Morning Report: The Tigers’ pitch for automakers

One of opening week's most amazing stories is taking place in Detroit's Comerica Park, and it has nothing to do with the game of baseball.

For the last eight years, the Detroit Tigers had a sponsorship arrangement with hometown giant General Motors.

But the auto manufacturer, facing a possible bankruptcy, did not renew any baseball sponsorships this season.

For most owners, that would simply be an excuse to sell the naming rights to the fountain behind the center-field wall.

And, according to Bloomberg News, the Tigers had offers from other companies that would have paid between $1.5 million and $2 million over the next three years.

But owner Mike Ilitch rejected that potential income.

Instead, the Tigers will honor Detroit's three major automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler - for free.

"I've always viewed GM, Ford and Chrysler as pillars of strength in our community," Ilitch told Bloomberg in an e-mail, "and I understand the ups and downs that a business must endure. To me, it's a small way of showing our support and saying thank you for all the times they've been there for this community."

On a wall underneath the fountain - which erupts for home runs - is a sign that reads, "The Detroit Tigers support our automakers."

According to Bloomberg, General Motors has had losses of $82 billion since 2004.

Even if Ilitch's gesture is just a public relations move, it's a good one.

Silly time. Is there anything sillier than golf writers agonizing over Tiger Woods' history of slow starts at the Masters?

The supergolfer has never broken 70 in the first round at Augusta National but has won four Green jackets (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005).

Has it dawned on anyone that Woods is so superior to other golfers that he can essentially scout the course for a round, knowing he's a brilliant enough closer to win it at the end?

Asked about his slow starts in the fabled tournament, Woods smiled broadly and said, "Yeah. I also won it four times."

Bad taste. There's just no accounting for some folks' lowbrow tastes.

A company named Showbiz Promotions of Jacksonville, Fla., makes a dog toy that looks like - are you ready for this? - Michael Vick.

That, all by itself, is incredible when you consider that the former Atlanta Falcon is serving time in a federal penitentiary for financing a particularly grisly dog-fighting operation.

Even worse, a lawsuit brought yesterday by the state of Florida claims Showbiz Promotions said it would give proceeds from the sale of the dog chew toy to animal shelters, but never made any donations.

Who's worse? Vick - or those who exploit his name?

Humor. Morning Report got an angry e-mail yesterday, wherein a reader threatened to cancel his subscription over a disagreement.

You got that? He threatened to cancel a newspaper delivery over a column that appears only online.

I love sports fans.