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Tag: Detroit Lions

  • Last Detroit Team to Win a Championship

    Last Detroit Team to Win a Championship

    From the time I can remember, I have always watched and been a fan of Detroit sports teams, as well as a University of Michigan fan (college sports). My grandfather (Papa), my cousin, and I would watch sports together. Sometimes it would just be me and my Papa listening to Tiger’s games on the radio with Hall of Fame announcer Ernie Harwell commentating with that signature voice.

    I will never forget that October evening when my friends and I were playing outside, listening to the Tigers play the final winning game in the 1984 World Series at home in the historic Tiger Stadium. You would have thought a bunch of eleven-year-old kids had just won the lottery! In fact, we sort of did because, sadly, that would be the last time our beloved Detroit Tigers won a World Series.

    The Detroit Tigers have won a total of four World Series titles and eleven American League (AL) pennants. Baseball is divided into two leagues – the American and the National. We’ve made it to the World Series a few times, but only came home with winning the following years:

    • 1935: Defeated the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 2
    • 1945: Defeated the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 3
    • 1968: Defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3
    • 1984: Defeated the San Diego Padres, 4 games to 1

    Unfortunately, our Detroit Lions have not had as many title wins as the Tigers have. Of course, we won championships before there was an official Super Bowl, defeating the Cleveland Browns in 1957! Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Lions football games with my Papa. He made it quite interesting by making bets of 50 cents (or as he called it, “two bits”) with me and then magically letting me win every time!

    My cousin, who’s more like my brother since we are only four days apart and neither of us has siblings, learned so much from our Papa about football. To this day, both of us love the game very much. We used to play mini games with an imaginary football with our Papa on the living room floor while we watched the Lions games. We would also go outside and play one-on-one in our grandparents’ front yard, with our Papa commenting from the front porch.

    Although neither of us played football (he played hockey and I softball), we are huge Lions fans. He loves it so much that he has season tickets and does some serious tailgating at all the home games. We’ll either ride with friends or rent a charter bus to downtown Detroit to watch the Lions play at Ford Field. And guess what? Our Lions are actually a winning team right now! Especially under the leadership of Coach Dan Campbell and the ownership of:

    • Sheila Ford Hamp Principal Owner & Chair
    • Martha Ford Morse Owner/Vice Chair
    • William Clay Ford, Jr. Owner/Vice Chair
    • Elizabeth Ford Kontulis Owner/Vice Chair
    • Martha Firestone Ford Owner/Chair Emeritus

    The last Detroit team to win a championship was the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008. That same year, the Detroit Shock (women’s professional basketball) won the WNBA championship.

    The Detroit Pistons basketball team also has a history of being a strong competitive team for many years, most notably winning championships in 1989, 1990 and 2004.

    More recently, my alma mater, the University of Michigan Wolverines men’s football team, won the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship – GO BLUE!

    What is the most successful Detroit sports team?

    The Red Wings have historically had many winning seasons. I remember going downtown Detroit to watch them win many games at Joe Louis Arena in the 1990s, with Stevie Yzerman at the helm as our longtime captain, skating alongside Sergei Fedorov, who was also a captain at different times. In total, we have won eleven Stanley Cups – there is a reason we are known as “Hockey Town”!

    According to Pro Stock Hockey, “The Red Wings have won 11 Stanley Cups, the most of any U.S.-based NHL team.

    1935-36, 1936-37, 1942-43, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1953-54, 1954-55, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08.

    The Red Wings have retired numbers for seven players:

    #1 — Terry Sawchuck, Red Wings goalie in the 1950s and ’60s.

    #5 — Nicklas Lidstrom, Wings defenseman from 1991-92 to 2011-12.

    #7 — Ted Lindsay, left winger who played 13 seasons for the Wings in the 1940s and ’50s.

    #9 — Gordie Howe. The legendary Wings right winger is certainly one of the best to ever take the ice. Able to shoot right- and left-handed, Howe set scoring records during his long career that stood for years until Wayne Gretzky came along. He played a league record 26 seasons in the NHL (tied with Chris Chelios, another Red Wing), and was also the oldest player to play in the NHL when he was 52.

    #10 — Alex Delvecchio, who played 24 seasons, all for the Wings, in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

    #12 — Sid Abel, center who played 12 seasons for the Wings in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s.

    #19 — Steve Yzerman, center who played his entire 22-year NHL career with the Red Wings, and he was team captain for 19 seasons — more seasons than any team captain in any major professional sport,”.

    What is the biggest rivalry in Detroit sports?

    Off the top of my head, the biggest rivalry in Detroit sports, I think, is College football: University of Michigan (U of M) vs. Ohio State. In fact, when my oldest son was in middle school, he asked if I would be upset if he went to Michigan State University, since I went to U of M. I said, “Of course not, sweetie, we’re friendly in-state rivals. But if you go to Ohio, I will disown you!” I was just kidding, but it is that serious of a rival.

    There is also the Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks rivalry. Most notably, when I think of rivalries, I think of the games against the Green Bay Packers (22), the Chicago Bears (19), and, most recently, the Minnesota Vikings (5) versus our Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. This longstanding tradition began in 1934, and we have played 84 games in total so far.

    Let’s not forget the Detroit Pistons’ longtime rivalries: Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

    Wikipedia notes that, “The Tigers–White Sox rivalry is a Major League Baseball rivalry between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox of the American League Central division. The series has been one of the oldest in league history. Both teams were founded in 1901 as charter members of the American League,”.

    Last Detroit team to win a championship

    In conclusion, although we were hopeful for the Tigers this year, they unfortunately lost to the Seattle Mariners in one of MLB’s longest postseason games, which lasted fifteen innings. We are still hopeful for the Lions this year as they have had a good start to the season so far. The Red Wings look good as well. But as it stands, the last time a professional team has won a championship was in 2008.

