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Arguably the best sports city in America, the locals are in a lather. First, the Tigers. Sports Illustrated picked them to win the World Series, they might struggle to finish well above .500. They've got a nice team assembled, but the parts simply aren't firing.

Pitching has been suspect, and even the offense has been inconsistent. It's nobodies fault, that's the essence of sports, you can plan everything but the outcome.

Lions QB Jon Kitna has reiterated his belief that his team should win 10 games, and he'll be very disappointed if they don't.

Meanwhile, the Pistons Chauncey Billups groin/hamstring malady is causing great concern. Do you play him or rest him? If he's not 100% you risk losing him for the playoffs. On the other hand, the Pistons without Chauncey is like Disneyland without the Matterhorn. He is the heart and soul and is the most visible relied upon leader. They've got plenty of talent, but he makes the engine go.

The Red Wings are teeing it up against Dallas, but typically they've struggled in the playoffs against big, physical nasty teams. Stars goalie Marty Turco has Michigan roots, but has not fared well against the Wings over the years, particularly in Joe Louis.

All of a sudden, the Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings look vulnerable. That doesn't sit well in a city where sports is religion.

Don't count the Spurs out just yet...I'm still having a hard time believing that the road to the NBA Finals goes through Gennaro Pargo.

Having said that, there is clearly a new sheriff in town. His name is Chris Paul, he is 6'0 170 lbs and he is turning the league on his ear with his quickness, vision, ball handling, scoring and general greatness.

I have never seen a Tim Duncan led team look so out of sorts. They looked lost, confused, even intimidated. Now they get a chance to rebound at home. But, it they don't take the series back to New Orleans 2-2, they're done like dinner.

This reminds me of the New Orleans Saints/Drew Brees/Reggie Bush run the year before last. They looked invicible, but weren't quite ready for prime time. And the Hornets have one additional thing going for them...

The Spurs seem to only fire up every other year, and last year they won it all, so perhaps the script has already been written.

The Boston Celtics are having a great season. But, they are not a great team. Sure they walloped the Hawks by 35 points Sunday to advance to Round 2, but why did it take seven games?

The answer is simple. Boston couldn't win on the road. That is not a fact the should be overlooked for any reason. Every other playoff victor managed at least one road victory, and after all this was the Atlanta Hawks, the team with the worst record (37-45) in the entire 16 team NBA playoff field.

Now, cycnics will argue the Celtics have Home Court advantage all the way so they technically don't have to win on the road, as long as they hold serve at home. That might not be so easy.

Next up, LeBron James and Company, and they will give the Celtics fits. The upstart Cavs have won (6) playoff series' in the last three years and they've been extremely competitive on the playoff road.

I expect Boston to win, and get into the ring in a much anticipated matchup against the Detroit Pistons, and if they don't have their road issues solved by then they will have a major problem.

I say this because the Pistons know how to win on the road, and they already beat the Celtics in Boston once this year, and they'll do it again...

Which means KG and Company will have to repay the favor in Motown, or they'll be hitting the road for the summer.

Legendary UCLA basketball wizard John Wooden made it to (14) Final Fours in his illustrious career. However, it took him 14 years to get to his first Final Four. What if he was coaching today? He would have been fired 10 years before.

Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson was fired after only 3 years, even though he averaged 60 wins per season. However, no championships. Phoenix Mike D'Antoni is on the hot seat as well and is currently denying the SI rumors that he'll be fired.

In this fast food age of instant gratification, a John Wooden would've never even been given the chance to be a John Wooden and that would've been a loss to society that could never be measured.

The irony is that the successors to most coaches that are unceremoniously dismissed almost never do any better either. The quick-trigger syndrome has become endemic.

Now even Larry Brown, the ultimate re-cycled white guy is back with the Charlotte Bobcats after Sam Vincent was let go while just completing his first year! Vincent didn't do a very good job, and neither will Larry Brown, you can bank on it.

Just wait a minute, you'll see.

The future always has a way of arriving ahead of schedule. And for Jason Kidd and Shaquille O'Neal, it arrived way too soon. As I write this both the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns trail their respective series three games to one and make no mistake they will not come back.

I actually feel badly for Mark Cuban and Steve Kerr. Both took risks in acquiring veterans Kidd and Shaq in the hopes they could help deliver their franchises to the promised land and they won't even come close.

San Antonio and New Orleans showed the Suns and Mavericks that simply adding aging Hall-of-Famers won't help a team win on reputation anymore.

Young, quicker, hungrier players are the staple of this year's playoffs. Simply put, Jason is not a 'kidd' anymore, and Shaq's 5 rings are going to have be enough.

The future has arrived, they are from the past.