# Thanksgiving football in Detroit and other sports traditions that need to end **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 22, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955 "2018-11-22T19:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/41 "2018-11-24T01:57:06Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Sounds like she’s onto something. > > Or better yet if it’s sports and games you love, go and play something with your friends/family instead of watching strangers do it. Interact with the people in your life instead of being a passive consumer of other people’s lives. You hate sports and that’s OK. But this is a Sports Forum so why bother even posting here? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/42 "2018-11-24T03:11:24Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Of all of the suggestions in this thread, I think that ditching the Pro Bowl is the one that would make the most sense, and cause the least amount of outcry (other than from Hawaii, which has used the game as a three-hour tourism ad when they’ve hosted it). They stopped playing in Hawaii after 2016. The Pro Bowl has been moved to Orlando, Florida. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/43 "2018-11-24T05:49:36Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > They stopped playing in Hawaii after 2016. The Pro Bowl has been moved to Orlando, Florida. This tells you just how little I’d been paying attention to the thing. 😉 Though, I imagine that it’s now a three-hour Orlando tourism ad. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/44 "2018-11-24T06:17:01Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > They should just relegate the Probowl to some type of punt/pass/kick competition between the selectees. Better idea; have somebody develop a more realistic looking version of Madden, and play it that way - that way, the best players play at their best ability, and if you throw enough computing power at it, it almost looks like the real thing. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > Things that really should end: > > The NIT. > > Super Bowl halftime extravaganzas. Just do a normal halftime and get back to work. If you’re getting rid of the NIT, then why not get rid of all college football bowl games that don’t have anything to do with determining the national champion while you’re at it? Treat the NIT for what it is - a “consolation prize” tournament. Besides, the NCAA found a use for the NIT - it’s used to test out experimental rules, which is what they used to do at the Maui Invitational and Great Alaska Shootout. And there are a considerable number of people who watch the Super Bowl pretty much just for the halftime show…well, that, and the commercials. > [@dalej42](#): > > The #1 sports tradition that needs to end is the post 9/11 hyper patriotism, in particular, ‘God Bless America’ at baseball games. I’ll go one better; do we really need the National Anthem before every sporting event - especially high school football? What other countries do that? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/45 "2018-11-24T09:59:42Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Not at the same time. The Lions play against another team. It’s not like they’re airing a practice scrimmage. As a Giants fan I wouldn’t consider it a pointless Lions game if they were playing the Giants. > [@Acsenray](#): > > Or better yet if it’s sports and games you love, go and play something with your friends/family instead of watching strangers do it. Interact with the people in your life instead of being a passive consumer of other people’s lives. That makes about as much sense as saying “Don’t watch movies or television. Instead, put on plays in your backyard with friends.” Then again, if I recall correctly, you’re the guy who thinks that the time of “stories” is coming to an end, and that entertainment in the future will just be youtube videos with no story or narrative arc at all, so maybe my ridiculous example doesn’t sound ridiculous to you. If so, fair enough, but then you’d be part of a vanishingly small minority. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/46 "2018-11-25T02:24:01Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The Lions play against another team. It’s not like they’re airing a practice scrimmage. As a Giants fan I wouldn’t consider it a pointless Lions game if they were playing the Giants. What about fans from the other 30 teams? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/47 "2018-11-25T17:42:43Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Wow, Michigander here and I have never heard people say “The Lions win on Thanksgiving.” Our discussion yesterday was the EXACT opposite. > > I pointed out that the Lions won two years ago, but most people(me included), mainly remember the many losses. I’m 40 and have been watching the last 30 years and our record in those relevant(to me) years is terrible, including 2004-2012 where they lost every game. > > I had no idea anyone thought Detroit Lions fans bragged or claimed we won on Thanksgiving. Michigander here as well, and if you claim you have never heard that, well, honestly…I don’t believe you. