Would a True Fan Root Against the Lions?

by Sean Yuille on Dec 19, 2008 3:17 AM EST in News Comment 7 comments

Ever since the Colts loss there has been lots of talk about whether or not a person is a true Lions fan if they hope the team goes winless this season. Tom Kowalski doesn't think so, and I understand where he is coming from. However, I don't think that someone can be categorized as a true fan or something else based solely on their decision to root against the Lions these final two weeks.

The way I see it, if someone wants the Lions to go 0-16 to ensure that change happens in the future, that is fine by me. Anything to ensure a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and front office is a legitimate reason to hope that the Lions go winless. Quite honestly, I don't think many fans would have any other reason to actually root for the Lions to lose. Even then, I don't necessarily believe that Lions fans flat out root for their so-called favorite team to lose anyways. I just think they don't care one way or the other and are okay with losing. After all, how many of you actually get angry and upset after a loss? We have become so used to losing that it simply isn't a big deal anymore.

For me, I hope the Lions win a game just so this year's team doesn't get remembered for being the worst ever. A single win lessens any future embarrassment in my opinion. Although awful teams in the future will always be compared to the '08 Lions, if this team has even only one victory it will be much less embarrassing.

What do you think about what makes a person a true Lions fan? Are they not one if they root for the Lions to go winless? Leave your thoughts in the comments section and vote in the poll below.

Poll

Can you still be considered a true fan if you root for the Lions to go 0-16?

Yes, there are legit reasons for rooting against a Lions victory

107 votes

No, rooting against your team means you aren't really a fan

81 votes

188 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Lions fan

Growing up in Utica, NY in the 1970’s and 1980’s there wasn’t a lot of Detroit Lions merchandise available, and even less time to actually watch them on TV. I fell in love with the Lions when I first saw those unitforms one Thansgiving morning as a young kid and never looked back (all of my brothers are Buffalo Bills fans as you can imagine). For me there is only Honolulu Blue and Silver. I’ve seen the worst of this team (Utley being paralyzed, the terrible drafting of Ware, Long, Rogers, Williams, Harrington, etc. the MMM hires as coaches in this horrific decade, AKA the Millen debacle, the losing in the 80’s, Reggie Brown, Eric Andolsek, the oh-so-close season of 1991, the teases of 1994, 1995, 1997 and Brett Favre over the last 16 years shredding our defenses)

I can’t comment on anyone else, but to me, an 0-16 season would put a PERMANENT MARK on this franchise that I don’t think any team deserves, least of all my Lions. I certainly don’t want them to lose all 16. I view it as a half glass empty, glass half full mentality – those who are rooting for 0-16 are half empty and those who want some sign of good things ahead are half full people. I guess I am a half full.

In summation, and I don’t mean to go on a long diatribe here, I think any true fan should find some good out of this season – the ONLY GOOD that could come out of this season is to AVOID the 0-16 infamy that bemoans this sorry cast of toothless Lions.

by NYCLionsfan on Dec 19, 2008 8:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

I’ve been a Lions fan since the first time I even knew what football was. Like all of you, I’ve stuck with Detroit through numerous horrible seasons and still hung my head high. I think 0-16 is the only way for management to really realize how bad this team is and has been. It will be an eye opener, and whoever they hire to take over GM duties will come in and clean house, so that it doesn’t happen again.

by giggy09 on Dec 19, 2008 10:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

No Difference

In management’s eyes, there should be no difference between 0-16 and 1-15. Either way, it’s because of horrible management and terrible players and it needs to be revamped completely. No good will come of 0-16… none. I am definitely rooting for a win, because I just don’t want them to set the mark for complete failure in this league. Maybe they deserve it, but we the fans sure don’t. Neither does the NFL.

by DrewsLions on Dec 19, 2008 2:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

To Drew's Point

I agree – absolulutely no good can come from 0-16. We collectively should be hoping that isn’t a black cloud hanging over our beloved franchise. Irrespective of 1-15 or 0-16, any competent GM should be cleaning house, let’s at least keep some dignity intact, the dignity of not being the only NFL team to go 0-16.

by NYCLionsfan on Dec 19, 2008 2:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I still think the Lions

can go 2-14. That’s how sick I am and how badly I want them to win. I will never root for them to lose and will always hold hope that they will somehow pull off a victory. Honolulu Blue through and through. Go Lions.

"It's probably similar to being in New York City and having a cab driver behind you and you're driving too slow. It's not the most pleasant thing."

Barry Sanders, on what defensive backs who played against him compared him to.

by Jettero2112 on Dec 19, 2008 8:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Being a fan

The core of being a sports fan is rooting for your team to win, every time. If you are ever rooting against your team, you aren’t a fan. Period.

The management is getting a complete overhaul this offseason anyway, so no “message” to be sent is necessary. Think in the big picture. In the short term it might pay off a little more, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life seeing the Lions graphic get pulled up whenever another team comes close to 0-16?

Go Lions, beat New Orleans.

by The Prodigy on Dec 19, 2008 9:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

i disagree

Being a fan is wanting what is best for your team. Will I openly root for the Lions to lose today, no. Do I think they deserve to win, maybe. Do I think there is a big difference between 1-15 and 0-16 … no and yes.
I think to the fans there isn’t much of one, but obviously to people in this organization I think there is. If this wasn’t the case Millen would have been fired much sooner than he was.
I will always root for the Lions, but I honestly feel going 0-16 may be what is best for the team. It might potentially lead to the NFL forcing the team to do things differently to create an actual competitive team and viable product worth promoting. And I while I have been adamantly opposed to the idea of the Lions losing the Thanksgiving Day game, maybe the idea of the NFL taking it away from them is enough to facilitate real change.

by Lostincali on Dec 21, 2008 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs