By: The Polish Prince

By: Tim Barnum & Dalton Potocki

An Introduction:
I only really started getting into basketball in my high school years, and until I attended the University of Michigan, my attention was mainly fixated on the NBA. When my freshman year coincided with Trey Burke and the Fresh Five’s magical run to the NCAA Championship, I acquired a love for the Wolverines as well, one that has persisted through the various heartbreaks that have beset Michigan’s program. My playing experience is limited. I made my high school’s JV team as a sophomore after never playing much organized ball. We went 3-17, and while I started about a third of our games, I only scored 6 points the entire season (hence the record). I played plenty of IM ball throughout my undergraduate tenure, but whatever insight I have into the strategic and analytic aspects of the game come from reading Zach Lowe, following NBA twitter, and watching as many games as I can without actually owning a TV or subscribing to cable.
Despite being relatively under-credentialed, I still want to contribute something to the vast wealth of Michigan sports content available to satisfy the needs of even the most desperate Wolverine junkies. MGoBlog, UMHoops, MaizeNBrew, MLive, and many other outlets provide excellent coverage of the team; I hope to supplement the information they provide with a more focused, analytical look into the play of each player that contributes to the Wolverines’ efforts.
The Process:
As of right now, I plan on choosing one player to hone in on before watching Michigan play. Throughout the game, I will take notes on as many significant plays involving said player until the game is over. Afterwards, I will watch a replay of the game (shoutout to mgovideo) and attempt a more detailed breakdown of his play. Aside from that, I’m not sure what else to offer, and that’s where I would appreciate feedback from anyone who would take an interest in this sort of thing. Any suggestions pertaining to the structure of my article, my writing, my basketball analysis, or anything else would be valuable. I see this as being something I would likely be able to sustain throughout the entire season, if not for every game, so hopefully this can become a useful resource for basketball fans everywhere. As of right now, the notes will be interspersed with links to pictures that help illustrate my analysis; hopefully in the future I'll be tech-savvy enough to actually put the pictures in the body of the piece. For now, the captions will be in parentheses preceding the link.
Game Notes:
1st Half:
19:50: Irvin takes a handoff off a screen from Wagner, draws Mo’s defender out of the paint, and dumps it down to Mo, who is wide open for an easy layup. The first of many disorganized defensive rotations against Michigan’s high ball screen offense.
19:32: Irvin grabs a board, pushes the pace, and hands it off to Walton, whose pass to MAAR in the corner is tipped out of bounds.
19:00: Irvin, alone against a Marquette fastbreak, elects to give up the easy 2 instead of defending and risking a foul. Wagner doesn’t get the memo, and fouls anway.
18:32: Irvin slowly drifts away from his man’s peripheral vision to the corner on a Walton-Wagner pick-and-roll; Walton fakes a cross-court pass his way, Wagner’s man is helping on Walton, so Zak’s defender must choose between defending Zak and helping on Wagner. Zak’s man bites on the fake, freeing up Wagner for an open trey. Zak’s court awareness probably helped to free this one up. (Sneaky Zak) 1h_1832.png
18:01: High ball screen/handoff from Donnal to Irvin, Donnal rolls unguarded to a wide-open paint, and the touch and accuracy of Irvin’s pass allow Donnal to catch and finish in the air. Marquette again demonstrates clueless rotations against a simple high ball screen, perhaps distracted by Walton and Wilson’s movement off the ball.
17:46: Irvin gets screened guarding Jajuan Johnson, who blows by Donnal, pump-fakes, and finishes. Michigan switched heavily on defense throughout this game, so Irvin’s probably more responsible for tracking Donnal’s man into the paint than fighting to stick with Johnson over the screen.
17:27: Irvin is fronted in the post on the left wing; his man hedges hard onto Walton in the corner once he blows by his defender. Irvin flashes out of the post to the 3-point line. Walton finds him, and he gets a clean catch and hop off Walton’s bounce pass before the contest arrives. Irvin knocks down the 3.
17:12: Johnson, guarded by Irvin, zips an inch-perfect pass inside from the top of the key for an and-one. Zak puts his hands down and out of the passing lane because he anticipates a screen, but he should probably read a flat-footed Johnson’s intentions better here and make the pass a bit more difficult. (Hands up!) 1h_1712.png
17:00: Zak gets a handoff from Walton on the left wing, rolls right off a Donnal screen, Donnal rolls to a paint that is yet again wide open, and Irvin lobs it just over the outsretched hand of Donnal’s man for an easy finish.
16:14: Irvin, flatfooted, tries to find a cutting Wilson inside. Irvin’s man reads the difficult pass and deflects it for a turnover.
15:43: Irvin goes right off a high screen from Donnal and tries a long off-drible 2-point jumper over a double team. Donnal rolls to the paint where he is guarded by 6’0” Traci Carter; Irvin should have found him for another easy assist. Instead, he clangs the jumper. (Zak nooo) 1h_1544.png
14:38: Irvin loses the ball in at midcourt trying to push the pace in transition; he gets bailed out by a trailing Donnal, who narrowly avoids a backcourt violation.
12:53: Carter, guarded by Walton, gets a high ball screen from Luke Fischer. Donnal hedges hard and Fischer rolls to the rim unopposed; Irvin sags off of Johnson in the corner to contest a pass inside. Carter swings to Haanif Cheatham on the right wing. Cheatham drives baseline; Irvin sticks with Fischer until Donnal can rotate back. Cheatham then tries to find Johnson in the corner, but Irvin has read this and sags off of Fischer to make this pass difficult, and Cheatham throws it out of bounds. Zak demonstrates good off-ball instincts on this possession. (Zak reads Cheatham's eyes) 1h_1253.png
12:31: Irvin, coming off a staggered screen from Wilson and Donnal, gets matched up with Donnal’s man. He tries a dribble-drive to his left; Donnal’s man sticks with him. Zak tries a 10-foot fadeaway jumper just inside the left elbow and bricks it. Not the best look with 15 seconds still left on the shot clock.
12:18: Zak gives a light shove to his man before setting an off-ball screen for MAAR on the right wing, ensuring that neither can contest Rahkman’s open 3. Rahkman misses anyway. (None shall pass) 1h_1216.png
11:55: Zak, guarding Cheatham, gets caught watching Katin Reinhardt attempt a dribble-drive on Wilson. Cheatham back-cuts, and should have an open layup, but Wilson’s rapid help and massive wingspan force a miss at the rim. Irvin pushes the ball up the court before swinging it to Rahkman, who initiates Michigan’s halfcourt offense. This isn’t the only time Zak will get caught ball-watching; he’s never been a player with a high defensive motor, and is somewhat prone to these kinds of mistakes. Defensive inattentiveness has been a pretty common theme on Beilein’s teams over the past two years, and Irvin is no exception. (Where'd you g... oh.) 1h__1155.png
11:38: Zirvin subs out after a MAAR interception and and-one. Michigan leads 20-15, pending the free throw.
 
