Lions Getting Cheerleaders (Sort of)

In the past the Detroit Lions haven’t had a squad of cheerleaders. While now I am assuming the team simply cannot afford to pay them (Please recall that season tickets went for $250 this year… SEASON tickets), this Sunday a group of “non-cheerleaders” will debut at Ford Field. The group is called the Detroit Pride, and while they will be attending each game to root for the Lions, they have some seriously strict rules to follow if they want to stay.

• The group is not allowed to perform organized cheers.
• They cannot obstruct the view of fans.
• They are not allowed to take group photos of fans. Only two girls can appear in photos at a time.
• They cannot wear Lions logos or team colors. Their uniforms are blue, but they cannot be "Honolulu Blue."

So where will the the Detroit Pride be performing this Saturday, you ask? First at a 10:30 a.m. tailgate, and then they will move to a grill outside Ford Field. And what about when the game starts? No worries, the group of 12 girls will not even be allowed on the sidelines. Instead, sit in the stadium for the rest of the game just like any other fans. Hmmm.

While the groups says that their goal is to become the official cheerleading team of the Lions and eventually the Red Wings and Tigers, too, the Lions have commented that they have no plans to bring on cheerleaders.

On one hand, I want to tell these girls to stop wasting their time and give it up. Who in the world wants to hike to the D every weekend, take the time to cheer for an entire season of losing football and not even getting the title of a “real” cheerleader?

On the other hand, I somewhat hope the Lions quit being A-holes and make then the “official” cheerleaders. Let’s be honest, this could be the most exciting thing that has happened for the Lions since Barry Sanders left. If nothing else, at least it will give the fans something good to watch.

Exactly Why the Wings Always Need to Win the Cup…

…Because this is what Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville chose to do with the Staley Cup after their first title in 49 years. LAME. Take it easy, Coach Q. – I don’t know if Stanley can handle all that “raging” big-spoon action. I mean, in comparison to all of the exponentially more boring nights being filled with real beverages (i.e. Miller High Life and CCUB shots of patron), that is getting a little out of control.

To top it off, he accompanied that horrifying image with this winner of a line, “The cup has a curfew now. He turns into a pumpkin at midnight.” Ok, grandma.

NHL Playoff Notes...

There are many reasons why April and May are some of the best months of the year. 90% of the country stops having shitty weather. School is donezo until September. And for us sports fans, the amount of options is simply at its' peak. The NBA playoffs aren't the only event in town right now. Many people would argue that the NHL playoffs have, to this point, been more entertaining. In the Eastern Conference, the top three seeds lost, while in the West, you've got the four heavyweights battling it out (no disrespect to Phoenix, what they did was amazing considering they're currently owned by the NHL). Here's the low-down on what's happening:

Wow, Pittsburgh's path to repeating just got a whole lot easier. No Alex Ovechkin. No Martin Brodeur or Ryan Miller. Instead, they get a Canadiens team that squeaked into the playoffs and needed to win three in a row against the Capitals to even get to this point. The series is currently tied at 1-1, and the only way the Canadiens are going to better than that is if stud goalie Jaroslav Halak continues to be the Great Wall of Canada (and Slovakia). However, based on his current play, that might not be that much of a stretch. Still, no one can stop 36+ shots a night constantly. The Canadiens need more consistency on offense.

In the other East series, the Boston Bruins won Game One in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers. That game should serve as a good indicator of how the rest of the series should go, as these teams look to be pretty evenly matched. But the Bruins have a little more playoff experience, and a little bit more talent. Like Montreal, the Flyers need Bobby Boucher (the goalie, not Adam Sandler) to continue his recent hot play to stay in it.

Now, for West Coast observations...

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