Mike Eckert: Time for new tradition

Mike Eckert

November 26, 2009

Anonymous The Record Eagle Thu Nov 26, 2009, 11:50 PM EST

I'm curious what put people down for the count faster on Thursday -- Thanksgiving dinner or NFL football.

Oh, the woes of tryptophan and an extra-large helping of hapless football.

For the sixth straight year, the Detroit Lions took their one day in the national spotlight and gracefully allowed their opponent to look like an All-Class, All-Pro, All-World caliber team. This year, the belle of the ball was Green Bay, which put on a clinic in the second half for a 34-12 win.

If that wasn't bad enough, somebody decided to pit Dallas -- the second half of the annual doubleheader on national TV -- against the woeful Oakland Raiders.

Like going for a second piece of pumpkin pie, that was a bad idea.

The Cowboys cruised to a 24-7 win in a throwback game, which would have been better off thrown out.

A few years back, the NFL added a third game to the Thanksgiving roster to be shown on its own network. But for much of the country, Thursday's intriguing matchup between Denver and the New York Giants was nowhere to be found.

And so, after another lackluster showing, there will be calls to take the annual Thanksgiving games away from Detroit and Dallas.

Detroit has failed to sell out eight home games in the last two seasons. These days, Lions fans don't care about their team, so why should the rest of the country?

It's an embarrassment to have a national audience watching the Lions right now. And it makes it magnifies the despair when the Cowboys follow it up with a yawner of their own.

Thanksgiving and football. The two are as connected as Pilgrims and American Indians on this November holiday.

And so, it's time to take the games away from their historical locations and schedule quality, engaging NFL games on Thanksgiving. Can you imagine if the Colts and Patriots game from a couple of weeks back had been played on Thursday? Dinner would have gone cold in millions of houses.

Give me one reason why Detroit and Dallas should keep these games year in and year out -- beyond tradition. Take your time, I'll wait.

I've opposed this for years, but I can't fight the good fight any longer. As much as the Lions have been a part of my Thanksgiving tradition, I can't stomach another game like Thursday. You're supposed to reach for antacids after dinner, not before you get to the table.

If the NFL takes the Thanksgiving game away from Detroit, it's not to say it could never come back. But let's at least wait until the Lions are respectable before going down this road again.

Change. Nobody likes it. But sometimes it's inevitable. If you're a Lions fan, remove yourself from the situation and imagine if the annual games were played in Cleveland and St. Louis? Kind of loses its luster, huh?

Thanksgiving is a national holiday. And in terms of football, it's about time we have something to celebrate on that day.

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Mike Eckert

Mike Eckert: Will Lions draft a Prince?

With a week to go before the NFL draft, it might be easier to pick the date the NFL will settle its labor issue than lock in who the Detroit Lions will select with the 13th overall pick.
Maybe this is what happens when you don't have one of the top three picks, like the Lions have frequently had in the past. Or maybe this is what happens when you don't have needs at virtually every position on the field.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. spoke with reporters on a conference call Wednesday. In his latest mock draft, he has the Lions selecting Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara.
But, he added, Detroit could go in a another direction.
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Apr 21, 2011 7:43 am 1 Photo
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Every small town has its hometown hero. On Tuesday, Central Lake honored theirs. As soon as the all-time scoring record was hers, the game was stopped, and Manthei presented Jasmine Hines with the game ball at mid-court. It was a celebration of Hines, a celebration of Central Lake and a celebration of northern Michigan.
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Feb 16, 2011 7:37 am 2 Photos
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Feb 7, 2011 7:16 am 1 Photo
Mike Eckert: U-M swings, misses on hire

Talk to any Michigan fan about football in Ann Arbor and chances are it won't be long before they point out how the Wolverines are the winningest program in college football. Yet, Brady Hoke will be announced today as the Wolverines' next head coach. Hail, to the ho-hum.
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Jan 12, 2011 6:07 am 1 Photo
R-E sportswriters weigh in on Lebron

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Jul 9, 2010 7:43 am 2 Photos
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Mike Eckert: Trip proves productive

You can hear it in Adam Schriber's voice. He's exhausted. And for good reason. It's been a wild three-week road trip for the Traverse City resident, one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 teachers. It started with the final week in March. Schriber traveled to California to watch Candie Kung and Morgan Pressel play at the LPGA Tour's Kia Classic.
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Updated Apr 15, 2010 7:20 am 1 Photo
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mike Eckert: MSU lives on name, Izzo

Tom Izzo has created a dynasty. With Sunday's 70-69 win, he's led Michigan State to six Final Fours in 12 years. Should the Spartans have won more Big Ten Conference titles over that span? Maybe. But fact is Izzo's made green a festive color to wear in March for more than just St. Patrick's Day.
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Mar 29, 2010 11:55 am 1 Photo
Monday, December 14, 2009
Mike Eckert: Why judge Tiger Woods?

