Detroit Pistons return to the NBA Playoffs!

Posted on by farlane
Michigan Central lights up for the Detroit Pistons by Chris Ahern Photography

Michigan Central lights up for the Detroit Pistons by Chris Ahern Photography

The NBA shares that after an unprecedented turnaround, the Detroit Pistons are back in the NBA Playoffs! The Cade Cunningham-led Pistons were 44-38 good for 6th in the Eastern Conference this season just one year after winning a league-low 14 games.

The seven game series vs the New York Knicks (51-31) opens Saturday at 6pm at Madison Square Garden. The Freep notes that this isn’t a matchup between a top seed like 2019 playoff sweep vs MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Knicks do have home-court advantage, more playoff experience, and more star power, but the Pistons won three of four games against the Knicks this season.

I went over to Michigan Central this morning after a reader tipped me off about the cool color scheme yesterday, but it was just the usual white lights. The very large silver lining is that you all get this amazing drone shot from yesterday morning. Click the photo to follow Chris on Facebook, click here for his Instagram, and for sure check out the Detroit portfolio on his website for more great shots, including some of MCS in different colors!

And PS: You can relive Detroit Piston greatness through 30 years on Michigan in Pictures posts!

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Return of the Turtle: Detroit Tigers Opening Day

Posted on by farlane
Opening Day Flag Downtown Detroit Partnership

Opening Day Anthem by Downtown Detroit Partnership

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

Friday, April 4th 2025 is the 124th Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers. As a resident of Midtown in Detroit, I can tell you that this is unquestionably one of the biggest holidays of the year for us. Already the streets are filling with cars as baseball fans from all over Michigan and the world get ready for Tiger Baseball to return to the Motor City!

I’ve rounded up some of the highlights with a laser focus on FREE including and Opening Day party at Grand Circus Park by the City of Detroit and a Wisconsin manufacturer of watery beer that features a LOT of great food trucks, DJ Invisible, and lots of video walls and screens. There’s another free party from noon – 6pm just across Woodward at one of my favorite venues, The Fillmore with giveaways, WRIF and the game on their MASSIVE screen (tell the security guys Andy sent you and they will laugh). Also on the free front are a party at Gilly’s with giveaways, raffle, face painting & DJ Ray Ya Dig (official DJ of the Lions) from 9 AM–4 PM. I think that the Opening Day Party with my friends The Honest to God Jug Band is free, but they’re so fun and Cliff’s Bells is SO cool that I think you won’t mind if there is a cover.

And everywhere there are giveaways, giveaways, giveaways including the House of Faygo Pop-up at Campus Martius this Friday – Sunday.

  • Opening Day Love by City of Detroit
  • Detroit Tigers First Opening Day Detroit Historical Society

Here’s more information on the photos & happenings. Please add yours in the comments here or on our Facebook!

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Happy Birthday Joel!

Posted on by farlane
Michigan & Trtumbull by Joel Dinda

Michigan & Trumbull by Joel Dinda

Today is longtime Michigan in Pictures photographer & supporter Joel Dinda’s birthday so be sure to wish him a happy one! When I looked through the many photos from Joel I featured over the years, I found two that I used to wish a happy birthday to St Helena Lighthouse in the Straits of Mackinac & also from my post celebrating 100 years of Tiger Stadium. While the article I link to is gone, you can check it out on the Wayback Machine!

See the latest from Joel on his Flickr and also in our Michigan in Pictures Facebook group!

St Helena Light by Joel Dinda

St Helena Light by Joel Dinda

Detroit Lions secure top playoff spot

Posted on by farlane
Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Last night the city of Detroit erupted in celebration after the 14-2 Detroit Lions destroyed the also 14-2 Minnesota Vikings last night for their 15th win & top seed in the NFC. It’s an absolutely incredible moment for the long suffering franchise & Lions fans everywhere!

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

The Lions running back lived up to his Sonic nickname with 139 yards on the ground, another 31 through the air, and FOUR touchdowns. Gibbs became the first Lions player to lead the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns (20) since Sanders in 1991 (17) while setting a single-season franchise record for TDs!!

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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal wins AL Cy Young

Posted on by farlane
Detroit Tigers Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal

Detroit Tigers Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal received all 30 first-place votes to become the unanimous winner of the 2024 American League Cy Young Award last night, and as a bonus it was his 37th birthday!

