SB Nation Detroit: All Posts by Ryan Weisshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2011-09-22T16:23:11-04:00https://detroit.sbnation.com/authors/ryan-weiss/rss2011-09-22T16:23:11-04:002011-09-22T16:23:11-04:00Goodbye, Fair Readers: You Stay Classy, Detroit
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<p class="MsoNormal">About 18 months ago I started a Red Wings blog called Hockeytown, USA in the hopes that someone would actually find an interest in what I had to say. Four months later I moved on to SB Nation’s very own Red Wings blog, <a href="http://www.wingingitinmotown.com">Winging It In Motown</a>. Shortly after that, I landed here at SB Nation Detroit. It was a quick journey through the blogosphere that I hadn’t planned or expected.</p>↵<p class="MsoNormal">Now, the journey continues.</p>↵<p class="MsoNormal">I’m always on the lookout for the next opportunity and that opportunity has arrived. This will be my last post here at SB Nation Detroit as I move on to start my career as a sports reporter for the <a href="http://www.argus-press.com/">Owosso Argus-Press</a>, right here in the good old state of Michigan. Who says we don’t have any jobs?</p>↵<p class="MsoNormal">For me this is a dream come true. I’m not one of those people who say, “I’m going to get out of this place as soon as I can.” Rather, I get to do what I love while also not having to leave the state which I am proud to call my home.</p>↵<p class="MsoNormal">Though I hate to leave the fine staff and readers of SB Nation Detroit as the Tigers embark on a (hopefully) long postseason run and football shifts into fifth gear, I leave you with the comfort that the site is still in the excellent hands of our editor, Sean Yuille, and contributors, Brian Packey and Ian Casselberry. They’re the best in the business and it has been a privilege to work with them over the past year.</p>↵<p class="MsoNormal">With that, I’ll wrap this thing up. Thank you to the fans in Detroit and around Michigan; you’re truly the best.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2011/9/22/2442853/goodbye-fair-readers-ryan-weissRyan Weiss2011-09-21T23:45:03-04:002011-09-21T23:45:03-04:00Tigers Beat Royals 6-3 Behind Victor Martinez's 3 RBIs
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<p>Kansas City, MO (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/72822/recap?article_id=164453">Sports Network</a>) – Victor Martinez drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers took a 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals to cap a two-game set.</p>
<p>Don Kelly hit a two-run home run and finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Austin Jackson also scored twice for the Tigers, who finished the road portion of their 2011 schedule with a mark of 45-36.</p>
<p>Max Scherzer lasted five innings in the start and gave up two runs on five hits. Doug Fister (10-13), working out of the bullpen, got the win as he yielded just one unearned run on two hits in three innings.</p>
<p>Billy Butler and Jeff Francoeur each drove in a run for the Royals, who went 40-41 at home this season. Felipe Paulino lasted five innings and surrendered two runs on six hits while Kelvin Herrera (0-1) got the loss in his first big league appearance as he gave up three runs in the eighth inning.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-tigers/2011/9/21/2441677/tigers-beat-royals-6-3-behind-victor-martinezs-3-rbisRyan Weiss2011-09-21T22:59:17-04:002011-09-21T22:59:17-04:00Austin Daye Signs With Russian Team As NBA Hangs In Limbo
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a>' forward <span>Austin Daye</span> isn't planning on the NBA lockout being resolved anytime soon. That's why he's headed to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOxJo_dHGLY">Mother Russia</a> after <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20110921/SPORTS0102/109210429/1127/rss13">signing with a team there:</a></p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>Daye's deal is for two months, ending in December, Daye can opt-out in case the NBA's collective bargaining situation is resolved quickly. Training camp would start the first week of October.</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Daye will leave this weekend to join his new Russian comrades as the NBA lockout inches ever closer to cutting into the league schedule. The Pistons are supposed to open the preseason Oct. 9 and are scheduled to open the regular season against Indiana on Nov. 2.</p>↵<p>Of the three impending lockouts that were looming over North America's sports leagues (the NFL's ended just in time to start the 2011 season, and NHL's collective bargaining agreement expires after this season) the NBA is widely believed to be the biggest danger of cutting into actual games missed. The owners and players are still <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aniqux38yWRSYax4j8CZqGu8vLYF?slug=ap-nbalabor">far apart on the salary cap. </a></p>↵
