 Brother Dave (L) and the writer watching one leave the field at CoPa during the last year the Tigers made the playoffs  Loyalty runs deep for Tiger fans, but it ain't always easy By Ken DeLaat No Way! Seriously, there is no way I should be writing about the Tigers heading to Houston to take part in the Playoffs. I have been a Tiger fan for more than a smattering of decades witnessing the good, the bad and the ugly (and man there was some truly ugly) and this team tops them all. Sure, the comeback in the 68 Series was dramatic as was the Gibson home run off Gossage to ice it in ‘84 but I haven’t seen anything like what this collection of young, unproven, players mingled in with other parts of the puzzle rescued from the scrap heap have done. This wasn’t a comeback. It was a resurrection. They were tossing dirt in this team as late as mid August. They were sellers at the trade deadline. They were down to 2 (really 1 ½) starting pitchers as relievers logged innings in sets of 2 or 3. Many averages hovered or sank below the Mendoza line and injuries took out their best power hitters for extended periods of time. Springtime hopefuls had been banished to the minors after horrendous starts at the plate, only to return and make a huge impact.And they charged back taking series after series and muscling their way into a 3 game shootout with the Stro’s (nee Colt 45’s). You cannot make this stuff up. And of course, it’s gotta be Houston. The team my (much) older brother and longtime fellow member of the Bengal Brigade, swung some allegiance to after the Tig’s launched their latest and, of course, lengthy rebuild in ‘17. “ I can’t do another rebuild,” he told me soon after the Tigers traded Verlander. Hence, as he was living in the Houston aream he began following the Astros. A team 5 years removed from the National League and about to win their first of 7 AL West titles over the next 8 years. Now, I won’t say I didn’t label him a front runner for trading in the Olde English D for one of those funky Texas stars with a big old H in the middle. I admittedly ribbed him a bit for going to April games in 70 degree weather when we all know early season baseball involves the possibility of snow in real baseball towns. It was like he had betrayed the credo of the long suffering Tiger fans and traded in “Just wait til next year” for “Continue the dynasty” The once downtrodden Astros had become like the Yankees of the 50-60’s. And my brother was a fan? The horror! You know, you can take the Tiger fan out of Michigan and stick him in a warm weather climate where a successful franchise that gets to go to the post season every year becomes his home team… But it ain’t the same as the team you grew up with. The one you followed each year from the day pitchers and catchers reported to the final out that usually came in September. The team who doesn’t win often but when they do it is oh so sweet. You not only knew all the players you could recite their stats like cruising through the Pledge of Allegiance. So tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday) he and I will once again see a game together like the old days. Instead of sharing a couple of box seats at Tiger Stadium or Comerica Park, he’ll be in Houston in front of his TV and I’ll be sitting way too close to mine. And there is no doubt in my mind who he’ll be rooting for. Because my nephew Randy, pictured with us below, captured the above shot of him at a Houston game when the Boys from Big D were in town. Welcome back, brother. It’s like you never left. And Go Tigers!!  Rally caps 2014
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 Veterans and First Responders were honored before the WC/Hesperia game  Panther kicker Lacy Mey splitting the uprights Lacy Mey is the real deal
By Ken DeLaat Quite the weekend for sports. State and U-M won over opponents they certainly should have beaten, the Tigers took 2 out of 3 from the powerhouse Orioles to creep ever closer to a chance at a wild card bid while the Lions played a game called missed opportunities against the Bucs and fell to 1-1. And hereabouts there were a pair of rivalry games on the gridiron including a contest at White Cloud attended by this writer. Even after having walked the sidelines during games up in the county seat for a couple of decades, there is still a special atmosphere in this stadium. Like the other schools we cover the crowd is that mix of students, staff, family members, alumni and the occasional citizen just interested in the game. And of course the fence folks who are made up mostly of men who seem to have had coaching and/or refereeing experience (though most likely the coaching experience was primarily from owning a team in a fantasy league). On this night the school honored local veterans, firefighters and first responders before the game as a tribute to the lives lost during 9/11. With the group taking their place in front of the home bleachers there was a moment of silence, an appreciative applause, and the band did a fine rendition of the Star Spangled Banner before the honored guests marched off the field. Later, the band did itself proud at halftime with a clever show based on Wide World of Sports. As always, it was good to see WC Supe Ed Canning along with some other familiar folks and it was my first face to face with Near North Now photo contributor Bobbie Cruzan who took some great shots of the contest. Later I saw Girls Hoops Coach Caleb