Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (a friendly reminder to fellow men everywhere) and I thought it would be interesting to highlight those players that give no love to Detroit sports fans. That’s right, that one guy or group of guys that are providing us headaches at this moment. Those are the main rules – they have to be present villains and cannot be present members of a Detroit sports team. Here we go…
Detroit Lions – I figured since they finished last, and will therefore get the first pick, they should have practice for the top spot. Matt Millen comes tops to mind here. From a scrolling credibility question during the Super Bowl to the outrage surrounding his lack of contrition, he is likely Lions enemy no. 1 at the moment. If I were to stretch the rules, I could also see Tom Lewand or William Clay Ford in this spot.
Detroit Red Wings – Motown’s best team and defending champs do not really have Claude Lemieux or Tie Domi to deal with anymore so this is a harder choice. Watching the game earlier today perhaps Sidney Crosby or Brooks Orpik could head the present list. They both are nuisances for the rare moments in which these two teams play. Other contenders include members of the media interviewing Chris Osgood or Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.
Detroit Pistons – This is a real toss-up. In one corner I could see Cleveland’s LeBron James as the biggest pest. He has no interest in joining the Pistons in 2010 and has really never treated the Pistons-Cavs games as a rivalry. The other NBA villain would have to be Kevin Garnett. Finally with a supporting cast around him, Garnett still seems bitter about the years he would have spent in college at Michigan. No Pistons fan wants to see either guy these playoffs.
Detroit Tigers – The last time we saw this team they were heading to a last place finish in the AL Central. For the top Tigers villain, I’m going to have to name a group of major leaguers nobody wants to see on the mound when the Tigers are up to the plate. The AL Closers are a true breed on themselves. Joe Nathan, Bobby Jenks, Joakim Soria and Kerry Wood are absolute nightmares for Jim Leyland’s squad. This season’s biggest question will be if a player like Brandon Lyon is able to join the mix.
Bobby Jenks striking out Curtis Granderson in 2006