Harbaugh wants assault charges

Hockenson Traded to Minnesota

November 02, 2022

Dan Campbell has made it very clear this year that he wants his Lions team to play with 'grit'.

 While football players are undeniably gritty, the top grit spot goes to hockey players for the 1000th+ year in a row. 

You just can't teach that! #LuffIsTough

Yes, the obvious story this week is the tunnel brawl, and we'll cover that below. 

But before we jump into the good stuff, we'd love if you could do us the honor of forwarding this to another crazed Detroit-sports-loving sicko. Thank you in advance.

Onto the content!

On Brand: Lions (1-6) Blow Lead, Lose Again. Proceed to Trade Fan-Favorite Hockenson 

The game opened up with a Lions 2-minute 30-second touchdown drive, a Dolphins fumble recovered by Malcom Rodriguez, then another 2-minute Lions TD drive. 

14-0. Ford Field absolutely rocking. 

The Dolphins would pull themselves off the matt, but the Lions were not done either, posting another touchdown and two field goals before half. 

Halftime: Lions: 27, Dolphins 17. 

Then, just like a werewolf after the full moon passes, the Lions were reduced to their normal, lackluster selves in the second half.

The defense was completely shredded by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle who combined for a game total of 20 grabs, 294 yards and two scores. On the other side of the ball, Detroit's offense only put up 67 yards in the second half, failing to score a single point. 

Final: Dolphins 31, Lions 27. 

Jamaal Williams (2) and D'Andre Swift scored for Detroit.

The inability to stop Tua Tagovailoa and Miami's passing attack ultimately led to another Lion's loss and the firing of DB's coach Aubrey Pleasant. He was let go in just his second season with Detroit. You can read more about his departure here.

More bad news: On Tuesday, hours before the trade deadline, the Lions sent Pro Bowl TE and former #8 overall pick, TJ Hockenson, to the division-rival Vikings in exchange for a pick-swap. 

Why the Lions agreed to the deal: The Lions, quite frankly, should be focused on stockpiling assets. Hockenson is a good — not great — tight end, but also one this front office did not draft. 

To keep him in Detroit, the Lions would have to pay him big money. Considering the holes in his game as a blocker, as well as lingering durability concerns, extending him probably wasn’t the best use of their resources. Hockenson is set to make $9.392 million next season, so this frees up some cap space while boosting Detroit’s draft capital in 2023 and 2024.

Do we 'like' the deal? Well, in the sense that Hock was going to be owed a lot of money, and probably wasn't going to resign here, yes. It's good that we got something (better draft picks) than nothing (him walking after next year). 

But in the sense that we are perpetually selling and celebrating over better draft picks and cap space as opposed to meaningful football games, it's tiresome. 

Lions get the Pack at home next Sunday at 1pm. Rodgers and the Cheeseheads are on a three game skid so look for them to get right back on track versus their favorite punching bag...us. 

Wings (4-3-1) Embarrassed Twice In One Week By Division Foe's

Penalties, road woes, and lackluster efforts headline this week of Winged Wheel hockey. 

But hey, Lucas Raymond is finally off the schneid. 

@ Boston:

In what many were looking at as a test for how good this Wings team actually is, Detroit received a D- grade, losing 5-1 on the road to division leading Boston. Brad Marchand led the way for the Bruins. Returning from injury, he put up two goals and one assist. 

Boston scored three goals in less than two minutes in the third, and finished the night 3-for-6 on the powerplay. 

Michael Rasmussen was suspended two games for high-sticking David Krejci. Watch the video here.

The suspension to Moose now sets the Wings back five of their top nine fowards: Bertuzzi (upper body), Vrana (player assistance), Sundqvist (upper body), and Fabbri (knee).  

Vs Minnesota:

In what Lalonde called "probably our best win to date", the Wings took down the Wild at home 2-1 Saturday night behind a pair of Lucas Raymond goals. It was the second-year player's first goals of the season. 

Husso, in his first time starting two consecutive games this season, was spectacular, stopping 30 shots and improving to 3-1-1.

@ Buffalo: 

If Saturday was their best effort of the year, Monday may have been their worst. 

The Wings were outshot 47-17 en route to an 8-3 drubbing on Halloween night. Larkin scored a shorthanded goals for his 5th of the season to make it 4-3, but it was the Sabres behind Tage Thompson's six-point night (including a hat trick) who would ultimately control and win the game.

The Wings will celebrate the 25 and 24 year anniversaries of their 1997 & 1998 Cups this upcoming Thursday vs Washington. 