Skubal is the fifth Tiger to win the award, joining Max Scherzer (2013), Justin Verlander (2011), Willie Hernández (1984) and Denny McLain (1968 and ’69). The dominant southpaw capped his pitching Triple Crown season on Wednesday by winning the AL Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America

His 18 wins were the most by a Tiger since Scherzer had as many in 2014. His 2.39 ERA was the lowest by a qualified Detroit starter since Mark Fidrych’s incredible rookie season of 1976. His 5.9 fWAR trailed only Verlander’s 2009 and ’10 seasons as the most by a Tigers pitcher in his age-27 season or younger since 1971. His 6.3 bWAR not only led MLB pitchers, it ranked seventh among all AL players. Skubal became the 22nd player in Major League history to win a pitching Triple Crown. (and first since Verlander in 2011!)

Head over to the Detroit Tigers website for much more!

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Waterfall Wednesday: Over Tahquamenon Falls Edition

Posted on by farlane
Over Tahquamenon Falls by Gary Ennis

Over Tahquamenon Falls by Gary Ennis

9 years ago I shared some photos of kayaking legend Marcelo Galizio plunging over Tahquamenon Falls. I was surprised to learn he had done it previously & even more surprised that he’d done it 19 times since 2012! The Newberry News shares in part:

Believe it or not, it’s legal. Water is in the public domain, and Galizio has a right to be there. What he does is highly unrecommended, however, even by Galizio.

Galizio is a professional kayaker, and he takes on these adventures for a living. He only performs a drop if the conditions prove themselves to be right, and only after his team is in place to assist. That includes a safety person waiting in a kayak downstream from the falls, a drone operator, and a camera person.

“I usually come back to the surface upside down,” he said. When that happens, he rights himself quickly, and no water gets inside his kayak.

…Eric Johnson, lead ranger for the park, has been with the park for 18 years and has concerns about activities like these. “I have the fear that it might get a copy cat attempt by somebody that’s not a professional waterfalls kayaker,” Johnson said.

Gary witnessed the team in action & wrote “Trust and team work! The work between these 2 is unreal… It was awesome to see how well – just amazing!” Click for more pics from the drop (use the right arrow to advance), and see more photos from Gary on his Facebook.

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The Detroit Tigers are October Ready 😤

Posted on by farlane

October Ready 😤 by Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are the hottest team in baseball, ending the season on a 31-13 run and baseball’s best pitcher in Triple Crown winner Tarik Skubal (leader in wins, strikeouts & ERA) throwing in the opener vs the Houston Astros today at 2:32pm.

If you are in Detroit, you can watch the game live at Comerica Park with fellow fans for just $5! And if you want one of these sweet shirts, you know MLB will sell you one.

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Get ready for the 2024 Detroit Lions!

Posted on by farlane
500 Drone Lion over Michigan Central Station by Stephen McGee Films

500 Drone Lion over Michigan Central Station by Stephen McGee Films

The Detroit Lions open the 2024 NFL Season at home Sunday night at 8:30pm vs Matthew Stafford & the Los Angeles Rams. In celebration, the Lions will hold a drone show over downtown Detroit like the one they held over Michigan Central Station back in January. The show will take place 400 feet above Ford Field facing downtown this Saturday (Sep 7) at 8:45pm.

There’s a huge amount of excitement around the Lions this year following their stellar 2023 season – let us know how you’re feeling in the comments!!

Stephen took this photo in January . Follow him @stephen_mcgree on Instagram. You can purchase this print & get information about his work including Resurgo, a documentary about the rebirth of Detroit on his website.

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Detrpit Lions Drone Show

2024 NFL Draft in Detroit

Posted on by farlane

2024 NFL Draft Stage in Detroit by Brad Galli WXYZ

The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off TODAY in Detroit, Michigan. WXYZ Sports Director Brad Galli shared this photo of the stage lit up & ready to go! In case you’re wondering, they didn’t use Ford Field, Comerica Park, Fox Theatre or any of Detroit’s other big venues because the crowd is so massive. Detroit is anticipating 300,000 – 400,000 people over three days!!

I live in Detroit & will be posting a lot of updates to the Michigan in Pictures Facebook & also to my personal Instagram. You can get a lot of general info about the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit along with some events I’m looking forward to right here.

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Tigers Win!

Posted on by farlane

Tigers Win (the Home Opener) by Dave Lorenz

In nearly 30 years of doing Michigan in Pictures, I’ve had a lot of firsts, but this is the first time I’ve shared a photo from the VP of Travel Michigan aka Pure Michigan! Dave has been an absolute champion for Michigan over the years. He was at the Detroit Tigers home opener that they won 5-4 and writes:

It was sunny.
It was cloudy.
It was windy.
It was cold.
It actually…snowed.
The Tiger’s won their ’24 opening home game.
A perfect day.

Agreed & let’s go Tigers!!