(Above photo: a long line of Wolverines give chase, but no one catches Wildcat RB Omar Conteh as he scores what would be the Wildcats' only TD of the day. Below: Tiger players congratulate themselves after routing the Chicago White Sox, 13-3, on the final day of the 2007 season. Both photos taken by yours truly.)
The thing about having a town like Chicago five hours away is, you don't really need much persuasion to spend a weekend there. No interrogations necessary. Keep the incriminating family photos in the file, you won't need them here.
I'm a sports freak, true dat. But a sports freak of efficiency. I lay in waiting for opportunities like the one last June, when a mere two-and-a-half-hour car ride separated me from seeing two Detroit teams play important games in the same city over a weekend (at the time, the plan was to watch the Pistons eliminate the Cavs that night… who knew the opposite would happen?) Oh well, at least the Tigers pounded the Indians the following day.
This past weekend presented another of these opportunities. The last series of baseball's regular season, which happened to find the previous two pennant winners locking horns—a sure thing in terms of potential meaningfulness, right? The defending 2006 AL champion Tigers and the 2005 World Series champions from Chicago. Three games on the Sox side of town, sandwiched around the Wolverines' date in Evanston, a scant 30 minutes north of the Hancock tower. (See photo of author at stadium, taken by my Sparty friend and travel companion Douggie B.)
Of course, these things always look better on paper, months in advance. Back when games had yet to be lost, when a team's prospects were such that the games still seemed relevant. Once September rolled around, of course, the White Sox found themselves hopelessly below .500, and the Tigers had begun a late-season nose-dive coinciding with Cleveland’s catching fire and the New York Yankees playing like the team that has been to the last dozen playoffs. Then, enter Appalacian State. Then, Oregon.
So what once was a weekend most Detroiters would spend around their TVs, had become an excellent reason to rake the leaves. But no worries. It was still too good to pass up (see first sentence). My friend and I decided to make the trip, staying in Evanston Saturday night and catching the Sunday baseball game, since nothing was at stake.
As is the case with Ann Arbor, another wonderfully vibrant and exciting Midwestern city finds itself surrounded by thousands too engrossed in their academic pursuits to take full advantage. The Northwestern campus is captivating enough, with its vine-laden, century-old halls and towering oak groves (not to mention a city with one of the better used CD stores I’ve ever had the pleasure of browsing and its very own symphony). But the fact that this little bit of paradise sits along the windy shores of Lake Michigan makes it all too good to be true.
Ryan Field stands a good distance away from central campus, one of those geographical mysteries where you find yourself searching for the thing until you bump your head on the grandstand. The stadium itself is a sombrero-shaped thing of beauty, its bleachers spilling onto the grassy inclines of each end zone. Once known as Dyche Stadium (they changed the name recently, and all Dyche got was a plaque just off the sideline), Ryan Field has the distinction of having its highest points right on the 50 (so even the crappy tickets are still pretty good). The stands were split between yellow and purple shirted supporters, with the southern side almost entirely occupied by Wolverine faithful.
Northwestern has always given Michigan fits, at least since Gary Barnett’s Rose-Bowl bound Wildcats climbed up that rubbertree plant and upset Brian Griese’s #5 Wolverines 19-13 in Michigan Stadium back in 1995. The following year, 1996, was even more painful. Michigan led, 16-0, late in the third quarter and ended up losing 17-16 on a last-second field goal. 1998 saw Michigan prevail, 12-9, in an absolute downpour that engulfed Evanston and rendered the Wildcats' grass field a mud pit. In 2000, Michigan lit up Ryan Field for 51 points... and still lost. I can still see Anthony Thomas, having gained the victory-clinching first down, trying to score instead of protecting the ball. He was stripped of the ball, Northwestern recovered, game over. And just last year, the Wolverines were #2 in the nation and the Wildcats were nothing. Yet it took a fourth-quarter TD to ice a 17-3 Michigan win.
This year seemed like much of the same, as Wildcat QB C.J. Bacher found Rasheed Ward for a 64-yard pitch-and-catch on the game’s first play from scrimmage. The drive stalled and Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald chose to trot out the field-goal unit for a 27-yard kick instead of going for a short fourth down. 3-0 Cats with two minutes gone.
Chad Henne started, seeing his first action since the first half of the Oregon game, and led the Wolverines downfield. The Pennsylvania senior completed five of seven passes on the drive, the last of which Mario Manningham cradled as he tiptoed across the goal line. The 11-yard touchdown gave Michigan a brief 7-3 lead. Then Northwestern got to work. Working from that spread offense the Wolverine coaches love so well, the Wildcats caught the Wolves napping as tailback Omar Conteh took a quick handoff and ran 49 yards untouched for a 10-7 lead.
