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Mark Easson writes that Detroit is shopping for defensemen (as is New Jersey). Though not directly connected, Noah Hanifin’s name is mentioned later in the article. IF it is true that Detroit is looking for a blue line boost, it would make some sense to see more short term appearances from some of the Grand Rapids crew (opinion). I’d love to get Hanifin and have talked about that, but there may be a couple options with the Griffins that could be an upgrade on some current personnel.
In the past, I’ve written about the importance of sports to Detroit. Athletes are the celebrities in this area. In the “cup run days…, many (too many) of us knew the Starbucks in Northville that Lidstrom and Holmstrom would stop by before the game. Northville, Troy, Plymouth and Southfield were great places for fans to catch their heroes out in the streets. With the University of Michigan’s National title, the Ann Arbor area is seeing a nice boost. If you’ve ever been in one of the “M Den… stores, there is no end to the swag a fan can grab. Many Christmas presents have come out of that store for our families.
So, Crain’s Detroit is starting to release end of year numbers and the one that jumped off the page was that U-Haul has Michigan ranked as one of the top “one way… trip states for residents leaving. California and New York City are up there as well. The Renaissance Center sold 2 of its buildings due to lack of maintenance and GM and Ford are withdrawing jobs and advertising. Times got tougher around Christmas. However, it’s been in sports that the bumps in the road have been eased.
“Bless you boys… in 1984 represented how much the Tigers meant to the Detroit area. “The Bad Boys… back to back Pistons championships were another huge boost. 97, 98 and 2002 were all big years for the Red Wings, but the 2008 recession saw businesses literally saved by Detroit’s long run. Forget about getting tickets, but to cram into a restaurant and cheer the team on brought a lot of money to local businesses.
With the Ilitch family, I don’t think Detroit would have the entertainment district that it does. Unfortunately, the big 3 and all the casinos went on strike this year and there is still fallout being felt. It’s not “fair… to put a city’s well being onto a team of 20+ people but seeing the Pizza Palace fill up has been heart warming.
Everything aside, I do love this city. I was born downriver (hospital on Fort Street) and spent my entire life an hour or less outside of downtown Detroit. The Woodward cruise, championship parades, the best Coney Dogs I’ve ever had (and oddly some of the best deli food too). Motown legends may be gone, but the songs are alive in the pavement. I’ve stood in front of the same microphone Otis Redding used and recorded in a studio used by Ted Nugent, various members of The Eagles, and even Tom Delonge. (It’s located in Canton, MI). So many great things have happened here.
No, this isn’t a championship team right now. However, it’s a reminder of how good it feels when they have been in the past. Sports legends like Yzerman, Lidstrom, Isiah Thomas, Vinny Johnson and Barry Sanders are still seen around town and those former players (many now executives) just light up a room. Detroit needs a morale boost and it’s usually found on the ice, on the court, or at one time on the diamond. (Lions, we just need some post season wins after an awesome showing this season). For all of you that still support the teams, thank you. They are so much bigger than just the sport itself. Those teams are the heartbeat of the motor city.