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As it turns out, the Lions’ worst performance on Thanksgiving Day could have been their last. At least for a while.
Per Adam Schefter of NFL Network, the league could be taking up the question of whether to continue Detroit’s perpetual hammerlock on the early game of the fourth Thursday in November.
A high-ranking offical told Schefter that the issue ”will be reviewed at the March League meetings” and that it “could go either way.”
Our guess? This might be part of a broader effort by the league office to persuade the powers-that-be in Detroit to accept input and guidance from the NFL regarding any changes that the franchise needs to make in order to become competitive again.
In the past, the league has at time tried to gently steer teams generally toward the right direction when making key hires; if the league is inclined to do the same thing in Detroit, the best piece of leverage would be the promise of not scuttling tradition on Thanksgiving.
November 30th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Yawn
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Well, we already know that the Lions are going to lose the Thanksgiving Day game. I think that’s the point. The NFL wants to showcase a team that actually has a shot of winnng.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
What will happen when Dallas becomes “uncompetitive”? Will they lose the game as well?
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It seems that every team has an “accidental good year”, like the 10 - 6 Browns last year. For as long as I have been watching football, I can’t remeber the Lions having one of those years. How is it possible to be so bad for so long?
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
If the NFL takes that game away from the Lions….look for FORD to stop sponsoring the NFL. FORD is one the leagues alrgest comercial sponsors.
In these economic times, is it wise to take a chance to lose a sponsor like the FORD MOTOR COMPANY??????
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
All 3 Thanksgiving games need to be randomly picked. Take the Dallass fame away too. Make all 3 a yearly pick, period.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
What if they had it in Detroit, but had other teams play the game, like, GOOD teams?
Wouldn’t that be better? Ford Field is just an awful place to go to a game, they downgraded from the Silverdome.
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
It’ll never happen. Detroit started the tradition in 1938, and the league promised to leave the game in Detroit in perpetuity.
caramello, the Lions made the playoffs 7 times in the ten years before Millen. They even went to the NFC Championship game one year (blown out by SB winners the Redskins).
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Ps, Also, the Lions NEED to listen to the League when it comes time to hire a GM, they are PATHETIC at it on their own…
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
caramello1976 says:
November 30th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It seems that every team has an “accidental good year”, like the 10 - 6 Browns last year. For as long as I have been watching football, I can’t remeber the Lions having one of those years. How is it possible to be so bad for so long?
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How long have you been watching? Must not be too long if you don’t remember the Lions in the playoffs in 1995 and were 10-6. Yes, that was 13 years ago but then again it was only 13 years ago. 1997 they were 9-7 and 2000 they were 9-7. 9-7 isn’t a great year but it is a winning season.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Lions Suck. Give it to the MN Vikings
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I’m confused….don’t the Lions USUALLY lose the Thanksgiving Day Game?
I hope the NFL doesn’t take it from them, I think tradition is important….and what’s better than watching the Lions get their asses handed to them while enjoying a nice pumpkin muffin?
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Rating: 4.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
The FORD MOTOR COMPANY is a big loser too, Im sure Toyota has the $$ to pick up those sponsorships, and they can do it on their own without any handouts.
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Rating: 3.4 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
“caramello1976 says:
November 30th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It seems that every team has an “accidental good year”, like the 10 - 6 Browns last year. For as long as I have been watching football, I can’t remeber the Lions having one of those years. How is it possible to be so bad for so long?”
In 2000 they went 9-7….and, being the Lions, they dumped their head coach when he was 5-4….
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
C’mon, 50 years from now, everyone will look back and laugh at this period of futility. Every team has ups and downs. Every team has been absolutely pathetic at some point in time- Steelers, Giants, 49ers, even the Cowboys.
It’s their team’s tradition. They should keep it going.
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Rating: 3.75 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Their “team’s tradition” doesn’t mean crap to the league. It’s the Patriots “team tradition” to cheat, doesn’t mean the league will allow them to continue to cheat though.
Take the Dallass and Lions Thanksgiving games and give them to random teams. Playoff teams from the previous season.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Thank God. Nobody outside the Detroit market should have to be subjected to watching that team.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
The Lions and the Detroit area and Autos are taking it in the seat right now. I don’t think they should get totally screwed, so the NFL should add another holiday game to the schedule and Detroit should host that annual game. Starting December 23rd the Detroit Lions will play the 1st annual Festivus game at Ford Field. Festivus includes the novel practice of the “Airing of Grievances”, in which a person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. The Lions players and coaches can gather at mid-field at halftime and air their many grievances at each other to the delight of America. We the fans can additionally call-in with our displeasure with the Lions. Larry King will take the calls and moderate from the 50. If the game ends in a tie instead of overtime “The Feats of Strength” tradition will be exercised. William Clay Ford Sr. will select a visiting fan to wrestle at mid-field, whoever is pinned loses the game. I’m sure the marketing geniuses at the networks can also work in Monster Trucks and a livestock auction for Carolina fans, a “Running Man” type of pre-game show hosted by Jim Brown for Jets fans and 5 lucky Eagles fans will be given baseball bats and can chase Santa around the infield and beat him like a Pinata. It will be a wonderful American tradition.
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Rating: 4.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Lions to lose a game is newsworthy?
Oh…
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
“In these economic times, is it wise to take a chance to lose a sponsor like the FORD MOTOR COMPANY??????”
In these economic times, FORD MOTOR COMPANY isn’t going to exist for much longer. So who the hell cares?
In any event, you can’t start treating one team different because they happen to be affiliated with an advertiser, or else you have a massive conflict of interest.
If the team can’t win, they don’t deserve to win in prime time, period.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
What? Ford and his name sake Motor Company has bigger problems then worrying about losing a game on Thanksgiving. Also there are 31 other owners who benefit from profit sharing. And it all comes down to dollars and cents. And having the Lions play on Thanksgiving makes no sense.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
If you take the game away from Detroit you have to take it away from Dallas as well. Can’t break one of the two traditions just because one team has been awful lately. Besides, with all the parity going on in the league, there’s a great the chance the Lions would be at least a competitive team in the next year or two. Just look at Miami.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
The Lions should host the game every year and the Cowboys should play the Skins every year. The night game can be a random AFC game. I don’t think it’s fair that the Lions should lose the game. Yes, it was painful to watch them lose. But tradition is the only thing the NFL has left.
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I sure hope they are fair and remove it from Dallas as well. Fair is fair. Look at how often Dallas has been in the playoffs recently…. they are a better version of Detroit. Sorr Vox.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
“If you take the game away from Detroit you have to take it away from Dallas as well. Can’t break one of the two traditions just because one team has been awful lately.”
Yes you can. What gave you the silly idea that it can’t?
“Look at how often Dallas has been in the playoffs recently….”
What are you talking about? The Cowboys have been in the playoffs 3 of the past 5 seasons. The Lions haven’t made the playoffs since the 90’s.
“they are a better version of Detroit.”
I’m not even sure what that’s supposed to mean. The Lions are going to be at home watching the playoffs along with your Eagirls. That’s just one of many things those two teams have in common.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)