Wake up Detroit

By KEN  W PACZAS

At the start of this hockey season, people of Detroit were calling radio stations to complain about Steve Yzerman...

Wait What?!?!?!?!?!?!?

They felt betrayed that he could leave this organization, even if it was for a can’t miss opportunity. They want to be selfish, and they expect Steve to be loyal and are now calling him a traitor…

WAIT WHAT???

I felt like maybe it was time to remind you about whom Steve Yzerman really is.

HEART

Some players talk like they have it, only to show their true colors. Others sit in the shadows, afraid to step into the light. Even more of us wish we had more of it, when times of trouble come.

HEART

Steve Yzerman’s whole career has been overcoming odds and when his back was against the wall, he fought with all he had. After being drafted, the Red Wings feared he would be too small to compete in the NHL, measuring only 5'11 and 185 pounds. Detroit was convinced that Stevie Y needed more seasoning. When Yzerman arrived at training camp in 1983, he proved to everyone that the tiny kid from Canada had the ability to play in this league. In his first professional season, Yzerman tallied 39 goals and 87 points, and finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting.

HEART

In 1986 he was named captain, the youngest player to ever be named captain in the team's then 60-year history, and has held the title ever since. During the 1988-1989 season Yzerman recorded a phenomenal 155 points, a total that only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have surpassed. Yet no one came out and called Yzerman the best, but rather, looked to trade him for someone better. Did he cry, moan, and hold out? No, he did what leaders do, play and let your game speak for you. In 1997, Yzerman led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup in 42 years by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in 4 straight games. The following year Detroit repeated the feat, taking four in a row from the Washington Capitals. Yzerman handed the Cup first to Vladimir Konstantinov, a Red Wing defenseman who had been injured severely in a car accident a year earlier.

HEART

On November 26, 1999, Yzerman became the eleventh player in NHL history to score 600 goals. By now Detroit has welcomed their second son with open arms; the rest of the NHL did not.

In 2001-02, Yzerman re-aggravated a longtime knee injury, forcing him to miss 30 regular season games. Playing on one good knee, he led Detroit to its 3rd Stanley Cup in 6 years, scoring 23 points in 23 games.

The following summer, Yzerman underwent osteotomy surgery for knee realignment, a procedure typically reserved for the elderly. Yzerman missed 66 games and received a standing ovation from the home crowd when he returned in mid-April, registering an assist in his first game back. His comeback from this type of surgery is rare, if not unprecedented, among professional athletes.

HEART

Yzerman deserves to go out with the love he so rightfully earned. Detroit complains that Barry Sanders left to early, he ripped us off the chance of watching greatness. Yzerman has given us over 20 years of greatness. I for one am thankful for every minute of it. Steve has moved on, and is the GM of another organization. That will still not stop me from standing on my feet and giving an ovation, every time he steps back in the arena.

I will give him, what he has always given this city.

HEART

The Magical Troll

BY KEN W PACZAS

Artie Milliken sat around his house in the summer of 1983. He was Detroit’s #1 sports fan and enthusiastically routed on the home teams. Milliken has been depressed for many months now.

“I mean, this is the City of Champions,” Milliken would say. “The Tigers haven’t won since ’68, the Red Wings since ’55, the Pistons since ’45, and the Lions since ’57. Why can’t I just see a winner?”

All of a sudden a puff of smoke came out and a magical troll came over and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime. For Milliken’s sole, he could be guaranteed a chance at a winner almost every year.

Being the sports fan Milliken is, he quickly agreed and ever since the City of Champions has come alive.

From 1984-1987 the Detroit Tigers ruled the town. This was baseball town and no one could tell you otherwise. Everyone had their scorecards out at the games, keeping score. Grown men would bring their infant daughters to the Corner, just for a glimpse at greatness. Unfortunately, after 1987 the ride was over but that’s where the Pistons took over.

From 1988-1992 the Pistons held the heart and soul of this town. They were a true image of Detroit. Hard working, tough, and a little dirty, the Bad Boys brought home two world championships and was a game 7 away from having three. Like all good runs, it came to the end when Michael Jordan decided to become the greatest athlete of the era and dominate basketball for the next decade.

From 1993-2002 the city came alive with Hockey Town. Even though they only won three championships, the Red Wings dominated hockey for almost a decade. Everyone in the city had a Jersey. Some people liked the Captain; others were huge fans of the grind line. Shanny, Nick, Chelios, all became household names. You might have even found a Federov jersey in the crowd. However, Ken Holland’s refusal to get younger and get hungrier players has made this team a shell of its former self. They have enough talent to win 100 points; they just don’t have a hunger or desire to make it through the playoffs.

From 2003-2007 the city began to go back to “work”. With four straight Eastern Conference Finals and a world championship, the city began to recognize basketball again. Heck, even Mason became a cult hero. The best starting five in basketball gave us a reason to pack the Palace, and yell DETROIT BASKETBALL! But just like most sport teams, they lost their desire and hunger. Gone was the nitty gritty defensive team that won a championship and hello was the 2004 Lakers. All show and no heart.

In 2006 it looked like the Tigers were returning to take back the cities heart, making the World Series and packing the house at CoPa. However, bad general managing has led them to not take full advantage and in stepped the Red Wings.

2008-? The Red Wings look to be back, winning the cup in 2008, going to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 09, and it looks like they are geared back up for another title run this year.

Ever since Artie made this deal, some Detroit sport’s team has always been relevant. We complain that Detroit isn’t a destination for players or talent, but if you compare it to any other city, who else compares to the success we have had over the last 30 years in multiple sports.

Artie Milliken has championship posters all over his house and is smiling gingerly as the Detroit Red Wings knocked off the Blues with an action packed third period.

