Lions Announce Details of "Pride of the Lions" Display

by Sean Yuille on Nov 5, 2009 10:38 AM EST in Detroit Lions News

Press release from the Detroit Lions:

The Detroit Lions will unveil the team’s Pride of the Lions, a permanent stadium display honoring the greatest players in team history, during a celebration at halftime of the Lions’ November 22 home game at Ford Field against the Cleveland Browns. The Pride of the Lions includes a 12-member charter class.

"The players who will be honored represent the very best of the best to ever play for the Lions," said Lions President Tom Lewand. "It is an honor to induct them as our Pride of the Lions charter class. The names of other Lions’ greats will be added to the Pride in the future but we could select no better representatives for our first class than these 12 standouts."

The Pride of the Lions will be a very visible feature on the old Hudson’s warehouse of Ford Field (south suite levels) that will include the players’ jersey number, name and years played with the Lions.

The charter class is a collection of the most outstanding Lions’ of all-time. All 12 players are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and they represent virtually every generation of Detroit Lions Football.

During the halftime ceremony, members of the Pride of the Lions charter class will be announced accompanied by photos and highlights of their careers. Upon the conclusion of the introduction, the names of the charter class will be simultaneously unveiled.

The Lions have 13 Hall of Famers to choose from for the 12 spots, so I wonder who will be part of the first "Pride of the Lions" class. The 13 Hall of Famers are Charlie Sanders, Barry Sanders, Lou Creekmur, Lem Barney, Doak Walker, Yale Larry, Dick Lane, Joe Schmidt, Jack Christiansen, Alex Wojciechowicz, Bobby Layne, Bill Dudley, and Earl Clark.

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That's cool

I would love to see the 12 they pick as Lions legends – they’re all hall of famers from what I read. Barry, of course, is a lock as one of the 12 and hopefully Staff will be in their someday in our lifetimes!!!

I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver

Pic - me and the great Herman Moore

by NYCLionsfan on Nov 5, 2009 10:42 AM EST reply actions

Good question

I updated my post to include the 13 Hall of Famers that the Lions have.

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Nov 5, 2009 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

12 out of 13

My first thought was…..

“Who was the poor guy who got left out?”

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 5, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions

I think they should leave out that Barry Sanders guy!!!

I mean come on what did he ever do for the team? /sarcasm

I do think it’s odd that they couldn’t figure out a way to squeeze one more guy in there though. that or since it says “our first class” to split it up and maybe only put half the hall of famers now or something.

by nuftjedi on Nov 5, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions

12 out of 13

You’re right GRLion – who is the poor soul who was left out?? That really sucks. Just make it 13 Lewand

I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver

Pic - me and the great Herman Moore

by NYCLionsfan on Nov 5, 2009 11:05 AM EST reply actions

yeah, I was thinking that too....maybe they'll do 12 now, and add more later

Maybe they were superstitious, and didn’t want 13 in the first class. They’ve already endured The Curse of Bobby Layne. Can’t be too careful. Maybe old man Ford is afraid a coven of witches will descend on Ford Field next.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 5, 2009 11:08 AM EST reply actions

At this point ANYONE descending upon Ford Field will be a good thing for WCF

as long as they’re paying spectators!!! LOL!!!

I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver

Pic - me and the great Herman Moore

by NYCLionsfan on Nov 5, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions

as long as one of the inductees is Bobby Layne...

the Lions should be able to reverse the curse by inducting Bobby Layne into the Pride with the first class. Now all they have to do is avoid anymore curses for the next 50 years…

by Detroitfantc on Nov 5, 2009 2:35 PM EST reply actions

i was thinking the same thing...

how awesome would it be for each inductee to be walked onto the field by the best player at the position today…talk about inspiration for that player…and most importantly to lay the curse of bobby down … walk him in w/ staff, the one from the same HS…

by londonlion on Nov 5, 2009 3:53 PM EST up reply actions

That would be creepy

Bobby Layne died in 1986.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 5, 2009 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

sure, pull his coffin then...

i didn’t know that … oops! well there are other ways to commemmorate him…get a wax statue! lol

by londonlion on Nov 5, 2009 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

Exhuming Bobby Layne..........

I say go ahead if it helps us get some WINS!!!

I spray paint my dog Honolulu Blue and Silver

Pic - me and the great Herman Moore

by NYCLionsfan on Nov 5, 2009 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

LMMFAO!!!

Wouldn’t it be great if they did a Rob Zombie style intro to the “Pride of the Lions” inductees? Then Bobby Layne’s corpse wouldn’t be so out of place! LOL!

by KDawg on Nov 5, 2009 5:14 PM EST up reply actions

As long as we're going for creepy.........

Here’s an email I sent a friend way back on May 18, with my Lions predictions for this season.
(Disclaimers: before training camp, before free agent signings, highly politically incorrect, irreverent, filled with dark comedy……not for the faint of heart…..don’t take it personally)(BTW, I’m a big fan of Bobby Layne)

Sunday, September 13 at New Orleans Saints

Too Brees-y. LOSS 0-1

Sunday, September 20 MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Adrian Peterson just ran over 19 players! (the 12 the Lions had on the field + 7 on the sidelines)(Paris Lenon was at home on the couch and STILL missed the tackle) Crowd boos as Culpepper gets sacked 5 times.

LOSS 0-2

Sunday, September 27 WASHINGTON REDSKINS

They were average last year and they still clobbered us. And they added Haynesworth. Crowd boos Culpepper. Drew Stanton spikes the cool-aid. LOSS 0-3

Sunday, October 4 at Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler! Matt Forte! Devin Hester! Oh my! LOSS 0-4

Sunday, October 11 PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers might be tired from playing (and winning) so many playoff games last year. OK, maybe not. Crowd boos Culpepper. Is that a “Bring Back Millen” sign I see?!?!??