Irvin’s activity on the offensive end was a big reason for Michigan’s fast start to the game. While he wasn’t perfect on defense during his first shift, he still committed fewer defensive indiscretions than several of his teammates.  

10:34: Zak checks back in with Michigan leading 24-15.
10:05: Zak gets a screen from Donnal at the top of the key and drags his and Donnal’s defenders all the way into the right corner. All five Marquette defenders are staring at him now; meanwhile, Duncan Robinson has drifted into the left corner. Zak hits him right in the chest with an off-balance, one-handed dart, and Duncan nails a 3 that’s essentially a layup for him. Really impressive vision and execution. (Zak, falling out of bounds) 1h_1005.png
9:45: Jajuan Johnson, guarded by Irvin, gets a screen from C Luke Fischer and drives to the rim. Donnal switches on to Johnson and gets bowled over; Johnson misses the shot through the contact, but Fischer snags the offensive board over Zak and hits a second-chance layup. Irvin is never going to out-jump Fischer; he really needs to get a body on him once Johnson’s shot goes up.
8:39: Robinson finds Irvin on the left wing in transition after grabbing a defensive rebound; Irvin feigns a dribble-drive, then hands off to Robinson, who only breaks stride to hesitate and draw an overzealous closeout before attacking the rim and drawing a foul. Zak’s quick decision-making helps Robinson take advantage of a not-yet-set Marquette defense.
8:10: Zak runs PnR with Wagner off a handoff from MAAR, draws a touch foul, and makes both FTs.
7:45: Zak finds a cutting DJ after coming off a high PnR with Donnal; DJ fumbles with the pass, but finds MAAR in the opposite corner, who drives and scores. Wilson’s backdoor cut is probably open because his man has drifted into the path of Donnal to compensate for Marquette’s earlier failures against the PnR.
6:55: Zak’s man sets a screen for a Marquette G defended by Wilson; Zak anticipates a switch, but DJ sticks with his man through the screen. Zak’s man is thus open, DJ’s man passes to him out of the double team, and he bricks an open 3. Defensive miscommunication on the part of Zak and DJ.
6:32: Irvin catches cutting hard to his right off an off-ball high screen from Donnal, takes one dribble, and nails a contested 20-footer. Awful shot selection, but at this point, it’s just part of the Zak Irvin package. When they’re going in, it doesn’t matter.
6:17: Zak lobs to Wilson in transition; DJ bobbles the catch, which results in an effective touch pass to a trailing Donnal, who gets the layup. Wilson apparently carries on the recent Doylian tradition of Michigan big men with subpar hands.
6:03: Irvin quickly sags off his man to help against the roll man in a high PnR; Cheatham instead gets it on the right wing, and tries a wild cross-court pass to Irvin’s man which sails about five feet too high. Irvin was closing out hard anyway. He seems locked in on both ends at this point. (Zak reads this) 1h_604.png
5:26: Donnal fakes a screen at the top of the key and then fades to the perimeter; Zak hesitates briefly coming around the screen, then jets to the rim for an open layup. Marquette’s defense is making things way too easy for him.
4:27: More PnR success for Michigan, as Irvin passes over two defenders to hit a rolling Donnal, who gets fouled at the rim.
4:22: Zak checks out of the game after Donnal hits the first FT. Michigan leads 43-24.

3:37: Irvin checks back in after the final media timeout with Michigan up 46-24
3:11: Late in the shot clock, Donnal screens for Irvin and fades to the left wing. Zak passes to him out of a double team. Donnal hesitates before making the extra pass to Ibi Watson in the corner; as a result, his 3 is contested and clangs off the back rim.
2:02: Marquette inbounds from under Michigan’s basket. Irvin fights through a screen to contest his man in the corner, forcing a pass. Irvin follows his man to the top of the key, sagging off to aggressively swipe at a JaJuan Johnson dribble drive. Zak helps to force an early pickup and a tough runner over Donnal. Irvin grabs the board, gets his eyes up immediately, and overthrows MAAR in transition. Love the energy from Zak here even if the result wasn’t ideal.
1:35: Zak grabs another defensive rebound. Nothing coming easy for Marquette at the end of the half.
0:52: Another high PnR with Donnal. Irvin sees Wilson’s man sagging into the paint to help on Donnal and instantly fires a pass his way, and Wilson misses an open 3. Irvin’s vision and decision-making on the offensive end have been impeccable aside from a couple forced shots and turnovers.
0:35: Irvin gets switched onto Jajuan Johnson, fights through a screen, and shuttles him into Mo Wagner at the rim. Wagner tries to draw a charge when vertically challenging would make this look far more difficult; Johnson contorts his body around Wagner and banks in a tough runner.
HALFTIME: Michigan leads 50-26. Zak’s fingerprints are all over Michigan’s offensive explosion. He’s been scoring effectively, but the majority of his impact lies in his facilitation. If Michigan gets this version of Zak (or, frankly, this version of everyone) throughout the season, they will beat a lot of teams.

