Detroit Lions – The Sports Fan Project

A Turkey of Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field? Never!

January 19, 2026January 18, 2026DouglasTHill2 Comments

**^{Is this photo of my friend Rob and I suitable for framing? Some might say it is.}**

The last time I saw a Detroit Lions’ home football game was November 28, 1996.

The Lions hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in their annual Thanksgiving Day Game at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Chiefs, led by a pair of Marcus Allen touchdowns (his 111th and 112th of his career which passed Walter Payton for the NFL record), won the game, 28-24.

I remember this game because it was my friend Rob’s bachelor party and a bunch of fellas attended in advance of his wedding the next evening.

It only seemed like deja vu because our other friend, Mike, did the whole Lions’ Thanksgiving-Day-game-bachelor-party-thing the year prior when the Lions bested the Minnesota Vikings, 44-38.

In the years since – also known, largely, as the “Dark Ages for Detroit Lions’ Football” – I did my viewing of the hometown professional football team from the comfort of my living room sofa or a few select road games where I either met friends or checked some stadiums off my list: Once in Green Bay’s Lambeau Field for a 28-6 Lions’ loss; once in Denver for a 20-16 Lions’ loss; once in Arizona for a 17-10 Lions’ loss; and, mercifully, once in Dallas for a 47-9 Lions’ win.

That said, when it came time to determine which 80 would be on my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events list you could have bet the house that a Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day Game was going to be on it.

Securing Tickets

Thankfully, this was a home game for me. Sleep in my own bed. Drive in my own car.

Lions’ tickets, however, are not what they once were e.g. abundant and cheap.

With the move 23 seasons ago from the cavernous Silverdome (capacity 80,311) downtown to the relatively cozy confines of Ford Field (65,000) and a team that suddenly – and rather miraculously – learned how to be competitive in the NFL, Lions’ tickets have been H-O-T. For an occasion such as Thanksgiving Day with division rival Green Bay coming to town, these were some in-demand tickets.

Luckily, I knew a guy;-)

My friend Rob (and not the one whose bachelor party was in the Silverdome 29 years ago) is a long-standing Lions’ season-ticket holder and when I shared my vision for the Around the World project he seemed all-too-willing to support the effort and sell me one of his tickets at face value. His only request was that he be my wingman a couple days later for the Michigan-Ohio State game at Michigan Stadium (more on that event next time).

Sold!

No hotel expense, free parking at a downtown casino, face-value ticket cost … this event was trending toward an under budget experience.

Joining the Parade

**^{The Mother Goose float, a staple in America’s Thanksgiving Parade, since 1924 heads toward me on Woodward Avenue.}**

While there may be nooks and crannies around the city of Detroit that afford free parking for major events, there is only one has free parking 24/7 365 days a year: The MGM Grand Detroit Parking Garage.

While it’s not located right next to the city’s major venues (Ford Field, Comerica Park, and Little Caesars Arena), it’s close enough that it’s not a taxing walk to get to any of the above and, as they say, the price is right.

I met Rob, his wife, Jaime, daughter, Cameron, and brother, Justin, in the garage and we began the nearly one mile walk to Ford Field.

When it came time to cross Woodward Avenue – Detroit’s main street – we had to dodge floats from America’s Thanksgiving Parade to get from one side to the other. So, for a moment, I guess I was in the parade.

Paying Homage to Barry

**^{Me and Barry (with a Robert Porcher and Wayne Fontes photo bomb) outside Ford Field. (Photo by Rob Byrd)}**

I dare say Detroit’s Hall of Fame running back, Barry Sanders, has never purchased a beverage – adult or otherwise – in this region since he abruptly walked away from the game on the eve of training camp in 1999.

If any Lions’ player is statue worthy, it’d be Barry.

And, finally, the Lions’ did the right thing in September 2023 when they unveiled a Sanders’ statue in front of Ford Field.

Having never been to a Lions’ game at Ford Field and no event there since the statue was dedicated, I’d not seen it.

Consider it seen and homage paid.

First-time for a Ford Field Lions’ Game

^{Clockwise from upper left, a showcase devoted to current Lions’ edge, Aidan Hutchinson, is found in the Detroit Lion Archives area; the Christmas trip was up and resplendent in Honolulu Blue and Silver decor; this Jahmyr Gibbs mural is see along a concourse; the entrance into the Archives area; the former Ford Field message board ring is now along the concourse; items from Lem Barney, left, and Yale Lary are found in the Archives area; the 2nd Level Concourse was poppin’ over an hour before kickoff.}

While I’d never seen a Lions’ game in Ford Field, I had been in the venue, previously. Once for a concert (U2), twice for a high school marching band competitions, once for what was then the Motor City Bowl, and once for a facility tour.

