Letter to Detroit Lions Fans: Please Don't Get Your Hopes Up

Detroit is by far a Lions town. The Wings are contenders every season, the Pistons are one of the most respected organizations in sports, the Tigers have a rich history, but for some reason, Detroit is a Lions town. Who would have thunk it? Year after year, I have seen my loved ones torn to pieces by the Lions.

Historically, the NFL draft has been the yearly Lions highlight, which is pathetic, and watching fans be spoon-fed hyped up wide receivers and busted picks has been sickening to me. This is why, even though I am a diehard Packers fan, I have been happy for the Lions organization this year.

I was not incredibly high on the Matthew Stafford pick last year, but they did find themselves a franchise quarterback, even though he apparently has a shoulder made of glass. Stafford’s rookie season was cut way too short by injuries (this season has been as well) so, the obvious choice to me was to draft some big linemen to protect the dude.

If not O-Line, then defense was the next logical step. It is often said that the best way to build a team is through the trenches, and I am a believer in hard-nosed, physical, balanced football.

So, when the Lions drafted Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick, I was pleasantly surprised. I have never known the Lions to make good football decisions or even logical ones for that matter, so taking a D-Lineman with the No. 2 pick was a big show for them. Suh has proved to be quite a pick.

The moves that the Lions made this offseason are well documented and there has been plenty of talk about it so I’m not going to spend too much time on that.

The Lions started off the season 0-4 and had played through an immense amount of adversity in the early going. Obviously, Stafford going out was a huge blow to the progress of the franchise, as well as the controversial Calvin Johnson “process” touchdown that essentially robbed them of a season opening road victory.

The implications of both of those events happening in a single game to start the season would be staggering to any team, let alone the Detroit Lions.

Surprisingly though, Shaun Hill stepped in admirably as Stafford’s replacement, and even though they still were losing, at least they were making the games respectable, if not winnable.

Then finally, the day that seemingly all Lions fans were waiting for arrived.

The St. Louis Rams and rookie Sam Bradford marched into town, perhaps feeling a little too big for their britches. If there was a game on the schedule that you marked as a definite win, this was the one, and impressively enough, the Lions did not disappoint.

For once in a very long time, the Lions actually beat a team that they were supposed to beat, and they did it in an impressive fashion. They outplayed the Rams in every facet of the game and came away with a 44-6 thrashing that seemed to defy the laws of nature.

Then came a few more losses, but the Lions were able to pull out a close game against the Redskins this past week, and actually managed to not throw the game away. They look halfway respectable 

Now, Lions fans, this is the part where I want to start speaking directly to you. I had a definite point to this letter and this is the part where it is going to be revealed, so listen up.

I know you Lions fan, I know you. For years, you have lived and died by this team. You have gotten your hopes up only to have them shattered. You have tasted near victory, only to have it ripped away from you in the most impossible ways known to the sport. You have seen draft picks busted and free agents wasted, and most of all you have seen the only winless season known to the National Football League.

I hate to bring these things up, but it's time for you and I to have some real talk.  

Please, I beg you not to get your hopes up. I was talking to my dad a couple weeks ago and he was mentioning how he thinks that the Lions are going to finish off 8-8. I almost threw up because of my utter disgust at that statement.

I have seen this with you year after year, Lions fans. You win one game (minus that one aforementioned season) and all of a sudden you get those stars in your eyes.

I can sometimes literally see images of Barry Sanders darting and juking across your glossy eyes.

You start picturing Stafford and Johnson running around riding the Lombardi trophy like a pony, as the Honolulu blue and silver confetti falls from the sky. You envision Matt Millen being strapped onto a missile at midfield and Suh locked in a cage with Charles Rogers in a death match battle royale.

I know you, Lions fans. You win one game and you can smell the Super Bowl stronger than beer on the breath of a Chrysler employee.

Please, Lions fans, listen to me: Please wake up. Please wake up before it’s too late. 

So, Lions fans, here’s the deal. I am happy and proud of you for what you have accomplished. I think that you have won two hard fought games, and I do not want to take anything away from that.

But, before you start going on the traditional Lions rant and rave, just take a look at this for a minute. You have quite a challenge coming up this week against the Jets.

I've heard a lot about how the Jets are an overrated and flawed team, and to an extent, I agree. Remember though, that the Jets were many people's Super Bowl pick this year, and there has to be a reason for it.

Sure, they didn't score against the Packers, but remember that Green Bay has arguably the best defense in football, banged up or not, and the field conditions were not suited for offensive football.

They still have a defense that is capable of shutting down teams, and Darelle Revis has the potential to take Johnson out of the game. The key word here is potential. They have the potential to tear you apart just like you have the potential to pull an upset.

It's interesting how all of a sudden the Jets are "overrated" as soon as they show up at your door, Detroit. You seem to believe that every team is overrated the week they play you, but then they mysteriously become a good team if you lose.

Remember the Jets and their fans are looking at you thinking the same thing, and they have reality and the standings on their side to back them up. 

Just please calm down. Calm down and try to look at this situation rationally. You have every chance to beat the Jets this week, but it will be a long shot. I know that you're probably chomping at the bit right now to prove me wrong, and you know that if they do end up winning, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong.

Let's see what happens on Sunday. I understand your excitement and hope, believe me I do, but just as in life, let’s try to take this one day at a time.

So until we meet again, I bid you farewell Lions fans.