DETROIT – In honor of the late, great Joe Falls, it's a Fish Fry Friday.
Calvin Johnson's possible retirement from football caught some Lions' fans by surprise the other day.
But not fans who watch Sports Final Edition on Sunday night at 11:30pm on Local 4. This revelation was an item on Clubhouse Confidential more than three weeks ago.
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Apparently, it was something on Johnson' mind from the start of the season. Despite being an All-Pro receiver with $24 million on the table for next season, Johnson talked out loud to teammates and former players about hanging them up.
Most fans think he would be crazy to quit now. He's still a very good player. Plus, there's still money to be made.
But, according to some in the know, Johnson is more concerned about his long term healthy, his baby and family. Johnson has made enough money to cover the rest of his life and then some.
This is real, not a threat to squeeze more money out of the Lions. There's no way Johnson would have put out a statement if there wasn't serious thought about quitting football. That's why the Lions issued a statement as well. This possibly is real.
Around the NFL recently, you've seen players retire prematurely over health concerns. The new information on concussions has been unsettling for sure.
Gut, not inside information, tells you that you have seen the last of Johnson playing football. He won't be back in 2016 - or ever.
For Lions' fans, it's a nightmare again. Barry Sanders quit out of the blue in 1999. Now Johnson is on the verge on doing the same thing.
It would be hard to find another franchise in any sport that had their two biggest stars stop playing way too early.
Brace yourself even though you've seen this movie before.
Larkin Not Hype, Real Deal
It's no longer silly to talk about Dylan Larkin in the same breath as Red Wings' legend Steve Yzerman.
Larkin, the Wings' rookie center, has taken the NHL by storm. He was rewarded when he was named to the NHL All-Star Game - the first Wings' rookie to get such an honor since Yzerman 31 years ago.
"I still can't really believe it, but it's a great honor," said Larkin, 19, to the media after practice the other day.
Plenty of rookies get over-hyped and never live up to it. Larkin, who had a league-leading plus-22 going in Wednesday night's action, has been all that was advertised and more.
Bonds Will Get Into HOF
The takeaway from this year's BBWAA Hall of Fame voting is very clear.
Wake the kids. Call the neighbors. Say it out loud and proud. Barry Bonds - arguably the best hitter this generation has seen with or without steroids - is getting into the Hall of Fame.
Bank on it.
Not sure how many more years it will take. But you have to believe it's going to happen.
Bonds didn't get in on Wednesday when the Class of 2016 was announced. Instead, Ken Griffey Jr. was voted in on his first try and Mike Piazza made it after his fourth year on the ballot.
Piazza is now the first official known performance-enhancing drug user to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
This will help Bonds and Roger Clemens both get in. If not, it would be the ultimate double standard.
Both Bonds and Clemens have been on the ballot for four years. Both had respectable showings in this year's vote.
Clemens got 199 votes and Bonds got 195 votes, both are just about two-thirds the way there. They have six more tries before they won't be eligible.
Piazza's election is big for the Steroid Era players. A few years ago in his autobiography, Piazza admitted to taking PEDs during his playing career. The Androstenedione he took back then is now on MLB's banned PED list. And, Piazza, like Bonds, never tested positive during his playing days.
It finally appears as if the Steroid Era won't be ignored or treated as if it didn't happen. Piazza hit 427 home runs during that time.
If his home runs count for the Hall of Fame, Bonds' should as well.
I have voted for Bonds from his first year of eligibility and will continue until his name is removed from the ballot. At one point, I thought was vote would be in vain. But not after Wednesday.
Now that Piazza's in, it will be nearly impossible to deny Bonds the same day in the sun - a trip to the Hall where he belongs.