Milo, your rant has changed my view. Honestly. Until I read your post I had always had the most sympathy for Bengals fans. But you have laid out a compelling argument. I feel for you.
I believe I can honestly say I feel your pain, Milo.
:clears throat:
My name is Necros, and I am a fan of both the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints.
My name is John Corrado, and I am a recent fan of the Baltimore Ravens.
I feel no one’s pain whatsoever.
If I were you, I’d feel Jamal Lewis’ pain.
Always a sucker for the underdog, I have to ask:
How does one become a Lions fan?
Ok, Milo, you have convinced me, the Lions suck (although it seems they always beat the Bucs once a year whether they are worthy or not).
But aren’t the Phoenix/St. Louis Cardinals/Browns just as historically pathetic?
Hey Milo, I’m a Lions fan in the part of Michigan where half the population supports the God damned Packers.
To tragically add to your angst, remember we actaully had the top football team, but it was in the days before the Super Bowl was invented.
Or actaully, it’s best you don’t remember that.
Try living in L.A.
I am also a Lions fan. I grew up in the shadow of the Silverdome. I was once the paperboy of Billy Sims (remember him?). And like you, Milossarian, I don’t know why I even bother any more. After all the let-downs over the years, I still cannot stop rooting for them. My heart tells me Charlie Batch is a great exciting quarterback. My head and his stats tell me he sucks. And I never realized the extent of the vortex until I tried to think of the exception, and all I could come up with was Jerry Ball.
I’m a sorta Lions fan luckily I grew mostly out of it when I moved to Oakland and discovered the Niners I still watch if it doesn’t conflict with the Niner schedule.
Any way, xizor, I got Billy Sims autograph once, predictably after a loss to the Vikings.
Ouch. Touche.
**
If you aren’t born into it, I believe there is some obscure, voodoo-like ceremony involving drinking a cup containing the blood of fans of the Tigers, Red Sox and Cubs.
There’s also something about a lock of Eric Hipple’s hair, and ashes from the draft card the Lions used to pick Andre Ware.
I’m sorry, but until last year the Saints had the Lions beat cold. We might still beat you.
Beat you, of course, at sucking.
Up until last year we had made the playoffs four times in 33 years (87 and 90-92, meaning we didn’t make the playoffs for 20 YEARS) and had, I believe, six winning seasons in that time. And we didn’t win ONE of those four playoff games. Some great players (Archie Manning, George Rogers, Stan Brock, etc.) will never make the Hall of Fame because of inept coaching and management.
What makes all this worth it? Last year we won our first playoff game ever against the defending Super Bowl champions. We were riddled with injuries, let me remind you; yet we won that game with a backup QB, running back, fullback, tight end, BOTH wide receivers, middle linebacker, and both cornerbacks. We had more reserves playing than regular starters. Now that’s heart.
This is maybe the first year ever that I’m looking toward the new season with confidence.
Cheer up, Milossarian. Your time will come. Though not with Charlie Batch at QB, of course.
Oh, and Andre Ware was a major bust. Makes me cringe just thinking about it.
<QUOTE>Try living in L.A.<ENDQUOTE>
Hear Hear
The Rams could go but FUCK THE NFL for forcing the move of the Raiders. A lot of serious hardcores are still gaming to put some heads on pikes for the move.
Two words: Houston Oilers
(Remember Buffalo?)
Well, til the Raiders moved back, a lot of Oakland fans were still upset. SO upset, in fact, that they can’t even sell out the Coliseum. It was much more fun to complain about how the Raiders had left than actually go to games when they came back.
As you might guess, I am not a Raiders fan.
As a Niners fan, I am now feeling a new, strange feeling. What is this…loss? Loss to Atlanta? Rams good, Niners bad? No, those words do not go together. Does not compute.
So, do not tell me I cannot relate. The cards have yet to get to the “big game” and they do not break .500 mark. They too have had poor ownership and shitty direction. I do hope Coach Mc will turn it around in a few years for the cards.
