Uncharted Territory

What does the bitter single man do when he finds love? When the obese man loses the weight? When destitute man wins the lottery?

These are strange times, my friends. The Tigers won their 9th straight game last night. The Lions won the first game of the season - an away game against a 10-win team, no less. Michigan State and Michigan both remain undefeated, with Michigan's recent win sending shockwaves through the nation (and my house, apparently). The City of Detroit decided to close down the morning as sports fans across the area lie comatose, unable to comprehend such a rash of success.

I spent this past weekend in DC. As I drove to the BWI airport yesterday morning, I listened to a national sports radio host chat about the Lions. It was not positive. He was sick of all the hype. "Let's have them win some games when they're not already eliminated from the playoffs." And I agreed. There's been way too much talk about this team. When I arrived back in Detroit, I heard Pat Caputo predict a Loss. Finally, I thought, some sanity. It's nice to win preseason games, but let's not forget these are the Lions. They exist to disappoint.

Well, a strange thing happened. The Lions actually did not lose. They faced a strong Tampa team in Tampa. They even spotted the Bucs a touchdown on Stafford's INT-for-TD. Still, the Lions did not wilt in Tampa's excruciating heat. They simply controlled the entire game. They drove up and down the field, almost at will. They allowed the Bucs a chance for a miraculous comeback late, thanks to some typical boneheaded Lions plays and playcalling. But the mistakes did not ultimately matter. A balanced attack from the offense, and strong Lions play on the defensive line sealed this win.

I'm not claiming the Lions are gonna rattle off 10 wins this season. There's a long way to go. But I will say that the game yesterday was a game the old Lions would lose. The 2011 Lions arrive back in Detroit at 1-0. That's progress.

As for the Tigers, Fister pitches 7 shutout innings. Scherzer goes 7 strong the night before. Valverde gets his 42nd save. Inge hits a walkoff homerun. What the hell is going on?! It's just an incredible run they're on. 16 games left, and they have a chance to eliminate the White Sox this week. I don't know what to expect anymore. Victor Martinez hits into 4 straight double plays yesterday (4!!), and the Tigers still find a way to win. Strange times indeed.