Is There A Sports, Economy Connection?

Hope you are having a great holiday. Just pondering something that may or may not be connected.

The Detroit Lions are now the first NFL team to go 0-16 on the year. Not one win. I wonder what that feels like. Not good I assume. The only other winless NFL season was Tampa Bay in 1976, they went 0-14. That’s two less losses because the season was shorter back then.

I bet there are a lot of auto workers in Detroit who watch NFL. I wonder if the troubles of the auto industry are rubbing off on their football team. Logically, I know that’s not possible, but I can’t stop wondering about it. Everyone in that city must be hurting because of the economy, and now a winless football team. Seems bitterly poetic.

I wonder if you could study the rise of a communities economy and the success of their local sports teams. Last year, our provincial CFL football team, The Saskatchewan Roughriders won the Grey Cup (that’s our Super Bowl). 2007 was also a very big year for Saskatchewan economically. We got a new government, made tones of money from oil and other natural resources. Our film industry had a great year, housing and construction soared, business was great. Did that good feeling rub off on our football team?

Does the mass consciousness of a community have an impact on it’s athletes?

The things I think about, with a little time off.