Tuesday Night Moanin'

A week before the All-Stars arrive in Motown, here are some of the things that I've taken note of.

I'm sure most of Tigertown has seen the ads the team is running entitled "Who's Your Tiger?". In light of their early July swoon, and the trade deadline waiting at month's end, I wonder if we should start asking "Who's Your Ex-Tiger?". If the team maintains anything close to its current pace, you have to believe they will be willing trade participants.

Maybe a more uplifting promo would be "Who's Your New Tiger?". Names being floated around town to fill that category are Aubrey Huff, A.J. Burnett and Lyle Overbay. All three sound good to me.

I like hot dogs. However, eating forty-nine of the buggers in a month is ridiculous. Eating forty-nine in twelve minutes is crazy. Yet pounding down that many franks does get you plenty of media attention. I'm just not sure why, though.

In a lifetime that saw him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, win a Super Bowl and provide commentary on both television and radio, the thing I remember most about the late Hank Stram was the NFL Films piece during his Super Bowl triumph with Kansas City.

Stram's performance, for lack of a better word, was the type of thing that made NFL Films what it is today. The coach was a one man show. The film was funny and enlightening because Coach Stram was. I consider the film part of Football 101. It's simply a classic.

Long-time Sports Illustrated football guru, Dr. Z., offers this recollection of Stram.

Larry Brown's future as coach of the Pistons remains in doubt. Anyone else not surprised? I actually feel bad for Brown, as I can appreciate medical set-backs, but this thing does appear to be dragging on. Much of the sarcasm about Brown's non-decision, mine included, is simply a result of Brown's history (and his in-season flirtation with the Knicks). Any other coach facing a medical problem would probably be given a pass from fans and the media.

Oh, no. I agree with the Free Press columnist Drew Sharp. I may get banned from blogging if others find out.

If Tigers phenom Justin Verlander makes his big league debut and no one in Detroit sees it, did it really happen?