1. Nick Lidstrom back with the Red Wings is fantastic! They need him and I thought hye elevated his game in the post-season after an above average (for him) regular season. But 7 million dollars? Free Press says it is for that amount, and if so, that is surprising.

2. Jim Leyland is a good manager. I don't care what anybody says. I'm not a Leyland fan, per se, but I respect him. Yesterday he had Justin Verlander's back and once again showed why his players play hard for him. There are other skippers, heck, even ones in his own division (hint.. in town tonight) who fail to recognize that there are right times and wrong times to be visible on the diamond and go at umpires to protect your players.

3. Speaking of the Tigers, yesterday's rain delay at 1:05 was a joke. I have heard from some angry fans who were wondering why the sun was out, the tarp was put away, and yet, no baseball at 1:05 against the A's on Monday. Play a few innings fellas! That is the team's call and it was the wrong one.

4. The hip thing to do in town now is to bash Joe Dumars. Everyone is doing it, and everyone thinks it is so fresh. Sure, Joe's resume says 27 wins for his team in 2009-2010, and some key mistakes the last two off-seasons have SOME uninformed fans in town calling for his head. Fine. You want that? Tell me who would replace him? I NEVER hear a name. I think deep down, people realize that there is nobody better out there right now to fill that chair. Kevin McHale, Kenny Smith, and others are trying to get jobs.. is that who you want?

5. Speaking of the Pistons, I have heard that Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins did very well in his interview with Detroit brass last week in Chicago at the Pre-Draft Camp. Cousins butchered a few others, but not his chat with the Pistons.