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/48 "2018-11-26T00:09:12Z")
Probably the best way to get non-Detroiters to stop complaining about the Lions always playing on Thanksgiving is to field a competitive team and almost always makes it to the post-season. That’s how Dallas usurped Detroit as _the_ site of the big Thanksgiving game. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/49 "2018-11-26T04:48:15Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I’ll go one better; do we really need the National Anthem before every sporting event - especially high school football? What other countries do that? You would be really pissed if you watched Formula One, then. After the race they lead off with the winning driver’s anthem and follow it with the winning manufacturer’s anthem. That’s right, not one but TWO anthems, and it’s usually the German, Italian, or British anthems, very rarely the Australian or Dutch anthems, and no others due to the makeup of the teams and their locations. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/50 "2018-11-26T05:02:11Z")
I think the pro bowl should be a flag football contest coupled with a skills competition (I.e. bench press for the linemen, race for the receivers, running backs, and DB’s. Agility runs. Longest pass for the QBs). I think that might garner more attention than the disaster the NFL still insists on doing. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/51 "2018-11-26T06:40:13Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I think the pro bowl should be a flag football contest coupled with a skills competition (I.e. bench press for the linemen, race for the receivers, running backs, and DB’s. Agility runs. Longest pass for the QBs). I think that might garner more attention than the disaster the NFL still insists on doing. Like an NFL version of a home run derby or slam dunk contest? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/52 "2018-11-26T07:35:14Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I think the pro bowl should be a flag football contest coupled with a skills competition (I.e. bench press for the linemen, race for the receivers, running backs, and DB’s. Agility runs. Longest pass for the QBs). I think that might garner more attention than the disaster the NFL still insists on doing. They used to have a skills competition on the Saturday of probowl weekend. If they don’t still do that, they should reinstate it. Ideally that could replace the probowl game altogether. And finally, they should do this the week after the Superbowl so some of the Superbowl players could participate if they wanted to. I still remember Chad Johnson (before he was Ochocinco) annihilating the JUGS catching competition. It was almost otherworldly. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/53 "2018-11-27T00:53:55Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > They used to have a skills competition on the Saturday of probowl weekend. If they don’t still do that, they should reinstate it. Ideally that could replace the probowl game altogether. And finally, they should do this the week after the Superbowl so some of the Superbowl players could participate if they wanted to. > > I still remember Chad Johnson (before he was Ochocinco) annihilating the JUGS catching competition. It was almost otherworldly. It’s what I was thinking of, too. I remember an incline bench press competition that Warren Sapp won when he put up 375 pounds. And a longest pass contest along with accuracy drills for QB’s (hit a bulls eye for points; some of the targets moved. I remember Dan Marino winning the run and throw competition because he was most accurate, although he was slow with his knee braces). It was fun, especially because the players were miked and in a jovial friendly mood. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/54 "2018-11-27T13:48:43Z")
A “tradition” that should be ended: players en masse leaping on and whacking each other to celebrate events on the field. You’d think this would have become less popular after Ohio State players swarmed and injured a star teammate who ran back a kickoff for a touchdown in a championship game some years ago (he was out for the rest of the game and his team got pasted), but no. This doesn’t even count the [myriad other injuries](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1707277-18-athletes-who-have-injured-themselves-celebrating#slide0) suffered by athlete dingbats attempting to celebrate wins/grand accomplishments. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/55 "2018-11-27T15:37:07Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > do we really need the National Anthem before every sporting event - especially high school football? What other countries do that? No, we don’t. Every time I go to a sporting event it bugs me. It’s nothing but unabashed propaganda. Completely ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955/56 "2018-11-27T15:39:16Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Michigander here as well, and if you claim you have never heard that, well, honestly…I don’t believe you. Yeah. I’m not a Michigander, but I did live there for one year (2002-2003). In that one year I heard many people joke about the Lions “always winning on Thanksgiving”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-football-in-detroit-and-other-sports-traditions-that-need-to-end/824955.md?page=2)