I'm not going to lie. My respect for the Detroit Lions has gone. Yesterday's game proved what a dirty team they have become. I always felt that once Matthew Stafford, the Lions' QB came back, they'd do a pretty good job.
Even with Ndamukong Suh's way of playing dirty, I at least respected the team and their fans. Until I read this from Chicago Bear Jew's blog:
I was there with my wife and we were treated like crap. On top of the jawing by most of the Lions fans, we were sworn at, had items thrown at us and threatened.
I was like "WHAT? The Lions fans are acting like they're now the best damn team in the league?" I get it. Most of the fans are used to rooting for a losing team and they don't know how to cheer for a winning team, unlike the classy Packer fans.
After the Lions started 4-0, I had actually wanted them to win against my Bears to go 5-0 (as you may recall in this entry: http://footballfemmefootball.blogspot.com/2011/10/bears-v-lions.html). Yes, I cheered them on for a bit.
Then, came "The Handshake". Or was it "Handshake - Gate"? I don't know. All I know is that when the Lions lost their first game to the San Francisco 49ers, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz didn't take too kindly to it. I don't know what, if anything, Niner's head coach, Jim Harbaugh, may have or have not said. Just that Schwartz was looking for a fight.
You'd think that the Lions would know how to lose gracefully.
Chicago Bear Jew also said:
After a clean block by DJ Moore, Stafford grabbed him by the helmet and flung him forward. This could have injured Moore. As anyone should have done, Moore retaliated and was ejected. When asked about it after the game, Schwartz recreated the truth. Even Lovie Smith called out Moore a bit, but Schwartz felt that the Stafford situation was unprovoked. Is he high?
I have to agree while asking the same question. Was DJ Moore right in his retaliation? As a Bears fan, I'll argue absolutely. I normally think that the best thing to do is to walk away, but in this case? I'll say DJ Moore was justified in retaliating against Matt Stafford. I was wanting to climb thru my computer and beat Staff's ass myself. It was a clean block and completely uncalled for.
But, as is the case, the second guy is the one that gets caught and Moore was ejected, to the boos of the fans. But, not at him. At Stafford and the refs. As Moore left the field, fans cheered him and he smiled, high fiving fans as he hit the showers early.
As a Bears fan, I wanted Stafford to feel the physical pain, but the shots to his ego are much better. How many interceptions in how many tries? It was like, just when you caught your breath after Major Wright's Pick 6, Charles Tillman followed up with his own Pick 6. And a few plays later, came Tim Jennings' interception. Of course we were disappointed that he didn't do a Pick 6, but the shot to Moore...UNCALLED FOR!
And NO flag on Stafford and Schwartz thinks it was legal? He saw nothing wrong with it since Stafford didn't get a flag.
There are rules against tackling a player by the helmet and for good reason. Dennis Byrd was paralyzed years ago by a tackle. While his injury was caused by running into a teammate, it's why there is a rule against leading with the helmet and tackling by a helmet (facemask). It's all about player safety.
What upsets me is that you know DJ Moore will receive a fine and somehow Stafford will walk away unfined. Shall we pull out the obligatory race card here?
And another statement from CBJ that I agree with because it dawned on me too yesterday:
If finally dawned on me that this whole Lions persona comes from the top with coach Jim Schwartz...Then asked about it in his post-game press conference, he actually complained about the calls. Complained about the calls?
Someone wrote somewhere that Schwartz thinks the league owes him something because his team is finally winning. Up yours, Schwartz. The league owes you NOTHING!
I know there's been talk about how the talk of "dirty plays/players/teams" needs to stop because it's a part of football. But, here's the thing: Suh RIPPED OFF Jay Cutler's helmet; Nick Fairly SLAMMED Cutler on the ground ON CUTTY'S RIGHT SHOULDER (thank goodness Cutty wasn't hurt); Briggs had a CLEAN HIT, but was penalized and it all culminated in this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC-h5PuGe9U
Pay attention to what Stafford does. Uncalled for and should have been flagged and hopefully Roger Goodell will fine and suspend Stafford for unnecessary roughness, that could have ended a promising career.
But, let's be honest here: it was an unfair fight. The Bears owned the Lions from the very first seconds of the game. In the wild, Bears will ALWAYS destroy Lions. It's the way of nature and it's the way of the NFL.
Lions are a pansy ass club who think they must play dirtier than the rest of the league to prove they belong. I thought at first they did, but now? I'm not so sure.
If you're on Twitter, follow Chicago Bear Jew at @ChicagoBearJew. And, you can read more of what he had to say about last night's game and other things, at his blog: http://www.rantsports.com/blog/author/jonathancarroll/
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