Thirty Years Ago

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

As we approach 2010, it will be the first time that we enter a new decade with a vacant lot with plenty of questions but no answers, as to what the future holds where Tiger Stadium was a landmark at the Corner of Michigan & Trumbull.

But another anniversary passed that most baby boomers don't know about and many of us old school traditionalists find hard to believe that time does indeed fly.

On December 15, 1979, the Detroit Red Wings played their final game at Olympia Stadium.

It's been 30-years since legendary Red Wings Play-By-Play Announcer Bruce Martyn called this venue his home while his voice could be heard on radios in Southeastern Michigan.

The "Old Red Barn" which was located at 5920 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48208, and is now the home of the Michigan National Guard Armory. The photo is on www.scottsports33.com.

Martyn was the voice behind the Red Wings 4-4 tie to the Quebec Nordiques on December 15, 1979 as a crowd of 15,609 watched for the last time.

I'd be curious to find out how many baby boomers actually know much about Martyn. I do know that the baby boomers are spoiled by the success that the modern Red Wings have had winning four Stanley Cups in the past 15 years.

But unless these kids study Red Wings history and look up at the rafters to see the numbers retired, then they should run a Google search so they'll be able to appreciate the building that "Mr Hockey" Gordie Howe made famous.

The link to Olympia Stadium to Joe Louis Arena does have an interesting historical significance. As I just mentioned, they closed the building playing Quebec which is the same franchise that relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Avalanche.

The greatest goaltender in Red Wings history is a player who wore No.1 very proudly and had his number retired. In fantasy land, it would have been great to see Terry Sawchuk face the Avalanche's greatest goaltender No.33 Patrick Roy. Both are in the Hall of Fame.

Have to wonder if Sawchuk and Roy would have exchanged punches at center ice as the Wings tandem of Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood did when the Wings and Avalanche rivalry was at its peak.

The only thing that Red Wings Hall of Famer, "The Captain" Steve Yzerman didn't accomplish in his storied NHL career was wear his No.19 jersey in a regular season game at Olympia.

But when I think of Olympia Stadium 30 years later, it's hard to believe that using an old Ernie Harwell phrase, the building is "Long Gone."

Yet, the 15,000 seat building was the home to Stanley Cup Championships, NHL All-Star Games along with many other events.

During the lean years of the 1970's, the Red Wings were known as the "Dead Wings." All Detroit fans had to cheer about was when Bryan "Bugsy" Watson and Dennis Polonich would antagonize opponents.

The playoffs were a rarity. How many youngsters remember when the Detroit Red Wings swept the Atlanta Flames 2-0 in the 1978 playoffs and Bill Lochead was the star of that series?

I'll never forget when former Red Wings Center Marcel Dionne left an Original Six team to play in the sunshine for the Los Angeles Kings. When Dionne returned to the Olympia, a protected cover was created to protect him as well as the opponents.

But indeed the ironies in sports. The Nordiques/Avalanche were the ones that officially closed down Olympia and became their most hated rival in the Red Wings road to the recent championships in the modern NHL. I find that to be truly unbelievable to this day.

So the next time you watch the NHL on NBC, Versus, ESPN, etc. and they feature the Red Wings & Colorado Avalanche, it's amazing that the history of these franchises are connected by two stadiums with a championship connection.

The Red Wings won championships in the "Old Red Barn" & Joe Louis Arena. Louis was a proud heavyweight champion and this champion (Louis) has an arena named after him.

And it all ended in one venue 30 years ago and began in a new one on Dec 27, 1979, the same birthday as the first 50-goal scorer in Red Wings history & current broadcaster Mickey Redmond.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com and my full blog can be seen at www.scottsports33.com.

Super Neutral Sites

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

When I moved to Florida to attend school at Broward Community College (BCC), was Sports Editor of that paper called The New Horizons, and also worked at the Hallandale Digest, I found Pizza Hut in Hallandale to be my home away from home. The environment was so relaxing that I'd do my homework and work on sports stories.

In 1981, I'd eat my personal pan pizza, salad bar and best of all there were refills on ice tea. At that time, I was a transplant from Detroit and I did so much sweating that I needed to get fluids back into my system.

I enjoyed Pizza Hut so much that I took my close friend Mark Paterson, whom I attended the 1982 NCAA Final 4 in New Orleans there, and we'd hang out to talk about sports, school, women, etc. We were both so competitive that we had our own Ice Tea Drinking Contest. My favorite waitress Lisa watched in amazement as we both consumed 2.5 pitchers a piece. The challenge ended in a tie but both of our kidneys paid the price the rest of the night as we had fun with our friendly competition.

