What it means, one view
posted in Analysis, World Series |This one is ours.
There’s something about being Detroiters — I don’t know, maybe this goes on in other towns, too, but more and more it seems a Detroit thing — that makes us want to look around for acceptance from the outside world. I don’t know, maybe it’s because we don’t really have much of our former identity left. The positives associated with Detroit — Motown and motor city — have left us.
Maybe for that reason, we get really excited when our sports teams play on the national level, when a musical act makes it big, or if someone from the suburbs ends up on a television show. Not just for our own enjoyment. But we want it to mean something more. People are looking at us, we think. We try to show them the bright sides of things. Not all of the city is bad. Some things in the suburbs are a lot nicer than in most other places. There’s some smart things and smart people and southeast Michigan really is a nice place to live. Would you just accept us as being like the rest of the country, just this once, and stop with the damned jokes?
I’m as guilty of looking for acceptance as the next guy.
But I’m going to say it now: Forget them. (Insert another F word of your choice, actually, I sure did). Forget ‘em. We don’t need ‘em. They’re going to see what they want to see. They’re going to hear what they want to hear. They’re idiots. Being a native Detroiter in northern Michigan, I came to that conclusion. If you’re around enough people who hate Detroit, there’s only one thing you can say. “Forget you, I’m from Detroit. I don’t care what you think.” Or another F word of your choice.
Maybe it doesn’t have Broadway or Lakeshore Drive, and it has its ills, but it’s ours. The national media know its benefits — they’ve been here often enough. Maybe it’s not nice like Miami, whatever, who cares. I remember vacationing in southern Florida when the object was to avoid getting too close to Miami, even on the highway, or they’d shoot at you. Ironic, I’m sure. But all anyone wants to talk about is South Beach. They’ll say what they want.
Forget ‘em.
What the Tigers did, they did for themselves first. Let’s not kid ourselves. The guys in the clubhouse. They are not looking around and saying “If only the New York Yankees liked us, we’d be so cool!” They’re saying “AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, @#$#! !!!” just like we are. I’m not going to say they did this for US. But you can tell, when they say they wanted to give something to the fans, they mean it. It’s ours to enjoy, too. Now the two of us have a connection that is going to stand the test of time.
So let’s take a lesson from them. Let’s not just give it away that easily. We don’t need any of the outsiders. We don’t need metaphors about a written-off blue collar team in a written-off blue collar city. We don’t need to hear about how the Tigers make people happy for three hours a day during their otherwise miserable lives. That’s condenscending, it’s said with a wink to the audience. Of course the Tigers make us happy, but there’s 26 other cities whose teams hope to say the same thing. We don’t need to be the little team that America roots for.
Sure, we appreciate it if other people enjoy watching our guys play, too. But we don’t need them to. Something amazing went on this season and will go on for at least four more games, something we’re going to remember for as long as we can catch a baseball or listen to a game. Something big happened.
It’s ours. It should mean something to us. And I think the Tigers do mean a little something more to us, too. But they don’t have to mean anything to anyone else.
We’re Detroit. Forget you!
Sphere It
Bravo! I loved this. It’s a hard pill to swallow, being the city that no one will love, not truly or honestly, but yet we still keep trying to make them. Our Pistons are champions - do you like us now? Our Tigers are in the World Series, what about now? What else can we do?
I’m with you. Forget ‘em!
I live outside another midwest major city that has been maligned in similar fashion.Been a Tiger fan for 46 years,Saturday was the first time that I have ventured to Detroit since the season before Tiger Stadium closed.Be proud of everything you have and work for.It may not be perfect but it’s good, and to the point of being very special.
I know exactly how you feel. I’m from New Orleans and we get our share of (mostly deserved) criticism. Nonetheless, N.O. is a special place and when people want to rag us for playing a Saints game a year after Katrina, I say F&$* ‘em too.
GEAUX TIGERS!!