So before we visited our seats, Rob took me for a walk around the venue which, as you might imagine, was festooned in Honolulu Blue and Silver for the occasion.

Along the way Rob pointed out how the facility repurposed the old message board ribbon that used to ring the stadium. It now serves as a live scoreboard for both the Lions and other games along some of the concourses. We were able to see the giant Christmas tree that was fully decorated near one of the entrances and was a hot spot for folks to get pictures and, nearby, we took a moment to hear from the Honolulu Boom, the Lions’ drum line which was performing in the area. Finally, we moved through the 2nd Level Concourse that featured a large open-air space between the seating and the old Hudson Warehouse which was a major piece of the original design of the facility. It included the Blitz (a dining spot that’s also open for lunch weekdays) as well as a DJ spinning tunes and plenty of spots get a cooling beverage, sit, and visit.

Additionally, the concourses featured plenty of large murals of current Lions’ players and a special area known as the Detroit Lions Archives, which serves as a repository of team artifacts, past and present.

Settling In

Ford Field View — **^{My view of Ford Field for Thanksgiving Day.}**

Rob’s seats were positioned in the corner of the endzone to the upper right of the Lions’ logo as you watch games on television.

It was a terrific spot to see the action … all of the action.

Players emerged from the tunnel directly opposite from where we sat, we were facing the Lions’ sidelines (the Packers, while closer, had their backs to us), and we had a great view of the video board.

All-in-all, no complaints with the place. Sightlines seem fabulous from what appears to be every seat in the house and the upper levels don’t rise to the heights (and distance from the field) that some other stadiums do. And the acoustics, as I’ll mention in a moment, aren’t too shabby either.

The Game

^{From left, the field during “The Star-Spangled Banner;” saw this fella at the concession stand; the Packers’ scrimmage from deep in Lions’ territory late in the first half; the home fans adhered to the scoreboard operator’s request when the Lions were on offense.}

As you might imagine, for it being a holiday and all, fans were in a festive mood on the way into Ford Field. Myriad holiday-themed outfits being donned, plenty of Honolulu Blue and Silver, but also no shortage of the Green and Gold from the visitors from the west.

The Lions, a team that a season ago went 15-2 and then washed out in the Divisional round of the NFC playoffs, were up and down to the moment. Having not won consecutive games in seven weeks. They were 7-4, coming of an outlandish overtime victory over the New York Giants, and in the midst of a 3-game homestand.

A win against Green Bay would catapult the Lions over the Packers and keep them in the hunt for the NFC North title.

Well, we all now know how this went:-(

Detroit’s star receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, was injured during Detroit’s first offensive series, did not return and, consequently, the Lions’ offense took a while to find itself. Meanwhile, Green Bay jumped to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Playing without two offensive line starters as well, and facing Green Bay with early-September acquistion Michah Parsons fully integrated, Lions quarterback Jared Goff seemed rushed most of the day.

Detroit failed on a pair of fourth down conversions during the second half and that fairly well doomed it to not having quite enough oomph to get the victory. Even so, had the defense managed to stop Green Bay on a 4th-and-3 with just under two minutes left in the game there would have been an opportunity to tie it in the waning minutes. Jordan Love found Dontayvion Wicks for 16 yards to put the game on ice, 31-24.

A Halftime Highlight!

**^{My view of the Jack White halftime performance on Thanksgiving Day.}**

Metro Detroit was abuzz much of the preceding two weeks after it was announced that Detroit native and hip-hop legend, Eminem, would be helping produce the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving Day halftime show.

What would he have in store for fans and television audiences this year? Would he be performing?

A few days later it was announced that fellow Detroiter – and 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee – Jack White was set to perform.

My friend Rob shared with me on the way to the game that he and his daughter were going to be part of the halftime show, selected among the group of a few hundred fans who rushed the stage on the field as the peformance was set to begin. They even had a rehearsal of sorts earlier in the week to work on positioning and choreography. (Nothing, it seems, is left to chance!)

For those who are fans (which I am one), White did not disappoint. He started with a scorching rendition of “That’s How I’m Feeling,” moved into “Hello Operator,” and then welcomed Eminem to the stage – to the delight of the crowd – who sampled “Till I Collapse.”

And was there any doubt how White would finish this peformance? His stadium anthem which is played the world over at sporting events big and small, “Seven Nation Army,” closed out his time in front of his home town.

Later, when Rob and Cameron made it back to their seats, we queried on whether they knew Eminem would be appearing. Either they’re gifted liars or like the rest of us were unaware until he popped up onstage.

Rob, who stood stage right, said he did notice a bit of commotion to his left before Eminem ran up on the stage and only later realized that it was likely a hoodied singer and his people the getting rapper into position to surprise everyone.

