Best/Worst of '09

Mrs. Nofrownmotown suggested that I put together a list of the best and worst moments in Detroit sports from the previous year. Thinking back on 2009, the year skewed toward the negative. In fact, it could be the worst year in Detroit sports in my lifetime. It was quite difficult coming up with five "best" moments, but the "worst" moments came back as vivid as a solar eclipse. Detroit fans suffered every conceivable level of disappointment - from the heartache of just falling one game short of a title to the embarrassment of a historic winless season. The Detroit sporting landscape looks much different now than twelve months ago, and most of the changes are in the wrong direction.

Let's start with the positives.

Top 3 Best Moments from 2009
3. Big Ben's return.
Few people felt Big Ben had much in the tank when Joe D signed him. Yet, something in the water must work for the big guy, as he's a borderline All-star once again. He's pulling down close to 10 boards/game in fewer minutes, and - at least for a few games - instilled a renewed commitment to Defense. The recent 9-game skid sullies the Ben signing, but it still stands as a great moment for a franchise in need of an identity.

2. Huff's HR.
On September 14th, the Tigers still had a commanding lead in the Central, but the team was struggling. They lost three straight to the Royals and then two more to the Blue Jays. This night, the Tigers once again faced the Blue Jays, but Verlander was on the mound. Verlander was strong most of the night, but he struggled in the 6th, giving up 5. In the bottom of the 9th, the Tigers were down 5-2. Things looked dire. The first batter was Granderson. He hit a slow grounder to the SS. Dang. Wait - the SS botched it, and Granderson was safe on the error! Next up was Avila, pinch hitting for Laird. Avila hit a sharp single. That brought the tying run to the plate. Leyland decided to use Huff, pinch hitting for Ramon Santiago. Huff did not disappoint. He sent a towering shot to right field, tying the game. The Tigers went on to win in the bottom of the 10th. The Tigers had many dramatic walk-off wins this year, but the Huff HR stands out to me as one of the most memorable.

1. Firing Rod Marinelli.
This "great moment" is unfortunately only great because the Lions were so dreadful. Nevertheless, I believe it qualifies since it shows rare good judgment by the Lions owner and ringleader, William Clay Ford. It would seem like an afterthought that the coach of the first-ever 0-16 deserves to be fired, but this is the Lions we're talking about - the worst franchise in the history of sports. This is the team that employed Wayne Fontes for nine seasons. This is the team that drafted Mike Williams, Charles Rogers, and Joey Harrington. This is the team that gave Matt Millen a contract extension despite a 10-37 record as a GM! Evidently, the first-ever 0-16 season was enough to convince WCF that Rod Marinelli was not a good coach. After the final game, Rod got the boot, and the Lions hired a guy who could at least string together a coherent sentence. Folks, that's our happiest moment of the year.

(Coming tomorrow: Top 7 Worst Moments)