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Why do the Lions always play on Thanksgiving?

doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

Must they always force us to watch the Lions,?

Comments

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,638 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 19, 2021 4:19AM

    It’s definitely a Tradition.

    Detroit vs Chicago is enough to spoil your appetite though but at least it’s NFL!

    The other games should be “OK”. I would have liked them to schedule a better tilt though like a Green Bay vs KC or something

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ah yes, tradition.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,244 ✭✭✭✭✭

    we always have our thanksgiving meal at lunchtime, so it is perfect timing for the terrible lions game. eat thanksgiving, then dessert, then visit for awhile, then get ready to watch Dallas.

    perfect.

    man i love thanksgiving

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That sounds like a good idea, plan the meal and visitation during the Lions game, and finish up right when the Bears are taking the final knee. 🤔

  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    And Dallas too.

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 19, 2021 9:14AM

    I haven't read the above article, nor have I researched this, so please both forgive me and (kindly) correct me if my observations are not correct. 😂😂

    Having a weekly Thursday night game is now part of the NFL schedule. The players, coaches, and fans know that the product is not the same. It can't be. What we see on Sundays (or very week) is very much the byproduct of meticulous, repetitious preparation. The short week throws everything off. But it's now baked into the NFL lexicon I guess and we have to make due with what is typically less than we deserve and less than the players deserve as well.

    I have heard the history of the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving discussed many times from different voices. I know I have forgotten much of it I am sure 🙃 but the one fact that always stands out is ...... the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving because no one else wanted to and they actually said 'yes'.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thisistheshow said:
    I haven't read the above article, nor have I researched this, so please both forgive me and (kindly) correct me if my observations are not correct. 😂😂

    Having a weekly Thursday night game is now part of the NFL schedule. The players, coaches, and fans know that the product is not the same. It can't be. What we see on Sundays (or very week) is very much the byproduct of meticulous, repetitious preparation. The short week throws everything off. But it's now baked into the NFL lexicon I guess and we have to make due with what is typically less than we deserve and less than the players deserve as well.

    I have heard the history of the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving discussed many times from different voices. I know I have forgotten much of it I am sure 🙃 but the one fact that always stands out is ...... the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving because no one else wanted to and they actually said 'yes'.

    @thisistheshow said:
    I haven't read the above article, nor have I researched this, so please both forgive me and (kindly) correct me if my observations are not correct. 😂😂

    Having a weekly Thursday night game is now part of the NFL schedule. The players, coaches, and fans know that the product is not the same. It can't be. What we see on Sundays (or very week) is very much the byproduct of meticulous, repetitious preparation. The short week throws everything off. But it's now baked into the NFL lexicon I guess and we have to make due with what is typically less than we deserve and less than the players deserve as well.

    I have heard the history of the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving discussed many times from different voices. I know I have forgotten much of it I am sure 🙃 but the one fact that always stands out is ...... the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving because no one else wanted to and they actually said 'yes'.

    Of course the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving, it's Jerry's favorite holiday.

  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,252 ✭✭✭✭

    The Lions are a terrible franchise. Just terrible. Their only cool thing in 70 years was Barry Sanders. Other than that....no one cares at all.

  • galaxy27galaxy27 Posts: 7,840 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 19, 2021 12:00PM

    not to be morbid, but if you eat turkey while watching the Bears-Lions you may very well die from an overdose of tryptophan

    you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you watch the Lions play on Thanksgiving, one thing is guaranteed.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • Steven59Steven59 Posts: 8,684 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Jesus, Jerry, didn't Romo give you what you wanted?

    "When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 20, 2021 7:47AM

    Their only cool thing in 70 years was Barry Sanders. Other than that....no one cares at all.

    The Lions were one of the dominant Teams during the decade of the 1950's. they had this guy, maybe you've heard of him, Bobby Layne who was just fabulous and is credited with "inventing" the two-minute drill. they had another guy who played with Layne, Doak Walker, maybe you've heard of him because he's also in the NFL HOF. The Lions also had this guy named Billy Sims, but I digress.

    History can be an annoying thing, but if you let it inform you it can be enjoyable.

    an interesting and little known fact about The Detroit Lions is that they originated in Portsmouth, Ohio around 1930, one of the oldest franchises in NFL history(there's that History again). with all the BS going on in the NFL with St.Louis and franchises moving around and holding Cities hostage for new stadiums, many don't know that's the reason the Portsmouth Spartans moved up to Detroit to become The Lions.