^{The beginning of Jack White’s stadium anthem, “Seven Nation Army.”}

Postscript

As I write these reflections in mid-January, nearly two months following my visit to Ford Field, we now know how the Lions’ season finished. They never did win consecutive games again and limped to the finish line (quite literally) with a 9-8 record and finished in the basement of the NFC North.

I’ll take the glass is half full approach on the topic. With injuries to the secondary and the offensive line stacking up like salmon who finished their swim upstream to spawn, it was not – in my opinion – a team built for a deep playoff run. I’ll take the fourth place schedule in 2026 as well as a slightly earlier draft slot.

I’ll also take some fond memories of my first home Lions’ experience in nearly 30 years.

Me at Ford Field — **^{The hour was getting late, but the fans hung in until the bitter end (for both this game and the season). (Photo by Jaime Byrd)}**

Conversations with Sports Fans – Nick Schroeck

August 28, 2025August 28, 2025DouglasTHillLeave a comment

^{This week’s Conversation is with Nick Schroeck, Dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.}

My guest in this week’s Conversation is Nick Schroeck. A metro-Detroit native, Nick completed his undergraduate studies at Elmhurst (IL) College before going on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the Wayne State (MI) University College of Law.

Today, Nick is the Dean of the University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Law where he also serves as a professor. His area’s of expertise include – among others – Environmental Justice and Environmental Law, so I took full advantage of our time together to discuss how athletic competitions are, perhaps, at risk due to the ever-evolving climate throughout the world. (We used the recent Club World Cup as a jumping off point.) We also discuss the environmental footprint major sporting events and venues have on the planet.

Oh yeah, we also discuss memories of his hometown Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Pistons during our time together as well as the opportunity he had to take in a Six Nations rugby match while he studied abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland.

^{My Conversation with Nick Schroeck.}

While I was Sleeping

December 14, 2024December 14, 2024DouglasTHillLeave a comment

Today, I offer apologies to regular Sports Fan Project readers.

I’ve tried – mightily – to provide at least one post (beyond The Fan Teaser) each week. Alas, upon returning from Event No. 10 of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project (a pair of SEC football rivalry games: the Egg Bowl and the Iron Bowl), I began to feel progressively worse with each passing day.

Without getting into too much detail, suffice to say that overnight coughing fits were making it difficult for me to sleep, drove my wife across the hall into another bedroom, and, generally, made me feel lousy for the better part of a week.

A tele-health visit to my doctor’s office elicited a round of Azythromycin, some Codeine-infused cough syrup, and my first-ever inhaler to open up the bronchi should I encounter any more coughing fits.

Mercifully, after 10 days of feeling no better than meh, I believe I’ve turned a corner.

With that, and a knowing nod to the 1995 film “While You Were Sleeping” here’s a few things that transpired in the world of sports while I was in an altered state along with my thoughts.

The Legendary Bill Belichick is Returning to the Sidelines … at the University of North Carolina?!?

No headline during my convalescence made me question the amount of Codeine in that cough syrup more than this one.

Bill Belichick, the curmudgeonly 72-year-old ex-head coach of one of the NFL’s most successful modern-day dynasties is ending his 1-year sabbatical away from coaching by heading back to school (please, cue Rodney Dangerfield’s triple-lindy from the 1986 film of the same name) for the first time ever?

What could possibly go wrong?

Or … right?

Clearly the Tar Heels have no issue hiring an older coach (shoot, Belichick’s a year younger than the man he’s replacing, Mack Brown!) and as I began to listen to the punditry go deeper on this decision, it’s not as outlandish as it seems on the surface.

NCAA football, at this level, has never been more like the professional game. See the transfer portal; name, image, and likeness payments; the actual payments coming from schools thanks to recent court settlements; programs hiring general managers; etc. So I suppose the hire – and Belichick’s willingness dive in – makes some sense.

Of course, there’s also the family connection. His father, Steve, was an assistant there from 1953-55, and his son, also named Steve, is expected to join him in Chapel Hill after serving as defensive coordinator at the University of Washington this season.

Schools Upset About Being Left Out of Expanded College Football Playoff

Who could have seen this coming?

The College Football Playoff expands from four to 12 teams this season and teams ranked No. 13 (and even No. 14) feel they were given the screwgie by the selection committee.

Sorry – not sorry – University of Alabama faithful.

I understand the Southeastern Conference is probably – from top to bottom – the most challenging conference in all of college football. Heck, I saw firsthand six of the 16 teams compete in person this year. One of those was Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl against Texas and they looked like a high school team against the Longhorns during this year’s Red River Rivalry (Event No. 8 of Around the World).

You know what? Alabama lost to the Sooners, 24-3. Didn’t score a touchdown against the Sooners!

The Crimson Tide also lost to Vanderbilt, 40-35, when ‘Bama was the top-ranked team in the nation, the first time in 40 years Alabama lost to the Commodores.

