Has Detroit Forgiven Barry Sanders? Have you?

[RedRamage]

This idea occurred to me the other day and Sanders was on with Mike and Mike in the morning. First of all, I was amazed at how well spoken and confident he seemed during the interview. I don't remember him talking to the media much at all when he played with Detroit so to see (hear?) he so at ease during the interview just seemed odd.

But beyond that, I didn't feel any ill will toward him at all. Now, I was never one who was super upset or angry with Sanders. Sure, I was a little peeved when he first retired right before training camp, and I was disappointed with him for a long time. But during the interview, none of those feelings where there at all for me... I was just feeling proud that he was a Lion and remembering the good times.

So, how do you feel about Sanders? Where you upset when he retired? Where you angry? How do you feel about him now?

[Walt]

I was in Okinawa when he retired, so I was a little disconnected and never really mad at him. It is not hard to imagine someone not wanting to play for the Lions.

[Lbh24]

I was upset when he retired, but I was also 15. I thought all my favorite athletes should play until I was ready to be done watching them.

[DennisDubay]

I was more shocked and sad, then upset with him when he retired. I don't think I've ever been mad at him ... nor blamed him. Looking back at it, and reading what I have and his reasoning for it, I can't blame the guy at all.

[cruzer1]

Barry did it his way. He was just a little bit clumsy. I wish he would have left more gracefully for his sake, only. He's allright by me.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by RedRamage

This idea occurred to me the other day and Sanders was on with Mike and Mike in the morning. First of all, I was amazed at how well spoken and confident he seemed during the interview. I don't remember him talking to the media much at all when he played with Detroit so to see (hear?) he so at ease during the interview just seemed odd.

But beyond that, I didn't feel any ill will toward him at all. Now, I was never one who was super upset or angry with Sanders. Sure, I was a little peeved when he first retired right before training camp, and I was disappointed with him for a long time. But during the interview, none of those feelings where there at all for me... I was just feeling proud that he was a Lion and remembering the good times.

So, how do you feel about Sanders? Where you upset when he retired? Where you angry? How do you feel about him now?

I had some inside knowledge of Sanders relationship with the Lions front office and Barry Sanders the man.

Nobody should be mad or upset, they traded or gave away all of the support system or teammates he valued. Barry also made it clear to the front office, he wanted to win more than anything else and quitely demanded they substantially upgrade the offensive line. They ignored him, he didn't feel like sacrificing his body for a team that had zero intention of winning, they emphisized making money over competiing.

Barry told them with he would retire..he almost retired the season before, his agent Lamont Smith and his close friends, literally had to talk him into playing. He was a disciplined, principaled, well rounded, introspective guy..

[Euphdude]

I was upset when he abruptly retired but now I respect him for leaving on his terms after giving an inept franchise his entire career. Barry couldn't stand dealing with the Lions anymore, and in effect he covered up the incompetence of the franchise on his own for a decade -- only after he left did we as fans get to see it first hand.

[LineCrosser]

Originally Posted by sportz4life

I had some inside knowledge of Sanders relationship with the Lions front office and Barry Sanders the man.

Nobody should be mad or upset, they traded or gave away all of the support system or teammates he valued. Barry also made it clear to the front office, he wanted to win more than anything else and quitely demanded they substantially upgrade the offensive line. They ignored him, he didn't feel like sacrificing his body for a team that had zero intention of winning, they emphisized making money over competiing.

Barry told them with he would retire..he almost retired the season before, his agent Lamont Smith and his close friends, literally had to talk him into playing. He was a disciplined, principaled, well rounded, introspective guy..

I don't think I've ever heard anybody say he's a bad guy. But he certainly didn't handle his retirement in the right way. If the Lions were to be believed (and trust me, I don't assume they are), then Bobby Ross pretty much had to wait by his front door to talk to him, since Sanders wouldn't return calls, and decided to retire by faxing a statement to the Wichita newspaper.

