I've been watching a lot of softball now that the weather has gotten warmer, and I must say, the girls on the Saline and Milan teams are downright amazing. First off, there's Hornet freshman phenom pitcher Kristina Zalewski. First off, there's no way she's a freshman. She can't be, can she? What a talent. Gosh, when I was her age I was still struggling putting on my shoulder pads for football, let alone playing for the varsity squad. And second, how does she throw so fast? She looks like your typical teenager in her uniform and then once she enters the circle, she turns into a power-pitching, strikeout whiz.

And over in Milan, I'm amazed with two things at the moment -- the ease with which Lani Ernst fields her position and also how in the heck left-handed lead-off hitter Kat Hoffman makes contact with the ball. Ernst is so silky smooth at shortstop, it looks like her glove has some sort of softball magnet in it, attracting balls hit her way right into her mitt. I covered Chelsea All-State shortstop Stephanie Crews (three-year starter at CMU) back in 2002-2003 and Ernst reminds me a lot of the former Bulldog standout. While Hoffman, also an oustanding pitcher, amazes me with her bat. Well, her bat and the way she uses it as she bails out of the batter's box on her way to first base and another single. It appears as if Hoffman is halfway down the first base line before she makes contact with the ball. It must be frustrating for an opposing infielder to know even if you field the ball cleanly, if it's hit your way, there's practically no way you're throwing out the speedy Hoffman.

It'll be interesting to see how far both clubs can go in this year's state tournament. With players like Zalewski, Ernst and Hoffman, both teams should be a tough out for any foe come state tourney time.

Lacrosse, tennis and baseball

First up, lacrosse.
After watching the Chelsea lacrosse team battle always tough Ann Arbor Huron a few weeks back I figured the Bulldogs were worth keeping an eye on. I mean look at what the hockey team did with very little fanfare early on in the season.
Then I watched the Saline lacrosse team completely dominate Ypsilanti and figured there is another team with plenty of potential.
So when the two teams met on the field on Wednesday, I figured I better go check it out - this could be a real barn-burner.
I figured wrong.
I was all ready for a close, back-and-forth struggle between two first-rate schools with tough lacrosse teams. And when Chelsea scored to tie the game at 1-1, I thought, here we go. It was worth breaking all the speed limits to get here on time.
Then Saline scored three goals over the next minute and then Saline scored every time they touched the ball and then Saline put on a clinic as the Bulldogs stood around and watched. Next thing you know, Saline led 18-2. And it was only halftime.
It just goes to show you that I still don't know very much about lacrosse. But I am willing to learn and it looks like Saline might be a very good teacher. They certainly are very good. Even I could figure that out.

Speaking of learning. While watching the Chelsea-Lincoln tennis match on Wednesday, I was told that it's disrespectful to cheer when an opposing player messes up. For example, if your player hits a winner, it's OK to cheer. But if the other player hits a shot that goes out, it's not OK. Sounds like something other sports should think about doing. Although it would be hard in football not to cheer if the other team fumbled at the goal line or the opposing shortstop let one go through his or her legs.

Some quick baseball tidbits.
Did you know that Marino Rivera, Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter have established an amazing record. No three players in ANY SPORT have ever played on the same team in consecutive years longer than those three Yankees. In the era of free agency, that record might never be broken.
Baseball fans should try and see Albert Pujols whenever you can. He is hitting .333 with seven home runs and 19 RBI already this season. We are going to tell our grandkids someday that we saw Albert Pujols play the same way our parents told us they saw Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. He could end up being the greatest player to ever put on a uniform.
A great line I heard from Bob Uecker on catching a knuckle-ball pitcher. "It's easy to catch. You just wait until it stops rolling and pick it up."

Really, ESPN?