Do either of those outcomes seem playoff worthy?

The team catching the Tide’s ire is Southern Methodist University because, presumably, it has the misfortune of playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference which, from top to bottom, is nowhere near as competitive as the SEC.

My Take: Schools should not be punished for the conference they compete in. Beyond the non-conference games, schools have no control over who’s on the schedule or how good (or bad) those teams might be. SMU played Nevada (which played for the Mountain West championship) and Texas Christian (of the Big 12) as part of their 3-game non-conference slate. The ACC, it should be noted, played nine conference games while the SEC plays but eight (that extra non-league game Alabama played … Football Championship Subdivision semifinalist, Mercer).

Furthermore, much of the teeth gnashing could be mitigated if, rather than a 12-team playoff, it was 16. Sure, Team No. 17 will now be the one that’s aggrieved, but as articulated above, by the time we get to the 16th, 17th, and 18th-ranked teams in the country, we’ll find plenty of flaws and limited chances at success in such a tournament. It’d also eliminate the first-round byes which should mute some of the whining about less-deserving teams such as Arizona State and Boise State from receiving the significant competitive advantage of an extra week of rest.

Allen & Parker Get the Hall Call but Where’s John?

**^{Pitcher Tommy John while with the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Getty Sports Photo)}**

The National Baseball Hall of Fame‘s 16-member Classic Era Committee voted Dick Allen and Dave Parker into the hallowed hall, it was announced last weekend. The voting panel consisted of Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Tony Perez, Lee Smith, Joe Torre, five current or former executives (Sandy Alderson, Terry McGuirk, Dayton Moore, Arte Moreno, and Brian Sabean), and five historians/media members (Bob Elliott, Leslie Heaphy, Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel and Larry Lester).

For those interested, Larry Lester – co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – was a guest earlier this season on Conversations with Sports Fans. You’re able to find a link to his episode here.

Not that my opinion matters much, but I’m fine with both Allen and Parker heading to Cooperstown.

My real emotion (which is anger) lies with one of the six other finalists who didn’t make it: Tommy John.

John received just seven votes from the panel (12 are required for enshrinement) and, for the life of me, I don’t understand why over 50% of the panelists left him off their ballots.

He pitched for 26 seasons, amassed 288 wins, had a career earned run average of 3.34, went 6-3 in 14 post-season appearances for both the Dodgers, Yankees, and Angels, and had a playoff ERA of 2.65. For you analytic lovers, he had a career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 61.6.

And, oh yeah, he was the first pitcher to undergo, you know, Tommy John Surgery which has impacted, I don’t know, just about every pitcher this century!!!

Here are a few comparisons of current Hall of Famers:

Sandy Koufax – 12 seasons, 165 wins, a 2.76 ERA, and a career WAR of 48.9. Playoffs: 4-3 with a 0.95 ERA in eight appearances.
Bert Blyleven – 22 seasons, 287 wins, a 3.31 ERA, and a career WAR of 94.5. Playoffs: 3-1 with a 2.47 ERA in eight appearances.
Jim Kaat – 25 seasons, 283 wins, a 3.45 ERA, and a career WAR of 50.5. Playoffs: 1-3 with a 4.03 ERA in nine appearances
Jack Morris – 18 seasons, 254 wins, a 3.90 ERA, and a career WAR of 43.5. Playoffs: 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 13 appearances

It’s worth noting, that Kaat and Morris were voted in by some version of a Hall of Fame veterans committee that determines John’s fate.

The Detroit Lions are 12-1 … and Have Not Distanced Themselves from their Pursuers

Go figure, my hometown Detroit Lions – long the laughingstock of professional football – are having a season for the ages, but despite being 12-1 for the first time in franchise history they’re still just a game clear of the divisional rival, Minnesota Vikings, and the NFC East’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Despite recent success and a different feel about this year’s team, you’ll forgive us long-suffering Lions’ fans if their Pavlovian response to this amazing start is that they’re just a couple of ill-timed miscues away from not winning the NFC North and having to battle through Wild Card Weekend as a 14-3 road team and thus, deprive the fan base of home playoff action.

Related: Lions Fans Upset by 2025 Ticket Price Increases

Color me surprised that the Lions will, for the second consecutive year, notably increase the cost of tickets. (Read about it here.)

Did we think a heretofore moribund franchise that was in the bottom quartile of NFL ticket prices would – out of sheer benevolence – just keep everything the same!?!

Folks, this is a elementary school economics. When demand increases and supply cannot be increased similarly (there’s only so many seats in Ford Field, right?), prices are going to increase. It’s the price fans pay to have a 12-1 team that seems to have a realistic shot for a lengthy advancement in the playoffs.

