So, we know the esteem and respect I hold the average Detroit sports fan in, Lions fans included. What with their thin skinned, fall in love with average players and despise their legends. They tend to revile a basketball team that at least has shown most of them a championship in their lifetime and tolerate a hockey team that has paid them back with four championships in less than 20 years and would perhaps have run Al Kaline out of town if they had their wayโฆ but they love them some Detroit Lions.
It doesnโt matter who suits up for the Honolulu Blue and Silver, even if one removes the stink that is the Matt Millen era of Detroit Lions โfootballโ, this is at best one incredibly average franchise that canโt win a playoff gameโฆ (and before one gets pedantic, yes I know they won โAโ playoff game, itโs the only one Iโve seen in 50 years of fandom of this garbage franchise).
1958 โWe got that kid Karras out of Iowa, we should have a strong defense with him and Walker and Lary!!!โ
1960โs โLem Barney and Charlie Sanders are among the best at their positions, and Altie Taylor has some running skills!โ
1970โs โHey we have Bubba Baker AND Doug English, nothing gets past our front four!!!!โ
1980โs โWe made the Playoffs for the first time since 70โs, weโre on the right track and Billy Sims will probably be in the Hall Of Fameโ
1990โs โWe got BARRYโฆโ (that generally ended conversations as we saw the ONE playoff win in almost 60 seasons)
2000โs well the Millen eraโฆeven diehards gave up here
2010โs โTron, Stafford, Suh!!!! This will be the team that goes to the Super Bowl!!!โ
What happens? Every year, we buy into the craptastic show that the Detroit Lions are year after year after year.
This year itโs my fault. I forgot the sage words of Dennis Green as the Chicago Bears were using smoke and mirrors on their way to the Super Bowl (where no Lion has gone) โThey are who we thought they wereโ except instead of letting them back in the game I see they gave away the game in San Diego.
I know the same fans that give me grief about staying with Verlander will now blow their little minds that I have written off the Lions already, but after years of seeing bone crushing mediocrity, I can predict with a fair amount of certainty, this team will finish 8-8 at the best. Gloat if Iโm wrong or stay silent when Iโm right, meh this team is as disappointing as the majority of its fans
