Detroit Lions are the Black Sheep Of Detroit Sports

My wife and I just returned from Detroit. It was a long overdue trip to see some family and friends. The main reason we went was to attend our godson's graduation from Chippewa Valley High School. 

He is a fellow Bleacher poster...some of you might have read his stuff on the Red Wings. If not, drop by and view Sean Gagnier's articles.

He is going to attend Michigan State in the fall and is looking forward to a career in sports journalism or public relations which is why I got him to become a writer for this site so he can keep his skills sharp.

Being back in Detroit brought back a lot of great memories. We got out fix of some great Mexican food by going to the Mexican Village restaurant out in Clinton Township. Not the same as going to the one downtown but still way better than what we can get out here in Seattle. 

Also had a chance to hit Greektown and have some saganaki with the cheer of "OPA!" and downing some Greek beer. And if any of you live on the east side, near the Cadiuex and Harper area, you know how great Cal's pizza is. Some of the best deep dish pizza in the world!

We also attended Friday nights Tiger game, a 2-1 loss against the Angels.  First time I've been to Comerica Park. While I still think the old Tiger Stadium was the best park to watch a game, Comerica is a great ballpark. Nice views of the city and we got some great pictures of the moon rising over the main scoreboard.

Being back in Detroit also gave me a chance to talk with some people, mostly family members and friends, to get their feeling about all of the Detroit Sport's teams. And to each person, you can feel a sense of pride when they talk about their Red Wings, Tigers and Pistons. 

But when they get to the Lions, heads go down and they just are plain embarrassed. 

It reminds me of how familys don't want to talk about the strange relative that just can't seem to get his or her's life together. They care deeply about them but just don't know what they can do or say to get them on the right track.

I also caught a sense of just how knowledgeable Detroit fans are about their sports.  Pick a team, even the Lions, and you will get a quick breakdown of their strength's and weaknesses and be confident of a fairly accurate analysis.

I had some discussions with friends and family about the Lions. As on this site and many others, the range of how to fix the Lions was diverse. From needing to fix the offensive line to beefing up the defense, all of it made sense and all of it needs to be done. 

But here is the rub about the Lions. Despite the success of the Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings, the most hope is pinned on the Lions. I asked about, if by some miracle, the Lions made it to the Super Bowl within the next five to seven years. 

Most of the responses were that if the Lions did make it to the Super Bowl and actually win, the party in Detroit would be off the hook. Is there any city more ready than Detroit to have a championship football team?

The Lions are pointed in the right direction. While many of the draft picks and free agent signings have been met with some skepticism, most Lions fans feel the best moves made have been at the coaching level. 

The trio of Schwartz, Cunningham and Linehan is perhaps the best coaching staff ever assembled under William Clay Ford's tenure. Correction, the trio IS the best coaching staff ever assembled under his tenure.

While I have always looked forward to the start of the NFL season, particularly the Lions, this season is going to be met with the most anticipation in a long time. But, like that strange relative no one wants to talk about, many fans are holding their breath to see if this time, for the umpteenth time, the Lion rebuilding project will actually move forward.

I leave you with this: Returning to Detroit and seeing how many people are running scared due to the economic times, the one thing that keeps that town going is their sports. Having the Lions be competitive will bring money back into a city that desperately needs it. 

I feel for my hometown and for everyone in that city that has been affected by the myriad of changes that have gone on with General Motors and Chrysler. I applaud Roger Penske obtaining Saturn and have a feeling that he will be bringing some manufacturing jobs back into Michigan.

Stay strong Detroit. I get the feeling you will once again be proud of what you make and where you come from. 

I know I am.