Comments on: The Morning After: Side of Pigskin

By: James Poniewozik

James Poniewozik — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:55:42 +0000

@Tom: Is that really the reason? Yes, the Lions have a dome, which I suppose is an incentive for TV, but it's not much of a rarity anymore... more to the point, tho, I believe the Lions have been playing on Thanksgiving since the 1930s. But otherwise, since I'm a Michigan native, you're preaching to the choir--why take one more thing away?

By: Tom Shaw

Tom Shaw — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:56:15 +0000

Let's recall that the classical reason for their having the T-Day game is that they play in a domed stadium. While you can certainly play football in inclement weather, the various halftime, etc. entertainments fare poorly in the middle of a snowstorm. So for that reason alone I am inclined to leave the T-Day game with the Lions...

Because who knows how long Detroit will have the Lions anyway. The Lions now survive basically on the largess of the Ford family, and with the way the domestic auto industry is going, their continued operation there is in doubt.

By: masurix

masurix — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:46:28 +0000

I've heard of that use of football, Lulu. In my house, if a game is not worth watching it cannot be on the TV, lest we forget our turkey and start heckling.

By: Ashman

Ashman — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:15:47 +0000

The Lions should not be removed from Thanksgiving day. The fact that this question is even being asked really confuses me. I suppose it could be another example of bias towards the recent present. All anyone seems to remember is that the Lions stink. Though they finished 7-9 last year after a 6-2 start, they were 6-5 going into Thanksgiving I believe.
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The Lions overall record on Thanksgiving days is 35 wins 32 losses and 1 tie. This is winning percentage of .53, which isn't that bad. Winning as often as you lose isn't the worst thing in the world for a sports team. Now, the Lions have been awful this last decade, but that happens sometimes. In the 90s, when the Lions had Barry Sanders they made for compelling football as long as he was in the game.
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From 2000 onward the Detroit Lions have won on Thanksgiving only twice. In the same period of time, University of Michigan has beaten The Ohio State University only once. Yet, no one seems to be saying that UM should have a different end of season opponent? There are no voices clamoring for that game to be removed from national television. There is only an understanding that these things happen in sports.
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Finally, I give you the reason why the Lions are likely to not be removed from Thanksgiving. The NFL has a sort of unofficial edict that every football team show up on national television at least once every two years. Putting the Lions on Thanksgiving means they do not ever have to sacrifice a Sunday or Monday night football game on them. It is unlikely they would ever play a Thursday game on the NFL network, because the league is trying to grow demand for it by featuring marque games, which the Lions have never been.

By: Lulu Lulu

Lulu Lulu — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:49:31 +0000

What is up with the Lions? How does the franchise even make money? I've never heard a single good thing about them even when I was living in Michigan. I never hear about trades, new coaches, what they need to turn the team around, nothing.

In our house, the game is on but the sound is off and no one actually watches it...almost like a twinkling Christmas tree, it's there for decoration and ambience rather than entertainment value.

By: masurix

masurix — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:42:51 +0000

We faithfully watch the Cowboys every Thanksgiving at my house. My family cringed for the poor Lions which we only saw in highlights (lowlights?). I think it's tough that every Thanksgiving gets ruined for those poor guys, so maybe it would be kinder to give the Lions' T-day game the Ol' Yeller Treatment.