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WASHINGTON (AP)—President Barack Obama says the blown umpire’s call...

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called Armando Galarraga a "tremendous pitcher" Sunday and praised him for his sportsmanship after an umpire's blown call robbed him of a perfect game.

A great man! Rest in Peace, Mr. Harwell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Harwell

We often hear from our favorite radio hosts “You’re a Great American”. Well, a legend is gone, and he was a Great American. How often would he say “God Bless You” ? What was it, about him, and his voice? Sort of like a little bit of God was in his voice. What a heart and what a good man. He said in regards to his 92 years that “the good Lord has blessed me with a great journey”. Play by play from 1960 to 1991, and then again from 1993 to 2002 for the Tigers … When I heard...

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE (AP) – Members of the 79th Fighter Squadron are heading home to South Carolina from their first-ever deployment to Afghanistan. Shaw Air Force Base spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Emily Chilson says members of the unit were scheduled to return sometime late Friday. Hundreds of airmen and about a dozen F-16 Fighting Falcons headed to Afghanistan in October in support of NATO efforts there. The group included members of the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron on the four-month long deployment. Squadron commander Lt. Col. Ken Ekman said at the time that the squadron would fly missions supporting ground combat...

Go Tigers...too many penalties, but LSU WILL knock off Florida, Tebow or not,....

TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!TWINS WIN!!!

DETROIT (AP)—Ernie Harwell, the 91-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, said Friday that he has inoperable cancer. Harwell told The Associated Press he has a tumor near a bile duct. He said he knows he may go through some painful days, but is in good spirits and appreciates the good wishes he’s received from hundreds of fans. Harwell spent 42 of his 55 years as a broadcaster calling Tigers games, from 1960 to 2002. He said he has been “flattered” to hear so many people tell him about the role his voice played in their lives. “It’s...

"Dear Birthers: Stop! Sincerely, Serious Conservatives." I've held fire for the last several months as I've watched the so-called "Birther" movement gain steam. At first it was amusing, like playing a drinking game — you know, like taking a shot every time Chris Matthews explains why he insists on pronouncing the former Vice President's name "CHEE-knee." It's not amusing anymore.... But that "Birther" thing ... Seriously. Is this anything but a gift to the Democrats? ... National Review Founder William F. Buckley, Jr., Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, conservative historian and philosopher Russell Kirk, and American Enterprise Institute President William Baroody...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, July 22, 2009 – American volunteers flying shark-faced P-40 Tomahawks protected China during World War II, and their legacy has become a fixture in the war in Afghanistan. Air Staff Sgt. James Irvin performs an air-cycle machine inspection on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to ensure the A-10 Thunderbolt functions properly, July 20, 2009. Irvin is deployed from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Felicia Juenke  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. In homage to the storied airmen of the past, the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed from...

... Mr. Rajapaksa, elected in 2005, finally put an end to the "peace process" with Prabhakaran and focused on winning the military fight. In 2007, with the help of a Tiger splinter group, the government subdued the Eastern Province; the first elections were held there last year. The fighting then moved to the North. It has not been cheap or easy. Military spending in the 2009 budget is $1.7 billion, 5% of GDP and 20% of the government's budget. ...

A controversial zoo in Argentina allows tourists to have extremely close encounters with some of the most dangerous predators in the world. Here at the Lujan Zoo near Buenos Aires visitors can ride lions, cuddle bears, stroke tigers and feed cheetahs. The animals appear to be very sedate and tame and keepers casually supervise the animals that aren't chained when they are out of their cages. Visitors can even pick up the smaller animals and manhandle them at risk to themselves and the creatures.

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (CNS) -- Michael Ochab's 20-year streak of rooting for the Detroit Tigers as part of the opening day crowd is coming to an end. Home opening day this year falls on Good Friday, April 10. "It's a no-brainer for me," said the 47-year-old lifetime Hamtramck resident. "He died for us on that cross." As the first pitch crosses the mound at Comerica Park, just after the 1:05 p.m. start of his beloved Tigers facing off against the Texas Rangers, Ochab will be in St. Florian Church for Good Friday services. He and his eight siblings grew up in...

Farasi the baby hippo won't be euthanized and fed to the big cats after all. The Basel Zoo said media reports that Farasi will be euthanized and put in the nearby tiger cage because of a lack of space are misleading. Yes, animals are euthanized from time to time, the zoo said, but that is unlikely to be an option in the case of Farasi, who was born in November and has become one of the zoo's star attractions.

What face do you put on 0-16? The owner, William Clay Ford? He is undeniably detached from both common sense in regard to football, and perhaps the common person, too. The architect, Matt Millen? He left the franchise in utter disrepair. The embattled coach, Rod Marinelli? Asked so many questions, he's had so few answers. That was especially true when it counted most — finding a way to win on game day. The players? They just weren't good enough. Not to win a championship, mind you. Or to finish above .500. Not to win a single game. The fans? Their...

I'm flying solo for Championship Week. Rose is a Big 10 guy...so are we really surprised he's not picking conference championship games? Update from Rose: Ummm, no. I'm here. My picks are added below: No. 17 Boston College vs. No. 25 Virginia Tech (even odds), 1 p.m. I am inclined to go with Virginia Tech here. Boston College hasn't forgotten last year -- you know, when the Eagles beat Virginia Tech during the regular season only to miss the BCS at the hands of the Hokies in the ACC title game. Expect a hard-nosed game, low scoring, tough defense and...

(edit)Keeping their 200lb frames afloat takes quite a bit of effort, which is why their handlers join them in the water to keep a close eye on their progress. (edit) 'Tigers have a natural desire and ability to swim,' said Dr Bhagavan Antle, who set up the tiger pool at his animal park in South Carolina.  'It is rarely seen and we wanted to be able to present it to people so they could really get the feel of that incredible beauty and grace that a tiger has in the water.  'Tigers have modified webbing between their toes that makes their...

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 11, 2008 – The Baghdad Zoo officially welcomed two Siberian-Bengal tigers, Riley and Hope, to its animal kingdom Aug. 8. Riley and Hope, male and female respectively, were donated by the Conservators' Center in North Carolina. "This is a very important step to improve relationships [between] the zoo and the people of Iraq, and it is proof that the security situation in Iraq is getting better," said Adel Salman Mousa, the Baghdad Zoo director. "They're a real signature species; people really identify with the beauty of the tigers," said Lt. Col. Robert Sindler, the Multi-National Coalition -...

BAGHDAD , Aug. 11, 2008 – After traveling more than 7,000 miles, two Bengal tiger cubs have finally settled into their new home in Iraq. Amid much fanfare and excitement, Hope and Riley were introduced to the Baghdad Zoo on Aug. 8. Riley and Hope, the pair of tigers sent to the Baghdad Zoo from the Conservators’ Center in North Carolina, relax in their new enclosure in Iraq on Aug. 8, 2008. Riley and Hope will entertain more than 10,000 visitors to the zoo every weekend and 2,000 to 3,000 on weekdays. Attendance is up by more than 300...

The WWF told a conference in Stockholm there might be only 3,500 tigers left, and that one sub-species, the South China Tiger, could soon be extinct. Chinese demand for tiger body parts - used in traditional medicine - was described as one of the main threats. The WWF's co-ordinator in Nepal, Bivash Pandav, painted a bleak picture as he described the problems facing tigers across the world, saying he believed there were some 3,500 tigers left, compared with an estimated 5,000-7,000 in 1982. The director of WWF India's species programme, Sujoy Banerjee, said that at the beginning of the 20th...