    (Photo Credit: Pure Michigan )

    #DetroitVSeverybody !

  • Character Education in Athletes

    Character Education in Athletes

    Oftentimes, I find myself sharing stories with my sons about how I learned so much more than how to play a sport well when I was a student-athlete. We have learned through countless studies that demonstrate how vital teamwork is as an essential life skill.

    Furthermore, I share that throughout my education, I learned way more than in the books we studied. All along, those teachers and coaches helped me to build my character, who I would become, and who I would bring to life’s table beyond school and beyond the ballfield.

    However, I learned many lessons on the ballfield, especially when I had those incredibly fantastic coaches. Those coaches had key qualities that set them apart from all the others. Coaching qualities such as:

    • Positive attitude about growth in their athletes as well as in themselves
    • Enthusiastic to share their gifts in leadership
    • Supportive when their players need it most
    • Trusting in themselves and in their athletes to implement what they’ve learned in practice
    • Focused on the growth in their student’s character, not just on winning
    • Goal-oriented with their own skills and in facilitating goal-based activities for their players
    • Knowledgeable in all aspects of their sport, about their athletes, their school’s mission, other teams, and their community’s social environment
    • Observant in all aspects of their sport
    • Respectful to their players, other coaches, parents, teachers, people in their community
    • Patient with each player’s abilities as they strive to be better athletes and students
    • Clear communicators! Period.

    Through sports, students learn about respect, fair play, and sportsmanship. All of these are essential for social integration and emotional growth, pointing towards character education.

    Character education is the process of learning common attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors essential for people to have as responsible citizens. Parents, teachers, coaches, and faith-based communities can help youth develop their character positively.

    In an article titled “Character Education…Our Shared Responsibility,” the U.S. Department of Education discusses that throughout history, character education has been the shared responsibility of parents, teachers, and members of the community, who come together to support positive character development.

    It went on to state, “The United States Congress and the Department of Education have expanded support for character education for more than a decade, enabling schools across our nation to implement character education in a variety of ways. The Department of Education provides grants to state and local education agencies to support the development of character education. Since 1995, through the Partnerships in Character Education Program, the Department has awarded 97 grants to assist in designing, implementing and sustaining high-quality opportunities for students to learn and understand the importance of strong character in their lives”.

    The InSideOut Initiative (ISOI) is a catalytic, systems-level intervention designed to equip school communities in redefining and reframing the educational value of athletics and promote the social, emotional, and character development of students participating in athletics. 

    ISOI provides a blueprint for systemic change by helping people understand the purpose of sports in children’s lives, aligning and educating communities around this purpose, and holding all involved accountable.

    With the support of the National Football League NFL Foundation, the InSideOut Initiative is creating a national movement to transform interscholastic athletics.

    What is character development in sports?

    Some character traits such as grit, resilience, and self-discipline are what researchers call “willing values,” the mental, emotional, and behavioral attributes that drive performance in an achievement activity like sports or in a performance-based endeavor such as music.

    For example, in middle school, I was in the concert band for three years and definitely had the drive to excel and to be the best percussionist I could be. Tests every couple of weeks assessed our skills, growth, and abilities. These tests determined which “chair” you were. The first chair was what we all were striving for. Because of the effort, time practicing and learning, and my drive to succeed, I earned the first chair spot on many occasions.

    As far as grit goes in sports, the Detroit Lions football team is a phenomenal example. The coach, the players, and the fans are all known for their relentless determination and never-give-up attitude. Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, this year’s Detroit Lions, under the leadership of their coach, have instilled a culture of resilience and grit within the team.

    Their unwavering perseverance and commitment to improving has propelled them to achieve remarkable success on the field, making them a force to be reckoned with in the league.

    The entire organization, from the coaching staff to the players, exemplifies the essence of character development in sports, proving that a strong mindset and determined work ethic can lead to significant accomplishments.

    Most losses in nfl history

    The Detroit Lions went from the “losingest” team in the NFL to division champs and, currently, as of this writing, are one game away from competing in Super Bowl LVIII.

    Here’s a look at the ten worst teams in NFL history to date:

    1. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    2. 1990 New England Patriots
    3. 2008 Detroit Lions
    4. 1944 Chicago Cardinals/Pittsburgh Steelers
    5. 2009 St. Louis Rams
    6. 1991 Indianapolis Colts
    7. 2017 Cleveland Browns
    8. 1966 New York Giants
    9. 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    10. 1973 Houston Oilers

    Ouch, the Lions are number three – worse than I thought! Must admit, I gave up on them back in the early nineties because when they had Hall of Famer running back, Barry Sanders they couldn’t even make it into the playoffs – let alone allow Sanders to win the coveted Superbowl ring. I digress. But guess who’s back on the Lions train, drinking the Kool-Aid? Yep, you guessed it – me.

    The Lions team has accomplished recent success because Coach Dan Campbell coaches his team to be better humans on and off the field. According to his bio on the Official Lions’ website, “In his first year as the Lions’ head coach, Campbell helped instill a new culture built on grit, conviction and collaboration on and off the field. Upon arrival, Campbell assembled a proven coaching staff comprised of several former NFL players that have brought a wealth of knowledge and passion to Detroit’s roster. “

    Character education in athletes

    Character education in athletes is crucial for their personal growth, as well as their success in sports and life. Coaches and educators play a vital role in instilling values such as respect, teamwork, and resilience. By focusing on character development, athletes become better players and individuals who contribute positively to their communities.

    And…GO LIONS!