Patterson is pictured outside of a store in Hollywood, Florida on www.scottsports33.com. We went to our respective homes and just called each other on the phone for hours to joke around how much fun that was. Back then, I weighed a mere 105 pounds. I wish I could say that today.

When I moved to North Carolina in 1987, the Pizza Hut in Kings Mountain was my hangout.

Being a Yankee/outsider, these people in small mom and pop small town restaurants frowned upon Yankees taking too much time and generally wanted me out in 45-60 minutes. Being accepted was difficult in this environment.

But at this Pizza Hut, a young waitress named Ann Baucum always treated me great and her hospitality was truly appreciated. She had many great qualities. She was a pretty dark blonde haired young lady, attractive on the outside but most of all had a tremendous heart. She had so many great qualities that I wanted to date her because of her sweet personality. There was one problem. She was engaged to be married.

As a consolation prize, I was invited to her wedding but couldn't attend due to my heavy work schedule with the Gastonia (Texas) Rangers. Perhaps the biggest regret was I should have tried to rearrange my schedule and then she could have introduced me to another kind southern lady.

Nevertheless, she kept serving me endless amounts of Sweet Tea and if you haven't had Sweet Tea in the South, this stuff is so potent that it would send a Diabetic into Cardiac Arrest! But did I ever get charged up when I loaded up on it and yes, I managed to get a lot of work done.

When I returned to South Florida in 2002, my primary hangout used to be Gatsby's in Boca Raton. This place was filled with televisions, wonderful waitresses, managers, valet attendants, and big booths to write my stories.

But as my work schedule changed and with Gatsby's opening time of 4 PM no longer sufficient, I needed a place to go during the daytime and write my stories for the Detroit Monitor and Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

In honor of legendary game show host Bob Barker, since I knew I'd be a regular customer, "The Price Is Right" led me to hangout at CiCi's in Deerfield Beach. For under $7, no tip necessary, there is a nice pizza, salad and dessert buffet, plus all the Diet Coke I needed to keep my Wheels Turning enabling me to write my stories and do my studying.

There were times when there were no kids therefore, ESPN programming was on, which gave me more ideas to write about enabling me to keep "My Wheels Turning." The more caffeine I consumed, the more creative I came on and off paper.

Having my best friend Dennis Roetzel to talk to and hang out with made the experience that much more worthwhile. We've had great time and should the day I come where I leave South Florida, I can only hope there are more people like Dennis in other areas. What a truly one of a kind person!

While I appreciate the new computer my parents bought me when my other desktop crashed, and this new one is the brains behind My Blog, what you see here is a result of what I've done on many occasions at my many "Super Neutral Sites" therefore these places enhance my concentration and helps keep me away from the distractions at home.

Even though Libraries are great, I enjoy certain types of restaurants with quiet areas, good food, drinks and great people to associate with. I have to admit that when I do go into a restaurant, I am territorial and stake out my favorite spots. There are times that I'll wait a period of time to get that booth or table, take a interim spot and when the people leave, motor over to my "Office Away From Home."

The reason championship games, particularly the Super Bowl are played in "Neutral Sites" is because it's easier to maintain focus. The same can indeed hold true as a student or professional. A legal pad and pen at the dollar store will go a long ways when you want to concentrate on your next idea, goal, etc.

Whether I'm in the USA or any foreign country, the legacy of the "Neutral Site" will always go with me.

I've even done work at Hooters, Chili's, Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's and many of these places allow you to bring your laptop and have wireless access. They do give refills on drinks.

But just give me a cooperative manager, Diet Coke, Ice Tea, and you can compare that to putting gas into an automobile which will keep my vehicle running firing on all cylinders. It's easy to bang out stories written on legal paper, edit them on the computer wrapping it up with spell check.

Even my mother, who has admitted that spelling isn't her strong point, enjoys spell check as well as editors and professors.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com and My Blog can be seen at www.scottsports33.com

Long Overdue

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

As I watch Mike Greenberg & Mike Golic, the hosts of Mike & Mike In The Morning on ESPN 2, debate whether NY Yankees Pitcher Andy Pettitte would be a future Hall of Famer, their discussion infuriated me as to which players should be immortalized in Cooperstown, NY.

Pettitte's current career record is 229-135 with a 3.90 ERA, 2,142 strikeouts, 2,926.1 innings pitched and 25 complete games.

