MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS - LIONS AND TIGERS, OH MY! AND MORE GOOD STUFF

Nate Burleson has a reception late in the game as the Lions come back

There is joy in Detroit tonight.  The Lions who have lost a lion's share of football games these past dozen seasons, erased a deficit to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in Texas Stadium 34-30.  About the same time the Tigers who had lost an opening game fiasco 27 hours after the first pitch rebounded to defeat the Yankees 5-3 and even the series.  Max Verlander pitched a no-hitter into the 6th.  Today the Tigers are back in Detroit and once again Verlander will square off against CC Sabathia in the Dream Game of the Playoffs.  Being raised in northwest Ohio, I grew up listening to Ernie Harwell chronicle the baseball adventures of Norm Cash and Al Kaline, Bill Freehan and Lou Whittaker, Mickey Lolich and Denny McClain.  You couldn't help root for the "Detroits".  It was too many years ago that they came within a game of breaking the record for baseball futility.  And I loved rooting for the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, especially when they were playing the hated Dallas Cowboy's who arrogantly claimed to be "America's Team." I hated to see them lose for so many years. The rising fortunes of both of this clubs makes me say "There IS a God!"

Victor Martinez, although hobbled, gets a key hit in game 2 as the Tigers square off againth the Yankees