Now this is funny. You’ve probably picked up on the frustration in Detroit with the state of their football team. The team has generally been bad for decades, but ever since Matt Millen took over as GM, things have gotten even worse, despite drafting a wide receiver in the first round every year.
The Lion organization fired coach Steve Mariucci a few weeks ago, but that did little to assuage the angry fans. If anything, it just fed the fire, as most wanted both Mariucci and Millen gone. With only one target to focus on, things are turning ugly.
Fire Millen signs and chants are showing up with increasing regularity and not just at Lions games. The signs and chants have been present at Michigan and Michigan State basketball games and Red Wings games. Even away Red Wings games.
You could say that Detroiters are fed up.
So, as you might imagine things are going to be pretty interesting this wekeend when the Lions host the Cincinnati Bengals. The great thing is that fans aren’t just planning on skipping the game or showing up and complaining. No, they are organizing. They have a march planned – the Angy Fans March – for before the game. They will chant together. They will carry signs. But the most interesting plan is being pushed by website TheLionFanatics.com.
TheLionFanatics.com is organizing what they are calling an “orange out.” The plan is for Lions fans to wear orange, the color of the Bengals. From what I hear, this plan is taking off. Stores are running out of orange shirts! While I think there’s something inherently wrong about wearing the colors of your opponent at a home game, you can’t deny that it will be a very powerful image. Can you imagine a home stadium jam-packed with angry fans “supporting” the road team? I can’t see how Matt Millen will make it through the week.
The Detroit News has an article about the whole affair and what really cracked me up is that they have a handy sidebar outlining the planned protests. They want to make sure it’s really easy for everyone to get involved!
If this “orange out” comes off as planned, and it sounds like it will, look for it to become the hot trend in angry fan behavior. Obviously, the old standard of not going to games just doesn’t have the same cachet anymore. People are inured to it. Sure, owners notice, but it just doesn’t have much bang these days. Paper bags on the head are so 1980’s New Orleans. But a stadium full of angry seemingly-road-team fans? That’ll get everyone’s attention.
Maybe if NC State loses a few basketball games the Wolfpack faithful will start showing up in baby blue to try to run off Sendek. Naaaaah, probably not.
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