The NFL will release its 2012 schedule in the next few weeks, and there shouldn't be any uncertainty for Lions fans as to whether the team will be included in the prime-time television package.
The only question is which network will show the Lions in prime time — Sunday night on NBC, Monday night on ESPN or Thursday night on the NFL Network.
It wouldn't be a surprise if the Lions landed on all three.
If you're a betting person and can pick only one network, the smart money should be on NBC.
The Lions' 10-6 record last season and the rising stature and star appeal of Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh have made the Lions a hot commodity.
Someone who has knowledge of these matters — or at least thinks he does — laid out a case the other day for why the Lions could end up on NBC.
The Lions have never been on NBC's regular-season "Football Night in America" package. They played on NBC twice last year, both times against the Saints in New Orleans, but they weren't on the original schedule that is usually released in early April.
They made NBC's flex schedule late in the regular season and were on again in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.
The Lions made "Monday Night Football" for the first time in 10 years — a 24-13 win over the Bears in Game 5 at Soldier Field. It was a win-win-win-win-win situation for everyone involved.
The Lions won, improving their record to 5-0.
Ford Field won, too, with a crowd of 67,861 — largest ever for a Lions home game at Ford Field.
The fans won by making so much noise that the Bears committed nine false-start penalties.
The city of Detroit won because of the throngs of people who invaded downtown by early afternoon to be part of the atmosphere.
And ESPN won. The game was a good show.
The word is that NBC has made it known that it would like to get in on the action. The network has never done a Lions game at Ford Field. Televising a game in Detroit early in the season when weather isn't an issue, with fans packed into downtown, provides a compelling setting for the Peacock Network to spread its feathers and score a ratings hit.
Of course, that shouldn't rule out the Lions getting a spot on ESPN and the NFL Network.
As they say in the business, stay tuned.
Joey, Mark and Tim
Joey Harrington's four tortured seasons as Lions quarterback foreshadows what the Jets can expect to face by acquiring Tim Tebow to be the backup for Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez has seen his stock drop as fast as one of those dotcom stocks that went belly up a decade and a half ago.
He's gone from "Sanchize" to "Off the Mark."
Add Tebow to the mix, and the vultures will descend the first time Sanchez has a bad game — or even a bad series or two.
He won't hear it just from the fans, either. Sanchez already has been reefed in his own locker room by cowardly teammates making anonymous comments.
Harrington was never wildly popular in Detroit, either with fans or teammates. One incident in 2005 — his last season in Detroit — summed up his stay in Detroit.
In a practice at Ford Field that was open to fans, Harrington was roundly and loudly booed by the fans after throwing an incomplete pass. His head dropped noticeably at the reaction — in practice.
Piston misfire
The Pistons showed every facet of a young team learning to win, and failing, in a 116-115 loss at Denver on Wednesday.
They were hopelessly behind after the first quarter, trailing 40-18. The deficit grew to 25 points (45-20) before Ben Gordon got hot to lead a rally.
It was tied 91-91 after three quarters, and the Pistons had a 115-11 lead with 59 seconds left. And that's when the Pistons misfired in nearly ever way imaginable — and some imaginable.
Gordon had a turnover, committed a bad foul and missed two shots — including the potential game-winner at the buzzer.
Tayshaun Prince didn't even hit the rim with an 11-footer with 12 seconds left.
On a missed foul shot by Arron Afflalo after Gordon's foul, Greg Monroe slipped and failed to block out. That let JeVale McGee slice in for a tip-dunk on the rebound for the winning basket.
Gordon's second miss came at the final buzzer.
After the game, Pistons play-by-play man George Blaha summed up the game, saying the Pistons "could have played better" in the second, third and fourth quarters after their horrid start.
Love you, George, but in the last 59 seconds, they couldn't have played worse.