Two field goals grew the Northwestern lead to 16-7 at intermission, as delirious Wildcat fans rejoiced. But no one was lighting the south-campus clock tower purple just yet, as is school tradition after football victories. There were two quarters left to play. The Wolverines came back with a Henne-to-Carson Butler TD pass, to pull within 16-14, but Northwestern continued the inspired play they displayed in the first half, and the score remained the same until midway through the fourth quaarter.
Coach Fitzgerald, who prides himself on conditioning his team to play hard for the full 60 minutes, could only watch helplessly as his well-oiled purple machine sputtered and ultimately ran out of gas. First, defensive lineman Brandon Graham knocked the ball out of Bacher's hands and linebacker Shawn Crable recovered. Four plays later, Henne hit Adrian Arrington on a slant route to give Michigan its first lead since the first quarter, 21-16. On Northwestern's next drive, senior DE Tim Jamison grabbed a batted pass and returned the ball deep into Wildcat territory. Michigan missed a field goal, but forced another Northwestern turnover as linebacker Obi Ezeh grabbed a Bacher pass and galloped to the NU 26. Hart broke off a long run off the Jake (left) side, then scored from the one to make it 28-16. The victory was sealed on Northwestern's next possession, when Crable stripped Bacher of the ball and tackle Terrance Taylor fell on the loose ball.
For me, it was a perfect afternoon. An exciting game for four quarters, with Michigan pulling away in the end for a double-digit win. The game ended and we mulled about the post-game tailgate parties, unknowingly walking in concentric circles around a most-delicious smelling pig roast. Game over, now on to more important things. Like making dinner plans in Evanston.
The following day, another sunny sky greeted us as we made our way south, back into downtown Chicago. We approached the new Comiskey Park, amazed at the crowd for such an insignificant contest. But two great teams, the White Sox and Tigers, have tasted success. And two of the nation's best baseball cities have awakened as a result.
We parked. We found tickets. We entered the park. And we headed up. And up. And up. And up. The parking lot grew distant. The trees grew distant. As we reached the top of this gargantuan structure, the Chicago skyline greeted us with a smile, saying, "wherever you are around town, don't forget you're in Chicago!"
Our seats were on the third base side, so high up that we could nearly read the Rawlings imprint on each towering pop-up. We picked the right day to come to the old park (okay, new park... but old-looking). Not just because the Tigers ended up crushing the White Sox 13-3. Not just because I had a clear view of the scoreboard, allowing me to witness the final game of the Great Mets Collapse Of 2007 first-hand without access to any sharp objects. And not just because while we watched Detroit pounding Chicago in baseball, TVs in the stadium bars were showing Detroit pounding Chicago in football (scoring an NFL-record 34 fourth-quarter points in the process). But because of all the Detroit Tiger milestones we had the chance to witness in a single game.
First, Placido Polanco singled in the third inning, his 200th hit of the season. Polanco was given an extended ovation as he stood at first base, which was cool. Then, Carlos Guillen hit a towering two-run homer to right field. It was Guillen's 100th RBI of 2007, so we gave him a strong ovation as he took a curtain call afterward. Then there was Magglio Ordonez. He only went 3-for-4, clinching the American League batting title with a .363 average. Very cool. Gave him a strong ovation as he left the field after hit #3 in the eighth inning. Not since stormin' Norman Cash in 1961 had a Tiger won such an honor. Then, And finally, one last roar from 2007, a seven-run seventh, capped by Sean Casey's last hit as a Tiger (it was announced the day before that Detroit would not bring him back in 2008) and Mike Rabelo's first career dinger. Gave Casey a strong ovation as he was pulled for a pinch-runner, and gave Rabelo a strong ovation as he joyfully rounded the bases. Yes, we were way up there but you could tell he was ecstatic.
Oh, and I almost forgot. Curtis Granderson went 3-for-4 just like Maggs, allowing him to surpass the .300 plateau (he finished at .302). Chicago's Jim Thome singled in the first and was replaced, allowing home-town fans to shower him with one last ovation for reaching the 500 HR mark. Sorry, Thome. I don't shower anyone from Chicago.