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/9/21/2441577/austin-daye-signs-detroit-pistons-nba-lockout-russiaRyan Weiss2011-09-21T22:00:41-04:002011-09-21T22:00:41-04:00Red Wings' Mike Modano Retires After 22 Seasons
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<p>In the "we all saw this one coming" news category, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.wingingitinmotown.com/">Red Wings</a> forward <span>Mike Modano</span> officially <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20110921/SPORTS0103/109210406/Westland%E2%80%99s-Mike-Modano-retires-after-%E2%80%98amazing%E2%80%99-year-with-Wings">retired from the NHL</a> after spending 22 seasons in the league, including this last one with Detroit.</p>↵<p>Modano leaves the game as the all-time scoring leader among American-born players, having played 21 of his seasons with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.defendingbigd.com/">Dallas Stars</a> franchise. Modano was the first overall pick in 1988 by the Minnesota North Stars, who moved to Texas in 1993. Modano made the announcement from Dallas, where he won his lone Stanley Cup in 1999:</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>"I took a long time this summer to make sure, and I'm sure," he said from Dallas, where he starred for 21 of those 22 seasons. "I can't believe how fast it all went. Just a blur. But you want to exhaust everything mentally and physically, and I think I have. It's the right time."</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Modano, a Michigan native, signed with his hometown Red Wings last year after Dallas decided not to offer their all-time leading scorer a contract. His career in Motown never got going really, suffering a severed tendon last November that forced him to miss much of the season.</p>↵<p>Modano finishes his NHL career with 561 goals and 813 assists. He retires nearly 500 points better than the next nearest player in Stars scoring history.</p>↵
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-red-wings/2011/9/21/2441478/detroit-red-wings-mike-modano-retirementRyan Weiss2011-09-21T19:39:28-04:002011-09-21T19:39:28-04:00Justin Verlander Thinks Justin Verlander Is MVP Material
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<p><span>Justin Verlander</span> has had a remarkable season so far for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Detroit Tigers</a>, a fact that no one within baseball circles has denied. He leads the AL in ERA, strikeouts, innings, WHIP, and most of all, wins. He's a virtual lock for the Cy Young award.</p>↵<p>However, it's when you bring up the letters "MVP" that people get touchy. But not Verlander.</p>↵<p>Verlander said that he <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20110921/SPORTS0104/109210435/Tigers-ace-Justin-Verlander--I%E2%80%99d-vote-for-myself-for-MVP">would vote for himself</a> if he could for MVP, but not in a "I'm so much more awesome than you" egotistical way. Well, here's how he explains it:</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>"If I get a vote, me," the Tigers ace told Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan on Tuesday. "Who wouldn't (spent it on himself)? It's not like I would just vote for anybody. But, yeah, if pitchers are eligible, and they clearly are, I would say I'm worthy of it. I wouldn't say I should win it over others. I haven't really delved into those numbers. So if I had a vote, I'd have to do my homework, but I wouldn't discount my season."</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>It's kind of like a presidential candidate voting for himself. If you're a nominee, why would you waste your ballot on the other guy?</p>↵
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-tigers/2011/9/21/2441236/justin-verlander-mvp-al-cy-young-votingRyan Weiss2011-09-20T23:46:38-04:002011-09-20T23:46:38-04:00Brad Penny Gets Beat Up Again In 10-2 Loss To Royals
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<p>Kansas City, MO (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/72821/recap?article_id=164201">Sports Network</a>) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/129119/eric-hosmer">Eric Hosmer</a> finished 5-for-5 with a three- run homer, powering the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a> to a 10-2 win over the AL Central champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/detroit-tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> in the opener of a two-game set at Kauffman Stadium.</p>
