The Detroit Lions and the Three Lions: Drawing inspiration

3 of 5

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images /

Recent ‘Golden Generation’ coming up empty

Lions

Detroit had Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Ndamukong Suh all on the same team for five years. That’s at least two, and maybe three future Hall of Fame players near their prime at the same time.
Yes, Stafford was still coming into his own, and Suh’s nastiness sometimes overshadowed his dominance. The supporting cast was thin, and they couldn’t possibly keep all three of them long-term, so their window of opportunity was short.
Even so, no playoff wins or championships of any type is pretty disappointing from that group in retrospect. 2014 looms large as the one that got away.

For roughly a decade stretch in the early 2000s, England’s ‘Golden Generation’ consistently failed to live up to the enormous expectations in their home country.
England’s squad from the 2006 World Cup is a who’s who of Premier League stars of the era: Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, not to mention captain David Beckham.
Across the pond, the 2006 World Cup is widely considered to be one that got away. The Three Lions lost a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals of that World Cup (to Portugal and a young Cristiano Ronaldo).
The unfortunate legacy of this heralded group is one of disappointment and failed potential.

Ndamukong Suh, against the Packers in 2011 and 2014 (both losses). Thrown out of the game in 2011 and suspended for the next two games. Nearly suspended for the playoff game against Dallas, certainly a distraction in the week leading up.
David Beckham in 1998, Wayne Rooney in 2006, both losses in the knockout stage of the World Cup. Both players received red cards, and England had to finish each match with only ten men as a result.