So we went down to field level for the final two innings, right behind the Tiger dugout, and took in the final swings of a delicious 10-run rout. After the final White Sox out, the 88-74 Tigers of 2007 came out of the dugout as one, joined by the entire bullpen, and saluted the Detroit fans who made the trip West. The very fans, they figured, who've made the past two seasons unlike any in recent Detroit Tigers history. Many tossed baseballs into the crowd. Granderson signed a number of his bats and gave them out. And manager Jim Leyland circled the infield, clapping over his head to show his thanks to everyone. The Tiger faithful, who by the final inning had congregated along the first-base side, cheered uncontrolably. It sure felt spontaneous to me at least. Not to be outdone, the 72-90 Chicago White Sox emerged from their third-base dugout and, accompanied by the PA announcer, thanked fans for their support throughout 2007. Nice try, guys. A minute late and a few runs short.
All things considered, not a bad weekend. A big Michigan win, a delicious seafood dinner in Evanston, a fun night out (among other interesting people we met was the guy who makes the Oscars... the actual awards given to the actors and directors!), and a big Tigers win over the Chicago White Sox.
So what's next? Where's the next weekend trip? Maybe Toronto next September; I've been dying to catch the annual Wings-Leafs home-and-home preseason games, many people do it and it sounds like fun. What else? Well, here's what I've found in the foreseeable future that may be worth a try, if you have the time, love of Detroit sports, appropriate method of transportation and inclination:
FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER 2007:
Detroit Pistons @ Milwaukee Bucks - Saturday 12/1, 8:30pm
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings - Sunday 12/2, 1:00pm
the plus side: tickets should be easy to find; see the Metrodome before it's gone
the minus side: bit of a drive; not much time to spend in the more fun place (Minny)
HOLIDAY GETAWAY 2007:
Detroit Pistons @ Indiana Pacers - Saturday 12/29, 8:30pm
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers - Sunday 12/30, 1:00pm
the plus side: Pistons & Pacers are both playing well; Lions are actually good this year; Lions & Packers could be playing for NFC Central championship
the minus side: heck of a long drive; weather may be horrific; Lambeau tickets expensive & hard to find; outdoor stadium in Green Bay in last week of December
ROSES ARE RED, RED WINGS ARE TOO:
Detroit Red Wings @ Phoenix Coyotes - Saturday 12/29, 9pm
2008 Rose Bowl: Michigan Wolverines vs TBD - Tuesday 1/1/08, 2pm
the plus side: Detroit flights to Phoenix much easier to get than LA; Rose Bowl tickets may be easier to get since Michigan was in Pasadena last year; Phoenix arena is known to be partisan Wings crowd
the minus side: requires Michigan win over Ohio State; requires stay in Arizona and drive to Los Angeles; even though easier to get, tickets are still Rose Bowl tickets meaning harder to find and very expensive
CALIFORNIA DREAMING (EXTENDED MIX) 2008:
Detroit Red Wings @ LA Kings - Tuesday 1/22
Detroit Red Wings @ Anaheim Ducks - Wednesday 1/23
Detroit Pistons @ LA Lakers - Thursday 1/31
the plus side: Wings play within an hour's drive on consecutive nights; tickets to both Wings games are easy to find and affordable
the minus side: requires 7-8 night stay in LA (best if you can stay with a friend); Laker tickets at Staples Center difficult to find and expensive
EASTWARD HO! 2008:
Detroit Red Wings @ Buffalo - Sunday 3/2 3pm
Detroit Pistons @ Boston - Wednesday 3/5 7pm
Detroit Pistons @ NY Knicks - Friday 3/7 7pm
the plus side: potential for 3 games in 6 nights; can spend the following weekend in NYC which never sucks; three storied places to watch Detroit teams play
the minus side: Celtics and Knicks tickets may be difficult to find; lodging is more expensive in NY & Boston; requires a drive home from New York in early March
FOUR DAYS IN OHIO, FOUR DAYS IN OHIO:
Detroit Red Wings @ Columbus Blue Jackets - Sunday 3/16 3pm
Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Wednesday 3/19 8pm
the plus side: cities in close proximity with each other; see Lebron in his home; short drive from Detroit
the minus side: three days in between games with nothing to do; Cavs tickets may be difficult and/or expensive
SPRING IS HERE, APRIL 2008:
Detroit Pistons @ Minnesota Timberwolves - Tuesday 4/1, 8pm
Detroit Red Wings @ Chicago Blackhawks - Wednesday 4/2, 8:30pm
the plus side: trip from Minny to Chicago is nice this time of year; can arrange to spend extra time in either city; can make the trip using your own automobile
the minus side: not a short drive to minny (10 hours +/-); middle of week, the week before Easter at that.
I already know what my next sports trip will be. Spring Training 2008. Oh yeah baby. This time, I'm taking a week off and catching every team in Florida. A game a day if not two, as it should be. I can't wait till the schedules come out!
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