Up next:

Mudhens, Tigers Triple-A Affiliate, Part Ways With Manager Lloyd McClendon

You probably remember Lloyd from the Jim Leyland days. He was hired in 2006 as the Tigers' bullpen coach. From there he bounced around several roles with the organization, but worked primarily as the organization's hitting coach. 

In November of 2013, McClendon was hired as the Mariners' manager. He finished with a 163-161 record in Seattle. He joined the Toledo Mudhens in January of this year. 

Via Freep: Lloyd McClendon, who managed the Mud Hens to an 87-63 record, won't return to the organization for the 2023 season, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. After this season ended, McClendon met with vice president of player development Ryan Garko. The Tigers were looking to move on from the longtime coach, while McClendon wanted to seek opportunities in the major leagues. It was a mutual agreement to part ways. 

In other personnel moves, we told you last week that President of Baseball operations, Scott Harris, brought on Tampa Bay Rays product Rob Metzler as the org's new VP and Assistant General Manager. 

He hasn't stopped there. On Saturday, he announced the hiring of a new scouting director, Mark Conner. Conner comes from the Padres, who he has worked for since 2010. He will report to Metzler. 

Harris has also made it clear that he still intends to hire a General Manager down the road. 

Does it feel weird the assistant GM has been hired before the primetime GM? Simply, yes. But we're just here to report what we see. 

Eat 'em up, Scott! 

Pistons Drop Three of Four, But Upset Defending Champs, Hang With Bucks

Much like the Wings last weekend, the Pistons also delivered their best performance of the year. The biggest difference is that the Pistons victory came against Steph Curry and the defending champs. 

Oh, and they did it in the teals. 

After trailing 37-29 at half, the Pistons powered their way to a 128-114 victory at LCA with the floor donning the revived teal branding.

Saddiq Bey was Detroit's leading scorer with 28.

Via Freep: Isaiah Stewart scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Cade Cunningham flirted with a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 21 points. Jaden Ivey also had a solid night with 15 points and five rebounds. 

Steph netted 32 and Jordan Poole added another 30.

Earlier in the week, the Pistons were handed two losses at home by the visiting Atlanta Hawks. Game one was a close one due to the late game rainmaking by Bojan and game two was a blowout by Atlanta. 

The Bucks game figured to be a blowout as Milwaukee led 85-69 with 3:11 left in the third, but the Pistons kept coming back. A 25-13 Pistons run helped the Pistons eventually tie the game with under a minute in the fourth, but a timely three-pointer by Jrue Holiday would end up being the dagger. (Via Freep)

Also, the Pistons signed Bojan to a 2-year contract extension on Sunday. You can read more about the $39.1 million dollar deal here. 

Up next: 

Unsightly Tunnel Incident Overshadows MSU's Unsightly Play On The Field in 29-7 Loss to #4 Michigan

Paul Bunyan is back in Ann Arbor after a two-year stint in East Lansing. He returns to the tune of a 29-7 victory over rival MSU in the Big House on Saturday evening. 

At first, it looked as if Sparty was going to give Michigan a few headaches throughout the day, most notably, Keon Coleman. 

Coleman was one of the very few bright spots for MSU on Saturday, catching a touchdown pass to make it 7-3 late in the first which would be Sparty's only lead of the day. 

The real story of the football game was UM's Blake Corum rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns and Jake Moody making five field goals.

The five field goals were a testament to the lackluster MSU defense stepping up in a rivalry game, bending but not breaking. But poor offensive play calling and execution ultimately led to the blowout victory for the Wolverines. 

The tunnel incident. Via ESPN:

After the game, social media posts showed at least three Spartans pushing, punching and kicking Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows in the tunnel and near a hallway that does not lead to either locker room.

Since the event has taken place, Harbaugh has called for criminal charges to be filed against the MSU players involved. 

Mel Tucker immediately apologized and suspended four players in the wake of the scuffle. Yesterday, MSU Athletics released a statement that more players would be suspended, reaching eight in total. 

MSU players suspended: Tank Brown, Khary Crump, Angelo Grose, Zion Young, Malcolm Jones, Justin White, Jacoby Windmon and Brandon Wright.

In lighter news, the first College Football Playoff poll was released...

...and Michigan was left on the outside looking in. But with Georgia and Tennessee squaring off this weekend, and a final season showdown between UM and OSU, there is a lot that can happen between now and January. 

Next up: 

MSU @ #14 Illinois, Saturday at 3:30pm EST.

UM @ Rutgers, Saturday at 7:30pm EST. 

Until next week team.