If you’re harkening for the days when tickets were plentiful (and cheap!) then you’re also harkening for that 2008 season when the Honolulu Blue and Silver finished 0-16.

And, remember, as my friend John U. Bacon is fond of saying: “Greed remains undefeated.”

How ’bout Them Lions?

October 21, 2024October 21, 2024DouglasTHill2 Comments

Full disclosure: The Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys game of the Texas Football Trifecta portion of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project was not part of the original plan. It was simply going to be Friday Night Lights and the Red River Rivalry. A daily double, if you will;-) But then the NFL schedule makers revealed the 2024-25 schedule in May and there it was, Lions-Cowboys the Sunday following Oklahoma-Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Suddenly, we were scooping up Standing Room Only tickets as soon as they hit the market to ensure we were in the building for a rematch from last year’s muffed call by the officials. Yes, Decker reported!

**^{Like most things in Texas, AT&T Stadium is oversized.}**

As I’ve noted several times in this space since I began The Sports Fan Project, my relationship with my hometown NFL franchise – the Detroit Lions – is of the love/hate variety. And, until a year ago, it leaned more heavily on the hate side of the ledger. For as long as I can remember, the Lions would figure out innovative ways to lose games. Sometimes with the help of officials (see that 2023 Cowboys’ game, for example) but more often than not it was simply due to ineptitude on the playing field, the sidelines, or the board room.

It should suprise no one, then, when I say that the last time I saw the Lions play in person was almost 18 years ago in Glendale, AZ, during a yawner of a 17-10 loss to the Neil Leinart-led Cardinals; one of just eight games Leinart won as a starting quarterback during his 6-season NFL career.

I’ve still not seen the Lions play a game in Ford Field, which debuted during the 2002 season, but in the name of sports fandom research and experiencing Texas football at all three levels, I’ll absolutely subject myself to whatever product the Honolulu Blue and Silver put on the field at AT&T Stadium.

Jerry’s House

AT&T Stadium from a distance. — **^{The stadium is visible for miles in all directions.}**

I’m sure if I was a Dallas Metroplex native I’d be more tolerant of Dallas Cowboys’ owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones. Afterall, following his purchase of the franchise in 1989, the Cowboys have been to the playoffs 18 times, appeared in three Super Bowls, and won each of them. Granted, an entire generation (or three!) of Cowboys’ fans has been born since their last Super Bowl win in 1995 which makes fans of Dallas’ pro football team not too dissimilar from Lions’ fans, I suppose.

One of his more recent successes was convincing the City of Arlington and its residents to go all in on constructing a new home for his team (and other events). That became AT&T Stadium alternatively known as Jerry World and/or the Death Star. It opened in 2009.

It. Is. Massive.

With a capacity of over 100,000 (including standing room guests) it is the largest NFL venue by capacity. Sitting in a wide clearing among Arlington’s Entertainment District, it does have a the look of a massive spaceship that’s been moored in metro-Dallas.

My friend Rob, whom I was paired with for this event, has a goal of seeing the Lions play in all opposing venues. AT&T Stadium was his 16th and he wanted to give it a thorough walk through so he and I arrived shortly after the gates opened.

There’s plenty to see and do even without a game ticket, which I’m sure was part of the plan. We entered from the West and it features a massive outdoor plaza known as the Miller Litehouse which includes a mini football field (ala the green space adjacent to the high school football field all the little kids play ball on during games), food trucks, beverage service, merchandise stands, and plenty of screens to watch any and all of the NFL action. Following the game there was even a band performing on a small stage.

^{Clockwise from upper left, the West plaza included plenty for fans of all ages; Rob and I just outside the plaza; the East plaza as seen from inside AT&T Stadium; the West plaza post-game was still rollicking close to an hour after the game ended; the decision to stay in a house within walking distance to the stadium more than paid for itself with these parking rates in private lots adjacent to the venue.}

It was more of the same inside.

There was plenty of largese, from the massive video boards over the field to the spacious concourses to the luxury suites at virtually ever level of the stadium.

Much later, I noticed one thing that was lacking: public restrooms. Rob and I set up shop on the East end Standing Room Only area between the third and fourth levels of seating. Unless you had access to the suites on the level we were standing you either needed to go up or down two flights of stairs to get to a public restroom. For a place that routinely tops 90,000 spectators (93,644 for this game) and claims to have room for over 20,000 standing room only patrons, this seems a massive oversight in the construction plans.

