TSDMike | May 4, 2009
In a league built so that different franchises have a legitimate chance to prosper every year, it is entirely perplexing that the Lions have not been able to improve, if nothing more than as a result of the system and not of their own accord. Very few franchises in all of professional sports have displayed the ineptitude and inability to achieve success as the Detroit Lions have.
TSDMike | April 30, 2009
Yesterday a reader, ‘Dick Butkiss’, wrote in a comment:
“One thing that not many people discuss is exactly what the Lions measurement of success is. To the fans, it’s winning, and failing that, at least provide an exciting product (as in the Barry Sander’s days). To the ownership, it’s got to be the bottom line. They are making money, so maybe to them, they are a successful franchise.”
I think the Detroit Lions are one of only a very select few NFL franchises whose on field performance and win-loss record has very little effect on the bottom line. Other than the Cleveland Browns, The Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets, I don’t think there are many teams whose fans are content to support a perpetual loser. This is a byproduct of the NFL business model.
