Sports Then and Now

Faithful Lions fans celebrate following the 19-14 win over the Redskins.

After 19 straight regular season losses, the Detroit Lions finally ended the second longest losing streak in NFL history with a 19-14 victory over the Washington Redskins.

It marked the first win for the Lions since defeating Kansas City 25-20 on December 23, 2007. The Lions have won only two of 27 games since starting the 2007 season with a 6-2 record.

That the victory would come against the Washington Redskins is somewhat surprising considering that the Redskins have historically dominated the Lions. In 37 all-time meetings entering 2009, the Redskins held a 27-10 series lead, including a 14-2 mark against the Lions since 1983.
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Barry Sanders left the game as arguably the best running back in NFL History

Players like Brett Favre and Michael Jordan walk away then come back then walk away then come back yet again. They can not douse the competitive fire. They need the adrenaline rush. They aren’t ready for a “normal” life even though their body may be.

Not Barry Sanders. He retired at his prime and he was only 30 years old. He left the game as arguably the best running back in NFL history. He has been content with his decision and never attempted a comeback over the 11 years since his retirement.

Wow I wish he unretired and Brett Favre stayed retired. Favre should have left on a good note rather than with all dramatics over the past two years. Barry didn’t want that. It was not in his makeup.

A totally unselfish man, Barry Sanders left the game only 1457 yards short of Walter Payton’s record. He probably would have eclipsed the record in a year or two. In Barry’s absence, Emmitt Smith broke Payton’s record and finished his career with 18,355 yards.

Great accomplishment by Emmitt Smith, there is no doubt about it. However, as me and my friends argued for years, Barry Sanders did more with little. He did not have Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, and an all star offensive line. He made due with the likes of Herman Moore and Scott Mitchell.

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Based solely on his play on the field, it is hard to justify Dick LeBeau as a Hall of Famer.

I’m sure this article will not further endear me to members of the Steeler Nation, but the recent announcement by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior Committee of Dick LeBeau as one of their two “senior finalists” for 2010 further emphasizes why significant changes need to be made to the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process.

Earlier this month I completed a two-month series that ran both on  Sports Then and Now and on Bleacher Report in which I looked at the Best Players Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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