Beer Thinker Musings: Detroit Lions Expectations Of Fans

There have been several articles written on what fans expectations of the upcoming 2009 Detroit Lions season.

But what can the Lions expect from their fans?

Everyone knows rooting for the Detroit Lions is about as much fun as having a wisdom tooth pulled.  Despite that kind of pain, fans keep coming back year after year.

Attendance fluctuates depending on how "well" the Lions are doing.  And "well" is a relative term when it comes to the Lions.

Last year, for the first time in many years, the Lions actually had at least four home games blacked out.  There was even concern the traditional Thanksgiving Day game would be blacked out.  If not for the NFL extending the 72-hour rule and some businesses buying tickets, it would have.

That alone sent a strong message to the incompetent owner, William Clay Ford, Sr.  The fans that did show up for Thanksgiving and the rest of the games were screaming for improvement and rightfully so.  Even an optimist such as myself found little good from an 0-16 team.  If not for Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith, there would have been nothing at all to cheer for.

So now we look at a new year.  New coaching staff, new front office management, and a slew of new players, including Matt Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew, and Larry Foote.

Instead of looking at the Lions with trepidation, as I am sure many of us have each new season, I am choosing to look at this with a more optimistic view. 

Without blowing sunshine up anyone's skirt, I am not looking for the Lions to get to the playoffs in 2009.  While it may not be impossible, it would be highly improbable.  Instead, I look for them to achieve .500. 

Instead of doing the next thing right, I want them to do the next right thing.  It's a subtle difference but an important one.

What would be the next right thing?  Continue to build this team into a contender.  Not as a flash in the pan but think more long term.  Put young players in positions to succeed and not get buried or over matched.  Be patient!

What would be the next thing right?  Rush players into starting before they are ready.  While the initial results may encourage a lot of people, it may not be the right thing to do.  Fans may scream and yell for second stringers, but NFL teams rarely win when they start listening to fans. 

I'm sure to a player, a coach, and even a GM, they want the fans to come out and support them.  We fans have spoken loud and clear that we are tired of being the doormat to the rest of the NFL. 

Detroit Lions, if you want the fans to support, start improving.  Start winning.  Start playing and coaching smarter.  Start tackling better, start running the ball better, and please, for the love of Jason Hansen's right leg, start doing better in the red zone!

Start rushing the QB better.  Start by having the secondary intercept more than one freaking pass all year. 

I think if the Lions start improving in all of these areas, fans will come back and cheer.

But when the Lions have done that in the past, they quit improving.  Imagine if two years after drafting Barry Sanders, the Lions drafted a tight-end the caliber of Brandon Pettigrew?  They would have at least made a Super Bowl appearance in the '90s.

It's a two-way street Mr. Ford.  Far too long have you taken our hard-earned money and support and given really nothing in return.

Time to pay the Piper Mr. Ford...with interest!