He is a two-time All-Star, has six post-season clinching wins and has won five World Series titles.

I know that six more wins over .500 would put Pettitte at a point where he will have won 100 games more than he lost. At the moment every hurler that is 100 games over the .500 mark is in the Hall of Fame.

Pettitte's 18 post-season wins are the most ever and two more would put him at 20. Granted the post-season format has been extended to enhance these numbers, but to his credit, it takes thick skin to win in the clutch. Pettitte also led the Houston Astros to their lone World Series appearance in 2005.

Last season, he finished 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA during the Yankees World Championship season.

To his credit, Pettitte did own up to using performance enhancing drugs and in this forgiving society, the public perception he has might not take as big of a hit especially with his contributions in this years post-season.

As 300 game winners decline due to relief specialization, pitch counts and fewer complete games, the question remains, what will the new number be in order to be considered for enshrinement into Baseball's Hall of Fame?

I'd say the number should be between 250-275 wins, plus the post-season should be factored into the equation. I'm sure the baseball writers look at Cy Young Awards and All-Star Games.

Down the road, I'd say that Pettitte's body of work should get him major consideration to land in Cooperstown. There is plenty of time to wonder whether Pettitte should get in and a player is allowed to stay on the ballot 15 years to get in.

Last year, former Boston Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice made it in his final year of eligibility.

But instead of talking about Pettitte, there are two players that Greenberg an Golic should be talking about that are "Long Overdue" and that's Bert Blyleven and Andre Dawson.

Blyleven fell 67 votes short last year while Dawson missed out by 44, shy of the 75 percent needed for election.

I'd like to see a pitcher in todays game come close to Blyleven with these numbers. He was 287-250 with a 3.31 ERA. Blyleven had 242 complete games and 3,701 strikeouts. How many pitchers would even reach 50-75 complete games in this era? I could probably use my fingers and toes to get that answer.

Blyleven is the only player in the 3000 strikeout club not in the Hall of Fame and is fifth all-time in that category. He won a World Series in 1979 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and another in 1987 with the Minnesota Twins.

If he's not elected by 2,012, then the Veterans Committee will have to select Blyleven.

Meanwhile, Dawson played on a lot of bad Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs teams.

When he signed with the Cubs the first time, he wanted to play baseball at Wrigley Field because he felt the grass would be better for his knees than the artificial surface that he left behind at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Dawson issued a blank check and told Cubs management to fill in that year's salary. He played for that amount but would see increases in pay as time progressed.

Dawson won an MVP for the last place Cubs in 1987. His resume includes a .279 batting average, 2,774 hits, 438 HR, 1,591 RBI, 314 stolen bases, was an eight time All-Star, plus has eight Gold Gloves.

He is one of only three members in the 400 HR and 300 Stolen Base Club with Barry Bonds and Willie Mays being the other two. These guys weren't too bad. Had Dawson played for the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, he'd already be in Cooperstown.

As we approach the holiday season, I can only hope that by next Christmas Blyleven and Dawson will have made their induction speeches in beautiful Upstate New York where their careers should reach their final conclusion.

As for Greenberg and Golic, both of you should spend future shows talking about the "present" and not the "far future."

I know you'll be taking time off to be with your families during the holiday season but when you come back to work, those Hall of Fame announcements will be made the week you return to work on Jan 6th. I would hope your shows leading up to this day include Blyleven and Dawson, in addition to some of the other worthy candidates that should be considered.

A few worth mentioning but will be discussed in detail at a later date include Barry Larkin, Alan Trammell, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dave Parker, Dale Murphy, Fred McGriff, Roberto Alomar and Andres Gallaraga.

Instead of spending quality time debating on Pettitte, it's time to mention the players careers that have been "Completed" rather than those that are currently "Incomplete" because it's all common knowledge that when a player retires, we'll have five years on your program to continue the debate.

For now, the candidates on this blog and on the ballot should be the primary focus.

I enjoy watching and listening to your radio show and some of your research is outstanding plus I've learned a lot!

But you guys are fortunate enough to be paid to do a radio show, where it takes advertising and sponsorship for the average individual to get on the air.

I can only hope that you use your airtime on meaningful timely subjects. If you do, I can just imagine how many more e-mails you'll get from all sports fans from all generations which as we know enhances your ratings and allows you to further your job security unlike everyone else in this day and age with the lackluster economy.