I agree with your post, being a Cards fan I can relate like very few long term team fans can.
have a great day 
Osip
Forgive me if I misunderstood your post, ShibbOleth, but you do know that the St. Louis Browns were a baseball franchise, right? The St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Orioles franchise in 1954 in a move lamented by absolutely no one.
The football franchise known as the Chicago/ St.Louis/ Phoenix/ Arizona Cardinals has beeen even more pathetic than the Lions. If I’m not mistaken, the Cardinals last playoff win was in the 1947 NFL championship game, and they’ve been run out of two cities since then. The Lions, while admittedly not having won anything since the 1957 championship, also won in 1952 and 1953.
Aside from the great unpleasantness with Modell and his move to Baltimore, the Cleveland Browns football franchise last won a championship in 1964, and won playoff games in order to advance to the Super Bowl semifinal (ie conference or league championship game) in 1968, 1969, 1986, 1987 and 1989. Because the Lions have won only one measly playoff game since 1957, in all fairness one would have to say that since 1957 the Lions have been more more pathetic than the Cleveland Browns.
Osip, you are probably going to have to do what the Bucs fans had to do:
Wait for the current inept/evil ownership to die, then get a new owner committed to winning. Hire a coach with skill and integrity. Get a personnel genius or two in the front office (see Rich McKay, Ron Wolf, etc). Build slowly through the draft, start with defense, build a line to protect your big investment in QB, etc. Pay players what they are worth. [sub][sup]and it would help if you could play the Cardinals, Bengals or Browns twice a year or more [/sup][/sub]
Good luck.
PS to PatrickM any refernce to St. Louis Browns was an egregious error. I retract and regret this error. - the Editors.
[sub]Also, did you know there was once a Kenosha/Pottsville Maroons in the NFL. WTH is Pottsville?[/sub]
Actually PatrickM the Cards did win a playoff game against Dallas in 1998, They then got pounded by the Vikes.
Shibb, I do have hopes, Coach McGinnis is building a strong team. He now has a young Offensive line that with time to gel should make life easier for anyone taking snaps.
Plummer at QB is a HUGE question mark. He was amazing in 1998 but has stumbled since then, this is a make or break season for “the Snake”
The Ruiing game is also questionable. Pitman shows flashes of greatness yet, he has some extra baggage off field, Jones one of last years #1 draft picks has yet to step up and play at an NFL level every game day.
WR’s for Arizona is the best group out there. Dave Boston is going to have a break out year as soon as there is a QB who can get him the ball and make plays. Sanders and Moore are pretty good as well, after that the depth is lacking filled with mostly young players.
Special teams is pretty good with Player punting and now with Little Gramatica kicking the field goals.
The defensive line is completly new this year filled with mostly rookies and 2nd year players. Some show potential, we shall see how they progress.
The defensive backs are all working hard and trying to fill the void of Aneas Williams going off to the Rams.
The defense as a whole will be much like SF’s last year. Full of energetic and fast players who have to mesh well with each other and will get better as the season ends.
Coach Mac has ben given much more say in personel matters and was wise in drafting Davis in the first round to finish off a nice huge athletic O-line. His offensive line is looking good for a few years, and if the QB situation flounders I suspect he will be able to drop a good free agent in the slot and do well. I was a big avocate for grabbing Dilfer this off season or trading for Delhomme (#3 QB for New Orleans) I think Pitman can be the Featured Running back with success if he can continue to dodge the injury bug.
The cards finally have a new statuim coming and with the increased revenue Bidwell (evil owner) swears he will pay the going price for good free agents and drafted players.
Is all a pipe dream really, all sound reasons to wistfully say “next year” come January.
I have seen the Cards screw to many good players… Boomer Esiason came in as starting QB when the starter got hurt then replaced before he could reach contract incentives and continue his winning streak. Simeon Rice was released and has moved on to Tampa Bay where along with Sapp and company is going to put up some monster numbers. Wadsworth is gone due to injury, Hearst was once a cards then ran to the pro bowl the next year with SF. A. Williams is going to be in a rams uniform this year.
sigh now I am rambling… Still the cards have a history of disapointing the fans, yet for some reason I am still there rooting for them all the way. Not sure which is the saddest, their consistant level of play or my blind dedication.
Osip