^{Clockwise from upper left, we had a encounter with the famous Dallas Cowboys’ cheerleaders as they entered the stadium following a pregame peformance at the Miller Litehouse; me and Rob on the fourth level; a view from the lower level; the view from my vantage point near the end of the game; the look at the East stadium plaza, the building on the right is Globe LIfe Field, home of MLB’s Texas Rangers.}

Not the Lions of My Younger Years

**^{Yeah, I watched most the game on the big screen or over and around the heads}**
**^{of dozens of others, mainly Lions’ fans, from my endzone perch.}**

As noted above, me attending Lions’ road games does not have a solid track record. In addition to the aforementioned Cardinals game, my previous two Lions games were also road losses: a 2003, 20-16, setback in Denver; and a 2001, 28-6, season-opening loss in Green Bay.

To say I was a bit nervous before kickoff was an understatement.

This was, after all, the only game on this Texas gridiron triology where I had a dog in the fight. Sure, Wayne’s son Macker – part of our traveling party – was a University of Oklahoma graduate, but beyond that I had no connection to the Red River Rivalry and certainly none for our Friday Night Lights experience in Odessa on Friday.

Wayne, an ardent Lions’ fan, was confident, and Rob, a longtime Detroit season-ticket holder, was predicting an easy Lions’ win.

Still, when the Cowboys showd an ability to move the ball on their opening drive, appeared to be an functioning NFL team, and took a 3-0 lead on a field goal, I was not yet feeling as comfortable as my traveling companions.

Then, as some Detroit players said during post-game comments, the Lions got the ball and “unloaded the clip” (a handgun reference) on Dallas.

The Lions did not punt during their 47-9 rout of the Cowboys. They did not allow a touchdown. They forced five Dallas turnovers. They targeted Taylor Decker on a tackle-eligible pass. They ran a hook-and-lateral play with another tackle, Penei Sewell, that was waived off due to a penalty.

It was an absolute a$$-whooping … and it was glorious! Especially after learning that it was Jerry Jones’ 82nd birthday.

^{Clockwise from left, the irony was not lost on me that Ford Motor Company (with a plant in Arlington, TX) had advertising all over the stadium but is also the eponymous company of the Detroit Lions’ ownership; the Standing Room Only area was expansive, though views of actual field are minimal (there are big screens in the areas as well as the video boards over the field); me and some of the other Lions’ faithful.}

The best part, however, might have been the number of Lions’ fans who made the trip. Though there is no way to know for sure, I’d place the number of Detroit fans in AT&T Stadium between 15,000 and 20,000 and, due to the way the game was going, they made their presence known.

On more than one occasion, Rob remarked at how quiet (Lions’ fans aside) the stadium was. It was almost eerie.

^{Lions’ fans bust out a rendition of “Gridiron Heroes” in AT&T Stadium after an early Detroit touchdown.}

All Silent

Aidan Hutchinson Injury Scene — **^{My view of the Lions gathered around the injured Aidan Hutchinson.}**

AT&T Stadium did take on an even eerier silence midway through the third quarter when Detroit’s All-Pro defensive end, Aidan Hutchinson, lay on the turf writhing in pain.

There was but one replay of the incident on the video boards – rightly so – but it didn’t take long for the throng of Lions’ fans around us to view the play and injury on social media and ascertain it was not good.

When the cart came out to carry Hutchinson off the field, well, everyone else in the facility knew what most of Detroit did in that moment.

It was a Good Run

January 29, 2024January 28, 2024DouglasTHill1 Comment

**^{The Lions celebrate Jameson Williams’ first quarter touchdown in the NFC Championship. (Photo Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)}**

In my nearly 46 years living in Detroit, I’m not sure I’ve witnessed a city that so coalesced around one of its sports teams quite the way it has with this year’s Detroit Lions’ group. The 1984 “Bless You Boys” Tigers World Series Champions were close as were 1989’s “Bad Boy” Pistons, and, of course, the post-limousine accident Red Wings’ Stanley Cup Championship in 1998 was incredible.

None of it, however, would have equalled what this region would have witnessed had Detroit managed to seal the deal in Santa Clara Sunday night.

But alas …

Good news, there’s only about seven months until training camp opens.

The Fan Teaser: Week 66 Solution

January 28, 2024January 28, 2024DouglasTHillLeave a comment

**^{As we look at this image we’re channeling certain}**
**^{Bon Jovi}** **^{and Madonna songs. Who is it and what}**
**^{are the}** **^{circumstances specific to this photo?}**

Until today’s NFC Championship Game, the Detroit Lions have not had a playoff game in the San Francisco Bay area since New Year’s Eve, 1983.

Despite five interceptions by Detroit quarterback Gary Danielson, the Lions clung to a 23-17 lead deep into the fourth quarter before Joe Montana found Freddie Solomon for a 14-yard touchdown with 1:23 left.

Nevertheless, Detroit moved the ball into field goal range and kicker Eddie Murray had a shot to be the hero with a 43-yard field goal with five seconds left. Despite making three field goals already, including a then-playoff record 54-yarder, Murray’s attempt sailed wide right.

