Legendary Detroit sportscaster Eli Zaret has launched a new Pistons blog called Blue Collar Blueprint, which I'm sure he'll also use to market his new book, called... wait for it... "Blue Collar Blueprint."
As I mentioned last month, I've always been a fan of Zaret. I didn't have cable growing up, so for a long while I relied on local anchors like him for my nightly sports fix. My first memory of Zaret was when he was with Channel 2, but from what I gather, he made his name on TV with Channel 4 before jumping over. He was always a bit more sarcastic and edgy than guys like Bernie Smilovitz and Van Earl Wright. Don't get me wrong, I liked those guys, too, but to me, Zaret seemed like a real sports guys while Bernie and Van Earl were more of entertainers.
Zaret went on host "The Locker Room" with Gary Danielson and Kirk Gibson, first on Fox Sports Net and then on 1270 AM (WXYT), but as far as I'm aware, he hasn't been on Detroit television very much (at all?) lately before joining George Blaha and Bill Laimbeer on Channel 20 Pistons telecasts this season.
I've actually been waiting for his new blog for a while. I saw it pop up last month in my referrer stats back when I was getting only one or two visits a day, but at the time it was just an empty shell, designed ((I have a hunch that whomever designed his site simply lifted all the links off my sidebar -- who else would have included The Roto Times -- but I couldn't care less. I'm just happy he included me on his blogroll.)) and ready for action but literally with no content. I see he's backdated a few posts now to give his blog some depth (a perfectly acceptable practice, in my book, and a preferable alternative than publicly launching with just one or two posts) but as far as I'm aware, today marks the first day there's been real content on the site.
I haven't actually read his new book, so I can't say for sure whether you should pick it up. But Eli, if you're somewhere out there listening, hook me up with a copy and I'll be happy to post a review. (Yes, that was a blatant attempt to use this blog to get something for free, something I have no qualms about doing. But if he takes me up on it, I do promise to be objective.)
As for the content of his new blog, he's calling for a new nickname for the current Pistons:
If they were the "Bad Boys" then what do we call these guys? Any suggestions? Let’s use this blog to name 'em before anybody else does, and let’s make it stick.
Something to think about. Personally, I think it's a bit early in the season to be handing out nicknames, but we have had the same starters for two-plus seasons.
EDIT: OK, so "new" isn't the best description for a book that came out over a year ago...
If They Were 'Bad' Then, What Do We Call Them Now?! [Blue Collar Blueprint]