That said, I was horribly disappointed more than angry. I feel so fortunate to have seen almost every game with the greatest, classiest running back ever to strap on a helmet (IMO). I feel disappointed that my son never got to see Barry score a TD in the most spectacular of ways, and then calmly hand the ball to the ref and trot to the bench.

I just miss watching the guy.

[Oblong]

That was a big "where were you?" moment, especially for sports as it's kind of rare.

My home phone would pick up WJR in the background if you used the line in the den. I was talking to a friend and suddenly he says "What? Did he just say Barry Sanders retired?" (This was back when WJR had sports talk on in the evening). Ran to the radio and listened to the details.

[Biff Mayhem]

Originally Posted by Euphdude

I was upset when he abruptly retired but now I respect him for leaving on his terms after giving an inept franchise his entire career. Barry couldn't stand dealing with the Lions anymore, and in effect he covered up the incompetence of the franchise on his own for a decade -- only after he left did we as fans get to see it first hand.

This.

[RobSk]

Originally Posted by RedRamage

So, how do you feel about Sanders? Where you upset when he retired? Where you angry? How do you feel about him now?

I was selfishly upset that I wouldn't get to see him play anymore, but I was never personally angry with him. I mean dang, playing football is hard and dangerous, and he was done.

I'm forever in his debt for some of the most amazing athletic feats I've ever seen.

Rob

[Kamakzie]

Only thing that ticked me off was that he waited until the eve of training camp AFTER the draft so the Lions were stuck with getting a jobber RB to take his place. Greg Hill?

[Hongbit]

The question of whether Detroit has forgiven Barry was answered when they named the 75th anniversary team in 2008. He got about a 1 minute standing ovation and those were easily the loudest cheers of the day (including anything that happened during the game).

[jonjd]

I was never mad at Barry whatsoever. He left a garbage team after he accomplished so much individually and did so with his health intact and financial security.

I don't hate, I envy.

[slfairless]

Originally Posted by Euphdude

I was upset when he abruptly retired but now I respect him for leaving on his terms after giving an inept franchise his entire career. Barry couldn't stand dealing with the Lions anymore, and in effect he covered up the incompetence of the franchise on his own for a decade -- only after he left did we as fans get to see it first hand.

Amen.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by RedRamage

So, how do you feel about Sanders? Where you upset when he retired? Where you angry? How do you feel about him now?

I was shocked when he retired, but there's no loyalty in the NFL. If the Lions were going to release him, they'd give him about 0 minutes notice. It happens all the time. The guy played for a good period of time, made some money and got out relatively healthy. I don't blame him for retiring.

How he did it was a little cheesy with the fax, but I never held any ill will about him retiring.

[dalemotown]

I never had a problem with the way he left.

He was frustrated.
I am, too - so I can imagine how he felt.

He owed the fans no more of an explanation than the entire organization did.

....I'm STILL wanting on an explanation from them...

[Shinma]

I was more upset that I still have to have a conversation of who's the best RB in History: Sanders-Smith-Brown-Payton-Sayers.

If Barry played just a couple more years he would have put the all-time rushing record so far out of sight that Smith would have retired 3-4 years earlier than he did.

I was frustrated with the Lions for causing the situation that forced Barry's hand, and for not allowing him to play on another team.

I'm not mad at Barry.

[slim pickens]

Barry sold himself on ebay today to attend your superbowl party.

[DaBishop]

I was really bummed when Barry retired. He was far and away my favorite RB. I still remember the game where he torched the Jets for 180 yards and the game winning TD to eliminate the Jets from the playoffs and put himself over the 2000 yard mark.

I'm completely with Shinma in that my biggest disappointment is that Barry doesn't own the total yards record by a long shot as he should.

[Johnny Mac]

Originally Posted by Kamakzie

Only thing that ticked me off was that he waited until the eve of training camp AFTER the draft so the Lions were stuck with getting a jobber RB to take his place. Greg Hill?

