MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS - TIGERS FADING, TIME WITH MY FAMILY, AND T.O. (AS IN TERRELL OWENS)

Magglio Ordonez was injured last week, fractured foot.  He is now on the disabled list along with starting third baseman Brandon Inge (broken hand when hit by a piutch). In that same game which the Tigers lost 3-2 to the Indians (who swept them), the Tigers also lost Carlos Guillen (injured on a tremendous defensive play) also to the DH for at least fifteen days.  Just two weeks before as the Tigers went into the All Star Break in a surprisingly strong position in the AL Central(11 games above .500 and taking 2 out of 3 from their archnemesis Minnesota Twins), their fireballing set-up man Joel Zumaya went down in pain and ended his season. Ordonez and Guillen may make it back, hopefully not too late to capture what is still a mediocre American League Central.  But suddenly Brennan Boesch, the Rookie hitting phenom who had been one of the top ten AL hitters, has gone stone cold--so bad that Miguel Cabrera is being intentional walked so that they can get to Boesch who at one point last week stranded more than 12 batters in three games (twice with the bases loaed.)  And so many Toledo players are being called up from AAA that some people are now calling the Tigers, the Detroit Mudhens.  I fear the Tigers are fading fast and short of a total collapse by the White Sox and Twins may find themselves eliminated by Labor Day.  Too bad I don't do weather or sporting events in my prayers.
   

These past 12 days I have had the joy of spending time with my kids and their families. All my children live in the Midwest - Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and northern Kentucky.   They live within 4-5 hours of each other, but more than 500 miles from Mom and Dad.  This past weekend was the wedding of my son Christopher to Megan Parrot in Columbus, Indiana.  At one point I had all four kids, their spouses and my three grandchildren in the same room.   For those of you so close that you are constantly going to soccer games, school programs and being called upon to baby sit, you may not appreciate the utter pleasure that this time with your family brings; but I will treasure it for years to come.                             

                                                     

My grandson Jake is pictured here, the one I got to spend the most time with - mostly playing drive the fire truck and trying to coax him to eat something he didn't want; but even those momentary challenges are a treasure when you spend so little time with your families.  Fortunately with my oldest granddaughter Natalie (who lives in Michigan) there is Facebook, but I'll have to get inventive with Ashley (who lives in Michigan or Grandpa Dunn may be a stranger who writes checks at birthdays.) 

My son-in law Tim is a Cincinnati Bengals fan, but we both believe that Marvin Lewis and the boys on the Riverfront have taken leave of their senses, or have a team deathwish. The Bengals have signed Terell Owens, who has brought team chaos and controversy to wherever he has played, throwing many a quarterback under the bus along the way.  What makes Carson Palmer think he can tame the savage beast is beyond this amateur sports analyst and full-time student of human nature.  Maybe the often failing Begals are just setting up an excuse for another disappointing season for their fans. Or maybe they think the team needs two reality show series stars,  In a few months, the Bengals themselves may resemble a reality show.

While we are on reality shows, CBS is back with Undercover Boss.  That was last year's refreshing new entry and I for one was far more edified by its stories than another season of Donald Trump and The Apprentice.  It was great to see that corporate America had a "love your neighbor/employee side. I can hardly wait for the first episode, and find a new genuin hero.