ESPN lost a lot of points with me this weekend.
Don't get me wrong, while the new format of concerning the coverage of the NFL draft was different, I actually liked it.
For the first time ever the draft started on Thursday, with the first round commencing in prime time.
After that, the draft continued on Friday and ended on Saturday.
It was a pretty cool event.
The Lions, in my opinion, had one of the most promising drafts in recent history, taking arguably the best player in the draft, defensive end Ndamukong Suh as well as trading up to pick running back Jahvid Best. It think both players will contribute to making the team better, and the Lions might have a chance of hitting that six to seven win ceiling the pundits are talking about in the upcoming season.
I'd like to see it happen, but to be honest, in the past, predicting good things for the Lions has only gotten me in trouble, so I'll just sit back and watch.
So I was happy with the draft coverage and happy with the Lions' draft in particular, but I have nothing but ire for the world's biggest sports network.
My irritation stems pretty much from one choice ESPN made in its coverage of the draft, and that is, of course, the inclusion of former Lions' GM and CEO, Matt Millen.
Look, I get the fact that the guy has a history in football before he took over the Lions. But seriously, how in the world can you have a guy like Millen on a show that is basically all about evaluating college talent?
While in Detroit, Millen proved that he was completely unprepared to be the head of a pro football franchise, but his biggest fault on a very long list of failures was his inability to evaluate and pick talent in the draft.
This is the guy ESPN thinks can give intelligent commentary on picking talented players?
The decision by ESPN to put him on camera during the draft coverage seemed about as logical as asking Ben Roethlisberger to take your little sister to the prom. In other words, it was just plain stupid.
Not only was it a huge slap in the face to people from Detroit, who are still very much upset with Millen's reign, but it's kind of an insult to the casual football fan. It seems like a clear case of ESPN not finding the most qualified people to anchor their coverage. I think the network should be ashamed of themselves.
And they probably are, considering that Millen was only on camera for a few seconds before he opened his gob and made an inappropriate ethnic slur toward Ron Jaworski, calling the the former quarterback and current football analyst a "Polak".
Apparently even though he isn't in a spot where he can ruin a team's draft, Millen still found a way to do something moronic on draft day.
Of course, a few minutes later, Millen was back on camera to apologize for his remark, and I think he deserves to be forgiven for it. People say stupid things sometimes.
But I'm still not ready to forgive him for setting the Lions back a decade and a half, and I certainly not ready to forgive ESPN for making us all suffer through watching him work at jobs he's clearly not qualified for.

Things I learned this week

Life is an educational process. Every day we walk into a classroom and learn something. Here are a few things I learned this week at the various "classrooms" I attended.
* While covering Ypsilanti sports, I learned how passionate and determined the Ypsilanti coaches are to their respective teams. I saw how that commitment is copied by the players during the Phoenix soccer game Thursday with Skyline. Even though Ypsilanti was getting beat pretty handily – the final score was 8-0 – the Phoenix never stopped playing hard. The girls on the bench kept cheering and supporting their teammates. They didn’t win the game, but this team is a group of winners. And you can hear that pride from every Ypsilanti coach I talked with. This is a school to watch out for in the future.
* I met a very special young lady on Thursday who has to deal with stuff a person her age should never have to deal with. I could list a ton of adjectives to describe her, but courageous would be at the top of the list. I learned just how well a lot of us have it and to never take anything for granted. I say to her, "your mom has reached out and touched another person and I feel like I met her through you. I thank you for that."
* Tennis is more like baseball and lacrosse is more like football – when it comes to Mother Nature. A brief rainstorm washed away a tennis match on Wednesday between Adrian and Dexter. Even though it lasted only a few minutes and the sun returned to the sky, the match was called. The court was too slippery. And the way tennis players sprint and slam on the breaks, it would be easy to get seriously injured on a wet surface. Lacrosse, however, is played in the rain, snow or anything else thrown at them.
* The Dexter softball team can hit. They were piling up the runs in the fourth inning on Thursday. As far as I know, they may still be batting. My ears are still ringing from the sound of those aluminum bats punishing the softball.
* I learned that the NFL is concerned about all this technology us sports fans are enjoying these days and how it may result in empty seats at the stadiums. And they should be. Why should I get in my car, deal with the traffic, try to find a parking spot, pay $75 for a ticket, pay $20 for a beer and hot dog and sit next to a drunk in the stands when I can sit on my couch at home and watch the Lions lose on my 36-inch high def 3-D Plasma TV with all of the other games one click away? Yeah, they should be worried.
* I learned fewer and fewer people are counting down the days to Michigan football.
* I learned more and more people are counting down the days to the first Tuesday in November.
* I should have learned that people have probably stopped reading by this point and stopped writing at about the third item.

