Why Do The Detroit Lions Always Play on Thanksgiving?

Photo Credit: guyfromlargo

The Detroit Lions and Thanksgiving Day games go together like turkey and stuffing. As a lifelong Lions fans, I've always looked forward to the opportunity to see the Honolulu Blue & Silver in a nationally televised game. For many years during my lifetime, Thanksgiving has been the only time that Detroit would be featured in such a game.

Even though the Lions have been more successful in recent years and feature NFL stars such as Calvin Johnson, Ndamukong Suh and Matthew Stafford, most Americans would probably prefer to see another team replace the Lions on the regular Thanksgiving Day schedule. But for those of us that consider ourselves devotees of the Lions, we hope the tradition continues.

So if you're wondering why the Lions play on Thanksgiving, here's a little history from the Lions' website:

"The [Thanksgiving Day] game was the brainchild of G.A. Richards, the first owner of the Detroit Lions. Richards had purchased the team in 1934 and moved the club from Portsmouth, Ohio to the Motor City. The Lions were the new kids in town and had taken a backseat to the baseball Tigers. Despite the fact the Lions had lost only one game prior to Thanksgiving in 1934, the season’s largest crowd had been just 15,000. The opponent that day in 1934 was the undefeated, defending World Champion Chicago Bears of George Halas. 

The game would determine the champion of the Western Division. Richards had convinced the NBC Radio Network to carry the game coast-to-coast (94 stations) and, additionally, an estimated 26,000 fans jammed into the University of Detroit Stadium while thousands more disappointed fans were turned away. Despite two Ace Gutowsky touchdowns, the Bears won the inaugural game, 19-16, but a classic was born. Since 1934, 69 games have been played with the Lions holding a series record of 33-34-2 (.493). And each game, in its own way, continues to bring back memories of Thanksgiving, not only to Lions' fans, but to football fans across the nation."

In addition, the Dallas Cowboys have also been featured on Thanksgiving since 1966 and a third game, featuring rotating teams in the evening slot, was introduced in 2006.

Viewers of last year's Detroit/Green Bay game witnessed a Lions victory, 40-10 -- the first time the country saw a Detroit win on Thanksgiving since 2003. Historically, the Lions overall record on Thanksgiving games is 34-37-2.

Their 2014 match-up features the 7-4 Lions taking on NFC Central Division rival, the Chicago Bears (5-6).

While time with family, giving thanks for God's blessing and enjoying a large feast are probably the highest priorities for most Americans on Thanksgiving, watching NFL football is another Thanksgiving tradition that many of us look forward to each year. Go Lions!

Is The NFL Defining Black Masculinity For Society?

Photo Credit: Keith Allison

One of the most intriguing storylines from the current NFL season is that of the Miami Dolphins and the alleged bullying that took place by Richie Incognito towards teammate Jonathan Martin. After Martin unexpectedly left the team at the end of October, many wondered what prompted his departure.

In the days and weeks ahead, it was alleged that what caused Martin's abrupt leaving of the team was the severe bullying that he had endured, most notably by Incognito. The story ignited a national discussion on race, hazing and what is acceptable behavior in the locker room (and beyond).

In another angle on the story, ESPN The Mag writer Howard Bryant explores what it means to be considered a masculine African American man in today's society:

"Here was a case in which a white man used racial slurs to a Stanford-educated teammate who comes from a two-parent, Harvard-educated home. And more than anything else, the root issue was the eternal difficulty this country has in allowing black men to live in full dimension. Martin didn't look the part. He didn't conform to the accepted code of black masculinity, exposing the fault line that has always run underneath the American soil, transformative president or not. 

On the Dolphins, Martin wasn't seen as a real man. Uncomfortable with the strip clubs, he wasn't trusted as one of the boys. And because he represented the images of scholarship and manners, of dignity and higher education -- reputable qualities generally associated with white mainstream America -- he was inauthentic in the eyes of black players, but no more authentic in the eyes of whites. His teammates preyed on Martin's economic class and demeanor, viewing each as weakness, his education as a mimicry of whiteness. (It's telling that John Elway and Andrew Luck, also Stanford grads, have never been accused of being soft.) 

Meanwhile, Incognito became "honorary black" not for any great contribution to African-American history or society but by personifying the negative attributes that American culture usually assigns to black men: the thug, the sex-club swagger, the tough-guy bravado. The images shifted, twisted and flipped, and the person embodying the stereotypical N-word was actually the white man, to the point where Incognito's black teammates saw themselves in his behavior more than Martin's. 

Martin and his family may be what politicians and teachers say is the American ideal, but the actual rewards -- the acting jobs, the record deals, the social acceptance, the money -- largely go to the African-Americans who exemplify the N-word, who embrace the suffocating, limiting image of male blackness. The decision to perpetuate this image isn't made solely by the black community but by the white suits who decided long ago how the part is supposed to look and what black behavior they will compensate; think of that LeBron cover again. Corporations seem to doubt the authenticity and marketability of black men who live outside the primal construct. 

