Hey there ladies and gents, and welcome to a late-night edition of Whip It Out Wednesday with your old pal, IHM. Been a massive couple of days in the sporting world, and we'll dive right into the biggest stories of the day (and the two or three days before). 

  The obvious story I have to cover first is the Tigers' signing of Prince Fielder to a massive 9 year, 214 million dollar contract. Honestly, I love the move... no matter what the defensive rammafications might be. So Fielder plays first base, which takes your old superstar, Miguel Cabrera, out of the fold there until Fielder needs a day off. I could NOT care any less about the defensive side of the ball here. Look at it this way, with or without Prince Fielder in the fold, the Tigers are a mediocre defensive team at best. Without Fielder in the lineup, aside from Cabrera, the LINEUP you trot out there day in and day out is pretty vanilla. Avilia had a good year last year... Peralta was solid, but he hasn't been a consistent hitter in his career... just ask Beeze. Delmon Young is run of the mil for a corner outfielder... Austin Jackson can't get on base to save his life at times. Without Victor Martinez in the lineup, the Tigers were in deep shit... and they knew it. Well, they responded to this issue in a BIG, BIG way by adding a 40 HR, 100 RBI bat. 

  Some people are bitching about the contract... the length and the amount paid. Honestly, neither one phases me. This is a two-year investment. Owner Mike Illitch really probably only has two or three years left at the helm of this team, he's getting up there. He'd like to have a World Series ring to go along with all the Stanley Cup championship rings he's accumulated over the years. He's all in with this team right now, and Tiger fans should be excited! Look, just eight or so years ago, when he was spending next to nothing on the Tigers' payroll, and hadn't in the decade previous he had owned the team, I was among the many calling for him to just sell the damn team already if he wasn't going to invest anything into it. He was dumping cash into the Red Wings left and right, and wouldn't even spend a damn dime on the Tigers' payroll over what was necessary to keep enough asses in the seats. But, this is a new day for Tigers' baseball. It may only last a couple of years, so enjoy it while you can. 

  There are many other flaws with this team, but this addition really helps to cover some of that up. The rotation, 1-3 at least, is among the best in baseball. If guys like Avilia, Peralta, Young and Boesch step it up, this could be a very, very good lineup. The pen is solid, at least on the back end. If you can go out and add another solid starter to the rotation to pencil in behind Porcello, a guy like Roy Oswalt or Edwin Jackson, or even trade Castellanas and Turner to ANYBODY in baseball that has a solid left-handed starter available, I say do it. The future is NOW Detroit. Quit worrying about John Smoltz, he ain't comin' back. You could've had Gio Gonzalez... they wanted BOTH of those players along with another guy, possibly Boesch. You could've had one of the five best YOUNG left handed starters in the game. You blew that opportunity. Now it's time for Dave Dombrowski to make his bacon.

  Make no mistake, this move had NOTHING to do with the General Manager... Mike Illitch stepped into Scott Boras' office alone, bent himself over the desk, and asked him what it was going to take to get Prince Fielder in a Tigers' uniform. As has been the case several times in the past, Boras obliged in fucking Illitch right in the asshole, and taking $214 million over nine years in return. 

  But really, Prince Fielder is only 27 years old. He hasn't played less than 152 games in a full Major League Season. He's free of nagging injuries, and is a guy you can build your lineup around. If nothing else, this thing doesn't work out a year or two from now, Cabrera is likely the guy I'm shipping out of town in return for some major, major prospects or for a quality arm along with a solid position player or two. Even in the long term, this nine-year contract isn't so bad. Awesome move by the Tigers... and something tells me they aren't finished dealing yet. Just a gut feeling you might say. The Cuban Centipede is still out there, and the Tigers are in his top five still. 

  Another major event happened for Detroit and its' fans this weekend that really flew under the radar. Former Lions' coach Marty Mornenwhig has been mentioned as a candidate for the head coaching job in Oakland, and his experience at the helm in Detroit was brought up by many of the pundits out that way. My old pal Matt Millen stepped up to the plate, and finally took responsibility for the God-awful job he did as GM of the Lions', saying Mornenwhig would be a good NFL coach, he just never got the players he needed to succeed under Millen. Way to show you actually have half a pair, Matty boy. About six or seven years too late, and numerous cashed paychecks too late, but it's good to finally hear it come out of your mouth. 

  Super Bowl is set, and I got it half right! Pats and Giants... again... really hoping the Patriots take care of business this time around. If the G-Men pull this thing out, l'il Eli will have a LOT to brag about at the next Manning get together. Hell, he'll have double the number of Lombardi trophies his big brother and father have put together. Here's hoping the Patriots pull this thing off, though. Good God I hate New York. 

