Following the AFC Championship game, CBS was incensed that Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick refused to talk to its sideline reporter after his team had just suffered an embarrassing drubbing.

John Harbaugh is congratulated by coach Bill Belichick after the AFC championship game.Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Let us delve into an alternate universe where Belichick would have spoke.

CBS: “Coach, what happened out there?”

Belichick: “Well, it just wasn’t our day. Credit Baltimore, they played a great game. They outplayed us, they got more of the breaks than we did, and we tip our hat to the Ravens’ organization.”

CBS: “Thanks coach.”

That is likely the hard-hitting interview that would have taken place–too many clichés to count. So calm down Shannon “Mush Mouth” Sharpe, we didn’t really miss much.

Luckily in Detroit, we have a guy who doesn’t always throw out the same old tired sayings before, during and after the games. That man is the polarizing James Richard “Jim” Leyland.

Leyland has long amused and angered Tigers’ fans with his no filtered discussions. Many have been on the receiving end of a Leyland rant, including umpires, the media for questioning his lineups, and even his own team.

Take yesterday, for instance. When asked about the circulating reports that Jose Valverde could be back in Tiger Town, Skip shot down those rumors faster than swatting a fly dive bombing his lunchtime bratwursts.

“I thought everyone knew we weren’t bringing Jose Valverde back when we didn’t sign him,” Leyland said. “If we were going to bring Jose Valverde back, we would have made a run to try to sign him. We, obviously, didn’t sign Valverde. So that tells you something. We did not really make an attempt to sign Valverde, so that tells you something.”

He added: “The other thing that you have to remember is that there has not been one time this winter or coming to spring training that I was politicking to sign Valverde.”

Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Okay…next topic.

A typical manager would say something along the lines of “while we do appreciate what Jose brought to our team and our city, we feel he is not a good fit at this time.”

Now which quote is more memorable?

Leyland haters may not like him, think he’s too old, the game has passed him by, etc. etc., but one thing that the haters gotta admit–the guy is entertaining!

Another tidbit I found amusing about Leyland was something he said while doing an in-game interview with Mario Impemba and Rod Allen in FSD’s first broadcast of the spring on Monday.

The topic was Alex Avila, who was at-bat. He stated his wishes for Alex to be more aggressive at the plate. Avila got ahead in the count 3-0 and the topic then turned to having hitters take on 3-0 or letting them swing.

Leyland stated that he gives hitters in Detroit more leeway on 3-0 than any other stop of his managerial career. He said that he didn’t understand why hitters don’t swing on 3-0 more often.

As he stated this, Avila took a pitch which caught enough of the plate to be called a strike. Leyland stated that it looked like a good pitch to take a swing on and Alex probably should have swung.

There is one of two things you can take away from this. One, the Tigers don’t listen to their manager anymore. Two, he gives them enough freedom to choose what they want to do in certain situations.

I subscribe to the latter. Players love Jim Leyland, love playing for him, and defend him at all costs. If they stopped listening to him, they would have stopped respecting him, but that is clearly not the case.

Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

As gruff and to the point as Leyland often is, he wears his heart on his sleeve and genuinely cares for the City of Detroit, the Detroit Tigers and its fans.

Remember when Larry Brown was the coach of the Pistons and he’d wear jerseys of all the other teams in the state during press conferences? To me, that was fake. Brown tried to convince everyone he was “one of us.”

Leyland, does not want to, or have to, pretend. He is one of us.

To show a little bit about the nature of Jim Leyland, to reiterate that while there is a tremendous bark, there is also a unique kindness, look at what he said following his “no way in Hell will Valverde be back” rant:

“But from the heart, I told everybody — the only statements I made about that — were that I was totally shocked and brokenhearted that he did not have a job.”

Wait.

What?

The same Jose Valverdewho played above his peripherals in 2011?

Oct 24, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Jose Valverde (46, left) hands the ball to manager Jim Leyland (10, right) in a pitching change as catcher Alex Avila (13) looks on during the seventh inning of game one of the 2012 World Series against the San Francisco Giants at AT

The same Jose Valverde who gradually melted down last season, like a car crash in slow motion?

The same Jose Valverde who was thrust so far down the bench in the playoffs that he was basically the Gatorade monitor?

The same Jose Valverde who the New York Mets wouldn’t sign? (The very same Mets who are using Frank Francisco as a closer??)

THAT guy? Why in the world would the Detroit Tigers bring that guy back?

A buddy of mine said it best when he tweeted, “That’s why Leyland can’t sign any players himself,” but even the comedy of the situation is grounded on a sad, resonating disconnect between Leyland and reality.

The man is loyal. Fiercely loyal. Unconditionally loyal. This is a man you want as a character witness if you’re ever the prime suspect in a murder trial, or if your spouse has thrown you and your record collection out on the street. However, this is not the best attribute for a baseball manager.

Ryan Raburn was a beneficiary of that loyalty, as were Brandon Inge and Magglio Ordonez before him. Leyland holds on to players and keeps inserting them into his lineup well after their consistency, and sometimes usefulness, has worn down to a nub. Bringing back a run-down relief pitcher to close, which can so very easily NOT be done (see: Tampa Bay Rays), is mind-boggling. If anything, baseball history has shown us that managers don’t have to be loyal to relievers, just because they can be so unpredictable and so replaceable. As blunt as that statement is, just check out the closer turnover in the major leagues the last three years. Look at the Oakland A’s and the Rays. Loyalty should not factor into this, especially with a player that we have seen enter the down slope of his career.

