Paul Rosenberg's Ups and Downs as a Detroit Lions Fan

Image via Complex Original

Detroit native and co-founder of Shady Records, co-producer of Shade 45, and head of Goliath Artists, Paul Rosenberg was thrust into Detroit Lions fandom just in time to live through one of the darkest periods any professional sports organization has ever experienced. With the Lions 4-0 this year, and playing the biggest game in Detroit in 20 years tonight against the Bears, we spoke with Paul about his tenure as a Lions fan over the years.

"My earliest memory as a Lions fan was probably with QB Gary Danielson and his 5-touchdown game against the Vikings in 1978. I was only 7, but I remember it being a big deal and getting national coverage."

"The Lions weren't a historically bad team in the pre-Super Bowl era. In fact, they won 4 World Championships in the '50's. Most of their losing records, their failure to make it to the playoffs, their losing playoff games, and never appearing in a Super Bowl happened during my lifetime. So I lived it rather than learned it.

"I got my heart broken by the Lions too many times to count. But, when I started to root for the Giants was during the '07 season when the Lions started 6-2 and went on to lose 7 of their next 8 games. It was my "ok, I gotta figure out another way to be happy as a fan" moment. Thankfully it was prior to their 0-16 season in '08. That would have just been too painful. I had lived in New York for 12 years or so at that point so it was a natural and justified transition. I obviously still have a special place in my heart for the Lions, but this was a defense mechanism for sure. I couldn't take it anymore."

The Ugly Truth

-The Detroit Lions are the only current NFC team to never appear in a Super Bowl.

-The Detroit Lions are the only NFL team to have a winless 0-16 season.

-Since 1971, the Detroit Lions have won one playoff game.

-The Detroit Lions have had losing seasons for the past ten years.

-The Lions have made it into the playoffs only nine times in the 50-plus years since winning the 1957 championship.

10 Team Highlights

1. Running back Billy Sims was drafted in the first round, first overall pick by the Lions in 1980.

2. 1980 season started 4-0. It was the first season of Sims with the Lions. Jimmy "Spiderman" Alllen performed a very early rap song sampling "Another One Bites the Dust" which was released shortly after the 4-0 start.

3. Running back Barry Sanders was drafted in the first round, 3rd overall pick by the Lions in 1989.

4. Sanders had the second highest season rushing total in 1997 with 2,053 yards. He was the third player ever to break the 2,000 yard season rushing mark.

5. In 1991, the Lions had a regular season record of 12-4. They won the first round of the divisional playoffs beating the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 on their way to the NFC Championship game.

6. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson was drafted by the Lions in the first round, second overall pick in 2007.

7. The Detroit Lions started the 2007 season 6-2.

8. The Lions fired Matt Millen as their General Manager on September 24, 2008. His eight-year tenure as head of the franchise led to the worst eight-year record in the history of the modern NFL (31-97).

9. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was drafted by the Lions in the first round, first overall pick in 2009.

10. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was drafted by the Lions in the first round, second overall pick in 2010.

10 Team Lowlights

1. In 1958, after breaking his leg in 3 places in the 1957 season, beloved Lions QB Bobby Layne was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Layne was so devastated and angered by the trade that he was said to have cursed the Lions for 50 years, in which they would remain to be perennial losers. This is called "The Curse of Bobby Layne."

2. After starting 4-0 in 1980, the Lions finish up the season 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

3. Billy Sims had a catastrophic knee injury in his 5th season in 1984, ending his career.

4. The Lions lost the 1991 NFC Championship game to the Washington Redskins 41-10, missing their best shot at the Super Bowl.

5. Barry Sanders retired from football before the 1999 season at the age of 30.

6. In 2001, the Lions hired Matt Millen as President and CEO. He would control the organization as their General Manager and made all decisions regarding football operations.

7. The Lions drafted QB Joey Harrington in the first round, 3rd overall in 2002.

8. The Lions drafted Wide Receiver Charles Rogers in the first round, 2nd overall in 2003. He broke his collarbone after 5 games in his first season and was out for the rest of the year. On the 3rd play of the 2004 season, he broke his collarbone again and was out for the season for a second time. In the 2005 season he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL drug policy as a weed smoker. In 2006, he was released by the team, ending his NFL career.

9. The Lions close out the 2007 season 1-7 after going 6-2 in the first-half of the season, finishing 7-9.

10. In 2008, the Lions were the first NFL team ever to go 0-16.

Billy Sims, The Original Number 20

"Billy Sims was a dazzling and explosive running back who had tremendous finesse and flair. He was very exciting to watch--Sims could cut and break tackles in a manner similar to Barry Sanders. But he did have a bit of a fumbling habit. When he had his career ending injury, it was another blow to the Lions and their fans."

Remembering the 1991 Playoffs

"I was in my sophomore year at Michigan State in '91 and went over to watch the NFC Championship game with some guys that I played football with in high school. We were so excited at the possibility of the Lions making the Super Bowl. We drank a lot when they got crushed. That's all I remember."

Barry Sanders' Early Retirement

"When Barry retired I was very bummed out, but I couldn't blame him. I don't think he wanted to risk injury and go on playing for a losing team. So I understood the decision, but that doesn't mean I was thrilled about it. He definitely had a few more good years in him and he was healthy. But his heart wasn't in it any more."

Matt Millen: Impending Doom

"The worst general manager ever. Nobody had any idea how bad he would be, and teams make mistakes in their hiring efforts in the front office. The problem was that the owners refused to correct it year after year. It is still so upsetting to me that I have a hard time watching games that he does commentary on, because I think his football opinions are worthless after what he did to the Lions. I throw things at the TV and curse sometimes."

Charles Rogers Selected Second Overall in '03

"Charles Rogers seemed like a decent choice at the time, and the fact that he was a local star and would be playing for his hometown seemed to make it all make sense. But what an unlucky bust it turned out to be. Part of me thinks that he may have been better off ultimately if he'd gotten out of Michigan and was subjected to a different sphere of influences. But who knows? It's easy to say that in hindsight."

Ups and Downs

"My personal high as a Lions fan was having Barry Sanders on our team and all of his big rushing yard years. He was amazing to watch. My personal low was probably the '91 NFC Championship when the Lions got destroyed by the Redskins. They were one game away from the Super Bowl."

2011 Revival

"The fact that the Lions have turned things around and started this season 4-0 is fantastic. This appears to be a different team with a new attitude, a dedicated coach and a lot of great new players. The problem is I've witnessed this before in 1980. I just can't sip the Kool-Aid. Its flavor is Heartbreak."