<p>Hosmer's 18th home run of the season capped a six-run fourth inning for the Royals, who had won seven straight games before a loss on Sunday.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/129118/salvador-perez">Salvador Perez</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/597/melky-cabrera">Melky Cabrera</a> both collected three hits, with Perez matching Hosmer's three RBI.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/20437/luis-mendoza">Luis Mendoza</a> (1-0), making his season debut for the Royals after earning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year honors, gave up two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and walked three in seven innings.</p>
<p>Detroit starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/923/brad-penny">Brad Penny</a> (10-11) surrendered seven runs and 10 hits over four frames.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/261/alex-gordon">Alex Gordon</a> led off the home first with his 23rd home run, a drive to center field.</p>
<p>Kansas City took control of the game in the fourth. Perez, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31609/alcides-escobar">Alcides Escobar</a> and Cabrera each plated a run with a single. Hosmer followed Cabrera's base hit with an opposite-field smash to left.</p>
<p>An RBI double by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31807/austin-jackson">Austin Jackson</a> put Detroit on the board in the fifth, but Perez clubbed a two-out, two-run homer off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/126389/duane-below">Duane Below</a> in bottom of the inning to make it 9-1.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/592/delmon-young">Delmon Young</a> lifted a sacrifice fly in the seventh for Detroit before <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/960/jeff-francoeur">Jeff Francoeur</a> capped the scoring in the eighth by plating Cabrera with a single.</p>
<p>Hosmer became the 26th player -- and sixth rookie -- in franchise history with at least five hits in a game...Detroit finished 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-tigers/2011/9/20/2439432/brad-penny-tigers-royals-recapRyan Weiss2011-09-18T20:27:48-04:002011-09-18T20:27:48-04:00Tigers Get Series Split With Athletics Behind Justin Verlander's 24th Win
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<p>Oakland, CA (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/72820/recap?article_id=164037">Sports Network</a>) – Justin Verlander padded his potential Cy Young Award-winning season — and <span class="caps">MVP</span> candidacy — with another sublime outing, tossing eight scoreless innings in the Tigers’ 3-0 victory over the Athletics.</p>
<p>Verlander (24-5) won his club-record 12th consecutive start by yielding just three hits and three walks, while also becoming the first American League pitcher to notch 24 wins since Oakland’s Bob Welch won 27 in 1990.</p>
<p>Austin Jackson went 2-for-5 with a solo homer for the AL Central champion Tigers, who split this four-game series.</p>
<p>Guillermo Moscoso (8-9) lost despite giving up only one hit — Jackson’s homer to straightaway center leading off the sixth.</p>
<p>It wound up being Moscoso’s last frame, having walked two while fanning eight.</p>
<p>Craig Breslow gave up a run in the eighth when Brandon Inge hit a pinch-hit double to left to plate Jackson, who reached on a one-out single.</p>
<p>Alex Avila scored on Ramon Santiago’s suicide squeeze an inning later, and Jose Valverde hurled a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his franchise-record 46th save in as many chances.</p>
<p>Verlander lowered his earned run average from 2.36 to 2.29. He also became the first Tiger to win 10 consecutive road starts since Denny McClain won 16 in a row from April 21-August 16, 1968…The A’s have been shut out 15 times.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-tigers/2011/9/18/2434241/tigers-athletics-justin-verlander-recap-24th-winRyan Weiss2011-09-18T16:19:36-04:002011-09-18T16:19:36-04:00Lions Vs. Chiefs Score: Detroit Rolls Over Kansas City In Impressive Win
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<p>The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t do themselves any favors by turning the ball over six times against Detroit. The Lions were pretty good on their end, too.</p>
<p>Matthew Stafford chucked four touchdown passes as the Lions rolled over the Chiefs in a dominating 48-3 win that pushed Detroit to 2-0 on the season.</p>