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,638 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @keets said:
    Their only cool thing in 70 years was Barry Sanders. Other than that....no one cares at all.

    The Lions were one of the dominant Teams during the decade of the 1950's. they had this guy, maybe you've heard of him, Bobby Layne who was just fabulous and is credited with "inventing" the two-minute drill. they had another guy who played with Layne, Doak Walker, maybe you've heard of him because he's also in the NFL HOF. The Lions also had this guy named Billy Sims, but I digress.

    History can be an annoying thing, but if you let it inform you it can be enjoyable.

    an interesting and little known fact about The Detroit Lions is that they originated in Portsmouth, Ohio around 1930, one of the oldest franchises in NFL history(there's that History again). with all the BS going on in the NFL with St.Louis and franchises moving around and holding Cities hostage for new stadiums, many don't know that's the reason the Portsmouth Spartans moved up to Detroit to become The Lions.

    And the curse of Bobby Layne lasted way more than 50 years

  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,252 ✭✭✭✭

    @keets said:
    Their only cool thing in 70 years was Barry Sanders. Other than that....no one cares at all.

    The Lions were one of the dominant Teams during the decade of the 1950's. they had this guy, maybe you've heard of him, Bobby Layne who was just fabulous and is credited with "inventing" the two-minute drill. they had another guy who played with Layne, Doak Walker, maybe you've heard of him because he's also in the NFL HOF. The Lions also had this guy named Billy Sims, but I digress.

    History can be an annoying thing, but if you let it inform you it can be enjoyable.

    an interesting and little known fact about The Detroit Lions is that they originated in Portsmouth, Ohio around 1930, one of the oldest franchises in NFL history(there's that History again). with all the BS going on in the NFL with St.Louis and franchises moving around and holding Cities hostage for new stadiums, many don't know that's the reason the Portsmouth Spartans moved up to Detroit to become The Lions.

    You notice I said cool thing...meaning that no one talks much about Layne and Walker anymore or really any Lions history. Sanders gets lots of talk over 20 years past his retirement. I'm well aware that Layne and Walker were terrific players. Lem Barney and "Night train" were terrific too. I will have to change my opinion- they're the best organization in the history of pro sports.

    Everyone enjoy their turkey and afternoon game watching. LOL.

  • SDSportsFanSDSportsFan Posts: 5,136 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thisistheshow said:
    I have heard the history of the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving discussed many times from different voices. I know I have forgotten much of it I am sure 🙃 but the one fact that always stands out is ...... the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving because no one else wanted to and they actually said 'yes'.

    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32646037/nfl-thanksgiving-day-games-history-why-lions-cowboys-play-every-year-best-moments-traditions-records

    Steve

  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,379 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 23, 2021 5:56PM

    .

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SDSportsFan said:

    @thisistheshow said:
    I have heard the history of the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving discussed many times from different voices. I know I have forgotten much of it I am sure 🙃 but the one fact that always stands out is ...... the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving because no one else wanted to and they actually said 'yes'.

    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32646037/nfl-thanksgiving-day-games-history-why-lions-cowboys-play-every-year-best-moments-traditions-records

    Steve

    .......
    Thank you for the link. I definitely remember hearing the story told as no one else wanted it. But that link fills in the pieces for me. Thank you!

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,981 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I was a kid in the 1960s, it was always the Lions vs. the Packers. They used to be rivals, competing for the Western Division title back then with the Packers holding the edge. The Lions pulled the upset a couple times, if memory serves. I am not sure when Green Bay fell out of the yearly Thanksgiving schedule.

    Then Dallas got a Thanksgiving game along with the Lions. Dallas has seemed to have more “pull” with the NFL leadership than most franchises.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,981 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2021 1:45PM

    A quick Google search gave me an answer.

    In 1934, the Lions owner, George Richards, started the traditional game to draw more fans. The Tigers were the big professional sports franchise in Detroit, and the Lions were drawing poorly. That first game was a sellout with fans being turned away. Richards boosted his position because he owned the NBC radio station as well. He got the play by play broadcast, and NBC liked the idea as well.

    Some people might not know this, but professional football was a bush league sport back then which struggled to survive. Baseball ruled. College football was big, but not the pros. Professional football came into its own starting in the mid 1950s and has grown to overtake baseball since then.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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