I have read since then that he tried to retire earlier and told the Lions he was likely to reitre BEFORE the draft but they insisted he wait and think about it more hoping he would change his mind.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!]

Originally Posted by Oblong

That was a big "where were you?" moment, especially for sports as it's kind of rare...

I was in 29 Palms about to watch a movie on base. They had ESPN playing and I saw the crawl. Like many, I was shocked, then upset. Deep down though, I knew that it wasn't Barry trying to get more money or anything, but a lack of interest on the Lions' part to put quality players around him.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!]

Originally Posted by Shinma

I was more upset that I still have to have a conversation of who's the best RB in History: Sanders-Smith-Brown-Payton-Sayers...

I see that and I think of Sesame Street...


"One of these things is not like the other"


No offense to Emmitt Smith himself, of course..

[Motowncool]

Originally Posted by dalemotown

I never had a problem with the way he left.

He was frustrated.
I am, too - so I can imagine how he felt.

He owed the fans no more of an explanation than the entire organization did.

....I'm STILL wanting on an explanation from them...

I agree with this. He didn't want to play for the organization any more. He loved his team, all the guy on the team but not the organization.

To this day I don't blame him nor do I think he owes me or the city an explaination.

He was the best when he was inthe league.

[djhutch]

I could understand his teammates being a little put out with the way he announced his retirement. I didn't like it either, but only because it meant I wouldn't get to seem him play anymore. I was never mad at him. I also did not blame the Lions for not releasing him to play somewhere else.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Shinma

I was more upset that I still have to have a conversation of who's the best RB in History: Sanders-Smith-Brown-Payton-Sayers.

If Barry played just a couple more years he would have put the all-time rushing record so far out of sight that Smith would have retired 3-4 years earlier than he did.

I was frustrated with the Lions for causing the situation that forced Barry's hand, and for not allowing him to play on another team.

I'm not mad at Barry.

This is the worst part about it. I heard Emmit on the radio the other day and the interviewer(i think it was Rome) asked him if he was the greatest RB of all time and he answered...'based on my statistics, I am.' I hate that 'that' guy actually thinks he is/was better than Barry.

I have the NFL network special on Barry from a view years ago saved on my Tivo and every coupe of months I put it on. There is nobody even close to him in this day. He really was something special.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!]

Originally Posted by Gozer

This is the worst part about it. I heard Emmit on the radio the other day and the interviewer(i think it was Rome) asked him if he was the greatest RB of all time and he answered...'based on my statistics, I am.' I hate that 'that' guy actually thinks he is/was better than Barry...

Yeah, that was Rome. Truthfully, I'd be more upset at Rome for asking that question that way. I wouldn't expect anyone that has ever played to not say what Emmitt said. At least he used his stat as the caveat, though it might had helped if he said "with the help of my O-line"

Honestly in that argument, I have nothing against Smith himself, it's the yahoos and morons that try to use the rushing record by itself to justify their case.

[Buddha]

Originally Posted by DaBishop

I was really bummed when Barry retired. He was far and away my favorite RB. I still remember the game where he torched the Jets for 180 yards and the game winning TD to eliminate the Jets from the playoffs and put himself over the 2000 yard mark.

I'm completely with Shinma in that my biggest disappointment is that Barry doesn't own the total yards record by a long shot as he should.

I was at that game!

I would never question anyone for not wanting to play for the worst organization in sports. I was angry at the time, but I got over it. He's still my favorite player of all time and probably always will be.

[DaBishop]

Bottom line is that Barry handled the situation the way I think we all wish Favre would have. Ask to be traded and if they said no, retire and move on instead of playing games each year. Then at the end of the day the real shame is that the organization couldn't honor the wishes of someone who has done all they could for the team and just wanted a change.

[cruzer1]

I was at the game when...
Barry torched the Bucs for 200 yards in the 2nd half...
Barry turned the Patriot player (methinks it was Corwin Brown) into a ballerina...

