The Lions Made The Right And Wrong Move With The Banners
By: Ryan Wooley
As the Lions began the 2012 season on Sunday they did something before the game that was long overdue, as they unveiled banners to honor the team's accomplishments over the years.
The banners that were hung represent the four NFL Championships they won back in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957, while also showcasing the teams division titles in 1935, 1983, 1991 and 1993.
But as great as it is to finally have those banners in the rafters showcasing the legacy of the team, the organization went a bit too far and also hung three banners on the opposite side of the stadium that lists the years they have made the playoffs.
Not only do these look out of place, but they're not needed. When you win your division title you automatically make the playoffs and on top of that, teams are not just expected to make the post season, but win a Super Bowl.
Even Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said last year when Detroit clinched their first playoff berth since 1999 that "There will come a time when we don't celebrate making the playoffs, but not this year".
I could understand if they wanted to honor a great accomplishment within a season like the Patriots did when they went 16-0 in 2007, or if they wanted to hang Barry Sanders 2,053 yard rushing season from 1997, but playoff banners? Come on. That just looks tacky and takes away from the others that should have been up when Ford Field was built back in 2002.
By leaving the playoff banners up the team is just reminding fans of their failures. They have just seven all time wins in the post season and only one playoff win since 1957! I don't think that is something to celebrate about. At least with the division titles, they're just that, titles. You can never take those away. But making the playoffs and losing is not something to be proud of.
Follow Ryan Wooley on Twitter @WooleyMammoth85
