Whether you have tickets to the big game or not, be mindful when writing about the Super Bowl. Photo by The Associated Press

The Associated Press, in an effort to better prepare journalists and anyone who cares, has issued a Super Bowl style guide based on its wildly popular AP Stylebook. Below are some highlights:

• Postseason vs. playoffs — Playoffs refers only to the wild-card, divisional round and AFC and NFC conference championship games. 
• Use figures for yardage i.e. 5-yard gain
• end zone is two words, lower case
• halftime — one word, also lower case
• kick off (v.) and kickoff (n., adj.) "The Giants will kick off to the Patriots, as New York prepares for the kickoff" 
•  offside — no s. Americans tend to add 's' to words (and stores) which don't need them.
• sideline, on the sidelines
• All-Pro is a term designated for AP first-team All-Pros. A Pro Bowl selection does not by itself make a player an All-Pro. 
• coach, owner and general manager — all lower case. People have a tendency to capitalize ALL titles.
• "Hail Mary" is to be avoided. AP suggests "desperation pass."
• "end zone" not pay dirt. 
• There's no such thing as a "forward lateral." A lateral is tossed sideways or backward. 
• A couple favorites from my memory banks: Super Bowl is two words, capitalized. Always list the winning score first i.e. the Giants won the Super Bowl, 22-17.

So now you've been warned. Don't go making a Facebook invite to your Superbowl party, because I won't come.

Sports Grid recently created a graphic hypothesizing what it would look like if each of a city's professional sports teams' logos were put together. They're all pretty creative and I've cropped out the Detroit logo at right. Detroit's is above average with the Red Wings' wings added to Lions' broad shoulders as the Leo is propped up on the Pistons' signature basketball.
But what's troubling about Detroit's emblem, and makes it evident it was designed by somebody outside of Michigan, is that relative dismissal of the Olde English D. It appears as some sort of shoulder tattoo on the lion. Maybe put the D on the basketball? What do you think?

Detroit Tigers ace and reigning AL MVP Justin Verlander has the distinction of appearing on the cover of the new "MLB 2K12," which comes out March 6. Watch him strike out a rookie in the game's trailer below:



My question is: Will Prince Fielder be in the Tigers' pretend opening day lineup? And will the game's engineers put him at first base or DH? It's certain Tigers fans will have fun with the lineup possibilities. And isn't it possible Victor Martinez will play in video game form? I'd like to know how long before the first Tigers record projections based on the game begin to make the rounds. ...
Former Tigers flamethrower Joel Zumaya, now with the Minnesota Twins, was skewered by The Onion last week:
"Injury-plagued fireball reliever Joel Zumaya informed reporters Monday that his new $800,000 contract with the Twins obligates him to throw one last beautifully self-destructive pitch that will finally annihilate his arm forever."
The "story" goes on to say Zumaya's one-pitch deal is rich with incentives for velocity, accuracy and "the horrifying sound his elbow makes when it implodes from the torque."