livediehockey80 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 The Detroit Red Wings are having a very good season. They have already earned 53 points while they remain the number 1 team in the Western Conference. The Wings are clearly on the road to the NHL playoffs in April. Stanley Cup fever remains alive in Motown. I have noticed that the Detroit media is going nuts over the Pistons. Rightfully so. The Pistons are a spectacular 24-3 so far in the NBA season. They have creamed the world champion Spurs and they recently defeated the Miami Heat. Detroit sports fans should enjoy this moment. Imagine the Red Wings in the Stanley Cups finals and the Pistons playing in the NBA finals in June? The Palace and The Joe will be rocking this season. However, I think Wings fans (who don't follow basketball) shouldn't be hostile about sharing the limelight with Pistons fans. During the late 1990s, the Lions, Tigers, and Pistons stunk! The Red Wings were the only championship ticket in town. Fast forward to today and you will find that the Tigers and Lions still stink. But Deeeeeeeeeeetroit Baaaaaaaaaaasketball is the bomb right now. The Pistons were winners in 2004 and runner-ups in 2005. I bet the Pistons will go deep into the playoffs again in 2006. In other words, we have a dynasty. In a perfect world, it would be great if the Pistons and Wings fan bases were closer. Let's face it...an overwhelming number of passionate Pistons fans are African-American and live in the city of Detroit. True, you will see more white faces at Pistons games; that's because white people have a socio-economic advantage over Detroit blacks. NBA tickets don't come cheap for working people. Putting a basketball arena in mostly-white Oakland County doesn't help increase black family attendance at Pistons games either. Meanwhile, Red Wings fans are almost entirely cacuasian with a stronger fan base out in the suburbs. Wings fans are spending money in Detroit. Red Wings fans commute into Detroit to watch hockey; some Pistons fans commute OUT of Detroit to Auburn Hills to watch NBA games. It's like two ships passing each other in the night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 excellent points. It would be hard to argue that the Pistons don't own Motown right now. The Red Wings early exit during the Pistons championship year and the lockout hasn't helped the Red Wings fan base. It would be very cool to see fans cheering and supporting both teams on their way to championships. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlakChamber 8 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 I actually think Detroit is a football town. Think about how bad the Lions have been and how long they've been bad. Then think about how they still sell out all their games. Any other city would have given up on them a long time ago, but Detroit football fans are the most passionate (and delusional ) out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest youssp9 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 I can see it now...... MOTOWN IS FRO TOWN AS WELL IS HOCKEYTOWN! Man, that would be awsome if the Red Wings and the Pistons went to the Finals and won this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 I actually think Detroit is a football town. Think about how bad the Lions have been and how long they've been bad. Then think about how they still sell out all their games. Any other city would have given up on them a long time ago, but Detroit football fans are the most passionate (and delusional ) out there. not to mention that preseason games for lions get sold out too. This city would go nuts if the Lions even showed a chance of making the super bowl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livediehockey80 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 I actually think Detroit is a football town. Think about how bad the Lions have been and how long they've been bad. Then think about how they still sell out all their games. Any other city would have given up on them a long time ago, but Detroit football fans are the most passionate (and delusional ) out there. I think Detroit is the best sports town in America. This is the ONLY good thing that Detroit has going. The job market stinks. The weather stinks. People are still leaving Michigan in droves...that stinks. I would argue that Detroit was really TigerTown from the WW II era through the 1980s. The local sports universe revolved around the Tigers baseball season. Before the big franchise implosion in the early 1990s, the Detroit Tigers had a successful legacy in MLB. There were many seasons when the Tigers competed with such heavyweights as the Yankees, Orioles, A's, and Red Sox. Then again, baseball was more popular nationally back in the day than the current era. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlakChamber 8 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 Detroit was probably Tiger Town at least through 1987, when they last made the playoffs. Even in 1988 they were second in the AL East. Then 1989 was really the beginning of the end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 HUGE support for a winning Pistons team right now and a winning Red Wings team when they were winning championships. But I think this town would absolutely EXPLODE if the Lions were any good. Get the Lions to the Super Bowl and all of Michigan would be electrified. Detroit is THE best sports town in the country. PERIOD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livediehockey80 0 Report post Posted December 30, 2005 We need some good football from the Great Lakes State. The Michigan Wolverines had a lousy year. Losing to the dreaded rival OSU and then completely bomb against Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl. Michigan State stunk up the joint too. I was never a Lions fan growing up in Michigan ironically. The Lions had some decent seasons with guys like Billy Sims and Gary Danielson (that's going way back). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted December 31, 2005 We need some good football from the Great Lakes State. The Michigan Wolverines had a lousy year. Losing to the dreaded rival OSU and then completely bomb against Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl. Michigan State stunk up the joint too. I was never a Lions fan growing up in Michigan ironically. The Lions had some decent seasons with guys like Billy Sims and Gary Danielson (that's going way back). the lions had some decent teams in the first couple of years with barry sanders....they even made it to the NFC championship game. Imagine that!! Under Wayne Fontes, the team typically made the playoffs. Who would have thought that looking at the lions history, fontes looks like a pretty good coach now. I would love to have Wayne Fontes back as Lions head coach...probably wont happen tho. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlakChamber 8 Report post Posted December 31, 2005 I loved the Barry Sanders/Wayne Fontes era, it was so predictable. The Lions would have a good season, make the playoffs, and lose first round. The next year, they'd have a tougher schedule and have a losing season. Then next season, they'd have an easier schedule, make the playoffs, lose first round, and the cycle would repeat itself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted December 31, 2005 I loved the Barry Sanders/Wayne Fontes era, it was so predictable. The Lions would have a good season, make the playoffs, and lose first round. The next year, they'd have a tougher schedule and have a losing season. Then next season, they'd have an easier schedule, make the playoffs, lose first round, and the cycle would repeat itself. i would take that everyday than the crap we have to deal with now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eva unit zero 271 Report post Posted December 31, 2005 The Michigan Wolverines had a lousy year. Losing to the dreaded rival OSU and then completely bomb against Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl. If 'completely bomb' means 'have the ball taken away by the refs on your last three possessions, as well as lose two timeouts because the replay official is an idiot' Then sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallas27 7 Report post Posted December 31, 2005 A city that has 2 radio stations dedicated to only sports shows how us Michiganders feel about sports. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