Soccer teams get together for Relay for Life

The Chelsea-Dexter girls' soccer game was intense Saturday afternoon. And that's certainly not surprising considering the long rivalry between the two schools. The players competed as if it were a state championship instead of a non-league game early in the season.
But what's even more impressive is what happened after the game. The players from each team got together and had some pizza and talked. And they talked about making a difference.
They are planning to form a team at next month’s Relay for Life in Chelsea.
"Sometimes rivalries get ugly and this is a way where we can get everyone together and do some good," Dexter coach Scott Forrester said.
"(The meeting) really was the highlight of the day," Chelsea coach Kirsten Smart said minutes after the game ended in a scoreless tie. "And in a way it's a good thing it ended in a tie because no one is going to be upset now."
Donations for the team can be made during Dexter and Chelsea home games.

Youth is not wasted on the young

Yesterday, I signed my two children up for baseball and softball and you know what? It felt good. I am really glad that my kids will be able to enjoy some summer sports for the first time in quite a while.
I look forward to watching them play and seeing how much fun they will have in the field. I live in Allen Park but they will be playing at the fields in Melvindale which are right around the corner from our house.
I don't think my son will be the next George Brett or Wade Boggs and I am not even sure that he knows who those are.
I do know he was excited and so was my daughter. That makes me excited that they are both looking forward to the season.
I will not be coaching and all I want to do sit back and relax. Have a good time and watch some games on Tuesday night. I plan on having some good columns come out of this so look for them in the future.
You know how to get in touch with me if you have any ideas for stories. My email is dmerchant@heritage.com.

The ones that give us goosebumps are the best

I saw this commercial the other day, and found it on Youtube without much trouble. Since then, I feel like I have watched it an almost unhealthy-for-my-eyes amount of times. I sent the link to may parents, my uncles, a bunch of my friends. But I still want more. It's like a miracle that I'm not sick of it yet, but even more astonishing is the fact that every time I watch it, I get the same feeling.

The hair on my arms seems to stiffen a bit, and the flesh on my upper body starts to get little goosebumps all over, as if I've just seen something eerily awesome. Even after a dozen viewings.

Any person who considers themselves a Red Wing fan, and I know there are a lot of you, more than likely has seen the footage from this video. The video itself is an ad promoting the NHL, which is fine and good, but the reason this clip is so cool is because it shows Red Wing captain, a legend even back in 1996, beating St. Louis goalie Jon Casey on a slapshot from the blue line. The goal ended a marathon, double-overtime Game 7 to send St. Louis to the golf course, and Detroit to the Western Conference Finals.

The Wings lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the next round, falling in six games. But still, that video clip is iconic. It's earned a place in Red Wing lore, where, if you are talking to a real fan, the simple words, "the Yzerman goal against St. Louis" will immediately put you on the same page. Despite the fact that Yzerman played in dozens upon dozens of games against St. Louis, that goal is the one that lives in the minds of the fans.

It's special for me for a few reasons.
I vividly remember watching that game. I was 13, and one of the very few rabid hockey fans in the Thumb of Michigan. I was in my parents' living room, and it was a Thursday night. The goal gave the Wings the victory, and extended the playoff run, so that alone made it special.

But looking back, there was a little more to it. That game lasted well into the night, and I remember when the first overtime ended, my mom decided to go to bed, but my dad stayed up. As my mom gave him a goodnight peck on the cheek, he told her that, even though he was "dog tired", he just would never forgive himself if he went to bed not knowing if the Wings would live to play another game. But I think he had another reason for staying up so late.

