If These Are Our Detroit Lions, I'll Pass

After their first loss of the season to the San Francisco 49ers in Week Six, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz had some choice words for 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh, after Harbaugh apparently shook his hand too hard.

During a 24-point blowout at the hands of the Chicago Bears in Week 10, the Lions, a team that is already being excused of playing dirty, took it upon themselves to throw a few cheap shots in the dying moments of the game.

If you’re keeping track at home, that’s two out of three losses where the Lions have taken exception to being on the losing end of the game.

I would be okay with this behavior if the team had a legitimate reason, but having fewer points than the opposition is not legit.

We haven’t had a winning football team in Detroit in what seems like forever, and this is how they act when they do start winning? Like they’re entitled?

No thanks.

I’m sure there are some fans out there who enjoy this behavior; standing behind the time-honored tradition of mistaking gritty play for dirty.

But this is Detroit.

While we enjoy the underdog role and other teams not taking us seriously, we’ve always prided ourselves on watching our teams win with professionalism. Often times, especially when it comes to the Detroit Red Wings, we’ve turned the other cheek when the other team ridiculed us during a game, only to hold our heads up high after we beat them in the series.

This Lions team has a long way to go before we hold them in the same esteem.

There was once a time when the Lions were the class of the league, and it’s no coincidence that those teams were filled with classy players, like Barry Sanders and Herman Moore.

We’ve waited nearly 20 years to have a team we can be proud of.

What’s a few more?