It’s been a rocky road for Detroit teams from a 0-16 record for the Lions in 2008 to a 43-119 (.265) record for the Tigers, it has been rough. However, all of a sudden Detroit teams have turned it around this year. The Tigers had an unexpectedly good season, the Lions are projected to make the playoffs this year and a Red Wings Team that has young talent and is off to a great start to the year. With this recent success, fans have been wondering how Detroit teams have been able to turn their sports teams around.
The recent success is caused by new coaches taking over on all three teams. Dan Campbell, a young and talented coach, has taken over for the Lions. Hired in 2021 Dan Campbell has started off the year with an impressive 8-3 start in hopes of making a home playoff game. His recent success has shown with the new rookie players he drafted last season. He has made his team motto “grit.” Campbell said that grit is the ability to overcome adversity in any situation.
However, it’s not just Dan Campbell’s Lions that are defining odds. The Detroit Red Wings are off to an impressive 11-6-3 record for the season. Many fans are crediting the record to the new-and-rising star Lucas Raymond who already has seven goals. It’s not only Raymond that has made an impact. Dylan Larkin, a Red Wing veteran, has still put up constant good year after another. He has five goals this year but 12 assists which leads the team. Larkin and Raymond make one of the most dangerous duos in the NHL and the 2023 Red Wings team has their eyes set on the playoffs.
Detroit fans can’t forget about the Tigers. They had a close to .500 record even though they were projected to lose a lot more games at the beginning of the year. A few key players to the team’s success are Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, who despite both being only second-year Tiger players, put up Hall of Fame numbers despite being on a still-developing team. The Tigers missed the playoffs this year by just a few games to the Minnesota Twins, but hopes are high for the next season.
Defying odds and projections, Detroit teams are on the rise. Detroit fans’ expectations are high this year for all three teams and attendance at games skyrocketed for the Lions, Red Wings and the past Tigers Year. In week five against the Carolina Panthers, the Lions Stadium was at 105 percent capacity, with many fans paying hundreds of dollars for a standing seat. It wouldn’t surprise me if Detroit has another defying odds year in all three sports.