2nd half:
19:20: Zirvin grabs a board, pushes the pace, then pulls it back when nothing materializes.
18:17: Irvin’s man sags to the paint to help with a Walton-Wagner PnR. Walton fires to Irvin, who splashes a 3. Too easy.
17:22: Irvin helps Wagner on a bounce pass to the post on the right block; he’s worried about leaving Johnson open in the left corner, but if he gets there sooner or helps more aggressively toward the baseline, he might prevent the ensuing and-one.
17:09: Johnson reads a perimeter pass from Wilson to Irvin, intercepts it, and streaks down the court for a dunk. DJ shouldn’t make this pass, but if Irvin is less lackadaisical in coming to the ball, he might prevent the turnover (Go get it, Zak!) 2h_1709.png
16:19: Zak cuts baseline from the left wing as all five Marquette defenders watch a MAAR drive. MAAR doesn’t find him, instead hitting a difficult floater in the lane after an uncalled travel. Good off-ball movement from Zak even if it’s not rewarded. 
15:57: Zak spots Cheatham stumbling and tries to cheat the passing lane between him and Johnson, but the pass gets through, and Johnson drives and draws a foul. It was unsuccessful, but probably a good gamble from Zak.
15:26: Irvin turns away from a Donnal screen, creates a ton of space with a stepback, and leaves an 17-foot jumper short. It’s a wide open look, but still an off-dribble long 2 with 15 seconds left on the shot clock.
15:11: Zak swipes at and maaaaybe affects a missed layup from Johnson.
14:50: Irvin takes a handoff from Donnal, who sets a screen; Donnal rolls to the rim, and Irvin finds him for another easy layup. Wash, rinse, repeat.
14:15: Zak gets his hand on a defensive rebound that he or Wilson should probably corral. Instead, they tap it right to Fischer, who collects and gets fouled on the second chance. Donnal actually does a good job of sealing Fischer under the basket once the shot goes up, all for naught.
13:53: Zak cuts out from the paint off a screen from Wilson, catches a pass from MAAR, and misses an open 3. Hard to tell but looked like he leaned forward more than usual on his jumper.
13:05: Zak gets lost on defense, and ends up defending an already-guarded Fischer. He’s responsible for Markus Howard, who’s open in the left corner, and doesn’t close out by the time the ball swings his way. Howard’s a freshman with only 1 3PA on the season heading into the game, but he nails a 3 over Irvin with no hesitation. (Defensive miscommunication) 2h_1305.png
12:38: Irvin fires a skip pass to DJ in the right corner after a left-wing PnR with Donnal is covered. It’s a smart pass that serves to further stretch the Marquette defense, and Michigan’s ensuing crisp ball movement results in an open MAAR 3, which misses short. At the other end, Marquette runs a PnR and Zak, instead of sagging off to help on a rolling Fischer as he has done throughout most of the game, sticks with Cheatham as he moves toward the ball. As a result, Fischer gets an open dunk. As with most unsuccessful defensive possessions, the blame could probably go several ways, but Zak deserves his share for not doing enough to prevent the pass inside. (Zak, leaving the paint open) 2h_1238.png
11:56: MAAR and Zak misread each other, and MAAR bounces a pass past Irvin’s outstretched hands and out of bounds. Zak subs out. Michigan leads 59-39.

10:54: Zak back in. Michigan leads 62-39.
10:48: Irvin drives left after an overzealous closeout and gets fouled on a tough hop-step floater in the lane. Duncan Robinson has drifted to the left corner and is wide open; Irvin is looking to score on his drive, but I was internally screaming at him to find Robinson, who had been heating up. (HE'S RIGHT THERE, DUDE) 2h_1048.png
10:10: Moe Wagner kills a dude. Irvin has nothing to do with it, but it’s still worth noting.
9:21: Irvin, consistently the first guy back on defense in transition, slows down an odd-man break and forces a miss with his verticality. Robinson is late contesting the putback and fouls. Irvin plays this about as well as he could have
8:51: Zak tries to sag in and swipe at a dribble drive, per usual. Problem is, he’s helping one pass away off of Jajuan Johnson, who shot 39% from 3 last season. Johnson punishes the mistake, knocking down a 3. (Sag off, swag's off) 2h_854.png
8:02: Another roll man is open after setting a screen and handing off to Irvin. This time, it’s Wagner. Irvin finds him, and he can’t finish over a 6’5” Cheatham. It’s solid rotation this time from Marquette, but Wagner should do better.
7:51: Zak lobs an alley-oop to DJ, who is wide open. Marquette’s defense is a tire fire.
7:38: Johnson, guarded by Irvin, arcs in from the right wing, gets a pass, and flies into the lane for a tough floater over DJ. Irvin, fearing a jumper, is leaning toward the perimeter too heavily when Johnson catches the pass, so he can’t stick with Johnson after a quick burst toward the hoop (Caught him leaning) 2h_738.png
6:57: Zak’s initial help on a Marquette PnR is good, as he cuts off a quick pass inside Wagner’s man as he rolls to the paint. Marquette’s guard drives and wraps a pass around Wagner to the big down low, who finishes despite Irvin’s help. Irvin didn’t pick up a foul all game in large part because he never really challenged aggressively at the rim.
6:26: Zak gets his pocket picked trying to strip through and drive baseline, away from a Donnal screen. Looked like a good idea, he just wasn’t strong enough with the ball in his hands.
5:47: Another turnover by Zak, as he he badly underthrows a crosscourt pass to DJ off a PnR with Donnal.
4:40: Irvin overdribbles for ten seconds, can’t find anything, gets a screen from Donnal late in the shot clock, and clangs home an off-dribble 3 over two defenders. Zak gets a home-court bounce in Madison Square Garden, which bails out a Michigan team on the verge of letting their lead get cut to single digits.
3:38: Zak gets switched on Wilson’s man following some off-ball action; this forces him to help from an unfamiliar position on Marquette’s ensuing PnR. He’s a bit late, and Fischer finishes over a decent contest at the rim.
3:00 Same thing happens; M gets hands in the passing lanes.
2:58: Zak picks up a DJ Wilson block and shrewdly turns down an even-numbers fastbreak, allowing Michigan to run some clock.
2:23: Marquette’s just passing back and forth around the perimeter; Zak’s man catches, Zak sticks with the jab step, and his man lifts his pivot foot. Zak comes out of the game for the final time, with Michigan up 75-57.