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

At no point in time was I ever angry with Barry Sanders, even when he announced his retirement. I will always be grateful to him for the joy he brought me by the quality of his play. I am frankly far more disappointed in the dismissive way in which local radio talk show hosts denigrated him at the time of his retirement.

The man did more for the Lions franchise than any other player in my lifetime, and quite possibly, ever. And if members of the media state this, even today, it is typically presented along with strained overstated arguments of how he f-ed the Lions by retiring after the draft (ignoring the fact the Lions knew he was seriously considering retirement), and that he held out of training camp multiple times. Fine - some of that is regrettable. He isn't perfect. But the fact is the man made the franchise relevent by his extraordinary play over a 10-year period, and that should outweigh his transgressions many, many times over. And he did it, by and large, in a classy way.

The Lions quite frankly pissed away his career and drove him away. That is what I was angry with then, and am disappointed with now.

[toby42o]

For a long time since he retired I was really mad at him...I admit I was unaware of the reason(s) that he quit, but I had such a hatred towards him. I burned my jersey, spoke ill of him, and always stated that if I ever saw him, I would punch him in the mouth. I have been a Lions fan for a long time, and looking back now, he was the ONLY good thing we ever had. When I learned of his reason for leaving, I moved my hatred toward the Lions for either A) not giving him what he asked, or B) not trading him for a bunch of players/picks. Just last year I bought a new #20 jersey, and I wear it proudly. But for a long time, I was angry that he quit on us.....it was an awesome run, I just wish that it lasted longer than it did. I am still a die-hard Lions fan...even though it is really hard, I am in the Coast Guard, my Station has fans for almost every team, but I still will defend/root for them till I die. I hope that this team turns it around soon, it is taking a toll on my health being a Lions fan....my heart hurts every Sunday!

[number20]

The NFL's version of Michael Jordan falls into their laps on draft day, and all the Detroit Lions can do is invent new ways to utterly f*** up a golden opportunity to build a winner around this guy. The fact he stuck with this inept, bungling, stupid organization of buffoons for an entire decade is testament to his loyalty. If it were me I would've told the Lions to go screw themselves long before that.

I was sad as a fan, but happy Barry finally got the hell out. I thought his obviously frustrated dad told it like it was in that ESPN interview the following day, telling the world what a complete joke the Lions organization was. (Evidently little has changed in that regard.)

Barry gave the Lions 10 good years. He didn't owe anyone a damn thing. My only regret was he didn't go play for a real NFL team.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mac

I have read since then that he tried to retire earlier and told the Lions he was likely to reitre BEFORE the draft but they insisted he wait and think about it more hoping he would change his mind.

I've heard stories like this as well.

I also remember Barry saying a couple times before he did retire that he'd probably retire sooner than most people would expect.

Barry was a great player, but for those who say they wish he owned all the total yardage records like he deserves, I don't exactly agree. Barry didn't have the passion to continue on. For that reason he doesn't deserve to be given credit as though he deserved to get those records. There's nothing wrong with not having them. I don't blame him for retiring. But that said, it was a conscious decision on his part to retire. It wasn't important enough for him, so he retired. So I don't look at those as records he deserved to own. Simply, because he chose not to go for them.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by DaBishop

I was really bummed when Barry retired. He was far and away my favorite RB. I still remember the game where he torched the Jets for 180 yards and the game winning TD to eliminate the Jets from the playoffs and put himself over the 2000 yard mark.

I'm completely with Shinma in that my biggest disappointment is that Barry doesn't own the total yards record by a long shot as he should.

I was at that game.

Want to hear something? I was either a season ticket holder or buying tickets to the point where I went to every Lions game during Barry's career. I think I may have missed one game in Barry's career at home. I always think about how I was able to see just about every run Barry ever had in his career. It's really pretty awesome when you think about it that way.