All of a sudden the troll appears and asks him if he regrets making the deal.

“Not at all,” Milliken explains. “Every memory, the good and the bad, has been enough to make any fan extremely happy. I just have one question, How come the Lions have never won?”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,” replies the Troll. “The Lions win, come on man, get real. I may be magic but I’m no miracle worker.”

The Detroit Lions, franchise quarterback free since.....

BY KEN W PACZAS

William Peterson sits alone in his basement, doing what he does every Sunday in the fall.  He watches the Detroit Lions play football.

Since he was born in 1940, he has watched many Lion teams come and go and the frustration that comes with being a Lions fan.

The Lions haven’t had a proven winner at quarterback since

Bobby Lane

. Under Layne, they had won three NFL championships in six seasons, the last in 1957 when Layne shared the Lions' quarterbacking with Tobin Rote. 

            Then, unexpectedly on Oct. 6, 1958, Layne was traded away to the Steelers. The Lions received Earl Morrall, a promising young quarterback and some draft choices.
            It was the beginning of the Lions' quarterback shuffle that continues 48 years later, with Matt Stafford, Shaun Hill, and Drew Stanton.

            Perhaps, just perhaps, the Lions are gripped by the Curse of Bobby Layne.
            Since Layne left, 44 different athletes have attempted to play quarterback for the Lions.  Most have played without success. Only one has qualified to play in the Pro Bowl -- Greg Landry, in 1972.
       William Peterson says that he has heard this build for the future talk before, almost every year since Layne left.

The 1970’s was filled with flipping back and forth with Bill Munson and Greg Landry.

In the 1980s, Monte Clark coached some decent Lions teams.  But he never coached a top quarterback, having flipped back and forth from Gary Danielson and Eric Hipple.

You have to be at least 50 now to have vivid memories of the Lions' last championship, won with Rote at quarterback after Layne's ankle was broken.

Fresher in the memories of Lions fans is Wayne Fontes' quarterback quandary of a decade ago.

When Fontes was promoted to head coach to replace the fired Daryl Rogers late in the 1988 season, the Lions were in a sequence of playing five different No. 1 quarterbacks in five seasons.

       Fontes proceeded to expand the quarterback shuffle in the early 1990s.  He rotated Rodney Peete, Eric Kramer and Andre Ware, as if they were baseball caps.
       At last, Fontes solved his problem. He figured. In 1994, the Lions signed Scott Mitchell, as a free agent whose pro credentials were that he had been backup in Miami to Dan Marino.
       Mitchell was the quarterback Bobby Ross inherited when he replaced Fontes in 1997.
It was Mitchell who eventually drove Ross crazy.

       Quarterbacks come into this town as Kings, and then leave with the trash the next Monday.

       In 2002 the Lions drafted Joey Harrington in the 1^st round to be the savior.  Who could forget Joey’s first game against Green Bay where the fans chanted “Joey Ballgame.”

            Maybe things will be different this time we all said. Matt Stafford looks great when he plays. However, unfortunately for Lions fans, Matt is slowly earning the nickname, Glassford. Now Hill is back at quarterback and he has a broken arm. Could ofs, Should ofs, and Would ofs are echoing through Detroit. Did Detroit get it right or is it time to start looking at quarterback number 45.

       So William will be in his basement doing what every Detroit sports fan does this Sunday, watching the Lions try to regain the glory that Bobby Layne brought back in the 50’s. He will sit and watch and hope that maybe next year, they will put it together.

       Hey maybe Bobby Layne can still throw a football?

SUH!!!!!!!

By KEN W PACZAS

It’s funny the difference 8 months takes. Before the 2010 NFL Draft, there was alot of talk who was better, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy. Even though most the experts said Suh would get drafted higher, not everyone thought he would be the better pro. Well halfway through their first season, I believe it’s safe to say we have a winner.

Tale of the Tape. Tackles: Suh-27, McCoy 14. Sacks: Suh-6.5, McCoy 0. Interceptions: Suh-1, McCoy -0 Fumble recoveries: Suh-1, McCoy-0. Touchdowns: Suh-1, McCoy-0.

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner. The thing that stands out the most is that McCoy was viewed as the better pass rusher, yet Suh has 6.5 while McCoy has yet to record one.

In October Suh won rookie of the month by being the dominant force Lions fans were hoping for.

• He finished with 14 tackles, 4.5 sacks (29.5 yards lost), 1 interception, 1 pass defense and a 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown. He was a key cog in the Lions going 2-2 and winning both their home games. Suh had more sacks (4.5) in October than any other rookie in the NFL has tallied for the entire season, and he had the most among defensive tackles in the League (Chicago DT Israel Idonije recorded 4.5 sacks but did it over 4 games starting at LDE).
• With 4.5 sacks, Suh became the first rookie defensive tackle to record 4.5 sacks in October since Jacksonville DT John Henderson had 5.0 in 2002.He also became the first defensive tackle in the NFL to collect 4.5 sacks during October since Tampa Bay DT Warren Sapp had 5.0 in 2005.

For the season

• Suh electrified the Ford Field crowd as part of a dominating performance by the defensive line today when he registered 2 sacks (17 yards loss), 4 tackles (2 tackles for loss) and put an exclamation point on the victory today with a 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 1:36 to play in the game that gave the Lions a 37-25 lead.

Big Daddy Suh is running away with the defensive rookie of the year. He is bringing hope that the Lions might have their most dominant defensive force since Bennie Blades.

Now, to get the rest of the nations attention, he has to do it against the loud mouth Jets. Everyone will be watching, and it’s time for Suh to show the world, that he is not only the best defensive rookie, but the best player taken in the draft period.