We watched the game together, right up until that special, game-ending goal, even though it ended much later than my folks normally expected me to be awake. But that didn't matter. When Stevie found the back of the net, we cheered like crazy, just us, the only conscious ones in the house.

The win was great. It was a kind of excitement you don't get to experience often. But having the chance to experience it with my dad, even though we were just hanging out in the living room, is what really made special. It's what made it memorable for me.

Sports have a way of taking over our lives in a way that causes us to get so caught up in everything, we often forget that every time we get a chance to witness something incredible, we also have a chance to share that experience with someone special.

For me, on May 16, 1996, that person was, and is still, the most important and special man in my life: my father. And every time I see that video, I think of how it made me feel, how the elation of victory was just so much better when I got a chance to look over my shoulder from the couch and see my dad's Cheshire cat grin. My dad said that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he missed the end of the game, so he stayed up even though he was exhausted, and I think that's true. But I also think he did it because he wanted to share something special with me, even if he knew it might end in temporary heartbreak.

In a little less than two months my fiancee and I are going to welcome our first child into the world, a little boy. I hope someday that I can be the kind of dad to him that mine was to me. I can't wait to share the kind of moments with my son that my dad shared with me, moments that, even now, more than 14 years later, I still look so fondly on.

Sports are fun to play and fun to watch. But they can also be a vehicle. So fans should make events special, they should embrace the jubilation of victory as well the disappointment of defeat. But don't get too wrapped up in the game, because your presence just might be giving someone close to you a memory they will hold onto.

The plays that give us goosebumps are the best, but when we get to share those goosebumps, that's even better.

Detroit Tiger sports and more.

Okay,

The Tigers are doing well (which I think is a little unexpected) but how about those Detroit Red Wings who have given us so much to talk about in the post season for the past few years? They got off to a bad start in the playoffs and lost their first game to Phoenix.
I wouldn't worry about one game but if they lose two or three in a row things may start to look like they want to go golfing and not play hockey until late May and early June.
Anyway, who knows what will happen with all these crazy high school sports for the spring. If it isn't golf and tennis it will be baseball and softball and if it isn't soccer it could be lacrosse and did I mention boys' and girls' track?
Good luck to all my teams and all the teams in the area for that matter. The regular season is fun but let's make some noise in the playoffs when the time comes.
Remember seniors don't throw your last season away make it count. Look for good things in the local paper and better things on the Internet.
Congrats to my editor, Austen Smith, with the good news he will be bringing into the world.
Chow for now, baby!

I love spring sports

I'm so glad spring sports are here. Especially since it's 70 degrees or so outside and I have to cover a baseball game today. It's always nice sitting outside and covering a game when it's warm. It's never fun watching a two-hour baseball game while wearing a winter coat and gloves! It's Michigan and yes, I've had to sit through many a baseball/softball game shivering. I always find it odd. Baseball and being cold aren't supposed to mix are they? Even though I've sat through Detroit Tiger games while it's snowing, it's still strange watching baseball in cold, frigid weather. So today will be wonderful. Sunshine and blue skies -- what else could I ask for? I have left the gloves and winter coat at home. Of course, give it another couple days and I'm sure the weather will change and I'll be shoveling my driveway and scraping ice off of my windshield!

Where is ‘our’ $59.6 million football stadium?

