last stand

Embed from Getty Images When the Detroit Pistons hires Stan Van Gundy, he was said to be the guy who would return the Detroit Pistons to the playoffs while leading the charge of more consistent play.

Yet, that has not been the case. Sure the Pistons have made the playoffs under Van Gundy’s  watch. But they simply have not taken the next step. They have even looked lost at times.
I feel the Pistons owner Tom Gores, needs to assess the state of the team. I’m not suggesting replace Van Gundy. It could be something else needs to change. Or a free agent or two need to be added.
Assistant coaches, player personnel, scouting department. Something is not working. Yes. Mr. Gores should look at Stan. After all he’s the guy who was brought in with the high hopes of returning  the Pistons to the NBA post season and positioning them to perhaps something greater. It simply has not happened.
The Detroit Pistons have some soul searching to do. No knee jerk reaction will fix the deeper issues of the franchise. Begin the process and systematically go down a check list. Then make corrections. That process should start sooner than later.
There is talent on the roster. They need to find a consistent balance and go forward. I realize that is easier said than done. But, a billionaire owner should have the resources needed to push forward.
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Detroit Tigers: When is a prospect ready for the majors?

Embed from Getty Images It’s a waiting game. Players drafted or traded for. Young players to help a team sustain or acheive success. But when are they actually ready for full time major league duty?

 

As they swing into rebuild mode the Detroit Tigers wait for promising young prospects to develope into everday players. There are varying results. Some can’t miss prospects like former Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander was ready less than a year after being drafted. Others take longer.

The key to player development is to help a player  find consistency day in and day out. Night after night. They are able to produce productive reluts that help the team.

The Detroit Tigers trimmed veteran players and chose to go all in on a massive rebuild that will take 3-5 years. Pitchers are not an issue in Detroit’s minor league system. Pitchers, however generally take longer to develope than position players.

Hitter’s are difficult to gauge. Simply because they are more than likely to play in the field as well. So they need to learn corners and cut-off routes. For young players the only way to do this is to pay their dues in the minors.

It’s a waiting game for sure. It’s also a gamble. Some thought to be can’t miss prospects do in fact miss. Some little thought of prospects wind up in Coopertown at the baseball Hall of Fame.

Baseball’s a funny game like that.  It commands more than just paying attention to the parent club. But, know what is in the minor leagues as well. Get to know the entire organization. Highly and lightly thought of prospects. Simply because you never know who is going to step up and who is going to miss the mark.

Going forward, I will bring Detroit Tigers prospects into light. In hopes to bring fans closer to the team.

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Detroit Red Wings it used to bother me

Embed from Getty Images What use to bug me has turned into a very interesting perspective. Let see where the Detroit Red Wings go from here.

Growing up and following the Detroit Red Wings when things were so bad, if they picked up and left town it would have been seen as mercy move. That is how bad things were before Mike Ilitch bought the team. He was a god-send to Detroit and the franchise.
But Mr. I built them into a winner. A long time winner. With Hall of Fame players littered all over the rosters. And winning became a way of life in Motown. The Red Wings were the hottest tick in the city for year.
Now in the midst of a rebuild and with losses mounting it is  for some strange reason  ok. Do not get me wrong. I do not like losing. However, the talent and draft picks the Red Wings have is enough to want to see this rebuild through. It should help fans to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Questions will arise. Such as will Ken Holland see it completely through or be replaced?
Jeff Blashill is facing similar questions. Will long time Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall decide they have had enough and ask for a trade or retire?
For me this is actually exciting to watch unfold. Better days are ahead. But this is worth following. I have always followed Detroit sports teams. The good, bad and ugly. I have seen great sports moments. I have seen nearly unwatchable sports moments. Never wavering my support or enjoyment of the city and teams.
I suspect very good hockey is going to return to the Motor City very soon. I the meantime I plan to attend games with regularity. You can count on it.
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Would Steve Yzerman work for Chris Ilitch?

Embed from Getty Images Rumors among Detroit Red Wing faithful is Red Wings legend, Steve Yzerman would not work with hands on owner Chris Ilitch. But is that true? Lets take a closer look.

