2009 Sucked

I like to save my yearly retrospectives for February - January is too soon, I need a month to digest what happend in the previous year. So as I look back on 2009, it has become apparent to me that I just suffered through a terrible, terrible year. I am glad that godforsaken trip around the sun is over. To start off, the Lions went 2-14. On the bright side, I suppose that is infinity percent more games than they won last year; if they keep up that pace next year I think they'd set some type of record for number of games won in a season. I remain skeptical, but at least Barry thinks we can turn it around. I feel half like an idiot and half like a glutton for punishment for admitting what I am about to type, but I was actually mildly encouraged by what I saw last season. Stafford and Pettigrew were not the picks I would have made at the one and twenty slots, respectively, but both played fairly well, all things considered, before having their seasons ended by injuries. Some members of the peanut gallery questioned the severity of these injuries but it was without a doubt the correct decision to protect these young players since the team had nothing to play for anyway. Unfortunately, QBs not named Peyton Manning tend to have a regression in year two since the league now has so much extra film on him and it generally takes a few years for a QB to fully acclimate to the NFL (see: Ryan, Matt), so I think were are in store for another long 2010 season. I feel so dirty that this organization has reached the point that I am thinking "well, hopefully we can wins 9 games in 2011". Ugh. 2009 second round pick Louis Delmas really emerged as well this season and I think Kevin Smith is a solid RB but the O-line is still so terrible that he is regularly swallowed up in the backfield before he can do much.

I can't believe I think the Lions might be decent in a couple years. I am so fucking dumb.

My other football team, U of M, went 5-7, finished second to last in the Big 10 and missed a bowl game for the second straight year. I am much less concerned about Michigan football, however. Despite what a lot of snobby asshole alumni think, RichRod is a good coach, the team played significantly better this year and they are going to have a good season next year. Guaransheed. Forcier was even in the Heisman discussion midway through the season, although anyone who thought he had a shot to win it was certifiably insane... but it shows how well he was playing for a significant stretch of time. The only significant players we are losing to the draft are Brandon Graham (who is going to be absolutely awesome in the NFL FYI) and Donovan Warren. I suppose you can throw Zoltan, Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown in that discussion as well, but I am much less concerned about replacing those guys. Plus, RichRod managed to pull a top-20 recruiting class according to Rivals.com (although that's a discussion for another post). The future is bright for Michigan football.

The most heartbreaking season was the anal assault administered by the Tigers though. How do you spend 146 days in first place in the division and not make the playoffs? How do you become the first team in MLB history to lose a 3.0 game lead with 4 to play? *puke* Way too much of the blame was heaped on Miggy's shoulders however. Does it hurt when your anchor in the lineup goes 0/11 with 1 BB in the final series of the season? Sure. Should he have been out drinking at 4am the night before the final game of the season that we needed to win? No. There were so many other problems with the team though that it is unfair to point at Miggy and say "THERE is the problem". Edwin Jackson got blown up to the tune of 8 ER in 5 IP in game 1 of the final series against the ChiSox. Then in game 2 we trot out - wait a second lemme check the score card - Alfredo Figaro...? What. The. Fuck. Granderson forgot how to take a decent route to catch a fly ball, couldn't hit a lefty if he threw a beach ball and couldn't get on base. There was a giant black hole of no offense in the lineup in the form of whoever was playing SS that day and Laird. Magglio is just old and overpaid. As is often the case in baseball, the regression of playing ability hits quickly and there's no coming back from it.

They couldn't even just get blown out in the tie-breaking 163rd game of the year like respectable people. Noooo. Instead they have to lose in a nail-biting 12 inning slugfest just to make it all the more horrible when Alexi Casilla singles off Rodney to score Carlos Gomez to end the Tigers' season. We even had runners on first and third with no outs in the top of the 9th and can't score. Aaargh.

I'm not a hockey fan but didn't the Red Wings lose in Game 7 of the Finals at home or something too? How the hell does that happen? What a great year for Detroit sports.

Fuck 2009.