Why I Support Little Caesars

Mike Illitch is one of my heroes. Illitch is a self-made millionaire who owns, among other things with his family, the Little Caesars pizza chain, the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings.

Among many things he has done which reek of awesomeness:

1) invented Pizza Pizza, two pizzas for the price of what one of the competition's normally cost.
2) developed "Hot and Ready" a $5 (or so) pepperoni pizza available at all times without pre-order. (It's available at drive-throughs where there are drive thrus.

But the three recently great things he has done.
3) As the owner of the Tigers and Red Wings, he has had his teams defy the dictates of the commissioners of both sports when they have gotten creative when trying to sign players they wanted. The Tigers have ignored Bud Selig's efforts to "slot" draft pick salaries. The Red Wings, after being the top buyers in the pre-salary cap NHL, have been creative in contracts, upsetting little Gary Bettman because it doesn't match what he wants teams to do.

4) At Comerica Park, there has been a GM sign over the centerfield waterfall since the park opened. GM told the Tigers they couldn't afford the sponsorship anymore. So Illitch kept the GM sign up there, added ones for Ford and Chrysler and added a sign saying "The Detroit Tigers support our automakers."
5) After game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Bettman saw Illitch under the stands and extended his hand. Illitch ignored him and kept walking. This was probably in response to the slights the Red Wings faithful feel the league has made towards the Wings.

Now, Illitch isn't perfect. I dont understand why Larry Aurie's retired number doesn't hang in the JLA rafters, and he wanted a new ballpark rather than a Tiger Stadium renovation. But I admire a man who empowers those who work for him to do what they can to win and succeed.