Steve Yzerman 20 year captain on the Detroit Red Wings. He came to Detroit when they were still known as the “Dead Wings.” He left a legend and hall of famer.

Chris Ilitch son of Detroit lover and beloved owner of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings Mike Ilitch. When the elder Mr. Ilitch (Mr. I) passed away last year Chris took over full time duties on Ilitch inc. including ownership of both MLB and NHL teams.

Last season saw the closing of Joe Louis Arena. “The Joe” as it is often referred to by Detroiters. A glorious arena in it’s day to be certain. That saw many Stanley Cup champions.

So where did the Yzerman, Ilitch rumor come from? Steve, is currently the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning and his contract is almost up. He has shrugged off future pans with simple “I’m the g.m. in Tampa Bay right now.”

The closing of Joe Louis saw Red Wings legends come on the ice after the game where Red Wing fanatics let their choice be known 

I feel that Yzerman would indeed go back to Detroit and would not be shocked to see it happen.

 

 

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Detroit Tigers enough already

Fans need to embrace reality. The Detroit Tigers are going to be bad for a few years. There is no bandage the deep cuts of years big spending.

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I’ve read a few articles about what it would take for the Detroit Tigers to finish .500. What?! This team is not going to sniff .500. They are not in position for that. Let’s just get that out of the way now.
This is a Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies sized rebuild. 100
loss seasons for 3-5 years. Part because they will be that bad and part because tanking gets you back to winning quicker. Also the fact that more minor league talent is needed.
But, for people to even remotely think .500 is possible I guess I’ll be the voice of reason. Not trying to ruffle feathers. Just giving it bluntly. It simply won’t happen anytime real soon. But, the team has made the right call in developing players in the minor league system.
It’s to be expected. Years of big spending, big free agents and years of winning have come to a grinding halt. Now comes the aftermath. It’s part disappointing and exciting. Frustrating days certainly lie ahead. That is to be expected in a rebuild of any sport.
But so does the promise of returning to competitive baseball. So no .500 seasons for a while. Enjoy the kids as they get called up. Focus on them. It will make things a little easier to swallow. It will also give fans a reason to go visit minor league ballparks and see a Beau Burrows or Matt Manning. To see what gives the Tigers hope.
There is no doom and gloom for those who love the game. It’s still baseball. Fans should take pride in the fact the Detroit Tigers are doing things better than they have in a long time.
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Detroit Red Wings in a bad season youth is being served

Embed from Getty Images Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Evgeny Svechnikov. Detroit Red Wings fans need to commit these names to memory. They are 3 of the building blocks to the next Red Wings next great team.
In the middle of a rebuild that has netted more and more losses 35 to be exact. Hasn’t left a lot for fans to cheer about. But let’s focus on the future. It’s looking a little less cloudy.
A future that fans can see young center Dylan Larkin wearing the captain’s “C.” His growth as the man in the middle has been eye opening. Along with Anthony Mantha gives the Red Wings the making of have a nasty young line.
And young Evgeny Svechnikov. The Red Wings have handled this pure goal scorer with kid gloves. Recently they have removed them and let him go. I look forward to seeing him grow more as a player.
The Red Wings have 2 first round draft picks in the 2018 NHL draft. They also have 2 second round picks and have amassed 5 that’s right 5 third round draft picks.
This is a great year to have a plethora of draft picks as this is widely considered to be the best group of prospects is the last 15 years. That will help the franchise moving forward.
The Red Wings need to focus on two positions. Left wing and first line defensemen. Names to watch are Brady Tkachuk LW Boston University. His game is being compared to the great Brett Hull.
And defenseman Quinton Hughes from the University of Michigan. He is sure to take his place in a long list of Michigan Wolverine defensemen like Jack Johnson, Zach Werenski, and Jacob Trouba.
The Red Wings will be able to speed up they’re rebuild in this years draft. I for one will be keeping close tabes on Larkin, Mantha & Svechnikov the rest of this season.
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Detroit Tigers: made the correct call

As the Detroit Tigers prepare for what looks like will be a very long Summer amidst the infant stage of a rebuild. General manager Al Avila made the correct call by beginning to assign the teams to prospects to minor league affiliates.

