What’s that in the air? Hope? Anxiety? Anguish? Elation? Sometimes all four in a matter of minutes?
It must be spring in the world of sports.
For a look at the Pistons' and Red Wings' playoff chances, the start of the Tigers' season, plus college basketball and hockey news, Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon joined Doug Tribou on Morning Edition.
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Doug Tribou: The Tigers are off to a bit of a slow start. They’re 2-4 after Wednesday’s game. Last season, Detroit made the playoffs for the first time in a decade. How do you like their chances of getting back to the postseason this year?
John U. Bacon: Solidly decent. Does that sound optimistic enough?
The good news is they're in the very weak [American League] Central, probably the weakest division in all of baseball. And they've also added players like all-star second baseman Gleyber Torres from the Yankees. Of course, he got injured right away, but anyway...
And did I mention the Tigers' great pitching coach Chris Fetter is a former student of mine? Have I ever mentioned that, Doug, here on the air?
DT: [Laughs] I do think that has come up.
JUB: Oh.
DT: Well, one concern in the pitching rotation is Tarik Skubal, who's coming off a Cy Young season last year. He is 0-2 after a loss on Wednesday. Any long-term concerns there in your mind?
JUB: No, not at all, I don't think. And look, the first series weekend was against the L.A. Dodgers. They're 8-0, dude. They got a $300-million roster, so yeah, you're gonna lose those games.
DT: John, as the Tigers are starting their season, the Red Wings are facing the end of theirs unless they can make an epic push in the last several games. The Wings, as we've discussed, changed coaches mid-season, got a burst, then slumped a bit. Right now, it feels very similar to last season: a team that's competitive, but not quite good enough to reach the playoffs. And that's something the Red Wings have not done. They have not made the playoffs since 2016. Is it time for big changes on the roster and maybe in the front office?
JUB: The latter question is kind of the scariest, I think, in some ways, because you're talking about Red Wings legend, "The Captain" himself, Steve Yzerman, who's now the general manager of the team and has been [since 2019].
They're touch and go on making the playoffs this year. Right now, they probably won't. The progress is hard to see, and questions will be answered. I can only vote for myself here. No way do I touch the Captain, Steven Yzerman. Let him ride.
DT: In other hockey news, in men's college hockey, the Frozen Four national semifinal games are April 10. Let's take a minute to acknowledge the Western Michigan Broncos, who are making program history.
JUB: A whole lot of it, in fact. They won their regular season [title] for the first time in their new league, the NCHC. They won the tournament in their conference for the first time, and they got to the final four, the Frozen Four, in hockey for the first time. Michigan did not make the tournament, and Michigan State got knocked out in the first game, so, go Broncos.
DT: The Pistons have had a remarkable turnaround this season. They've already guaranteed themselves a winning record, and they're currently fifth in the NBA's Eastern Conference — in great position to make the playoffs. But they've got one major concern down the final stretch.
JUB: They sure do. Cade Cunningham, who is only their best player and their most important player, suffered a calf injury. He's been out for a few games with that. I believe they're just being careful and smart with the playoffs coming up.
DT: Since we last spoke, the Michigan and Michigan State men's and women's basketball teams have all been knocked out of their respective tournaments. Tom Izzo and the MSU men hung in there the longest. They made it to the Elite Eight before falling to Auburn. It was Izzo's 11th trip to the Elite Eight in his long, storied career. What stands out to you about this run?
JUB: Look, all four teams, men's and women's, Michigan and Michigan State, all made the tournament. That does not happen every year in every state, trust me. But back to Izzo, the man has won his 11th Big Ten title, his 27th straight NCAA tournament, and as you point out, his 11th trip to the Elite Eight. And he did all this without a single player on the first or second team all-Big Ten team. Izzo continues to impress.
DT: And in the women's Final Four Friday night, it's Texas vs. South Carolina and UCLA vs. UConn. In men's semifinals on Saturday, it's Florida vs. Auburn and Houston vs. Duke. All of those teams came in as No. 1 seeds, except UConn women, who were a No. 2 seed.
John, thanks a lot. Have a good weekend.
JUB: Doug, thank you.
Editor's notes: Some quotes in this article have been edited for length and clarity. You can hear the full interview near the top of this page.