Scott Morganroth's blog appears on www.scottsports33.com and can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

Joe Robbie Stadium

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

When a fan on Facebook suggested that the Miami Dolphins current home of Land Shark Stadium return to its old name "Joe Robbie Stadium," I quickly posted my comments and definitely agreed. I accepted two friend requests for taking such a stance.

The former late owner of the Dolphins privately financed the stadium on what was called the Lake LuCerne site by using a lot of his own money to get his team out of the aging Orange Bowl.

When I was working for the now defunct Hallandale Digest, Robbie and I talked about the subject regularly when he owned the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers. He was so shrewd that at the time, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle prohibited cross sports ownership therefore he put the North American Soccer League's team in his wife Elizabeth's name, but Mr. Robbie was calling the shots. Now cross ownership is common in all sports.

Robbie told me that he didn't care if he went in debt because in life we're always going to be in debt. In this current economy, he's totally correct.

But more importantly, Robbie told me that he despised the Orange Bowl and called it a "Museum" and even had offers to move the team to Orlando where it would play in the Tangerine Bowl. He turned them down because he was determined to keep the team in South Florida.

He chose not to take the Art Modell route and move the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore, or Tennessee Titans Owner Bud Adams, who relocated the Houston Oilers to Nashville. Holding a city hostage like other owners have to build a new stadium and threatening to move the team was not Robbie's style.

The stadium Robbie built has had different names.

It's been called Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro-Player Stadium, Dolphin Stadium and now Land Shark Stadium. I didn't mind the Pro-Player Stadium because it had an athletic identity. Dolphin Stadium was a natural fit.

In this day where commercialism does pay revenue for sponsorships and enhance a team's revenue, it's still gratifying to see some teams pass on that additional revenue and maintain the integrity of attending the venue.

I'd find it hard to watch a baseball game in Los Angeles with Dodger Stadium being called something else. Dodger Stadium was one of the first stadiums to ever be privately financed.

I'm glad that when I attend a Detroit Red Wings game that this facility remains Joe Louis Arena.

Louis was a proud sports hero in Detroit and the former heavyweight champion made this city proud with his success by giving Americans a reason to watch Boxing during his era.

The Red Wings four recent Stanley Cup championships have only added to the luster of a proud "Original Six Franchise" playing under the roof of Louis, giving this a major championship feeling.

A few years ago, I had a chance to pay tribute to Louis when I visited Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Approximately 45 minutes north depending on traffic and weather on I-75, late Detroit Pistons Owner Bill Davidson probably had many offers to rename "The Palace of Auburn Hills." But his privately financed venue's name remains the same.

Ironically, Davidson once told me at a Pistons game that he used Joe Robbie's model with luxury suites and amenities as a guideline to build his own arena. Now all new sports stadiums around the country have followed the lead of these two shrewd pioneers who were way ahead of their time.

Could you imagine Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field, Arrowhead Stadium, The Rose Bowl, Rupp Arena, Michigan Stadium, Madison Square Garden, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo and the New Orleans Superdome being named anything else?

The Detroit Lions find themselves in an unusual situation because Ford Motor Company is commercial, yet the name of the corporation is still a family name with the venue being called Ford Field.

So as a tribute to my friends at Facebook and to a pair of owners that I enjoyed working with, referring to Robbie and Davidson, I won't use a commercial reference to promote these corporations and refer to these traditional private stadiums with their original given names in all my media outlets from this moment on.

Scott Morganroth's blog can be seen on www.scottsports33.com and can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com

FAU Wins at "Work In Progress Stadium"

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

FAU may have won its Finale.

But this was also a contest for myself and my other FAU media colleagues who visited FIU Stadium for the first time; which was quite an experience.

I used to think that Lockhart Stadium's press facilities were below NCAA Football standards.

But that was before I went to Miami and saw "Work In Progress Stadium."

In my 30-year journalism career, I've never seen a press facility have a clear plastic canvas lowered to prevent rain from coming inside. The winds were blowing down the tables and the floor had to be mopped periodically. There was a story by one of the FIU Public Relations people that the side wall fell in the fourth quarter during the FIU vs Troy game, and it would later be bolted to the top of the sheet metal roof.

So while last years FAU vs FIU "Shula Bowl" at Dolphin Stadium was the best college game I've ever seen with the Owls winning 57-50 in overtime; this year's FAU 28-21 triumph could be viewed as the best contests I've barely seen.

Sitting in the second row, the FIU spotter was right in front of me and I couldn't see the game. I kept getting up and walking around the press facility and occasionally outside on a windy, rainy night to watch the action.