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2017 top pick Alex Faedo will begin the season and his professional career in Lakeland Florida, with the Flying Tigers. Not in Grand Rapids,with the Whitecaps as some had thought.
Other top prospects Beau Burrows, Christian Stewart, Dwell Lugo, will start the season in Erie PA, with the Seawolves. Though many, my self included expect Burrows to get a start or two in Detroit at some point this season.
As this is published. We are still waiting on word where other top prospects such as Matt Manning and Issac Paredes will land. With the end of an era of Detroit Tigers baseball. I’m looking forward to another chapter in the storied franchise.
No prospect of a bad two or three years can scare me from following this team begin to find they’re stride again.
My focus is going to be on the tomorrow. The yesterday’s are gone. So it will be a Spring, Summer of prospect watching. But, it’s baseball. Glorious baseball.

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Detroit Red Wings: Houston we have a problem

Embed from Getty Images While the Detroit Red Wings have entered a painstaking rebuild. While Wings general manager, Ken Holland has amassed draft picks and shed salaries.

Red Wings notorious for making prospects not named Dylan Larkin play 3 full seasons in the lower levels in order to develop them. There is help on the way. I fully expect Dennis Cholowski to develop into a top 4 pairing defenseman. And a couple others.
But, for me the problem is not with the lower level prospects. It’s with the Detroit Red Wings themselves. In particular head coach Jeff Blashill. He is not leading the young players on the important things. Instead he calls them out to the media. That is no way for a coach to keep a peaceful locker room.
The young Red Wings are not grasping and growing how to play and win. Last week Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg voiced his frustration with young players but was wise to not call the coach out.  Perhaps, Zetterberg should have given a slight nod Blashill’s way.
The Red Wings, will most likely have a new general manager after the season. In a rebuild where teaching young players is of utmost importance it is clear the Red Wings need a new face on the bench. Jeff Blashill must be replaced.
Even if the unthinkable happens and Ken Holland is brought back. It would be best if the Wings went in a new direction entirely. Fans want to see it happen.  We will soon find out if the rest of the front office feels the same way.
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Ken Holland’s last stand

Embed from Getty Images His time in Detroit with the Red Wings appears to be running out. Last Saturday his boss and Red Wings and Detroit Tigers owner, Chris Ilitch chose not to give him a vote of confidence while taking in a Tigers spring training game.

However, working to what again appears to be the end Holland pulled off a trade last week and as it stands right now the Red Wings have 13 draft picks in the first 3 rounds of the 2018 NHL draft.
Trading Tomas Tatar to the Vegas Golden Knights for a first, second & third round pick reminded Red Wings fans that despite being on thin ice with fans and team management Holland is still more than capable of improving the teams future.
In a year where there is fantastic talent this is a great year to amass draft picks.
The Red Wings rebuild is in full swing. Suddenly it’s much easier to stomach. The Red Wings will be back to their winning ways soon.
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The Detroit Red Wings: The only trade fans want

As the clock ticks on the 2018 NHL trade deadline names familiar to Red Wings nation are being tossed out as trade bait. Tatar, Nyquist, Green and a few others could most likely will be moved.

There is really truly only one trade Red Wings fans want. Ken Holland in exchange for Steve Yzerman. It’s not as unrealistic as it seems.
Last years closing of Joe Louis Arena, brought “come home Stevie” chants from the sellout crowd.  As Red Wings legends lined the fabled arena. There is no way that went unnoticed by Detroit Red Wings and Tigers owner Chris Ilitch.
Yzerman has proven in his time as Tampa Bay Lightning general manager he can build a winner and has a great eye for talent. We can only imagine what Ken Holland, was thinking and feeling as the Joe crowd chanted the guy they view as the savior.
There have been whispers if the Lightning get to the conference finals or skate for the Stanley Cup, Yzerman could make his exit and come back to the city he played in for 20 years. Not to mention a fan base who would greet him with open arms.
Will Chris Ilitch who is a hands on owner be willing to take a step back and allow Yzerman the room to run and improve the Wings? I believe he would. He’s a very smart person and knows like his father before him how to give the fans what they want.
I think if offered the job Yzerman would not think twice as he still live in Michigan during the offseason.