Nothing Is Coming Up Lions

The Detroit Lions and their fans have been on an emotional roller coaster over the past few days. Actually, the better amusement park ride for this metaphor might be a drop tower—it would more accurately convey how jarring and abrupt the changes in mood have been with this week's news. Lions great Lem Barney was erroneously reported to be dead for a few hours on Saturday, and in a broader context that's somehow more of a below-the-fold item.

The ride began Wednesday when former Lions center Frank Ragnow, who retired this past summer, declared he was returning to football. The team's announcement of the news, featuring a totally sick archive photo of Ragnow running out of the tunnel, provided an instant shot of energy. The Lions' 29-year-old Pro Bowl center would be coming back to protect Jared Goff and improve an already-fierce run game, in the final stretch of the regular season. It wasn't Thanksgiving yet, but already this felt like a victory.