My first visit to the Chelsea baseball field left a lasting impression. A "baseball fan from Ann Arbor" said he loves coming to watch high school baseball in Chelsea because the team is always one of the better teams in the area and the facility is first rate.
Chelsea and Saline have created an atmosphere of sports excellence, both with performances on the field and in the quality of their athletic facilities. And don’t think for one second the two things aren’t related. Players take great pride in putting on those Bulldogs and Hornets jerseys and they realize they are something special when they step onto those fields.
Dexter is quickly catching up. A turf field at the football stadium would raise them to the elite status of a Chelsea and Saline. Some still prefer playing on grass, but basically closing off the football field for 10 months of the year is a waste of prime real estate.
Put in the turf and let lacrosse, soccer and field hockey take advantage of playing under the lights. Last week, the Chelsea soccer team moved to the football field because their grass field was under water. It’s nice to have that option, especially in the spring.
Last Monday I visited Walled Lake Central High School for a night game on the Vikings’ turf field against Dexter. I could picture Chelsea and Saline and Dexter doing this on a Friday night in the spring and creating a nice evening activity in the community. Much like football in the fall.
The girls’ soccer teams also could play some games on Fridays under the lights on the football field. Maybe a lacrosse-soccer double-header. Show a movie on a big screen after the game. I’ll bring the popcorn.
But as good as the athletic facilities are at Chelsea and Saline, they still have a ways to go before scoring national recognition. Football boosters should stop reading here – we don’t want to give you folks any ideas.
The Allen (Texas) School District is building a $59.6 million football stadium. The booming north Dallas suburb will soon break ground on a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat facility that will feature two decks, a video scoreboard, four concession stands and 12 restrooms. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.
The stadium was part of a larger $120 million bond package passed in May 2009 that included nearly as much money for an auditorium for performing arts. The town also approved a bond package of $219 million in 2008 that included two new elementary schools, 45 school buses and improvements to other elementary and middle schools in the district.
Everything, of course, is bigger in Texas.
The high school, built in 2000, has more than 600,000 square feet and serves 3,900 kids – for grades 10 through 12.
You don’t always have to be bigger to be better. The booster clubs, local athletic supporters, school officials and residents in our wonderful communities make sure that nothing is too good for not only our high school athletes but all the students.

Heritage sports is now a daily

Pass the word! Or should that be pass the baton?
Baseball. Softball. Soccer. Track. Lacrosse. What am I leaving out?
Water Polo. Golf. Tennis. Anything else?
That should just about cover it and the Heritage sports staff is going to be covering it all spring. Like you’ve never seen before. Your home for hometown sports every day is right here on YOUR hometown Web site.
The spring lineup is loaded with plenty of action and it all gets going like a fastball this week. We will be bringing you "live" games every night on your local teams. What do I mean by "live." I mean reports every night on games played that day. Our staff has a lineup of events we will be covering over the next few months to bring you not only scores and details on your local hometown teams, but to bring them to you soon after the whistle blows or the last out is made. You no longer have to wait until Thursday to "read all about it."
Many of these "live" games will feature video action. See your son, daughter, sibling, friend, classmate, neighbor, etc., scoring a goal, crossing the finish line first or hitting a double in the gap. So pass the baton and let everyone know that your local Heritage newspapers have taken the game to another level. Yes, your hometown paper is now a daily and it’s as easy as ready, set, click.

Getting more bang for the buck

As our readers have notices over the last several weeks, the sports section of The Manchester Enterprise has been smaller than usual. The reason is simple...we were between the winter and spring seasons. But with a new season now underway, we should be back to our normal size (at least until the summer comes).

The Manchester baseball and softball seasons actually kicked off the last week of March, with both teams playing three games prior to Spring Break. Both squads sit at 2-1 after their treks through Lenawee County. The Manchester varsity baseball team dropped its season opener to Sand Creek March 29, but stormed back in a big way over the next two days. The Dutchmen outscored Adrian Madison and Morenci by a combined 43-5 to get on the winning track. Meanwhile, the Manchester varsity softball team won a wild season opener at Sand Creek, fell to Madison the next day, then pulled out a 6-3 victory at Morenci March 31.

Cascades Conference play begins Wednesday (April 14) with doubleheaders at Michigan Center, where rivalries in both baseball and softball could be developing. In baseball, the Dutchmen tied a school record with 22 wins last season, but finished second in the conference behind Michigan Center. In softball, the Flying Dutch are among the favorites to win the Cascades this year, but Manchester coach Wes Gall said that the Cardinals are one of the the main threats in the league. Needless to say, things could be very interesting on the diamond when Manchester and Michigan Center hook up.

