Cursed?

Anyone who follows the Lions must have asked themselves that question at some point. Are they cursed? How can one team be so bad? Can everyone that has come to play for this franchise for the last 50 years be that unlucky?

Over the past few years I have become a big fan of the NFL. Originally I was a die-hard Hockey fan - still am. The NFL has become my favorite all around sport of choice. I will watch any NFL game I can get my hands on... but honestly, I should have said I am a die-hard Red Wings fan. Now that I not only watch the Lions on Sundays and Monday nights, but the rest of the NFL as well, I have something to compare them to.

Honestly, I am not and X's & O's guy, I just know what I see. What I, the average sports fan, see is a group of talented individuals doing their own thing. I don't see a team.

In Detroit we blame Goalies in Hockey and Quarterbacks in Football. It is a storied tradition we will not soon relinquish. I find it extremely annoying. How can one man win or ruin a season? Even the biggest superstars of our lifetime had supporting casts when they finally won it all. Look at Michael Jordan... probably the closest to doing it on his own in any sport, but eventually he learned too. He needed a team. A group of guys that would band together and win together.

Winning changes everything. In this town, Scotty Bowman threatened to ship hometown hero, Steve Yzerman, out of town. The city would have none of it, more importantly, neither would the owner, Mike Illitch. When Stevie adjusted and won his first championship, everything changed. There were still problems now and again, but the team was able to co-exist because they had tasted victory together. They had fought and won the ultimate prize.

The question then becomes how do you remedy a history of losing? Is there some way to get over the hump and move on to greatness? Does hard work eventually pay off? What about oodles of hyped up first round draft picks? Is it having the right coach? The right owner? Better replay officials?

My thought is all of the above. As in any situation where success happens, many things line up and come together at just the right time. There is no magic solution. Hard work, determination, lucky bounces but most of all a TEAM. Those who are willing to go to battle together and put their differences aside on gameday. If McNabb and T.O. can do it, why not Mooch and Joey... or Joey and Charles... or Joey and Roy?

In the infamous words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"