October 10, 2006

Hogwash. I hear it on sports talk radio stations, throughout the media, and from fans on the street … everyone thinks it is so important to be hot going into the playoffs.

Once you make the postseason, you have to get hot. It is not always about momentum going into the playoffs, my friends. The same can be said for the NCAA basketball tournament.

A lot of schools are electric, playing winning basketball in their conference tournament. Unfortunately they often work so hard to win the conference title and then suffer upset city in the big dance. Look at Syracuse capturing the 2006 Big East championship with a great run, led by Gerry McNamara. The Orange lost in the first round of the NCAA to Texas A&M. Last season Iowa won the Big Ten championship but lost in the first round of the NCAA to Northwestern State. It happens!

Then there is baseball. How hot were the Tigers at the end of the regular season? They weren't, getting swept by the Royals while losing its grip on the AL Central. Detroit dropped five in a row prior to beating the Yankees. Everyone said they had to be hot going into the playoffs. Tell that to Jimmy Leyland. Detroit didn't buy it and New York, which came in hot, won 97 games in the regular season and had a lineup called Murderer's Row and Cano, went home.

Leyland is a master motivator and a winner. Just check out his record. His heart and soul was in Pittsburgh, Florida and now Detroit.

Look at the Cardinals and their struggles, going 3-9 down the stretch. Tony LaRussa's team limped into the playoffs, suffered through a bunch of injuries, and they got past the Padres in four.

Talk, talk, talk… you have to win on the field.

Now we have the ALCS and NLCS. Imagine if we have the Tigers and Cardinals in the World Series. Besides being a rematch of the great 1968 series, it would be LaRussa vs. Leyland and there is so much respect there. Leyland was working on scouting for the Cardinals while living in Pittsburgh, watching future St. Louis opponents when they faced the Pirates. LaRussa gave him his first job as a coach with the White Sox.

My gut feeling is Tigers vs. Mets in the World Series. Willie Randolph has done a great job. In the end, I think it is going to be Motown Madness, baby! Get the Temptations, the Four Tops, Diana Ross and the Supremes! It is going to be Berry Gordy time as the Tigers to win the World Series in six.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.