Along with my duties with Manchester sports, people will also notice my byline in the Belleville View quite a bit over the next couple of weeks. My collegue, Belleville and Ypsilanti sports writer Dave Merchant, is off on a leave until the end of the month, meaning Don, Terry and myself will be handling sports coverage in both communities. Monday night was my first time covering a game at Belleville, a baseball game that saw the host Tigers pick up their first win of the year with a 6-3 victory over Dearborn Heights Crestwood. Belleville pitcher Scott Powell was impressive, striking out eight while scattering six hits and going the distance for the victory.

That's all for now. See you again later this week.

Need proof that soccer players are tough?

It’s been a crazy month of April so far and we are only nine days in.
Just last Friday I was playing golf with my son wearing shorts and a golf shirt and wiping sweat off my forehead after one of my ripping 180-yard drives into the woods. Hey, it’s early.
On Thursday I was standing on the track at Chelsea High School wearing my winter coat watching a soccer game remembering just how painful a hard soccer ball can feel on freezing legs. I didn’t hear one complaint from any of the Chelsea or Milan soccer players about how cold it was – they just played hard and didn’t let it bother them.
Now, as a former soccer player I promise I won’t make fun of the baseball team. Yes, the baseball game was cancelled because it was too cold and the field was too wet. As I told my dad countless times growing up, soccer players are just tougher than baseball players. The soccer players proved it again on Thursday.
I was looking forward to watching the baseball team play in a doubleheader and then head over and watch the soccer game. It was going to be the perfect afternoon. But Mother Nature interfered. Well, it’s spring after all.
The girls moved the game to the evening and turned the lights on at the football field. The Bulldogs provided plenty of electricity with a very well played 4-0 win. Still, it was freezing – even with a winter jacket on.
It’s been quite a week in the sports world. The Yankees-Red Sox marathon on Sunday night to start the baseball season, Duke holding off Butler with that dramatic ending in Indianapolis and Tiger proving he’s still Tiger with a golf club in his hand. But Fred Couples and Tom Watson atop the leaderboard? You can’t script it any better.
Spring break will finally be over next week and the spring sports season will finally take off. Hopefully, I can take off my winter jacket and put it away until the fall.

Could Connecticut's streak actually be bad for women's basketball?

Last night the University of Connecticut won its second consecutive NCAA National Championship, defeating Stanford in a come-from-behind win, 53-47.
An impressive feat, no doubt, but what makes it even more impressive is the fact that the Huskies completed their second straight undefeated season, finishing 39-0 for the 2009-10 campaign, and extending their unbeaten streak to 78-0.
78 games?
On the surface, the streak seems nothing short of amazing. That kind of dominance can only be compared to other Connecticut teams of the recent past (from 2001-2003, the Huskies had a 70 game winning streak) and of course the big one, the beacon of domination that shines throughout the basketball world, the UCLA men's teams of the 1970s.
Coached by legendary teacher John Wooden, the Bruins of the early '70s won 88 straight games- the longest streak by any collegiate basketball team.
UCLA had players like Lew Alcindor (who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Bill Walton, who both later became NBA legends.
The Bruins forced other teams to get better, which in turn changed the entire landscape of NCAA basketball.
One could argue that UCLA's streak was a turning point in the history of the game that required every team to train harder and get better.
Connecticut's streak is similar- but only if the rest of the teams around the country continue to get better. And they don't seem to be doing that.
Sure, Standford came close to beating the Huskies last night, but the Cardinals still faltered.
The Huskies could be giving the women's game the shot in the arm it has needed for years, to make it more competitive and fun to watch, but, again, that's only if all the other Division I teams rise to the occasion and get better. NCAA women's basketball has a small audience as it is. That audience isn't going to want to watch the same team win every single game they play for much longer.
We can compare the women's game to the men's all day, but in the end, the two are immensely different.
Parity is the key to success for any sports organization, and the NCAA is no different.
UCLA's era of perfection forced everyone else to improve, undeniably changing the game for the better.
If the NCAA hopes to bolster interest in the women's game, it needs to ensure that Connecticut's does the same thing.