 
Final Statline: 16 pts, 5-9 FG, 3-4 3pt, 3-4 FT, 0 OReb, 7 DReb, 5 AST, 4 TO
Zak’s performance shone brightest amidst a brilliant team showing by the Wolverines. This game showcased further development in his passing ability, an upward trend that has continuously progressed since his freshman year. He still fell into some old habits from time to time, and he may never be a dynamic scoring threat, but even if his jumper never returns to its freshman-year form, his prowess as a playmaker bodes well for this Michigan team. He was hit-or-miss on various defensive possessions, but I expect that with more experience playing under Billy Donlon, some of the mental lapses will be shored up. Aside from a stretch where the team as a whole unraveled late in the 2nd half, Zak was engaged and effective on both ends. An offense with Zak as its highest-usage player could do very well if his play this season resembles his 1st-half form.

By: Tim Barnum & Dalton Potocki

By: Emily Herard 

On Friday November 10th the University of Michigan women’s basketball team kicks off the 2016-17 season at Crisler Center against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. The Wolverines are looking to improve following last season’s trip to the semifinals of the WNIT.
Returning Players
Michigan is returning two seniors: starting point guard Siera Thompson and guard Danielle Williams. Thompson has worked on becoming a more consistent scorer for the Wolverines during the offseason and will look to continue to lead the Wolverines with her passing ability after setting a school record for assists in a season with 178 last season. Michigan also has a strong junior class in Katelynn Flaherty, Jillian Dunston, and Maria Backman. Flaherty will be the focal point of the Michigan offense after her offensive dominance last season, scoring 22.1 points per game and ranking third in scoring in the Big Ten and tenth nationally. Dunston leads the Wolverines in rebounding with an average of 5.6 rebounds per game last season, and she will be in the running for a starting position at forward after starting nine games her sophomore season. Michigan’s sophomore class of Hallie Thome, Boogie Brozoski, Sam Trammel, and Nicole Munger is ready to contribute big minutes after working tirelessly during the offseason. The 6’5” center Thome remained in Ann Arbor during the summer, working on her post-game and putting on more muscle in order to improve on her solid freshman season (14.4 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds) and become a more physical presence down low for the Wolverines.
New Faces  
Michigan features four freshmen this season; Kysre Gondrezick, Kayla Robbins, Akienreh Johnson, and KeAsja Peace. Gondrezick should become a key figure in the Wolverines’ offense as she becomes accustomed to the pace of the college game. She was named Michigan’s Miss Basketball, averaging 40.5 points per game as a senior for Benton Harbor and scoring 72 points in a high school playoff game. The team will also welcome 6’5” redshirt junior Abbey Cole after she completes her final season on the Michigan Volleyball team. Cole will bring strength on the boards and in the post for the Wolverines.
2016-17 Season
With the motto “By Any Means” the Wolverines are working towards a post-season berth in the NCAA tournament. In order to improve on last season’s 21-14 record, Michigan looks to toughen their presence both on the glass and on the defensive end by specifically improving on field goal percentage defense. A strong performance in Big Ten play will be key to the Wolverines’ success, as they look to finish at least fourth in the conference. The Wolverines travel to Ohio State on January 7th and will face the Michigan State Spartans at home on February 19th.
Source: http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-baskbl/mich-w-baskbl-body.html

By: The Polish Prince

Loyal Readers,
Sorry this is late but due to some business on Monday and the election on Tuesday, I was a little tied up. Not sure if I will be doing a bye week “overview” of the team yet. If you guys would like that just let me know. I’m here to serve the people.
Best,
DP
 
This team will actually kill me. It can’t be healthy for my heart rate/stress levels to fluctuate that much in a short period of time, right? I’m no doctor, but I can diagnose this team as fun to watch. Boom, nailed that joke. But seriously, with 23 seconds left and the ball at the Lions’ 25 yard line they only had a .01% chance of winning (per some stat company). Matty Stafford and JBC dialed up 2 plays and then the game was on the foot of Prater. 58 yards between staying in the race for the NFC North or taking another step towards missed playoffs and a bad draft pick. He sailed it through the uprights. Hell, it was good from 65 yards. Then the Lions did the least Lions-y thing and got the ball to start OT and marched it down the throat of one of the best defenses of the NFL. Capped with a fantastic play by Golden Tate, and just like that, the Lions control their own fate in the NFC North despite a 1-3 start. I didn’t think this team had it in them, but give Jim Caldwell credit for keeping them focused. This team may not be good, but damn it, they are fun to watch.
 