<p>The Lions won their sixth straight game since the end of last season and never had much competition from the Chiefs after the second quarter. Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel was harassed all day, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble as well in a horrific day for the Chiefs offense.</p>
<p>Kansas City also lost star running back Jamal Charles when he was run out of bounds early in the game. Charles didn’t return.</p>
<p>Stafford had both a touchdown pass and an interception on the Lions’ first drive, as Jon McGraw fumbled after picking off the Lions’ quarterback and the loose ball was recovered by Detroit’s Tony Scheffler. Three plays later, Stafford hit Calvin Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead that Detroit never relinquished.</p>
<p>Kansas City got a field goal on their first possession, but never got any closer after that.</p>
<p>Despite the ineffective offense the Chiefs hung around into the second quarter. Stafford finally got the Lions offense rolling again, hitting Scheffler with a perfect pass on a 36-yard score to make it 14-3. Detroit increased the lead to 20-3 on two Jason Hanson field goals before halftime.</p>
<p>Detroit was just getting started.</p>
<p>Stafford engineered an 84-yard drive on the Lions’ second possession of the second half, converting a fourth-and-goal at the one with a touchdown toss to Johnson.</p>
<p>Detroit opened the fourth quarter with a 9-yard touchdown reception by Jahvid Best to increase the lead to 34-3. After Detroit recovered a fumble by Kansas City’s Dexter McCluster, Best ran in another touchdown from a yard out to make it 41-3.</p>
<p>The Lions’ first team offense was finally done, but Detroit still was able to tack on another score — after another interception by Cassel — to add even more insult to injury.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-lions/2011/9/18/2433701/lions-vs-chiefs-score-detroit-rolls-over-kansas-city-in-impressive-winRyan Weiss2011-09-17T23:49:17-04:002011-09-17T23:49:17-04:00Week 3 In Big Ten Football
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<p>Week 3 had a couple marquee games for Big Ten squads, as ranked members Michigan State and Ohio State took perfect 2-0 records on the road. Unfortunately, neither came back perfect.</p>
<p><b>Notre Dame 31, No. 15 Michigan State 13: </b>MSU's Kirk Cousins threw a costly interception at the goal line in the fourth quarter and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/84656/cierre-wood">Cierre Wood</a> ran in two touchdowns for Notre Dame as the previously winless Irish topped the No. 15 Spartans. For more on this game, check out our <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2011/9/15/2427139/michigan-state-notre-dame-2011">StoryStream</a>.</p>
<p><b>Michigan 31, Eastern Michigan 3:</b> The Wolverines shook off a sluggish start and used 198 rushing yards by quarterback <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/76856/denard-robinson">Denard Robinson</a> to overpower the Eagles in a 31-3 rout. For more on this game, check out our <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-wolverines/2011/9/15/2427178/michigan-eastern-michigan-2011">StoryStream</a>.</p>
<p><b>Miami 24, No. 16 Ohio State 6:</b> The Buckeyes were off again for the second straight week as the Hurricanes rolled to a 24-6 win in the "IneligiBowl." <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/87379/lamar-miller">Lamar Miller</a> ran for 188 yards and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36658/jacory-harris">Jacory Harris</a> threw two touchdowns for Miami, who won for the first time under new coach Al Golden. Last week, OSU needed a last second stop against mid-major Toledo to hold on for the win.</p>
<p><b>Penn State 14, Temple 10:</b> Penn State needed a late touchdown and defensive stop to fend off Temple after laying a dud last week against Alabama. Michael Zordich punched in a 1-yard touchdown with 2:42 to play to give the Nittany Lions the lead, but Temple drove all the way to the PSU 34 on the final drive before failing to convert a fourth down. Temple hasn't beaten Penn State since 1941.</p>
<p><b>Illinois 17, No. 22 Arizona State 14:</b> In one of the conference's few bright spots, unranked Illinois got a late touchdown pass from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75932/nathan-scheelhaase">Nathan Scheelhaase</a> and beat visiting 22nd-ranked Arizona State to move to 3-0 on the season. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/48928/a-j-jenkins">A.J. Jenkins</a> caught six passes for 103 yards and the game-winning score.</p>
<p><b>Indiana 38, South Carolina State 21:</b> Indiana struggled again with inferior competition, committing 20 penalties in an ugly win over FCS South Carolina State. Indiana lost an embarrassing game to Ball State in its opener and to Virginia last week, but racked up 557 yards in the win over SCSU.</p>
