Luke Waltons Forehead presented by the Sports Dude.

Well, apologies and excuses would be lame, but I will give them to you anyway. I work with a company tied to the Automotive Industry and, unfortunately, this is when they start to get busy. As they get busy, so do I, and along comes the long hours and grief - just in time for the warm weather! For whatever reason, the Automotive Industry likes to be slow and dead in the winter and make me work my ass off to supply them equipment in the summer. Those damn UAW people, they have always been a little "backwards" if you ask me. Anyway, hopefully at least a couple times a week I can do this and hopefully you all will continue to check in, because I missed you all! Anyway, enough sappy bullshit, what have I missed?

In non-sport related news, Pope John Paul II passed on - God speed. Also, Terry Shaivio finally passed on as well. Just a brief thought on that one, if I may. It was all the religious zealots that wanted her to stay alive right? But, being a religious zealot, isn't heaven the goal? The "ultimate prize" if you will, for lack of a better description at this time? Now by keeping her "alive" (note to readers, being in a vegetable like state is not alive, in my opinion, that is why it is in quotes), isn't that like teasing her? Heaven is right there, but she just kind of has to wait it out. Damn people, you religious zealots should realize you gave her peace by letting her go, because that is not living, that is torture. Enough said, but I have told my wife this countless time - if I am ever a vegetable, pull that plug baby! That isn't living, just let me go to wherever and put me six feet under! Done.

Now, back to the world of sports! Here is what I missed, again, the best I can remember!

The Tigers started and what a beautiful spring it has been - weather wise! They looked great in the first game, especially Bonderman and Young, but the bullpen has been a disappointment thus far, surprisingly. That being said, it is still early, but if they are not at .500 at the end of April it may spell trouble later. Panic? Not yet, but close!

The Pistons got, yet again, another Central Division crown and locked up the #2 seed in the East. Take away the "hangover" at the beginning of the year and the brawl fallout, these guys would have been right there with Miami for the #1, neck and neck for the best record. But alas, no excuses, they just didn't get it done. I still hold true to my original prediction though - in a seven game series I see no one in the East that can beat the Pistons four times, home court or not. Furthermore, is there a playoff bound coach in the East better at what he does then Larry Brown? None that I see! The only team in the East that can beat the Pistons is themselves, so let the playoffs begin baby!

The Lions were in the news the other day, causing a stir with Alex Smith being the QB, not the TE. I said in a post a few weeks back that if the Lions draft a QB anywhere in the first three rounds that it all but spelled the end for Joey and I still believe that! Now granted Alex Smith is not going to be there at #10, but that is beside the point. I think Joey has three games and that is all, no more, no less. After that it is Garcia and Mooch is working on the side lines with a QB he drafts this year, his pick and not a pipe dream and a Morningweg left over like Joey Harrington. And Joey, that interview the other day in the Free Press about you knowing your role and being confident - get a clue, dude! You got three games and after that, when you fail, the starters job is all but Garcia's.

The Red Wings - well, I thought about a bunch of smart ass remarks to type here, but I figured you all have suffered enough. The playoffs would have started, another first round early exit on the horizon and some more octopus thrown on the ice! Hey, didn't Mitch Albom write an article last week saying he was already at the playoffs?

Other things I can think of is Jeff Gordon won some race, but NASCAR bores me as much as hockey! Tiger Woods finally won a damn major and Jack Nicklaus apparently is tired of hacking up the course, saying it was his last. Some soccer fans threw flares and fireworks on the field in protest (shocking!), North Carolina won the NCAA mens tourney, Baylor won the womens and the Spartans for both genders surprised the hell out of everyone and had really amazing seasons.

That is enough recapping, lets move forward! More to come and I am glad to be back - later! The sports dude.