I'm like, uh, sick or something... ?

Today's Opening Day in Detroit, which means it's a local holiday and plenty of people will be playing hooky and getting hammered around Comerica Park (and the old Tiger Stadium) for most of the afternoon.


For one day, everyone's a baseball fan around here. But this year, the people seem especially ready to embrace the tied-for-first-place Detroit Tigers (after approximately 4% of the schedule has been played) as they arrive triumphantly at Comerica Park to play the defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox. So reality could come crashing in fast this week, but for the past seven days, it's been damn fun to root for a winning baseball team.

The staff at Fried Rice Thoughts hates to be left out of a party (though often is), so we'll be strolling around the ballpark, smiling and exchanging high-fives as we skip work we're supposed to be doing. At least until the first pitch at 1 p.m., after which I'll probably be driving home since I don't have a ticket to the game (and am low on the press credential totem pole at Motor City Sports Magazine).

Speaking of MCSM, they'll be having a tailgate party from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the corner of Madison and Randolph, in the parking lot just south of the Gem Theatre. There will be a RV with banners hanging, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Stop by and say hi, if you're in the area. And hey, if you've always wanted to meet a sportswriter... I'll escort you over to Comerica Park where you might be able to meet some of the working press.

Spring is officially in the air, starting today. As James Earl Jones said in Field of Dreams, baseball "reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again." Raise a drink in salute of our national pastime, people!