Restoring the Roar

Globally, 1984 is probably best known as the title of George Orwell’s classic novel. But the year has a different significance in everyone’s heart. For the history buff it was the year Reagan won the presidential election by a landslide over Walter Mondale. In 1984 the music lover saw Bruce Springsteen release Born in the USA, Prince release Purple Rain, and Michael Jackson win 8 Grammys. For the weird-useless-trivial knowledge guru, 1984 was the year John DeLorean was acquitted of cocaine charges. And, most importantly for this site, sports fans saw Los Angeles host the Summer Olympics, the first 64 team Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, and… drum-roll please… The Detroit Tigers win the 1984 World Series.

So what better do 3 guys who grew up in the Detroit area have to do but write about and discuss the current Tigers squad in hopes that they can bring the Glory Days back to Motown. Here’s to this year’s team Restoring the Roar of 1984!

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Shutout

In the first of this three game series against the Texas Rangers, Dontrelle Willis started and Fernando Rodney closed out a combined one hit shutout to give the Tigers a 4-0 win. The two pieces of the Tigers pitching staff that scare me most - Willis and Rodney - were absolutely lights out tonight. Granted Zumaya, Lyon, and Seay all helped in the winning effort, but one can not ask for more than a one hit shutout - even if a combined one. Since Game 2 of the NHL’s Western Conference Finals were on at the same time as the Tigers, I watched the great pitching effort in a limited capacity - everything takes a backseat to playoff hockey: baseball, basketball, eating, sleeping, breathing - but what I did see was impressive and at one point Willis apparently retired 17 Rangers in a row. Phenomenal.

I have to say my fears of Willis are not dissolved after this one outing, but if Willis can keep this up the Tigers pitching staff just got a whole lot deeper and stronger. Same goes fro Rodney who has capitalized on all of his save opportunities this year but for some reason has flashes of the erratic Todd Jones in his non save opps.

And, by the way, the Wings just scored in overtime - 3 on 1 breakaway, Mikael Samuelsson puts in the game winner…this makes up for his errand clearing attempt in the first period that led to the ‘Hawks first goal, let’s not see sloppiness like that again, please…loved the game winner though.