2021 Detroit Lions Name Bracket Tournament: The Final Four

Fans of the hit TV show “Breaking Bad” are sure to remember the classic episode “Dead Freight.” Clearly made simply as an homage to train heist movies—considering the actual plot is somewhat far-fetched—the episode is an emotional roller coaster.

Note: We’re about to get into spoiler territory.

Anti-hero Walter White is in sudden need for a huge supply of methylamine to continue his meth empire. In amazing happenstance, he happens to figure out the location of a train carrying just that—and is able to track down the moving train during a three-mile “dark territory” where communication is down. The perfect time for a heist! How convenient!

Long story short, Walter and his crew pull off an elaborate, improbable heist undetected, and everyone erupts in a cheer, celebrating their amazing feat.

But that celebration is short lived, as a young boy—coincidentally named Drew Sharp, sharing the name with the long-time Detroit sports writer—rolls in screen on his motorized bike, having witnessed the entire thing. After the kid gives the crew an innocent wave, without a word of communication, one of Walt’s associates—Todd, the sociopathic nazi with a romantic side—shoots the kid dead. Party over.

This is not an uncommon trope for TVs or movies. Oftentimes we see the hero take down the final villain in a movie only to find out their sidekick or love interest has been killed in the process.

I bring all of this up because in the Elite Eight of the 2021 Detroit Lions Name Bracket, we have experienced another victory followed by agonizing defeat. My tournament-long rivalry with subpar name Joel Heath finally came to an end with Damion Ratley rightfully putting the 16-seeded name out of its misery. But before I could enjoy Heath’s demise for even a second, I saw that tournament favorite Amon-Ra St. Brown had been defeated thanks to the work of a vengeful hacker. Into the final hour of voting, St. Brown had 75 percent of the vote. By the stroke of midnight, he was down to 46. The Sun God is dead. Long live the Sun God.

Here are the final two matchups in the 2021 Name Bracket Tournament. I will not be providing commentary this round as a tribute to who should have been the tournament’s true winner. A moment of silence for St. Brown.

2. Penei Sewell vs. 2. Ifeatu Melifonwu

1. Corn Elder vs. 11. Damion Ratley