Detroit Lions Sell Out Home Opener, Remain Luckiest Franchise in Sports

Like many of you reading this, I have been a Detroit Lions fan for my entire life.

Unlike many of you, I have never bought a ticket to a Lions game. So the Lions avoiding having their home opener blacked-out is not something I had a hand in.

But that doesn't mean I'm not impressed. In fact, I'm not sure the Lions deserve such loyal fans. They've certainly done little to deserve them.

I'm not just talking about the losing streak. Nothing chases away fans like losing, but that's not the only thing going on here.

I'm talking about 45 years of bad ownership by one William Clay Ford, who has treated winning like a secondary goal, or even a by-product, ever since he bought the team. He has been grinding dirt into Lions fans' wounds for a long time, and yet they keep coming back. Why—you may ask?

Because it's not about the ownership. It's not about Ford, either the car company or the person. It's not about the economy. When it comes down to it, it's not even about winning.

It's about going out, having some fun, and loving and supporting the Lions—plain and simply.

We fans don't have to turn out to these games. It costs a lot of money to see a Lions game, and lately going to see a Lions game means paying money to see your team lose.

Yet the tickets continue to sell, while Michigan's unemployment rate continues to hover around 15 percent, and Detroit continues to spiral into urban oblivion.

Really, though they're on the rebuilding trail, things could not be any worse for the Detroit Lions. Every possible circumstance seems to be against them.

And yet tickets are selling. Jerseys are selling. Despite all historical evidence to the contrary, Lions fans believe something is going to happen with this team.

This would not happen in another city. Jacksonville is looking at potentially blacking out every game this season, and they actually won games last year.

So I salute you, Lions fans, especially those with a ticket.

Though your loyalty is lemming-like, it is to be admired.