The smartest people were FAU Sports Information Director Katrina McCormack and her assistant Dawn Elston, who spent the game on the Owls sidelines therefore avoiding the chaos.

A few of the beat writers were saying when we arrived, "You've got to be kidding me." One of the writers used his Twitter account and sent tweets to his followers telling them how bad the press area was.

I wanted to go to the sidelines at the start of the third quarter but the FIU PR Staff wouldn't take me down there until the six minute mark of the fourth quarter.

I didn't care about the weather conditions because being from the Midwest, the Metro Detroit area is hardly known for its good weather, therefore holding a clipboard and taking notes wouldn't have been a problem. But at least I would have seen the entire football game.

But with all due respect, my comments are by no means a criticism of the FIU Public Relations Staff.

Their hospitality was great!

Their stories of their candid experiences were better. They just work here and I will admit that after visiting the FIU campus for the first time, it's a nice place.

But FIU should use the $100,000 plus salary that Mens Basketball Coach Isiah Thomas decided not to take and enclose what they have temporarily until the new Press Box is completed. We all know that major college football is the biggest revenue producing sport. What they have is disgusting! On the other side, the radio guys have the same set-up.

The Sun Belt Conference should step in and get FIU to do something.

When "Work In Progress Stadium" is completed, it will be something to be proud of. They have new Field Turf and I see where the room is for the potential expansion. The last thing FIU needs is the Media blasting them and giving them negative publicity by not giving us respectable working conditions to promote their events for free.

But I will say, this is a day that I'll never forget and it will make a great story for a future book let alone the fact it will make a great conversation piece whenever this experience ever comes up.

You can see a photo of this press area on www.scottsports33.com

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com

Lions Moral Victory

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

The Detroit Lions may have only two wins this season, but the team can add a Moral Victory after the New Orleans Saints clobbered the New England Patriots 38-17 Monday Night at the Superdome.

When Saints QB Drew Brees threw for 358 yards and six touchdowns in New Orleans 45-27 trouncing of Detroit during the opening week, it was easy to chastise the Lions defense and woeful winless 0-16 record in 2008.

All the Saints have done is march to an 11-0 record. Brees has a QB rating of 112.6, 3,117 yards, 27 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. They've beaten playoff caliber teams like the Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and NY Giants.

Brees five touchdown passes and 158.3 passer rating against a Bill Belichick defense seemed unimaginable before the hyped national television contest.

But when Brees spreads the ball out to seven different receivers despite the fact that all-purpose running back Reggie Bush missed the game, and amasses 371 yards, the New England Patriots defense looked like it went to Pat O' Briens and were hung over by the famous Hurricane drinks.

I have to wonder if Washington Redskins Owner Dan Snyder was watching this game as former Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams was hammering the Patriots offense and roughing up three-time winning Super Bowl QB Tom Brady.

If Snyder didn't see enough of Williams defense on television, his 3-8 Redskins will see it in Washington Sunday as the two teams face each other.

You can bet that Snyder is paying attention to the Saints undefeated record and whether he'll fire current head coach Jim Zorn at the end of the season & replace him with Williams, who wanted the Redskins head job in the first place, remains to be seen.

Or will Williams do what many big name coaches have done as they're also doing to Notre Dame and say, "Thanks But No Thanks?"

If I were Williams, I'd take my time, stay with the Saints, and find the right situation instead of working with a hands on meddling owner. Snyder's patience for coaches is well documented by the numerous changes he's made over the years.

It's inevitable that he'll get a head coaching opportunity if his Saints continue to have consistent success. These days defensive coordinators get snapped up for head coaching jobs very quickly like his opening week opponent Jim Schwartz of the Lions.

But in the meantime, even if Williams downplays his return to the nations capital, you can rest assure his defensive players will let their actions lead to his revenge.

It could be a long day for the Redskins, who this writer predicted lost to the Detroit Lions, which snapped their 19-game losing streak on September 27th at Ford Field.

Fail to the Redskins, who are about to enable the Saints to go 12-0.

As for the Lions, they were just the beginning of many to fall to the Saints, and to a quarterback that was selected in the second round of the 2001 draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Not all of the great signal callers are selected in the first round.

Monday Nights game featured a second round pick in Brees facing a 2000 sixth round selection in a match up featuring former Big 10 signal callers hailing from Purdue and Michigan.

While I'm not ready to hand the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Saints at the moment because the road through the NFC leads to the Minnesota Vikings (10-1) and Brett Favre, the Saints are a super story.