This represents the ultimate victory of racism: the belief that exists among both whites and blacks that being educated, being articulate, having manners, is the sole province of being white."

To read the rest of Bryant's article please click here.

Terrell Owens' Sad Post-NFL Life

Photo Credit: moodsofnorway

It wasn't that long ago that Terrell Owens was an NFL superstar making millions of dollars a year. But appears that those days are now over. His life out of the spotlight gives some insight on the realities of life for professional athletes.

Grantland tells his story:

"People forget that I'm a human being, just because I play a sport that everybody loves," he says. "We're human. We're not invincible. We share the same feelings and emotions that people on the outside feel. I don't think people really understand that."

Then, unprovoked, he brings up the suicide of Junior Seau.

"You think about some of the things that Junior Seau was going through," he says. "You never know what a person is going through, regardless of how much money they make or however great a life you think they're living. You just really never know."

There are already incidents with pills and hospitals in his past. He knows people worry about him going out the same way. He knows others root for it.

"Everything that I've gone through since the end of 2010, from me finding out about my financial adviser stealing, mismanaging my money — that affected everything, from child support, mortgages, to me having to sell my properties, me being in and out of court trying to modify my child support. It's just everything. It's a lot to deal with at one time. My grandmother passing. Going through a relationship with my ex-girlfriend, Kari. All those things. I swear, I felt like I was just standing there and I had a firing squad going at me."

He's tense. As he speaks, he's looking at the synthetic green turf of the soccer field. He's not the only person to contemplate suicide, he says. "Again, if I'm saying what a lot of people have thought or think, why am I wrong for saying it? When I say, who hasn't probably thought of that? Am I wrong for saying somebody has thought about, Is it worth living? Just because I'm a figure and I say sometimes what people are thinking, that's not wrong. I'm not less of a person or a mental case because I say that."

This has felt like the longest year of his life. From the outside, it looks like the most consistent heel in modern sports is finally meeting his fate. But to the man, it feels like the Fates are testing everything he knows about life. He says he's been struggling lately.

"A lot of emotional stress that people go through, some people figure out a way to handle it," he says. "They have a strong enough support system to keep going and keep moving forward. And some people, they feel like they don't have that outlet. Some people are too prideful to go out and reach out to people to help them in that situation because it's just such a dark time."

T.O. is no different than the rest of us. Though blessed with tremendous athletic ability and a work ethic that few of us can touch, he still has a void in his life that can't be filled through fame, fortune or females. I pray that he will find a real relationship with God before it's too late.

To read the rest of the lengthy Grantland piece on T.O's post-NFL life please click here.

Does Michael Vick Deserve a Second Chance?

With the signing of Michael Vick this week by the Philadelphia Eagles, the debate of whether Vick should be allowed to play in the NFL rages on. In case you are not aware of the situation, Vick, who was a star quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons, was recently released from prison after spending nearly two years behind bars as a result of his involvement in illegal dogfighting. He has not played an NFL game since the end of the 2006 season.

In the early days of his case I wrote about Vick and the attention his situation was receiving. At that time he had yet to have been found guilty or sentenced for his crimes. But now that he was served his time and paid his debt to society it seems that the feelings for him (whether good or bad) have not changed much in the public eye.

From my perspective I feel like the acts that he was accused of (and found guilty of) were atrocious and he deserved to be punished. But now that he has done his time I think the man should be given the opportunity to return as a productive member of society. Even as I say that, I don't believe the NFL "owes" it to him to let him be a part of their league. But if a team wants to sign him (as the Eagles have done) I don't believe he should be deprived of the chance to play again.

This is different than, say, a convicted child molester who served ten years in prison and now wants to be an elementary school teacher. What Vick did was horrible but it involved animals, not human beings. With that being said, I also feel that those that are particularly offended by what he did have every right to protest the NFL and picket Philadelphia Eagles games. They should have the freedom to express their displeasure, just as Vick should have the freedom to play. However, my guess is that there are more people that want to see him play than are those that want to deprive him of that chance.

One of the things that I've found interesting with this whole ordeal is that very few of the black people that I know feel as strongly about this as the mainstream population. I don't know what to take from that but I think that it is intriguing that most of the vitriolic comments about Vick have come from those that are not from the African American community.

I also think that there is one reason (and one reason alone) that the Eagles signed him -- it is because they think it will win them more games. There were no altruistic motives about giving somebody a second chance. Vick is a talented football player and that is why he's playing in the NFL again. In fact, it's why anyone ever gets the chance to play at that level.

To be honest, there are some pretty horrible people that play professional sports. There are those that have been involved in murders, wife beaters, rapists, habitual drunk drivers, drug dealers and, yes, those involved in dogfighting. However, Vick, unlike many others, didn't get away with his crimes. He did his time and he should be allowed to play if he's capable.

But even as I say that I'm not really rooting for or against him. I really don't care how he performs on the field although seeing a redeemed Michael Vick emerge would be good to see. As a Christian I believe strongly in forgiveness and second chances. I think the NFL has made the right decision in letting him play. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.