The Good:

• Stafford: Disappeared in the 3rd quarter but not sure how much of it was him or if it was play calling. He did what he does though. You don’t need the stats; just know that there is always a chance with him at the helm.
• Matt Prater: Explosive leg, clutch, not Blair Walsh. 3 big reasons why he is in the Good this week.
• O-Line: Kept Stafford clean. Only allowed 1 sack and did a decent job run blocking. Big component of a win against a defense as good as Minnesota’s.
• Golden Tate: Made the biggest play of the game doing what he does best, yards after contact. 11 receptions for 79 yards and a BIG touchdown. That’s good enough to earn my weekly approval

 
The Bad:

• Defense: How many times do I have to say, they don’t need to be good but they need to be clutch. They weren’t clutch today. Couldn’t stop that last drive. Hopefully with this bye week coming up they can get healthy again. Slay will come back; Levy, don’t hold your breath waiting for him.
• Penalties: Too many. 6 for 57 yards. Clean it up. The one that stuck out was the offsides penalty on the Vikings final drive that gave them a first down. Cant have bad penalties like that.

 
The Ugly

• The Drops: Its become and epidemic within the receiving corps. They just have too many, they actually lead the league, and the worst part is that it isn’t just one guy. Its all of them dropped passes are almost as bad as penalties.

 
The Lions are a half game out of the NFC North, in the thick of a Wild Card race, and control their own destiny. What could go wrong? Everything of course, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.
 
P.S.- The Cavs won a title for Cleveland, the Cubs broke 108 year old curse, and Donald Trump is the president-elect. Anything is possible Lions fans.

By: Tim Barnum & Dalton Potocki

Dalton: Norv Turner is out as the OC. With him they were dead last is almost every offensive category. Now, former Eagles OC, Pat Shurmur steps in. For this week, does this hurt the Lions or Vikings more?

Tim: Let’s not forget another former Shurmur role - head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Just throwing that out there for the hell of it. Do we play them this year? I hope so. Back to the matter at hand. Unless I am misremembering, Shurmur and Bradford didn’t exactly make beautiful music together in Philadelphia, but when Chip Kelly is the coach, how much of the offense is the OC actually coordinating. Years ago I made a decision regarding Sam Bradford - never worry about him one bit. I still hold to that today. If I have to choose the Lions or Vikings, though, I’d say it hurts the Lions more, because I can’t possibly see Shurmur being any worse as OC than Norv. Oh yeah, in my extensive research (reading the results of a google search without even clicking on a link), I learned Shurmur is an Ann Arbor native who went to Michigan State University. What a rube.

Dalton: Losing two in a row after starting out 6-0, are the Vikings contenders or pretenders?

Tim: Pretenders. They do have a stout defense, and it is possible that the Vikes could take the division with some of the inconsistencies Green Bay has shown. However, I can’t see them being legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Tim: With Minnesota all of a sudden looking like they’re a team with Sam Bradford at QB, the NFC North is pretty tight (except for the Bears, who, giving credit where it’s due, beat the Lions and Vikings). What’s the worst possible record the Lions could have and still win the division? 10-6? 8-7-1? Do you see a road to that record?

Dalton: 10 wins will win this division. The Viks already have a good jump on that but they are starting to come down to earth and are playing like a team with a bottom 3 offense. Now whether the Packers or Lions can steal this division is the million dollar question.Both teams have shown inconsistencies. For our beloved Lions to get the job done, they need to sweep the rest of the divisional games and then win the ones they are supposed to (Jaguars and Giants). Can they do it? Yes, they actually can. But they probably won't because they are the Lions. There is a path to the division, but that path is filled with more ghosts of the past than the Roosevelt Hotel.

Tim: Which Vikings defensive unit or player strikes fear into you and how do the Lions neutralize the group or individual?
​
Dalton: The thing that scares me the most is the pla that Defensive Coordinator George Edwards has came up with. While the Vikings obviously have good players, their biggest strength is coaching. Edwards has done a heck of a job this year mixing up coverage and confusing an impressive amount of Pro Bowl QBs (Rodgers, Newton, Manning). What he does with Matt Stafford could be his biggest test of the year. The best way for the Lions to beat this tough defense is to keep throwing the short route. The Minnesota D-Line is good enough to get pressure and to keep Stafford clean, he is going to need to get it out quick.