That Jets game was awesome. He did nothing until the very end of the third quarter, and then he just took over. It looked like he may not get 1,900 yards, but then he explodes on the last play of the third quarter and never got stopped. That was one of the loudest games I've ever heard at the Silverdome. What a great game. But as loud as it was, when Reggie Brown went down. It got really quiet in there. It was the last time where fan noise almost resulted in a penalty - and later resulted in the Jets not getting off a key play because the whinny QB (was it Testeverde) wanted time but the offical wouldn't give it to him.

I also recall the NE spin like a top run. That may be my favorite run.

The road game I'll remember the most was the Monday NIght Football game against the Cowboys that Barry beat out Emmitt and the Lions won an outstanding game in OT. Barry had several great runs that night.

They used to play "Simply the Best" after a lot of Barry's best runs. That was certainly the truth.

[DrWho17]

Barry left the team in a classless manner, it was hard to tell if this was yet another one of his contract ploys or if it was real, what was his excuse the Lions let some of his buddies go, was he really trying to use Kevin Foster as an excuse? Faxing your resignation in on the eve of training camp is a lame way to go out, especially for a player the organization counted on so heavily, they had no chance to try and replace him.

I can appreciate it sucks to be on a losing team and organization, but if Barry Sanders really felt this way he could have asked to be traded or something like that and not left the Lions high and dry.

[Johnny Mac]

Originally Posted by DrWho17

Barry left the team in a classless manner, it was hard to tell if this was yet another one of his contract ploys or if it was real, what was his excuse the Lions let some of his buddies go, was he really trying to use Kevin Foster as an excuse? Faxing your resignation in on the eve of training camp is a lame way to go out, especially for a player the organization counted on so heavily, they had no chance to try and replace him.

I can appreciate it sucks to be on a losing team and organization, but if Barry Sanders really felt this way he could have asked to be traded or something like that and not left the Lions high and dry.

I think it has since come out that he told the Lions BEFORE the draft that he was retiring and that he knew pretty much at the end of the previous season but they kept making him hold off announcing it because they were trying to convince him to come back. I know I have read that story before and I will look for a story on it when I get some time.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by DrWho17

Barry left the team in a classless manner, it was hard to tell if this was yet another one of his contract ploys or if it was real, what was his excuse the Lions let some of his buddies go, was he really trying to use Kevin Foster as an excuse? Faxing your resignation in on the eve of training camp is a lame way to go out, especially for a player the organization counted on so heavily, they had no chance to try and replace him.

I can appreciate it sucks to be on a losing team and organization, but if Barry Sanders really felt this way he could have asked to be traded or something like that and not left the Lions high and dry.

They knew he wanted to retire, he had told them for months, if not years, they didn't believe him. He begged them for a trade, they refused. This is the Detroit Lions owned by WCF, whatever your understanding of the events surrounding Barry and what he had comunicated to management is dramatically different from what I have been told.

[number20]

After all the sweat equity this franchise has invested in bringing a winner to the city of Detroit. The persistent hard work, quality decision making, empathy for its best players, dedication of its front office, commitment to excellence by its owner. Who does this Barry Sanders guy think he is, "quitting" like he did with no regard for ticket sales?

It just stuns me whenever someone comes to the defense of the Detroit Lions F*** Up Factory and its collection of company clowns - especially in this particular matter.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by DrWho17

Barry left the team in a classless manner, it was hard to tell if this was yet another one of his contract ploys or if it was real, what was his excuse the Lions let some of his buddies go, was he really trying to use Kevin Foster as an excuse? Faxing your resignation in on the eve of training camp is a lame way to go out, especially for a player the organization counted on so heavily, they had no chance to try and replace him.

I can appreciate it sucks to be on a losing team and organization, but if Barry Sanders really felt this way he could have asked to be traded or something like that and not left the Lions high and dry.

The big issue I have with this line of thinking is the amount of time players get from organizations when they are released. They release them with no tact whatsoever all the time. Yet, people think players should give some great courtesy to the team?