Head coach Monte Clark was spotted on the Detroit sideline seeking the assistance of a higher power as the field goal unit moved into position.

^{The NFL Films treatment of the previous Lions-49ers playoff game.}

Oh yeah, about the Bon Jovi and Madonna songs referenced in the clue: Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” Enjoy!

Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.

The Hall’s Call

January 22, 2024January 22, 2024DouglasTHillLeave a comment

Baseball HoF Plaques — **^{The view of some of the First Class Plaques in the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Plaque Room.}**

I live in suburban Detroit which means I should be blogging about the Detroit Lions and the incredible run they’ve been on the past several weeks, right?

Well, I wrote about them each of the last two weeks and while I’m superstitious and all, I’m not sure I have anything of significance to share in advance of their first NFC Championship Game this Century. I’m just rooting for NO repeats of the only other NFC Championshp Game the Lions have played in my lifetime: January 12, 1992 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, where they were outscored 24-0 in the second half and lost, 41-10. After a competitive first half, I recall a less-than-enjoyable remainder of my stay at Fraser’s Pub in Ann Arbor.

No, today I thought I’d wax poetic about what occurs tomorrow: The National Baseball Hall of Fame announces the Baseball Writers Association of America results for the 2024 Class.

Former Detroit Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland is already heading to Cooperstown, NY, courtesy of the HoF’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee’s vote last month.

I’ve always had an interest in which former big leaguers were headed toward enshrinement, but this year my interest is keener, perhaps because of “Conversation with Sports Fans” guests Adam Darowski (S:2, E:25), Dave Metter (S:2, E:34), and Mark Shirk (S:2, E:53) who all have unique perspectives on the Baseball Hall of Fame.

For Darowski (@baseballtwit on Twitter/X) it’s about two sets of players: Those who, statistically, have the merits to be included but for whatever reason are not. And those who spent the brunt of their professional careers in the Negro Leagues and have had the performances there discounted.
For Metter (@cooperstowndave on Twitter/X) it tends to be about a cause candidate. Once upon a time that was Vladimir Guerrero. Currently, it’s Charlie Bennett, a 19th Century catcher who is still the only player to have a Major League Ballpark named after him, Detroit’s Bennett Park. Because of both his play and his innovation at the position, Metter considers him the best catcher of his era.
For Shirk (@bballhist on Twitter/X) it’s about expanding the ranks of Hall of Famers. Shirk is a proponent of what’s referred to as a “big hall.” That is, opening the doors to more players and personnel who Shirk believes are deserving.

And then there was the discovery this Hall of Fame Election Season of Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs on Twitter/X) who along with a team of fellow ballotheads, tabulate those BBWAA ballots that have been made public at his Baseball Hall of Fame Tracker which is found here.

With the announcement due tomorrow, discovering Thibodaux’s site is akin to learning what’s in all those wrapped packages before the holidays. While I’m ecstatic to have knowledge of who’s likely to get in – and who’s not – this forewarning does take the edge off my suprise and/or righteous rage over who gets the call tomorrow.

With that, Go Lions and Go Todd Helton!

Well Done! Now Bring on the Bearded Buffoon

January 15, 2024January 16, 2024DouglasTHill2 Comments

**^{Matt Patricia didn’t have many correct answers during his three seasons as Detroit Lions’ head coach. He now calls defensive plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. (Photo by Jose Juarez, AP)}**

On January 5, 1992, I sat in the third level of the Pontiac Silverdome and watched the Detroit Lions utterly thrash the Dallas Cowboys, 38-7, in what was – until Sunday night – the last time the Lions won a playoff game.

For the 30-plus years since being among those 80,000 fans in the stands that afternoon, I have always puffed out my chest and noted I was at the last Lions’ playoff victory.

Today, I can no longer do so … happily!

Oh, I checked at what the get-in cost would be Sunday morning ($400 would have gotten me a standing room only ducat), but I chose to enjoy it from the cozy comfort of my home where there was a refrigerator and restroom steps away.

But I have a confession to make. I started heading to bed at halftime.

It was a Sunday night and while I didn’t have work Monday, I did have tasks to accomplish and wanted to treat it as a fairly typicaly start to a workweek. That means heading to bed by 10 o’clock.

As I settled in to do some reading, I put the game on the radio and listened to the Lions’ play-by-play team of Dan Miller, Lomas Brown, and T.J. Lang. Shortly before turning the lights out, I hit the sleep button for 60 minutes figuring I’d fall asleep at some point.

And, I did, but as I momentarily came out of my slumber, I heard the Lions’ had the ball and a 1-point lead approaching the 2-minute warning so I remained awake long enough to hear what would happen. And then this occurred:

Here is Dan Miller on the call for the Detroit Lions first playoff win since 1992. pic.twitter.com/HX7E3m3kwI
— Detroit Sports Center (@DetroitSC2020) January 15, 2024

I’m delighted for the 65,000 who were at Ford Field Sunday night. I’d imagine before the week’s up over a quarter million folks will claim to have been in attendance.

