Stories of cities' turnarounds from sports' successes producing communal hope are not new. Most recently, it was New Orleans who celebrated the Saints' win just a couple years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and left local residents without much to cling to. The Saints win was seen by many as a first step toward rejuvenation. Now it's Detroit's turn. With the Tigers competing in the ALCS and the Lions riding high, discussion is revolving around the Motor City's winning ways. Even if it "sounds a bit cliche," says ESPN's LZ Granderson, it's necessary. Still lurking in the shadows are the tough economic times the city has endured, and dark days for one of the country's most famous business towns. Here, a roundup of what commentators are saying about the Motor City's rise from the ashes:
David Magee, International Business Times: "Detroit needed this. Detroit deserves this. Lord, does Detroit ever deserve this. No city arguably had it tougher than Detroit in the Great Recession, and in the months and years that followed. The city suffered, mightily." He continues: "The Lions can compete in the NFL. The Tigers can win another championship. Detroit can build the world's best cars, and be profitable. And people can work, and live, in the city and around they love and have much to be proud of -- together."
Rachel Brady, The Globe and Mail: "Good feelings are in no short supply, despite the many boarded-up windows and vacant office space mere blocks from its two modern stadiums. They are spotted throughout a city full of stunning architecture and bars that fill up long enough to welcome ticket holders, but often fall quiet again when the teams aren't in Detroit and the fans drive home to the suburbs."
Travis Moquin, Bleacher Report: "Detroit is packed full of people who put their heads down and work their tails off every single day, despite the hardships of crime and oppression brought on by the recent economic downturn. A Super Bowl trophy, as unlikely as it may seem, would put those problems to shambles. Detroit would all of the sudden become the envied city it was years ago. Detroit has the motivation and the enthusiasm to support a great football team just as well as any fanbase in the nation. There is no city in America with more dedication and work ethic amongst its people, and that's exactly what Detroit expects from its sports teams."