I’m grateful for the time that Valverde spent with the Tigers: he had a great run and he was pure, unbridled joy to watch.

But Jose Valverde is gone, Jim. Let him enjoy his mansion in peace.

Suffice it to say, she has her armchair pedigree like most of us – a die-hard Lions fan since the glory days of the ’50′s, veteran viewer of hundreds of little league games and thousands of George Kell-narrated broadcasts, starts every day with a pot of coffee and “Mike and Mike”.  She can tell Cover-Two from Man, and unlike Tim McCarver, she can describe a hit-and-run in 30 words or less. She doesn’t know a WAR from a WHIP, but she knows that she knows a LOT more than that Leyland knows!

If the Skipper told her the grass was green, she’d say,”actually, it’s between emerald and kelly.” Every pitching change is either an inning too early or a batter too late; he sits the regulars too often but doesn’t use his bench enough. Unlike the annoying know-it-all at the corner pub, you can’t argue with Ma.

Certainly, there are some legit criticisms of Leyland, just as there are for all managers. It is difficult to quantify, however, the actual impact a manager has on his team. Is it preferable to have an in-game tactician who knows matchups and tendencies, or someone who goes with their gut? A fiery, in-your-face driver like Billy Martin, or a laissez-faire diplomat like Dusty Baker? Is it better to treat everyone the same, or give leeway to the star players to keep them happy? Are you a micro-manager, or do you delegate responsibilities to coaches and team leaders?

In baseball, the team with the better players has an advantage that the best manager usually can’t overcome. Sparky was no genius for writing Morgan, Bench, Perez et al on his lineup card every day.  Joe Torre was 894-1003 with the Mets, Braves and Cardinals; he piloted the Yankees at a .605 clip. The marathon of a 162-game season reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each club – it is when the teams are equal, a good manager (or a poor one) can make the difference. A ballpark estimate of a field manager’s effect on his team is 3-5 games a season either way…a small percentage, but not an insignificant number (ask a Rangers fan, or Bosox circa 2011).

Tigers fans know the common complaints about Leyland, so let’s take a look at them one-by-one and determine if they are problematic or overblown.

1) He has his favorites, and stands by them to a fault. As a “players manager” Leyland will give guys time to play out of a slump, and he won’t blast them in the press, that’s for sure. We’ve seen Ryan Raburn, Brandon Inge, and Craig Monroe all get the benefit of the doubt, at the expense of Marcus Thames, Matt Joyce, and Mike Hessman. This is understandable, especially with guys that have a proven track record. But when the back of the baseball card indicates a player is inconsistent at best, you need to explore other options sooner. Verdict – Problematic

2) He rests his regulars too much.  This is not only intangible, but it is impossible for a fan to know who needs a day when. I don’t like seeing a Sunday lineup look more like “I-give-up”, either; but it’s a fine line to walk between keeping your bench sharp and your big guns healthy. And since Prince played in 162 games and Miggy 161 last year, I trust the old boy on this one. Verdict – Overblown

3) Why’s he batting that guy there???  We are all still waiting for Raburn to “run into one” out of the 2-hole. With the Tigers roster, however, it makes some sense to have a power guy bat 2nd. It’s bad strategy to bunt a base open, setting up an intentional walk and double play. But I would argue a better OBP would fit there instead. Otherwise, his lineup construction  is typical – he seems to consider matchups and left-right combos as would be expected. Demerits for ever batting Brandon Inge higher than 9th. Verdict – Neutral

4) He’s clueless about running a bullpen. Like most managers, Leyland wants to direct the late innings by script, with defined roles and  a designated closer, as discussed here: http://motorcitybengals.com/2013/01/28/tigers-hot-stove-closure-on-the-closer/. While it is frustrating to see late inning leads vanish, believe it or not we’ve been spoiled by the success of Jose Valverde for the past three years; that is to say, it could be worse this season. So if you become bilious each time  Jimmy marches to the mound, you may be hitting the Rolaids early and often this year. Verdict-Overblown, but merits watching.

5) He’s too loyal to his assistants. Lloyd McClendon and Gene Lamont evoke the most ire from fans - Lloyd in his nebulous role of batting coach, Gene as the erstwhile 3rd base coach who’s gaffes unfold in plain sight. In McClendon’s case I find it unfair to blame him for one hitter’s struggles while attributing zero credit for another’s success. Lamont, on the other hand, has been indefensible the past few seasons. Credit Leyland (and/or the organization) for taking some positive steps – bringing in Toby Harrah‘s fresh voice and shuffling Lamont to the bench coach position – while not disparaging either man’s efforts. Verdict – Problematic

If the bottom line on a manager is victories, with his 74th win in 2013, Leyland will pass Ralph Houk for 15th on the all-time list. The World Series Championship we all expect this year vaults him into serious Hall of Fame candidacy. Describe him as gruff, crusty, stubborn, old-school; quibble with his quirks and curse his idiosyncrasies; decry his coaches and wish him gone. He commands respect, massages massive egos, and with a few exceptions puts players in position to succeed. He’s not perfect, but I think it would be difficult to find a better manager for the Tigers than Jim Leyland.

I think if Ma and Jimmy sat down over a beer he’d make her see things his way – at least he’d have a chance. Me, I have no shot.

February 12, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland during spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports