Here’s why the Detroit Lions don’t owe their fans anything
By Ryan Russell
The Detroit Lions have some of the best fans in the world. Unfortunately, they also have some of the most confused fans from time to time.
The Detroit Lions are a team on the verge of breaking out. After years upon years of failure and disappointment, Detroit appears to be on the right track and ready to get over the hump. Fans can thank the Lions general manager Bob Quinn for their impressive turnaround from the 2016 season to now.
Bob Quinn came in and put the “Patriot Way” into effect almost immediately. With an overhaul of the roster to the coaching staff to the guys in the draft room, Quinn has made a whole lot of good moves for Detroit in his few years on the job. This Lions team is a whole new beast and they have quite the roar these days.
The Detroit Lions are unrecognizable today from the 2016 squad. NFL teams release and add new faces every year, sometimes even throughout the year. Teams are always changing, this isn’t just something that is happening in Detroit. Teams change out players, coaches, front office personnel, everybody. All the time. No team is the same from year to year.
With all this being said, the Detroit Lions don’t owe their fans anything. There isn’t an NFL team out there that owes the fans anything. Considering that teams change so drastically every season, does it really matter if you’re a Lions fan of 20, 30 or even 60 years?
It is not fair to hold the current year’s team accountable for previous years’ failings. What fans and critics need to realize is, there is a difference between a franchise and a team. The franchise consists of the name, logo, building, and ownership. The team is what represents the franchise, put together by the franchise.
As for the Detroit Lions and their one playoff win in a half-century, that falls on the franchise. You can’t blame the team. The team has changed every year, so if you’re blaming the team then you must blame many, many teams. You cannot blame the current team though, as they had nothing to do with the past.
When a player makes a mistake and fans start talking like he owes them more, it just sounds crazy. How is that player responsible for 60 plus years of failure? The simple answer is, he is not.
Detroit has some of the best fans in football. They are passionate about their team and are not afraid to show it. But sometimes they need to take a breath and remember that this team doesn’t owe them anything. It’s not okay to crucify the quarterback for an interception or a running back for a fumble.
I understand that these same fans have poured a lot of money into supporting and watching their team play. I completely get that, but once again… There is a difference between the team and the franchise. Every individual player on the team is going out and giving their best effort every game and every practice. They are doing their part. So it may not be enough to garnish success, that’s on the franchise.
If a team continues to fail year after year, then look no further as the franchise itself. As far as the money, time, and effort that goes into a fans favorite franchise, maybe they do owe more than just showing up. Maybe the franchise needs to do a better job of acquiring the correct pieces.
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Just remember the next time your screaming at your television, or even if you’re in attendance for the game … These Detroit Lions players don’t owe you anything. They are doing the best to their abilities. Playing in the NFL is a brutal way to make a living, but this was their dream and there is no way of telling when it can end. They give it all they have and then go the extra mile, not only for themselves but for their loyal fans as well.