And, like most of them, I’m getting greedy. What with another home playoff game on the horizon for this week, I figure why not!?!

While I don’t know enough about the two potential opponents (either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) schematically speaking to understand who sets up best, I do know the play caller for the Eagles is a fella name Matt Patricia who drove the Lions’ franchise like it was a rental for a few seasons, posting a 13-29-1 from 2018-20.

Since this postseason seems to be about Lions’ paybacks (see ex-Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford‘s vanquishing Sunday), why not send the big bearded buffoon’s team packing as well. And, while we’re at it, who else is rooting for a Green Bay Packers’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers to allow for an exorcism of decades worth of Packers’ demons in the NFC Championship in Motor City?

(Update: That fella who used to coach in the D was embarrassed and eliminated by Tampa Bay, 32-9.)

A Word (or Few) About the Detroit Lions

December 21, 2023December 26, 2023DouglasTHillLeave a comment

As a Detroit-area resident, I’m keenly aware our hometown NFL team – the Detroit Lions – are experiencing a season unlike many (any?) they’ve experienced before. As I write this, they’re 10-4 and sit three games ahead of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North Division. With three games remaining, the math is pretty simple for the Lions: Win one of those remaining games and they’re the North champs and will host a playoff game.

So why do some long-suffering Lions’ fans have their doubts?

Akin to Stockholm Syndrome, the “Same Old Lions’ Sensation” is a very real emotion that can render even the most ardent fan immobilized with fear that the other shoe is about to drop.

Perhaps it’s because the Lions are one of four teams who’ve never appeared in a Super Bowl or the fact their last NFL Championship came in 1957 or their last playoff victory followed the 1991 season or the utter wasting of Barry Sanders‘ otherwordly talent.

Whatever the reason, Lions’ fans will never be mistaken for, say, New England Patriots’ fans because, quite frankly, they have no experience enjoying success and knowing how to react when things are going well.

So, yesterday I saw a post on a buddy’s social media account that outlined the 0.8% chance the Lions don’t qualify for the playoffs (never mind winning the North, this was about not even getting a ticket to the dance). Here was the scenario that needed to unfold for Detroit to be on the outside looking in:

Seahawks beat Eagles – Monday (check!)
Rams beat Saints – Tonight (check!) Updated 12/22
Vikings beat Lions – Sunday (Lions Win! Lions Win!) Updated 12/24
Seahawks beat Titans – Sunday (check!) Updated 12/24
~~Cowboys beat Lions – December 30~~
~~Rams beat Giants – December 31~~
~~Seahawks beat Steelers – December 31~~
~~Vikings beat Packers – December 31~~
~~Vikings beat Lions – January 7~~
~~Seahawks beat Cardinals – January 7~~
~~Rams beat 49ers – January 7~~

As I scanned this list, I thought: All of these are plausible!

The least of which is, likely, is the final one. Are the Los Angeles Rams really going into San Francsico and beating the Niners? Well, San Francisco has already clinched the NFC West and, by the final weekend, may have wrapped up homefield throughout. Is there an impetus for the host Niners to do anything more than field a team that afternoon?

And with that, Detroit Lions’ fans anxiously await the results of each of these games. Hoping that one, just one, breaks in Detroit’s favor so they can move onto worrying about what the next shoe to drop will be: Not winning the North? Not winning the first playoff game in over 30 years?

NFL Draft Week Cometh (aka Lions Super Bowl Week)

April 24, 2023DouglasTHillLeave a comment

Maybe, just maybe, the headline of this post is now antiquated?

Following decades of futility, the NFL franchise found in my area – the Detroit Lions – showed signs of promise last season. No, there was no promise in the beginning, what with the 1-6 start. But finishing the season by winning eight of their final 10 games, posting a winning record of 9-8, and eliminating the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs in primetime (at Lambeau Field, no less!) on the season’s final Sunday … well, that’s given the faithful reasons for optimism this off season.

And I suppose I count myself among them.

Though as I commented on a Tweet from the fellas over @ROTL_UK (Roar of the Lions UK) about this week’s NFL Draft in Kansas City:

“I find myself hopeful which, when it comes to the Lions, usually doesn’t end well. Here’s hoping Brad’s got himself a KC Masterpiece up his sleeve.
Doug Hill, April 2023

My hometown gridiron heroes have nine selections over the six round draft later this week, including four of the first 55 (Picks 6, 18, 48, and 55). Here’s hoping General Manager Brad Holmes and his team have a winning plan this week to build on what was an optimistic conclusion to the 2022 season.