They're easing the pain that lots of people are still experiencing from Hurricane Katrina on August 28, 2005.

They'll certainly be a sentimental favorite to advance to their first Super Bowl to be in a position to win their first championship. I can only imagine what the ratings would be on CBS for this event.

If the Saints beat everybody, the Saints will be dealing out more Moral Victories and the Lions will have plenty of company about what happened that Sunday against the Saints, as teams looked at film and finding out where they failed.

I can just imagine the party on Bourbon Street.

Yet it all began with the Saints defeating the first team in NFL history to finish 0-16.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com. My blog and photos can be seen at www.scottsports33.com

No Wrecking Ball For Pontiac Silverdome

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

When ESPN Los Angeles based Sports Center Anchor Stan Verrett said a judge finalized the sale of the Pontiac Silverdome which sold for a mere $583,000, and to purchase a one bedroom apartment in California was more expensive, that blew my mind!

It took $55.7 million in 1975 to build the Pontiac Silverdome, which at the time was the biggest stadium in the NFL. The stadium sits on a 127 acre pilot. I can't imagine how many square feet a one bedroom apartment would consist of. But I'll guarantee it's not 80,000 seats.

For Football fans, the Pontiac Silverdome was the home of Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49'ers began their dynasty under Joe Montana by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in 1982. The Detroit Lions last playoff victory occurred under the dome as they pounded the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 on Jan 5, 1992.

Former Heisman Trophy winners Billy Sims and Barry Sanders amassed a lot of yards on that artificial surface which covered cement.

If there is one game that I would soon forget, it was against the Los Angeles Rams on November 17, 1991 when offensive lineman Mike Utley sustained an injury to his sixth and seventh vertebrae. This paralyzed the third year pro from the chest down, but when he flashed his "Thumbs Up" this became a symbol to all of us who became more aware of spinal chord injuries.

I have enjoyed many great Thanksgiving Games in the Silverdome. The pre-game meals were fantastic and the games were entertaining.

But the one game that stands out the most occurred on Nov 26, 1998 was when the Lions defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-16 in overtime.

This contest was known as the "Infamous Coin Toss" game as Steelers running back and Detroit native Jerome Bettis watched in disbelief along with millions of national television viewers.

The following season a new rule was created where two officials would handle the coin toss. I can just imagine how former Steelers Coach Bill Cowher feels every time he watches a Thanksgiving Classic in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Bettis would later return to the Pontiac Silverdome which housed the Pittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl XL, but he had to have flashbacks about how cold his turkey and the rest of his meal tasted after this bitter defeat.

In addition to Thanksgiving Classics, I had many other great memories at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Watching Sanders in his prime and seeing him climb up the NFL's all-time rushing list was tremendous.

I'll never forget the time that I wrote a story on Lesley Visser, who was voted the No.1 Female Sportscaster of all-time. She was the first female NFL analyst on TV and her accomplishments could lead a trail that would go from her home in South Florida to Alaska.

Talking to Utley when he attended Lions games brought chills down my spine and was awesome!

But the moment I'll never forget was taking a photo with Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe during a pre-game press meal. The only downfall of that photo was my left arm was in a sling as a result of a rotator cuff injury sustained in an auto accident as a AAA tow truck ran a red light in West Bloomfield, MI., which sent me spinning into a fire hydrant.

Thankfully, 10 minutes before the crash, I had just dropped off my 79-year old grandmother Sophie Jacobs Morganroth or this incident could have been tragic. I was fortunate that the shoulder injury was the major extent of my injuries.

Nonetheless, a photo with one good wing with Mr. Hockey's elbow in my face is better than nothing, knowing his opponents took the brunt of his elbows on a regular basis. This photo is on my website which is www.scottsports33.com.

Even as I watched Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford lead his young team to a 38-37 win over the Cleveland Browns Sunday at Ford Field as he injured his left shoulder, like myself, at least the outcome turned out positive.

I'm very pleased to hear that a Toronto based family-owned company plans to refurbish the Pontiac Silverdome into a stadium for men's and women's professional soccer teams. Since this venue has hosted Super Bowls, plus World up Games in 1994, at least the worlds version of football will save this facility from getting demolished as historical Tiger Stadium did this year.

Sanders and Visser are proof that all legendary genders can appreciate the past memories here and this $583,000 could be the best money ever spent to create future great moments.

I'm sure that besides my myself, there are many people who have had memories that are priceless!

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com