Story by
Detroit vs. Tampa: Comparing the two cities preparing for two big games Sunday
- Story by
- Detroit vs. Tampa: Comparing the two cities preparing for two big games Sunday
One of the epicenters of the sports world on Sunday will be Detroit, home of Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC playoffs. But just down the street on Sunday night, the Red Wings will host the Lightning at Little Caesars Arena. It seems like a perfect opportunity to compare the two cities:
We are the Motor City and Motown. They are Cigar City and nicknamed Big Guava.
Advertisement
They have the Buccaneers. We have the Lions, who are in their own boat riding a wave of momentum in the NFL playoffs
They play in Raymond James Stadium and used to call the Big Sombrero home. We have Ford Field and used to call the Silverdome home — which lost its top a time or two.
They have Baker Mayfield, a former No. 1 overall pick, under center . We have Jared Goff, another former No. 1 pick who has found his home after being traded away by the team that drafted him.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) scores on a 27-yard touchdown reception as running back Craig Reynolds (13) blocks Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III (24) during the first half at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023.
They have head coach Todd Bowles, who always makes his mindset known with blitz after blitz. We have head coach Dan Campbell, a coach who has never seen a fourth down attempt that didn't pique his interest.
Advertisement
They had the first team to go winless in a 14-game season. We have a team that went above and beyond that mark with the first 0-16 season.
Their team fires the cannon. We bite kneecaps and preach grit.
JEFF SEIDEL: Grit is more than just a Lions buzzword. It's how they're making this playoff run.
They have throwback creamsicle orange jerseys. We have Faygo creme soda and jerseys named after an island in the Pacific Ocean.
They had Steve Yzerman build a hockey dynasty. We had him first, and then called him up to try to recreate that magic here.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have made the playoffs every season since 2016. The Red Wings haven't made the playoffs since ... well, 2016 (falling to Tampa in Round 1).
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, June 20, 2023.
They have the Tampa Bay Rays, who seemingly make something out of every prospect in their system. We have the team who sent them Isaac Paredes, a player who has become entrenched in the middle of the lineup after a brief start to his career with the Tigers.
Advertisement
They do not have a pro basketball team. We have the Pistons, a team that makes you question whether we have a pro basketball team.
They hail from a state best known for sunshine and citrus. We have ... not exactly a lot of sunshine this time of year.
They have the warm, salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the largest port in Florida. We have one, too, on the ice-covered straits of the Detroit River.
They have Busch Gardens, where you can see exotic animals. But we've got Lions and Tigers, too.
They have hurricanes. We have lake-effect snow.
Their city is where Ray Charles got his start. Motown artists drew inspiration from him.
Advertisement
The WWE calls Tampa home. WWE Hall of Famers George "The Animal" Steele, the Steiner Brothers and Kevin Nash were all billed to be from Detroit.
CARLOS MONARREZ: With football gods smiling on them, Lions can't blow it against Bucs on Sunday
They have snowbirds that escape to the South each winter. We have the climate that sends them there to catch some Tigers' spring training games.
They make a nice Cuban sandwich. We have the Coney Dog and square-shaped pizza.
Their city was founded by Ponce De Leon and Spanish settlers. We had French settler Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac first call this place "Detroit."
Advertisement
They are trying to win their first Super Bowl in three seasons. We have a team just trying to make the game for the first time ever.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit vs. Tampa: Comparing the two cities preparing for big Sunday