Welcome Back, and Welcome Spring

Yes, I know it's been quite a while since I've last blogged on this site. In fact, it was in the last decade (Oct. 2009 to be exact). But don't worry, loyal followers, I'm still here. It's been a long winter, but spring sports are getting underway in Manchester, and it's an exciting time for all. Below is my column on the start of the new baseball, softball, track and boys golf seasons in Manchester.

Is it just me, or is the school year just flying by?
It doesn't seem that long ago that everyone was preparing for the first Friday night of football. And doesn't feel like just the other day seven Manchester wrestlers were competing in the state meet at The Palace of Auburn Hills and the varsity girls basketball team was toppling Cascades Conference behemoths Napoleon and Addison in the Class C state playoffs?
I guess time flies when you're having fun. But the good news is the fun will continue as it's now time for the Manchester spring sports team to take center stage.
With the weather getting warmer (at least last week) and the baseball, softball, track and boys golf teams returning to action, it's time to shake off the cabin fever of the past few months and jump into the excitement of a new season. Even better news for Manchester fans is the abundance of storylines surrounding each team this year.
The Manchester varsity baseball team has been knocking on the door the last couple of years, finishing second in the Cascades Conference. Last year, the Dutchmen tied a school record with 22 victories but fell short in the district final against Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard. The returning players will certainly be motivated to make a deeper playoff run, especially with the Class C district tournament being held in Manchester this year. While head coach Corey Fether said that pitching depth, with eight or nine options to take the mound, is a strength, it's been the Dutchmen's hitting that's provided fireworks in the early going. After nearly erasing a five-run deficit in an opening day loss to Sand Creek, the Dutchmen rebounded by outscoring Adrian Madison and Morenci 43-5 in a pair of victories.
Next week will have a playoff-like feel to it as the Dutchmen host recent district nemesis Whitmore Lake April 13, then open league play at defending Cascades champion Michigan Center the next day.
Next Tuesday will also see the Manchester varsity softball team play its first home game since its magical run last year. With all but one player returning from last year's that won 24 games, it's most since 1991, and advanced to the Division 3 regional final, expectations remain high for the Flying Dutch.
So far, it appears that the team is embracing their lofty goals. After falling in a big hole early in the season opener, the Dutch fought back and thumped Sand Creek 19-12. They had a tough loss the next day at Adrian Madison, but recovered March 31 with a 6-3 win over Morenci. Despite only having two hits in the game, the Dutch were smart at the plate, drawing 16 walks and capitalizing on wild pitches.
Like the baseball team, the Dutch have extra motivation for another district crown, and the playoffs open in Manchester the first week of June.
A new era begins with the Manchester boys and girls track teams. Matt Hall takes over as the varsity boys' head coach while Nick Marshall is now the head coach of the girls team. Despite the fourth coaching change in the program over the last three seasons, Manchester has kept itself as a track force. Since 2005, the boys team has won three Cascades titles and finished second once, while the girls team won back-to-back league crowns in 2007-08. Manchester athletes have been regular visitors to the Division 3 state meet in each of those seasons.
The Manchester varsity boys golf team is the last one to start the season, teeing off April 13 at Onsted. Like the other spring teams, the Dutchmen have set their goals high for this year. Since 2002, Manchester has advanced to the state tournament in alternate years, making it in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. The Dutchmen return No. 1 flight golfer Nik Stetler, a good core of returning underclassmen and at last check…this is an even-numbered year.
With the temperatures starting to get warmer outside, the action promises to heat up on the diamonds, ovals and links in Manchester.
Stay tuned.

Tigers get a win!

The only Tiger I want to hear about is the Detroit Tigers who just won their first game of the season. I am so sick of listening to Tiger Woods and his troubles outside of golf. It is time to just get on with your life and play golf. I think they are making way too much out of him and his life. Twenty years ago he would have just went away and never been heard of again.

