Well, it's official - the Saints are going to the Super Bowl. The Saints, as many of you know, were one of only 5 teams in the NFL that had never attended a Super Bowl. This leaves the Lions, the Browns, the Jaguars, and the Texans as the only remaining teams to have never been to a Super Bowl. Of these teams, the Lions plight is certainly the worst. Why? Here goes:
The Jaguars are a relatively new team, since they were an expansion team from 1994. During their existence they've already been to the AFC Championship game twice, which means they've gone to the AFC Championship twice during the time since the Lions' last appearance.
The Browns have not been to an AFC Championship game since 1986, where they lost to Elway and "The Drive".....technically. I qualify that with "technically" because this doesn't tell the whole story. Let's not forget that in 1996 the Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens. That same team that moved to Baltimore not only went to, but won the Super Bowl in 2000. The Browns that exist in Cleveland now are an expansion team that has only even been in existence since 1999.
The Texans have only been in existence in 2002, so who really gives a crap that they've never been to the Super Bowl?
The Lions, on the other hand, have been a continuous franchise for the duration of the time that the Super Bowl has existed. They've only even been to the NFC Championship game one time since the Super Bowl's inception. Given the above information, is there any question that the Lions are more due than anyone left?
I remember back in the 80's and 90's when the perennial bottom feeders of the league were teams like the Patriots, the Bucs, and the Saints. Since then two of those teams have Super Bowls (one of which created a full dynasty), and the third is on its way there for the first time now.
I ask this: is there ANY team that is more due than the Detroit Lions now that the Saints are going? Absolutely not. So much has been said about how great this is for the city of New Orleans - the great story it has made post-Katrina, etc. True. However, if I were to ask what city, other than New Orleans, has suffered the most in the last couple years is there any doubt that it is Detroit? I'm not sayin'.....I'm just sayin'.
I like the way you ended with "Im not sayin'.. Im just sayin".. Really an under used phrase but where do you put the blame you know? Matt Millen? Sanders leaving early? Overpaying for Marino's back up? Look on the bright side.. at least Detroit hosted a SuperBowl recently.. and they have some young talent. If the dolphins can go from losing the AFC East by 15 games in one season to winning the AFC East the next in the same division as the "dynasty" called the Patriots than any team has a chance every year.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all - thank you for the comment. It's really the only proof I have thus far that anyone has actually read my blog, so that's a relief. Umm...well, I don't blame Scott Mitchell for much. During his tenure in Detroit, the Lions led the league a few years running in total offense. I mostly blame the fact that Wayne Fontes had no idea how to coach defense for the fact that they never did anything in the playoffs. That and the fact that in the 90's we drafted only 3 guys on the OL in the first 3 rounds! Aaron Gibson (who?), Juan Roque (who?), and Jeff Hartings (who?). It's a miracle Mitchell survived and no surprise why Barry retired. The new millennium, however, is squarely on Millen. In 8 years he went through 3 head coaches. This is going to blow you away: of Millen's picks between 2002 and 2006 (39 picks total), Ernie Sims is the ONLY one left on the team. Holy crap. How is a teams supposed to have anything resembling depth with that?
ReplyDeleteAnd hosting a Super Bowl only makes it worse. It's like dangling a doughnut in front of a fat guy on a treadmill - "see what you can't have? you want it...it's right in front of your face! You're getting closer...just keep working...you're almost there!" Never gonna happen.
Wheelz, you should know I am following any blog you have going on and you make some solid points about your Lions. All valid points. I will be hoping for the best for them in the upcoming draft.
ReplyDeleteThank you sir....and sorry for your loss (Jets).
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