Tim: Is there something new the Lions should try on defense, or is the problem execution?

Dalton: I think it's the execution, and by execution I mean we don't have the talent. This defense is riddled with injuries and I'm not sure there is anything that Teryl Austin can do to make them better. They have to just be good enough to hang in there and hope Stafford and the offense can win them games. This sucks considering how our defense got us in the playoffs a few seasons ago but that's the reality we live in.

Predictions:
Dalton: I think that the Vikings defense is just too good for the Lions to get much going. While the Vikings offense is in disarray right now, the Lions defense may be in worse condition. Vikings win in an ugly one, 13-7.
​
Tim: I’m thinking the Lions will be 4-5 after this one, too, and like you, I think it’ll be ugly. 16-10 Vikings. Lions will be driving at the end and Stafford will be sacked as time expires.

By: Cards Fan Recruiter

​Cubs fans, your wait is finally over! Most of you reading this have suffered through ten, even fifteen years without a title. Must feel pretty great to rid yourselves of that curse. If you’re a little bit older you got to watch the greatest basketball player of all-time bring six championships to the Windy City. Sure the Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cups in the past six years, but the United Center isn’t in the nicest part of town. You’ve always been a Cubs fan, Wrigley Field is so much fun! You’ll never forget sitting in your dad’s corporate seats right behind home plate, or your first beer in the bleachers.

​You’ve been through heartbreak too. When you were eight, Steve Bartman interfered on a catch Moises Alou definitely would have made. If Alou could have recorded the 2nd out of the inning none of those 8 runs would have scored. I can’t imagine what it was like in Chicago after dropping game 7 the next day. 

Oh, what’s that? You didn’t grow up in Chicago? Naperville or Highland Park still counts. You're not from Illinois? Why are you a Cubs fan? Oh, your dad’s from the Windy City. And you went to summer camp in Wisconsin. Yeah, that is close to Chicago. Their pizza is good. Yes, I too have had a layover in O’Hare extended by a delay. A mixture of caramel and cheese popcorn? That can’t be good. It’s the best? Really?
 
But aren't you worried it’s not going to be as fun now that the curse is over? Well sure, I’d imagine it's fun watching your team win. Yeah, a parade with all those fans does sound fun. But aren’t you going to miss being the “lovable losers?” No, that’s not your identity anymore. With a $100,000,000+ payroll and a ton of young talent you’re on the verge of a dynasty, the likes of which your city hasn’t seen since 2015. You still want to root for a lovable loser? I think I have the team for you.

​Are you a football fan? Oh, that’s right you like the Bears. Yeah, I've seen that SNL skit. Polish sausage, Hurricane Ditka, yeah, I remember it. Chris Farley was very funny. Are you willing to give all that up? Let me make a case for my favorite team.

Are you familiar with the Arizona Cardinals? No, that’s the baseball team. But we did play in St. Louis at one point. Come to think of it, the Arizona Cardinals were founded in Chicago before your Bears. Put your phone down! Yes, I’ve seen the skit! Yeah, those mustaches are hilarious!

​Anyway, the Arizona Cardinals now have the longest title drought in American professional sports. When did they last win a title? 1947. Yes, that is more recent than 1908, but here's a fun fact about all the Cubs fans from 1908. They’re dead. Yesterday’s win meant nothing to them. If heaven is as great as I want to believe it is, I’m sure as shit not watching baseball up there.

​Do the Cardinals have a venue as special and intimate as the “friendly confines?” Well it’s not exactly friendly…

But, it has a catchy name. University of Phoenix Stadium. Yeah, that online University. Why? The face of our franchise, Larry Fitzgerald, went there.

​Wrigley Field is hidden within a quaint neighborhood? No, Glendale is not exactly Wrigleyville, but there are some nice cotton fields that surround the stadium. Plus, the hockey team currently (and will soon used to play) plays right next-door. You like the neighborhood bars next to Wrigley? Well, we have a strip mall close to the stadium with a Margaritaville. Yes, I've heard “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” It’s not really my type of music.

University of phoenix Stadium also offers tons of parking.

​What are the fans like? For the most part they’re, uh, fine. The team only came to Arizona in 1988 so the fan base is relatively young, but it is growing. 

Plus we have Cortez! Look at him!

Do we have any curses? Does inept ownership count? Oh you’re familiar with that. No we don’t have any Billy Goat type thing, but Bill Bidwill was really bad. His son Michael now runs the team though and he’s been a welcomed change.