Now the Detroit Tigers winning in Kansas City yesterday was excitement. They came from behind and won quite convincingly. I was impressed and I hope they can keep it up for the entire season. I love this time of year when everything starts to come back to life and you have the sun melting on your face and the inside of your car gets hot for the first time all year.

I know that these are pretty random thoughts but hey they is what a blog is anyway, right? I hope to hear from my readers soon and I hope to get any comments as well.

Smile on and happy blogging!

Indeed, 'welcome back, Tiger'

Tiger Woods is back on the golf course this week. He was met with "mild" applause when he stepped to the tee on Monday. A spectator reportedly shouted out, "welcome back, Tiger."
Yes, welcome back, Tiger. Can we please get back to playing golf. Can the media not covering golf please go away. Enough, already.
The NY Post has a big headline on its Web site today : "Five questions we want answered from Tiger."
First of all, who is we. Or is it whom are we. I get that confused. That’s a question I really want answered more than anything about Tiger Woods’ personal life. Among the questions, "What exactly have you been in therapy for?"
Is it our business as golf fans to know why a professional golfer is in therapy? Why do I care? Why do you care? I would think his family cares, but I’m sure they already know the answer to this. In fact, I’m certain his family knows the answer to all five of these stupid questions.
"How will these events in your life change you the most?"
Really? We really need to have Tiger Woods answer this before we can get past this? And these questions came from a sportswriter in a major market who I’m sure has seen his share of professional athletes hanging out with the ladies. Even the married ones. And this from a sportswriter in New York who I’m sure is perfect and wouldn’t mind if we asked him five questions about his PERSONAL life.
We sometimes hold people up to higher standards. Some, such as elected officials, need to follow a certain code of ethics that we expect and deserve since they are supposed to be looking out for our best interest. I’m sure some of Tiger’s corporate sponsors expect their spokesmen to also live up to these standards. A few have let Tiger go after the news of his "sex scandal." That’s their choice. Some, such as Nike, have stood by him.
But the guy is a golfer. I’m a golf fan. I don’t care what he does when he’s not playing golf. He’s not a role model to me or my kids. He plays golf. He has a personal life with apparently some issues to deal with and I wish him the best.
Here are the five questions I want Tiger to answer:
Can you avoid three-putting on the tricky Augusta greens?
How is your short game?
Can you keep the ball in the fairway?
Can you keep your caddie under control when a spectator heckles you?
Can you win The Masters?

Sorry Sparty!

MSU fans have little to mourn about despite falling to Butler on Saturday night. The loss was disappointing, yes but I must admit they went farther than a lot of people predicted.
It is just so hard at that level to go for so long in the second half and not score. They did have their chances at the end but I guess it was just Butler's time to shine.
The Bulldogs played their game and it worked. I just don't think Duke will want to play that style. After they beat West Virginia I think Duke will do to Butler what North Carolina did to MSU in the finals last season.
We shall see what happens on Monday night but for me I am all about the Detroit Tigers and seeing what they can do this season.
For now I would like quote one of the great Wayne State University grads (besides me LOL) Casey Kasum "keep your head in the sky and keep reaching for the stars."

Chow for now!

Spring has sprung

So the nice weather is here. You know what that means? Spring sports and spring sports mean fast and furious action. The only exception to that is when Easter happens to fall right in the beginning of the nice weather.
Now we do all our previews and sit and wait for the games to come. There were a few games last week, a couple of track meets and even some of the other sports got started but now the kids take a week off.
You have to love it.
We will be putting out our All-Heritage boys' basketball team and I would like to congratulate Willow Run's Maurice Jordan for being named our player of the year. As a senior he was the start the finish and the middle to the Flyers success. The print version of the story will be online on Thursday of next week but you can check out video of him on www.heritage.com under video and sports.
Way to go to Andrew Dillon as well who according to his coach Mike Foley was got the most votes for first team Southeast Conference (SEC). And he is headed to Oakland University to play baseball on scholarship. Look for a story in the Courier in the very near future on that.