We're IN! Tigers Make the Playoffs!

For the first time in 19 years the Detroit Tigers are in the Playoffs!

While driving home from the closing of St. Agustine Church, a very sad day for all, we got some good news. The Tigers had beaten the Kansas City Royals and have clinched a spot in the Post Season! I honked the horn as they announced it. There wasn’t really much other information other than that. Channels were fading in and out, football games were on. But it was official!

I explained to the rest in the car the whole concept of the Wild Card and who plays who. Before we left for Canada, I put in a tape to (hopefully) record the end of both games over the weekend. The paper said that Saturday was supposed to be on TV-20 and Sunday on Fox Sports. It turned out to be exactly the opposite, but that turned out to be a really good thing!

After the game, the post game Celebration was carried on Fox, the channel I thought was supposed to have the game. So, I caught on tape the ½ hour, live broadcast of the guys bursting with excitement and popping champagne all over.

This morning I violated the rule of "No TV in the Mornings". I sat Connor down and said, this is something that you have to view. I was very stern, getting him to think he was about to be forced to learn something. Instead, it was of our Tigers popping champagne! (And good champagne too, I noticed the Dom Perignon label. They squirted the Korbel, and were each given a bottle of Dom for drinking.)

Maggs was completely soaked already during an interview when they dumped the whole Gatorade cooler on him; Brandon had a bottle dumped and left upside-down in the back collar of his jersey; Verlander and Grilli were chomping on cigars; Todd Jones and the skipper, Jim Leyland, and Mike Ilitch fighting back tears trying to speak; Kaline and Horton were there too. It’s so cool to see a baseball celebration, and then see "Detroit" written across their chests!

Leyland even gave a thank you to Alan Trammell and the boys for setting this all up. Very classy. They have the day off on Monday, to recoup, and then back to Comerica for the final six regular season games!I’m already trying to figure out Thursday’s day game, I have a ticket. Do I go for an extended lunch? Or if this could be a clincher, I might want to be there later rather than earlier. Hmmm... Decisions!

A Tiger Fan's Diary

Okay, forgive the slight fork in the road here, but it's all Tiger Baseball at the moment. Check in here to find out how a true Tiger fan is reacting...

On Monday, 9/19 POST SEASON TIGER TICKETS were available for sale. This is the first time since 1987 anything like this has happened. Back in 1984, I was in college and had the proverbial "barely two nickels to rub together". But when the ad came out to buy Playoffs and World Series tickets, I quickly wrote out checks for hundreds of dollars. Where the money came from, I'm not sure. But I got to every game!

As of the 19th, I am official allowing myself to get excited. The Tigers TV commentator Rod Allen said to "just relax", we're almost a lock to play in the post season. Whoa...

My mood has gone up and down depending on the Tigers' fortunes. We took two of three from the dreaded Chicago White Sox and every other night, I was either high in the clouds or grumbling and just wanting to go to bed, and the mood spills over to the next day too.

Yesterday was another one where I wanted to kick something. We lost a 3-0 lead and the game to Baltimore. But if there is such a good thing as a "good time to lose" that was it. Both Minnesota and Chicago, the two teams chasing us, lost. The Detroit Free Press' Sports Headline reads "THANKS, BOSOX!" Darn right! So, I'm not feeling too badly.

And we've reconfigured the Magic Numbers. To make the playoffs, the number is FOUR. (Any combination of Tiger wins plus Chicago losses that add to four, and we're playing in the playoffs!) And the number to win the division (and potentially avoid the Yankees, although we scared of no one!) is NINE. (Any combo of Tiger wins and Minnesota losses.)

For any Tiger player reading (there will be a story about Craig Monroe soon), don't worry about the standings. Just win your games! I'LL watch the scoreboard!

-- Tim

GO TIGERS!

Golfing in Gaylord

The Grosse Pointe Theatre "Invitational" Golf Outing was the 10th through the 12th. A great time was had by all as this motley crew of eight friends from Michigan's Best Community Theatre (small plug) trekked up north to the Gaylord area to the Otsego golf courses. Tony Amato held on through Tuesday's fine mist to win this year's prize.

As usual, a lot of drink and red meat was consumed. Also, a ceremonial first drink was held in honor of friend Jef Fisk who was unable to attend this year's festivities.

Labor Day Tiger Baseball!

A few weeks ago, we offered to dog-sit for good friends of the family, the Selvaggios. We're not really accustomed to dog-sitting and only took on the job because he's a well-trained and small dog. It was a fun 10 days. And Connor was the one most up to the task. He fed the dog most nights, and took him for walks. He really took charge.

Well, once they returned (in addition to giving us a beautiful gift basket, which they didn't need to do!) Tony gave Connor four tickets to the Labor Day Tigers game! Excellent!!! Daddy was more excited, I think. I asked Connor who he was planning on taking to the game. This kind of startled him, and I panicked for a sec, then he responded, "I'll take you, Daddy, on one condition…" Yessss? "That you buy me a hot dog and frozen lemonaide at the game!"

Not a problem. Anyone else? "Mommy and I guess Mary too. But if she's mean to me, I might not take her…"

Sounds like a normal reply for a nine year-old with a seven year-old sister.

The game was GREAT! Wonderful seats, perfect weather, a Magglio homerun, Robertson pitched a gem, and the Tigers won 6-2! We had all the hot dogs and lemonades that we could eat. A great time was had by all. Thanks Tony and Theresa Selvaggio!