 Have the Cardinals experienced any heartbreak? We've been to the Super Bowl once, but it didn't end with anything like a fan catching a ball hit into the stands in game 6 of the NLCS with your team leading by 3 runs in the 8th inning.

​You like a quirky coach who is beloved by the team's fans and media alike? He has to wear “cool glasses” too? Yeah, we got that. His name is Bruce Arians and he’s actually buddies with Joe Maddon.

​That’s true, Joe Maddon does get to coach a great group of players. The Cardinals have a few all-pro caliber guys. No, our quarterback is not one of them. 

​Yeah the Cardinals were pretty good last year. You’re worried about looking like a bandwagon fan if the Cardinals win the Super Bowl this year? Between you and me, I don’t think that’s a real concern. 

​So you’re in? Oh, your grandparents live in Arizona already? The one’s from Chicago? Oh, Indiana. Yeah, I guess Chicago is near Fort Wayne. They only go down to Arizona during the winter? That works, football season overlaps with their visits. No, it won’t look weird to go with you dad to a Cardinals' game if he wears a Bears' shirt and you’re in a Cardinals' jersey. That actually is a frequent sight. As I mentioned previously, we’re a young fan base. 

​You want constant national attention even when your team is awful? Uh, they still throw us on national TV quite a bit, but those experiences are usually brutal. We also don’t sing and celebrate after we lose. We just go home.

Game 1 at Toronto Raptors, L 91-109
Tough way to start the season, but it’s not too disappointing considering they’re playing on the road against a top team in the Eastern Conference. It also doesn't help that they are still figuring out how to play without Reggie Jackson. Andre Drummond got into early foul trouble, and DeMar DeRozan was making shots like this: https://streamable.com/fnui.
Game 2 vs Orlando Magic, W 108-82
Pistons take care of business against a Magic team that is still clearly trying to figure out their identity.  Balanced scoring effort with a solid 40 coming off the bench.  Ish Smith and Jon Leuer really proved themselves as good offseason pickups.  Andre Drummond gets his first 20 rebound game of the season. About time.
Game 3 vs Milwaukee Bucks, W 98-83
Drummond’s monster 20/23 game is too much for the Bucks to handle.  Pistons put in a stellar defensive performance for their second consecutive game. 

Biggest Takeaways from the first three games:
The Pistons will be just fine until Reggie Jackson’s return
            So far Ish Smith has looked solid in his temporary stint as starting PG.  There was no expectation for him to replace the scoring of Reggie, but rather to act as a more traditional point guard, distributing the ball and not turning it over.  He has certainly delivered.  He looks very comfortable running the offense, and when he pushes the floor off of defensive rebounds, the Pistons have not looked better.  When Reggie gets back, Ish is going to run circles around opponents’ second units.
            To replace Reggie’s scoring, the Pistons needed to find a replacement for the Reggie-Drummond pick and roll that accounted for a majority of the Pistons’ offense.  Thankfully, Drummond’s post game looks greatly improved.  His footwork looks much improved and he has been able to hit his baby-hook much more consistently.  If he can continue to refine his post game, he is going to punish the league’s new breed of thin and lanky big men.
​
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson were disappointing
            So far neither have looked like they improved much in the offseason.  KCP may have had a big game against the Bucks, but I’m going to see more performances like that before I consider it anything but an outlier.  Especially considering his first two games were absolutely abysmal (4/14 shooting with 9 points total).  Not only were his numbers bad, but he was taking shots that were flat out terrible.  Not what fans wanted to see out of him in a contract year.
             Johnson has also started the season struggling offensively.  I don’t think he is entirely to blame, though. Stan Van Gundy has only played him 19 MPG, not allowing him to get into a rhythm offensively.  This is particularly strange considering that the Pistons are missing rotational wing player Reggie Bullock.  When Bullock returns from injury, he will be competing for the same minutes that Johnson gets.  It will be interesting to see how SVG handles the rotations.

Andre’s free throw shooting improved!
            He is still shooting a poor 50% (8/16), but I’ll take bad over historically bad every day of the week.  It’s definitely too soon to start feeling all that great about his shooting seeing as he was shooting 58% from the line through the first 3 games of last season on a greater number of attempts, but he definitely looks way more comfortable shooting this year.  As it is with most poor free throw shooters, his struggles at the line have always seemed to be more mental than physical.  I think as his overall game improves, so will his confidence.  He definitely has good reason to be more confident about his game.  Besides the Toronto game, he has looked great at both ends of the floor, working out of the post really well and looking like an improved rim defender.

Nathan Sorensen, WCBN Sports Contributor