Roarin' with Losey

Below is Steven D. Losey's article for the Detroit Free Press today. He is covering the playoffs for the Press and The Sporting News. He told me he would be covering the playoffs way back in June. We actually have kept in touch ever since that crazy June day when we got him to pull over on I-69 north of Coldwater. The magazine hasn't arrived yet this week, so it'll probably be in the mailbox when I get home today. I'll be going down to the first home playoff game in 19 years tonight. And, I'll be meeting Steven for a beverage and maybe a soft pretzel. They're the same kind you can buy at Sam's Club, but they're so much better in the confines of The Copa. Game time is 8:09 p.m. Watch for section 137, right by the dugout. For more information about his article in The Sporting News and the dudes who harassed him about it, click here and journey on down to the "Reason to Roar" area.

HERE'S THE PITCH ... AND LOSEY CONNECTS

When I first got the idea to make a pitch to the Sporting News I was really psyched. About 95% of everything I write is based on a pitch. I want to write about bands I love or people I love or angles I love. If editors handed me down stories then I'd be writing about things I don't dig. That wouldn't work.

About 70% of the time editors will like my pitch and I'll be off and running writing about Nickelback, Skynyrd, Rob Zombie, etc....

When the Tigers exploded out of 2006, I knew I had to contact the sports magazines and make something happen. After talking to executive editor Bob Hille at the Sporting News, he told me that a Tigers story had already been assigned. He said they already had it covered.

Instead of hanging up the phone with a whimper I decided I had nothing to lose so this is what I said. "Listen, Bob, I have sweated, and cheered, and lived and died with the Tigers all of my life. I have a Tigers custom license plate and a Tigers room. I read every story. I go to every Web site. I know every player, manager, bad trade, and bad draft pick. I've seen horrible managing, inept baseball and questionable decisions. I have worn headphones to my wife's family reunion for 15 years because the Tigers always play on Sunday. I know the team, the nuances, the pain and heartbreak, the soul and the culture. I am who should be writing this story!"

There was silence. I thought he'd hung up. When he came back he said, "Let me put you in touch with Stan McNeal, our baseball guy."

Five minutes later McNeal called. He asked me to repeat what I'd told Bob. I did but with more voice inflections. What Stan said next was a blessing: "Steve, I was flying to Kansas City tonight to cover the Tigers, but now it's your story." Like I said in the Sporting News in June, passion, enthusiasm, dedication and spirit, the soul of a fan!