  Happy belated birthday to Mr. Neil Diamond. Every time I even hear that name, all I can think of is the Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Will Ferrell as Neil Diamond. 

  Oh yeah, and Joe Paterno died this weekend. A bunch of assholes in Pennsylvania were sad about it, and did some stupid vigil at the statue of that cowardly bastard on Penn State's campus. Rest in apathy, JoePa. 

  That's it for me this time around, folks. Thanks for reading and for any comments you leave on the way out. 

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  Well folks, it's that time of year again... the men have been separated from the boys, the cream has risen to the top, and a number of other cliches could also be used to describe the majesty that is the AFC and NFC Championship weekend. The final four include some old standbys in the AFC, the Patriots and Ravens, and a band of underachievers and overachievers in the NFC with the Giants and 49ers. 

  Last week, I really shit the bed, going 2-2 on my picks, bringing my playoff record to 5-3. This week I can save a little face... or get them both wrong and sit at .500 going into the Super Bowl. If that happens, my days as an amateur prognosticator are OVER! 

  We'll start with the early game, the AFC Title contest between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. As much as I hate to say it, the Ravens have a real chance here. This should be a tight ballgame... the real question being which strength will win, the Patriots offense or the Ravens defense. The clear formula for the Ravens, run the ball, control the clock, and keep Tom Brady in check. The clear formula for the Pats... score more points than your defense allows! Look, I'm not saying the Patriots defense is BAD... but they're not what you'd call great, either. Honestly, in a game like this, I say it comes down to the play of your quarterback... and the Patriots have a clear edge there. 

  Patriots 31- Ravens 23

  In the NFC, a championship game between the Giants and 49ers would have drawn a few odd looks in your direction had you predicted it going into this season. Mostly people wondering if you realized this was 2011, not 1991. The Giants seemed a safe bet for the playoffs, and the 49ers a sexy pick in the NFC West... but honestly no real expectations for either club. This one comes down to the running game, pure and simple. Alex Smith was good last week, and this week is his chance prove that was no fluke. Eli Manning has always been a bit streaky in my eyes... this is his chance to have a third consecutive solid-to-great playoff performance... something he didn't put together the entire regular season. But at the end of the day, the winner will be the team that runs the ball effectively, and you're looking at a 49ers defense that didn't allow a rushing touchdown until week 16. 

 49ers 28- Giants 24

  There's the picks... hopefully I'll be coming to you in two weeks at 7-3, giving you a Patriots-49ers Super Bowl preview! Thanks for reading and for any comments you leave on the way out. 

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  So last week I went 3-1, and would've actually been closer on my score picks if Sean Payton wouldn't have so uncharacteristically taken a knee at the end of that Lions-Saints game instead of just punching it in (or having Brees toss it in). Here's what I've got for this week's games: 

 New Orleans @ San Fransisco-  This is probably going to be the most entertaining game of the weekend. Two ideaologies of football butting heads with your old-school, defense wins championships going up against your new school, pass happy attack. The 49ers biggest defensive weakness is their secondary... kind of like the Lions. But their front seven is much, much better. I think this keeps the game CLOSER... but doesn't get the job done. I'll take the Saints.

Saints 30- 49ers 24

 Houston @ Baltimore- Really nice win for the Texans last week, their first playoff win in franchise history. T.J. Yates actually didn't look all that bad, but he was nowhere near great either. If the Texans are going to win, he needs to be GREAT. That is not going to happen. As much as I hate them, Ray Lewis in particular, Ravens get the job done.

Ravens 17- Texans 6

 Denver @ New England- This might just be the ugliest playoff game we've seen since... the second half of the Lions-Saints game last week. Tebow got the job done against a hobbled Steelers defense... but the Steelers didn't have an offensive counter-punch quite like Tom Brady. Brady's been here, done that. There is zero chance the Broncos win this ballgame. IF they do, then it's true that not only is God actually on the Bronco's side, but that his priorities are just as FUCKED as ours are! Pats win.

Patriots 38- Broncos 17

 New York @ Green Bay- The game I'm most looking forward to seeing this weekend, Rodgers vs. Manning in the frozen tundra. Their last meeting was one hell of a ballgame to watch, with the Packers barely coming out on top. This one should be pretty good as well, but I think Eli shits the bed with a couple of picks, and that makes the difference. Packers move on.

Packers 34- Giants 24

  There's my picks for the weekend... with any luck I'll be coming to you next week sitting pretty at 7-1! Enjoy the games, Gabbers. 

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