Wilk volunteering in the concession stand and shouted out a congrats to him on his recent marriage to another former standout WC athlete, Paige Foster, now known as Paige Wilk of course. Then there was the game. A high scoring free for all with a pair of talented quarterbacks and some big plays on both sides of the ball. What drew my attention the most, however, was the work of the freshman kicker for the Panthers, Lacy Mey. Mey handles the PAT kicking duties for the Panthers. And boy, does she ever do it well. I had heard about Mey, the only female member of the squad, saw her name in the stats Coach Fehler sent after previous games and looked forward to seeing her in action. White Cloud scored twice early on and the opportunity didn’t present itself until the second quarter when a Hesperia TD sent Mey onto the field. She drilled a shot through the uprights with ample length. Three more times during the game she would be called on to secure the extra point and trotting onto the field she coolly and calmly canned each, including one that was hurriedly placed after a mishandled snap. My hopes for witnessing a field goal attempt were dashed by the parade of touchdowns the teams put on the board, but watching her boot the ball it’s apparent that she can hit from farther than the 20 yard shots she’s been acing. Over the years there have been a few female gridders on high school teams as well as on college squads, but it is still a rarity. And while Ms. Mey might attract some attention due to being a girl, it should not detract from the fact that this is a top shelf kicker with poise to go with her skills. And yes, she is only a freshman.  First food distribution at WCUMC- Photo by Chadwick Walenga Food Truck Returns to the Cloud “For I was hungry…” It’s great to see the collaborative efforts of the White Cloud United Methodist Church and the White Cloud Library succeed in bringing back the Feeding America food truck to the area. The Church also sponsors Benny’s House, a nearby emergency food pantry. In June we ran a story on the delivery being canceled abruptly by the White Cloud Church of God Ministry who had been hosting the food truck. Feeding America posted a supportive message about the upcoming Pride Month and soon after the Church shut down the program and told us they would be investing in another food bank in the county. We have reached out since to inquire as to whether they had followed through and found another program but have not heard back as yet. But the good news is the return of this much needed and relied upon effort to help stem hunger in our community. Nicely done WCUMC and WCCL. A true example of compassion and humanity in action. The first run went well and the next date for FA will be September 24th at 5:30pm. You can get updates at the UMC fb site at https://www.facebook.com/whitecloudumc and as with any effort such as this, they will need volunteers so give a little time to a good cause and, more importantly, let yourself feel good about it afterwards. Shhh. They’re on a bit of a roll. I’m not prone to conspiracy theories and generally not superstitious although the last couple of Lions seasons has me sitting on the couch in the same spot with the same snacks and drink with my phone receiving texts from a fellow fan. But quietly and without a shred of expectation the Tigers have forged into a team that has a legitimate, if a tad distant, shot at a wild card berth. Unthinkable during a June swoon the Cubs would be proud of, this cobbled together pitching staff that has seen dozens of faces on the mound this year tossed a 3.06 ERA at opponents in August. They climbed over the 500 mark and gained ground on the Twins and Royals who currently sit in those coveted Wild Card spots. The schedule ahead is tough with the Padres and O’s, both nearly assured of being postseason teams and among the best 2 squads in both leagues. But who’d a thunk these games would even matter? And if we’re close? We end the season with three at home against the White Sox who are rapidly approaching history as they stare down the ‘62 Mets 120 loss record with scant possibilities of avoiding it. Go Tigers! “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”- Oscar Wilde Man was that a swift close out to summer or what? At N3 World Headquarters on the shores of Hess it went from full bore summer celebratin’ over the Labor Day weekend to a pretty quiet Monday finish as boats left the water on trailers and folks began hunkering down for the end. Our neighbors over at Brooks will be hauling their stuff out in a hurry as the lake will be drawn down for some needed maintenance along the roadway. Even our remaining orioles and hummingbirds that have extended their stay seem to have departed for warmer climes preceded by many of the other migrators. Football is everywhere, leaves have begun to color up and tumble down and my morning walks involve waving at school bus drivers. And, real or not, when I’m out and about there’s that subtle yet distinctive whiff of Pumpkin Spice entering my olfactory system. Well, so long summer. You’ve once again been a great time in your all too short stay. And that’s smart of you, tossing in the occasional brutal heat wave so we don’t get overly attached. “Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.”- J.K. Rowling , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  A much quieter Hess Lake |
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