DETROIT – I don’t know about you, but this year, the end of the Super Bowl felt like a relief.
The Super Bowl is fun, and there’s no bigger stage in sports. But it’s on a Sunday night in February, hours before the start of a new workweek. On top of that, the Detroit Lions have never been a factor.
Until now, that is.
Last season, after Lions fans had their hearts ripped out in San Francisco, there was still a sense of accomplishment. They won their first division title in the NFC North era and made it all the way to the conference championship game.
But this year was different. The Lions were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders. They went 15-2 and earned the No. 1 seed. To go out like they did was like getting sick after eating your favorite food. Many fans had no appetite for the NFL after that game.
It was a tough end to a great season, but luckily for fans of Detroit sports, there’s plenty to look forward to now that football season is officially over.
Red Wings in crowded wildcard race
For starters, fans of the Pistons and Red Wings can jump right into a pair of second-half playoff races.
The Wings nearly made the playoffs last year, and they’ve got a shot at redemption in 2025. Since the turn of the calendar, they’re 13-4-1, including a pair of seven-game winning streaks.
Fans had been clamoring for the Wings to move on from coach Derek Lalonde, but not even in their wildest hopes and dreams could they have predicted the Todd McLellan era starting off with such a bang.
Unfortunately, Detroit won’t return to the ice until Feb. 22. But it’ll be worth the wait, because the wild card race is shaping up to be a good one.
With 27 games left in the regular season, the Red Wings hold the second and final wild card spot in the East. They’re one point behind the Senators, and the Blue Jackets and Bruins are each one point behind the Wings.
The Senators, Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Rangers, Islanders, Canadiens, Penguins, and Flyers are all within seven points of each other -- nine teams fighting for two wild card spots.
Who knows how the Wings (or anyone else) will look when they return from two weeks off, but the Lightning (five points ahead of Detroit) and Maple Leafs (seven) are within reach with a third of the season left to play.
Pistons in firm playoff position
By far the worst team in the NBA last season, the Pistons have flipped the script and find themselves firmly in a playoff position with 29 games left to play.
J.B. Bickerstaff has Detroit at 27-26 and sitting in the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Here’s the situation: Right now, the Pistons are 6.5 games ahead of the 76ers, who are the first team out of the play-in tournament. Meanwhile, Detroit is only two games behind the Bucks for the No. 5 seed and three games behind the No. 4 Pacers.
Do I think the Pistons are going to finish fourth and host a playoff series? No. But it’s February and they’re closer to the top four than being out of the postseason. That’s saying something.
Cade Cunningham has taken the superstar turn that fans envisioned when the Pistons drafted him No. 1 overall, and new general manager Trajan Langdon actually added some shooting to open up the floor.
It’s been almost two decades since the Pistons were truly worth watching, but now is the time to tune back in if you haven’t already.
Spring training right around the corner
I’ve been counting the days until Wednesday, when Tigers pitchers and catchers report to spring training and baseball season unofficially begins.
Detroiters won’t soon forget the magical run the Tigers made to the postseason last year, winning 31 of 42 games down the stretch. Then they topped it off with a sweep of the Houston Astros in the first round.
Many fans are still hoping for the Tigers to sign star free agent Alex Bregman, and maybe they will. But if not, it’s still been a very productive offseason. The Tigers improved the starting rotation with Jack Flaherty and Alex Cobb, the bullpen with Tommy Kahnle, and the lineup with Gleyber Torres.
The AL Central is up for grabs, and the Tigers are one of four teams with a real chance to win it. They have the best pitcher on the planet in Tarik Skubal. A proven and innovative manager in A.J. Hinch. Budding stars in Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, and Kerry Carpenter.
Oh yeah, and the top pitching prospect in the game is likely to be their No. 5 starter.
Nothing beats postseason baseball in Detroit, and that small taste last year left fans wanting even more. We waited 10 years for a contender like this, so let’s enjoy it.
Michigan and Michigan State basketball
As if all this professional sports success isn’t enough, both local college basketball programs are near the top of the Big Ten.
Michigan and Michigan State are tied for second place in the league at 10-2 -- both a half-game behind 11-2 Purdue. And who’s coming to Ann Arbor on Tuesday night? You guessed it: the first-place Boilermakers.
Both Michigan and Michigan State have played favorable conference schedules up to this point, but they’ll be tested over the final eight games of the season, including a pair of head-to-head matchups.
It sure looks like Michigan is going to get back into the NCAA Tournament after a pair of absences the last two years, including a program-worst 8-24 record in 2024.
The Wolverines rank 20th in Kenpom and 18th in the NET rankings. I don’t think they’re good enough to actually win the Big Ten, but a couple more wins down the stretch would cement their spot in the Big Dance.
Michigan State is a lock to make the tourney, with a 19-4 record and rankings of 17th (Kenpom) and 19th (NET). The Spartans lost a pair of games out West, but have otherwise gone a perfect 14-0 since Nov. 27.
Even if you don’t typically follow the regular season in college basketball, this is the time to jump on board. Michigan and Michigan State are about to play a bunch of ranked matchups with the Big Ten title on the line. It doesn’t get much better than that.