I don't think a day has gone by over the last couple weeks without some kind of Tiger Woods news. The car crash. Hospital visits. Infidelity. Scandal. My opinion of Tiger Woods today is the same as it was a month ago and the same as it will be whenever he returns to his sport. He is hands down the most dominant athlete of our generation.
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Dec 14, 2009 7:20 am 1 Photo
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Mike Eckert: Tigers begin rebuilding

If the Detroit Tigers struggle and nobodys there to see it, does it really happen? Find out at an empty Comerica Park near you in 2010.
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Dec 8, 2009 11:15 pm 1 Photo
Friday, November 27, 2009
Mike Eckert: Time for new tradition

I'm curious what put people down for the count faster on Thursday -- Thanksgiving dinner or NFL football. Oh, the woes of tryptophan and an extra-large helping of hapless football.
Continued ...
Nov 27, 2009 5:48 am 1 Photo
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Mike Eckert: Win would put MSU in right direction

Win or lose today, Michigan State fans will head to another bowl game wondering "what could have been" this season.
Continued ...
Nov 20, 2009 11:55 pm 1 Photo
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Mike Eckert: Pistons best when overlooked

Welcome to a new era of Detroit Pistons basketball. For the first time in nearly a decade, the season opened Wednesday with little interest and even less expectations. A year ago, Detroit was coming off a sixth-straight conference final and looked to be in line for one more run with a mix of veterans and up-and-coming players. How quickly things can change.
Continued ...
Oct 29, 2009 7:25 am 1 Photo
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Mike Eckert: Races keep improving

Apparently, the Cherry Festival's Festival of Races is like a fine wine and gets better over time. I'm sure over the course of the 30 years of the event, there have been changes here or there. But in Saturday's run, the changes were both noticeable and substantial.
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Jul 11, 2009 8:35 pm 1 Photo
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Mike Eckert: Pistons are confused

Admit it, Piston fan. The notion of being a player in the LeBron James sweepstakes had you intrigued. Especially if he could have been packaged with a big man like Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire. But now, in the first full week of July, all of that is gone. The money? Spent. The young talent? Either gone or rumored to be leaving at one point or another. The coaching staff? Blown up.
Continued ...
Jul 8, 2009 7:05 am 1 Photo
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Mike Eckert: Hebert, Garber in spotlight

For the last year, Scott Hebert has been able to dub himself a national champion. Now, he will know what it's like to defend that title. All eyes will be on Hebert, the head pro at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, when he competes at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M., beginning today in the PGA Professional National Championship.
Continued ...
Jun 27, 2009 8:50 pm 1 Photo
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Mike Eckert: When race plan goes awry

In my training, there seemed to be a point of pride to running the entire course. I'm not saying anything negative about the walkers, without question every runner has to go at their own pace and slow down when need be. But that wasn't going to be me. Sometimes, though, things don't go as planned.
Continued ...
May 23, 2009 10:05 pm
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mike Eckert: Pettigrew is the real deal

The only sure-fire selection Detroit made was Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew. When the Lions selected him with the 20th pick in the first round, I didn't quite understand it. But upon further review, Detroit seems to have nailed a home run.
Continued ...
Apr 28, 2009 6:30 am 1 Photo
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Mike Eckert: Lions ignore fans with pick

When the Detroit Lions unveiled their new logo on Monday at a Metro Detroit sporting goods store, fans of the organization showed up to cast their vote for Saturday's NFL draft. "Cur-ry, Cur-ry," they chanted. Lions fans spoke. The team didn't listen.
Continued ...
Apr 25, 2009 9:29 pm 1 Photo
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Mike Eckert: Not yet, MSU

This Michigan State team is deep, multi-dimensional and capable of beating any of the other three schools still dancing. But, the Spartans won't do anything more if they rest on their laurels and buy into all of the attention they've received this week. It's been a great season, but this has the potential to be more. It could be magical.
Continued ...
Updated Apr 3, 2009 10:01 pm 1 Photo
Friday, March 27, 2009
Mike Eckert: Beware the bullpen

Sure, the Tigers will again be an offensive power and should be better defensively than a year ago. But there are still too many questions on the pitching staff. Specifically, in the bullpen.
Continued ...
Updated Mar 28, 2009 9:11 pm 1 Photo
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Mike Eckert: Why Stafford? Why not?

A month away from the NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. still thinks the Detroit Lions will select Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the top overall selection. However, his reasoning seems like it's more a pick of convenience rather than hitting on a can't miss prospect. Why Stafford? Why not?
Continued ...
Mar 26, 2009 3:00 pm 2 Photos
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Mike Eckert: A family affair in McBain

In McBain, basketball is more than just a game. It's a family affair. The Ramblers are led by two-time first-team All-State senior Elizabeth Hamlet. She's joined on the court by her sister, freshman Annemarie Hamlet. And they're coached by their father, Todd Hamlet.
Continued ...
Updated Mar 20, 2009 10:25 pm 1 Photo
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Mike Eckert: Pistons, fans fading fast

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Time is running out on the NBA rumor mill as today's 3 p.m. trade deadline looms. Will any of the big names be traded? Will Kobe and Shaq be reunited? Are teams still trying to clear cap space for the LeBron James sweepstakes of 2010?
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Updated Feb 19, 2009 9:57 am 1 Photo
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Mike Eckert: Delaware State? Montana State? Get real

University of Michigan fans finally got to see Friday who would be rounding out the last open spot on the 2009 football schedule. A matchup with a national powerhouse like Oklahoma, Florida, USC or Texas? Not quite. On Oct. 17, the Wolverines will welcome Delaware State to the Big House. Get your tickets now.
Continued ...
Feb 7, 2009 3:20 pm 1 Photo