<p><b>Purdue 59, Southeast Missouri 0: </b>Purdue ran for 393 yards and totaled 627 yards of offense in a dominating win over FCS Southeast Missouri. Purdue got quarterback <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/5136/robert-marve">Robert Marve</a> back for the first time this season after tearing his ACL last year.</p>
<p><b>No. 11 Nebraska 51, Washington 38:</b> Nebraska's defense continued to get pounded as the Huskers and Washington combined for 884 yards of total offense in a wild game. Washington quarterback <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/86098/keith-price">Keith Price</a> threw four touchdowns, but couldn't outgun <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/76896/taylor-martinez">Taylor Martinez</a> and the Nebraska offense.</p>
<p><b>Iowa 31, Pittsburgh 27: </b>A week after a stunning loss to Iowa State, Iowa avoided a 1-2 start to its season and rallied for a 31-27 victory over Pittsburgh. James Vandenberg had a stellar day for Iowa, throwing for 399 yards and three fourth quarter touchdowns to bring the Hawkeyes back from a 27-10 hole.</p>
<p><b>Minnesota 29, Miami (OH) 23: </b>Minnesota was unimpressive again just a week after losing to New Mexico State, edging out the MAC's Miami Redhawks. Marqueis Gray had 334 total yards for the Gophers, which got head coach Jerry Kill back on the sidelines after he suffered a seizure last week.</p>
<p><b>Army 21, Northwestern 14: </b>Northwestern continued another up-and-down week for the Big Ten by losing to Army on a late go-ahead touchdown run by Black Knights quarterback Trent Steelman. Steelman ran 28 times for 108 yards and three scores, as Northwestern was missing starting quarterback <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/7096/dan-persa">Dan Persa</a> for the third straight game.</p>
<p><b>Wisconsin 49, Northern Illinois 7: </b>The Badgers continued to make the case why they're the best team in the Big Ten as Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of Northern Illinois. Wisconsin gained 617 yards on the Huskies and have now outscored their opponents 135-24 in three contests.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-wolverines/2011/9/17/2432408/big-ten-football-conference-results-week-2Ryan Weiss2011-09-17T19:03:02-04:002011-09-17T19:03:02-04:00Michigan State At Notre Dame: Irish Look Much Better In Defeating Spartans, 31-13
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<p>Notre Dame had another rough day with turnovers. Fortunately for them, Michigan State returned the favor.</p>
<p>The Irish turned the ball over three times, but the Spartans had two of their own to even things out as Notre Dame looked much better in picking up a 31-13 win.</p>
<p>No. 15 <span class="caps">MSU</span> (2-1) had a chance with four minutes left to cut the game to a one-score affair, but quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a costly interception at the goal line to effectively seal the win.</p>
<p>Cierre Wood punched in two rushing scores for Notre Dame and Tommy Rees threw for another despite throwing an interception and fumbling once. Notre Dame also muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter that was recovered by <span class="caps">MSU</span>, but got timely stops on defense to overcome their turnover woes.</p>
<p><span class="caps">MSU</span> also shot itself in the foot with penalties, committing 12 infractions for 86 yards. The running game never got going either, as <span class="caps">MSU</span> compiled just 29 total yards on the ground.</p>
<p>Wood opened things off on the game’s opening possession by scampering for a 22-yard touchdown, and Notre Dame would have had more if not for turnover woes. The teams went back and forth in the turnover department in the first quarter, with Rees squeezing a fumble and pick around a Cousins fumble.</p>
<p>Cousins got <span class="caps">MSU</span> back within 14-10 on a 6-yard strike to Dion Sims in the second, but Wood restored the 11-point advantage with his second score near the end of the half.</p>
<p><span class="caps">MSU</span> then tried to get cute, faking a field goal just before halftime inside the Notre Dame 5-yard line, much like they did in last year’s thrilling overtime win. However, this time the Irish sniffed it out and took a 21-10 lead into the locker room.</p>
<p>Things didn’t get better after the break. Rees hit T.J. Jones on a 26-yard score to increase the lead to 28-10 as Michigan State’s offense never got going after halftime.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2011/9/17/2431976/michigan-state-at-notre-dame-recap-2011Ryan Weiss