LOSS 0-5

Sunday, October 18 at Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rogers quietly threw for over 4000 yards last year. Brett who? LOSS 0-6

Sunday, October 25 * BYE WEEK * We won’t lose this week!

Sunday, November 1 ST. LOUIS RAMS

Yay! A team that sucks! Matt Stafford starts and wins! Kevin Smith declares we will make the playoffs. WIN 1-6

Sunday, November 8 at Seattle Seahawks

Close game, Hasselbeck’s fading, Seadoggies’ RB’s disappionted last year. If it was a home game, maybe a win. But it’s waaaaaay out west. Stafford starts, throws 5 INT’s in the 1st half. Game is somehow still close. Stafford hurts his knee. It’s a career-ending injury. $41 million down the drain. Drew Stanton cackles with glee…..then he gets hurt, too. LOSS 1-7

Sunday, November 15 at Minnesota Vikings

It’s a bad sign when the other team runs onto the field through a paper banner of Paris Lenon. (Paris lunges at TV, falls off couch, misses the tackle again). Culpepper starts and throws 5 picks. At least we’re consistent week-to-week. Vikings fans laugh at Culpepper. Culpepper throws helmet at Jeff Backus, but it’s intercepted and run back into the end zone. LOSS 1-8

Sunday, November 22 CLEVELAND BROWNS

Only if both QB’s are gone by then. If not, Brady Quinn will light us up just to spite us for not drafting him, while he twisted in the wind there in the green room (whatever happened to his girlfriend, anyway?). Lions sign Bobby Layne to free agent contract, not realizing he’s dead. LOSS 1-9

Thursday, November 26 GREEN BAY PACKERS

Aaron Rogers lights us up. Favre lunges at TV swearing, falls off couch, rips his Wrangler jeans. LOSS 1-10

Sunday, December 6 at Cincinnati Bengals

Close game. We might win. I figure we’ll get a lucky win somewhere……this is the most likely spot, depending on how Carson Palmer does (the rest of the team sucks). Sammy Lee Hill takes off his socks to count, declares we can still make the playoffs.

WIN 2-10

Sunday, December 13 at Baltimore Ravens

Smash-mouth football? Our mouths will get smashed. It’s never good to be the mouth. LOSS 2-11

Sunday, December 20 ARIZONA CARDINALS

Super Bowl losers have a recent history of missing the playoffs the next year. Arizona already has about 4 players who want to cash out and leave town, so it looks very possible. But they won’t fall apart enough to lose to us. Warner or Leinart will get it done. Crowd boos Culpepper. Concession stands now sell Official Lions’ Paper Bags (for the head) with the new Lions’ logo on them. Bobby Layne is thrown in (literally) for the 2nd half and almost brings us back. Not bad for a dead guy. LOSS 2-12

Sunday, December 27 at San Francisco 49ers

Frank Gore is for real. So is Patrick Willis. So is Michael Crabtree (what are crabs doing up in the tree, anyway? How did they get up there?) Their QB’s are fake. But so is the Lions’ defense. We might have a chance if this was at home, but again it’s waaaaaaaay out west. On the flight home, Bobby Layne is stored in the overhead compartment as a carrion.

LOSS 2-13

Sunday, January 3 CHICAGO BEARS

Playoffs??!!?!? Playoffs?!?!? Don’t talk to me about playoffs!!! (especially when we’re 2-13 going into the last week of the season……..and no, Sammy Math doesn’t count). Make that 2-14. Cutler, Forte, Hester, that TE dude…..check. Lions sign Michael Vick on work release. Bobby Lane is scheduled to start, but one of Vick’s dogs runs off with Bobby’s right leg. Culpepper starts. Crowd boos Culpepper, who throws 8 picks and gets sacked 10 times. Drew Stanton sets fire to Ford Field. Bobby Lane beats the crap out of William Clay Ford and goes on to star in 117 Miller Lite commercials. Not bad for a dead guy. Brett Favre and Paris Lenon fall off their couches and can’t get up. Matt Stafford is never heard from again. LOSS 2-14

So I’m predicting the Lions to go 2-14. If they get REALLY lucky, they might win 5 games. I’m guessing 1-5 wins this year. Yeah, and it’s going to happen……just like that (Bobby Layne told me so). Paper Bags on sale now!

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 5, 2009 4:27 PM EST reply actions

(disclaimer)

Another email from last spring explains the Sammie Lee Hill references…..it was titled “Sammie Lee Hill, Great at Fotball, not so great at math”.

Hi,
Here’s 3 fun quotes from 330-Lb Lions DT Sammie Lee Hill, the 4th-Round Pick from Division II Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (where the tusk are loosa’).

"You probably could have put all three of (the other defensive linemen) together and I was still bigger than all of them," said Hill.
What??!?!!??!? They had three 110-Lb defensive linemen???

That’s all well and good when Hill was a 285-pound lineman, but what about when he continued to gain weight and peaked around 330 pounds?
"Every year when I was in college, I would probably gain five pounds each year," said Hill.
Hmmm….45 Lbs…(Sammie takes off socks to count)…..he was in college 9 years?

But even though pass-rushing wasn’t his strength, he made do; posting 7.0 sacks his senior season, though he says he actually had 10.5.
Sammie Math!!??!? He’s so big, each Sammie Sack counts as 1.5 regular sacks??!!?!?!??

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 5, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions

OMFG!! That was hilarious!

What made it even more funny was that some of it was close to true! Good stuff…..I laughed especially hard when Stanton became a pyromaniac and Bobby Layne beat up old man Ford….classic…..:o)

by KDawg on Nov 5, 2009 5:20 PM EST up reply actions