MICHIGAN SPORTS

Detroit Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, Tigers, U-M Wolverines, MSU Spartans & More

AP File PhotoDetroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson loses control of the ball as he falls to the floor against the Boston Celtics during the first half.

BOSTON -- Rajon Rondo had 18 points and eight assists, outplaying new Pistons acquisition Allen Iverson and leading the Boston Celtics to a 98-80 victory over Detroit on Thursday night in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals.

Iverson had 16 points and four assists for Detroit, which fell to 4-3 since he was acquired from Denver for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. Iverson helped the Pistons beat the previously undefeated Lakers and snap Cleveland's eight-game win streak, but he hasn't changed their lot when it comes to the defending NBA champs.

Despite Detroit's 0-10 record and its title as the only winless team in the league, Lions insider Tom Kowalski said players haven't quit on coach Rod Marinelli.

"I have not seen any fracturing of this team at all this year," Kowalski said during his weekly hour-long show, The Point After on WDFN.

Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios spoke to WDFN's Stoney and Wojo on Thursday where he admitted the Red Wings' 7-6 overtime loss to Pittsburgh served as the ultimate "wake-up call."

Quick pregame update: Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall were scratched before the game Thursday in Edmonton. Kronwall skated Thursday morning but has been bothered by a sore ankle from Monday's game. Holmstrom, who took the pregame warmups, is experiencing back spasms. Both are listed as day-to-day. Derek Meech replaced Kronwall. The Wings are playing with 11 forwards, dressing only 19 players.

Following practice Thursday, Rich Rodriguez named four players as team captains for the 2008 season. Defensive linemen Terrance Taylor, Tim Jamison and Will Johnson and tight end Mike Massey were the choices.

"These four men have provided tremendous leadership and represented our program at the highest level throughout the season," Rodriguez said in a written release.

All four will stand at midfield for the coin toss Saturday against Ohio State.

AP PhotoCoach Bill Laimbeer is the WNBA's all-time leader in postseason and finals victories.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Coach Bill Laimbeer has been re-signed to a two-year contract by the WNBA champion Detroit Shock.

The team is not releasing financial terms of the deal announced Thursday.

"Bill has established himself as a premier professional basketball coach and general manager," said Tom Wilson, president of Palace Sports & Entertainment. "His ability to assemble talent -- both players and coaches -- and inspire his teams to become champions has led to the ultimate prize for the Shock in three of the last six seasons."

DETROIT --The Detroit Tigers on Thursday added five minor league prospects to the 40-man roster by buying their minor league contracts. The move blocks the prospects from selection in the Rule 5 draft at next month's baseball meetings in Las Vegas.

Top outfield prospects Wilkin Ramirez and Casper Wells, a Grand Rapids native, were added to the roster along with right-handed pitchers Alfredo Figaro, Guillermo Moscoso and Zach Simons.

The Tigers have two openings on the 40-man roster to be filled in the weeks ahead.

Dustin: Marinelli seems to be obsessed with Culpepper and he has only been with the team for two weeks, what is it about Stanton that him and the other coaches just don't like?

Tom Kowalski: Head coaches love veteran quarterbacks. You're right, Culpepper hasn't "proven'' anything yet, but look around the league and see how veterans have replaced young up-and-comers -- Kerry Collins in Tennessee, Kurt Warner in Arizona and Gus Frerotte in Minnesota, to name a few.

Let's wait and see how the Culpepper thing works out. If he continues to show progress the rest of this sesaon, he'll go into next year as the starter and Stanton will be looking at a backup role. If Culpepper levels off and doesn't show anything special, the quarterback job should be wide open.

Because more than 6,500 tickets remained unsold by the 1 p.m. Thursday deadline, the Lions' game on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be blacked out on local television. It's the third straight blackout for the Lions -- ending a string of 50 straight sellouts at Ford Field.

There are still about 1,000 tickets left for Detroit's game against the Tennessee Titans on Thanksgiving. That game has to be sold out prior to 1 p.m. Monday to have the blackout lifted.

Receiver Calvin Johnson, after missing one day with a thigh injury, returned to practice on Thursday and will start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Receiver Mike Furrey, who was sidelined last week after suffering a concussion against Jacksonville, went through some individual drills but it's unlikely he'll play.

Center Dominic Raiola didn't work out on Wednesday but was ruled out for Sunday's game. Raiola (broken right thumb) is waiting for a special cast that might allow him to play and snap with his right hand. Defensive end Dewayne White (calf) did not practice and isn't expected to play.

Rumors are flying that running back Sam McGuffie will transfer from Michigan after freshman year. But Ann Arbor News Wolverines beat writer John Heuser says that there is nothing new with the story, and that McGuffie shouldn't be discouraged by his diminishing role this year.

"The coaches have confidence in him," Heuser points out during his weekly Q&A, "and he's been used much more this year than a typical freshman. I hope he stays, because I think he'll be a contributor throughout his career."

Still, Heuser thinks it's too close to say whether McGuffie is leaning toward staying at Michigan or transferring to a different school.

If you have a Lions-related question you'd like to get answered, please e-mail me. I'll take the best questions and answer them both in my blog and also on my radio show Thursday night on WDFN. Please include your name, hometown and state.

AP PhotoDetroit's Allen Iverson goes to the basket for two of his team-high 23 points Wednesday.

AUBURN HILLS -- Ex-Piston Ben Wallace made note of how his former team looks a lot different since they traded two of his former teammates -- Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver -- for Allen Iverson earlier this month.

"Their style of play has definitely changed," said Wallace, who now starts for the Cleveland Cavaliers. "They're forced to play a different style of basketball."

He's right.

AP PhotoPenn State coach Joe Paterno worked with former Michigan State coach George Perles to begin the year-end tradition.

EAST LANSING -- George Perles and Joe Paterno were visionaries. They just didn't think it would take 15 years to see the season finale between Michigan State and Penn State achieve the perennial importance of Michigan-Ohio State.

However, four coaching changes -- all by MSU -- and 14 generally inconsequential regular season finishes later, the Spartans and Nittany Lions are finally playing for a lot more than a bid from a second-tier bowl or self-respect.

A whole lot more.

File: APOhio State 's Terrelle Pryor unseated Todd Boeckman in the Buckeyes' fourth game and rocketed to the top of the Big Ten's passing-efficiency ratings.

It was a mid-January night, and the nation's No. 1 high school football prospect entered Crisler Arena to chants of "We want Pryor! We want Pryor!"

After Terrelle Pryor settled into his seat, a cheerleader at the University of Michigan-Iowa men's basketball game handed him a yellow T-shirt. Later, when the quarterback from Pennsylvania left Crisler through the arena tunnel, he tossed the shirt to a man nearby and indicated he didn't want it back.

Perhaps Pryor's action on his recruiting visit was a sign of things to come.

Rob Widdis | The Grand Rapids PressDaunte Culpepper heads onto the field before his first home game with the Detroit Lions on Nov. 9.

ALLEN PARK -- It's not often that an NFL coach acknowledges he made a mistake, but the Detroit Lions' Rod Marinelli says he may have goofed in signing free-agent quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Not that he signed him, but that he didn't sign him sooner.

Marinelli has done nothing but rave about Culpepper since the nine-year veteran joined the Lions a few weeks ago.

"I'm thankful he's here," Marinelli said Wednesday as the 0-10 Lions prepared to face the 7-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Ford Field. "I'm very lucky and very fortunate."