Comments on: Imagine an NHL Without Detroit . . . It Could Happen

By: portaljohn

portaljohn — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:37:43 +0000

schmuckwithbooks -

The Detroit Urban Area (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties) ranks as the 9th most populous of the United States, with a population of 3,903,377 as of the 2000 census (which will be lower in the upcoming census due to the economic climate).

The population of the whole Metro Detroit Area (9 counties in all) is 5.4 million.

The Red Wings aren’t leaving, but I do wish Winnipeg will get another team. I hope Bud Selig could talk Gary Bettman into retirement as well.

By: CF Richards

CF Richards — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:43:39 +0000

The facts in this article are correct but its assumptions are not. The Red Wings will never leave Detroit because their support comes from the metro suburban population of 4+ million people. The City’s demise can be tied to its loss of diversity, poor management, corrupt politicians and collaspe of the domestic auto industry. Some of the worse racial attitudes in the country exist between a city 80% black and suburbs 85% white. It doesn’t make rebuilding the area any easier. But Michigan remains 1 of the 3 best hockey markets in the U.S. Little Ceasar’s and Honeybaked continue to have some of the best youth teams in the country. And UM, MSU and WMU all have strong college programs. Those of us who know and support the Wings and Michigan hockey understand this. We are and always will be Hockeytown because hockey here is more than empty buildings and vacant lots.

By: G. W. Gehring

G. W. Gehring — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:54:37 +0000

Well….
I realize that most (all?) of the comments are sports related.
And, why talk about Detroit’s problems other than in the context of sports.
But………..
Detroit’s problems can be summed up in a single word: EDUCATION.

Or maybe two words: TECHNICAL EDUCATION

But then, those words define America’s problems.

One quarter of Detroit’s adult population did not graduate from high school??? Better check your sources. Three years ago, a study determined that of all the students who entered 9th grade four years earlier, only 28% graduated! So if it’s not already a fact, it soon will be: ONLY one quarter of Detroit’s population has graduated from high school.

Born in Detroit: 1947
Graduated from Detroit Public Schools: 1964
Graduated Wayne State University: 1972
Left Detroit for good: 1979
Reason for leaving: Had lost three jobs in previous five years. Woke up. Saw writing on wall. Wanted to go (and be) someplace that wasn’t dying.

Just astounding that Detroiters (and here, we must include the suburbanites: They are the primary factor keeping the region semi-comatose) continue to look for things/people/events to blame.

The solutions to Detroit’s problems are IMPOSSIBLY difficult. Impossible to achieve. They are:

Math
Science
Written and spoken English
Ability to think logically
Ability to solve problems
Ability to recognize reality

I am convinced that Detroiters (and, indeed, most Americans) would respond to this suggestion with:
“…Are you crazy?…”
“…We can’t do THAT!…”
“…No way!…”

And to that, I would retort: “Hmmmm…. Really?? I just returned from six weeks in an engineering design office in the Middle East. I saw literally scores of engineers, planners and architects producing some of the highest-quality work I’ve seen in 20+ years. These guys (and gals) were from Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, India, Philippines, Afghanistan, Kuwait and dozens of other “backward” countries. Americans were less than 1.5% of the group. Brits (Scots, Irish, Aussies) were — perhaps — ten percent.

Wake up Detroit!

Wake up America!

Quit crying in your beer.

Turn the TV off.

Lock your kids in their rooms and MAKE THEM HIT THE BOOKS !!!

— gwg

By: Richard Harris

Richard Harris — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:44:05 +0000

The job loss is simply due to Free Trade. If we won’t protect our jobs, we won’t have any. We need to abandon all Free Trade agreements and initiate aggressive protectionist policies. In the 1960’s we were Econimus Rex. Today we are simply wrecked.

By: Owen

Owen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:12:07 +0000

Detroit has a nonpartisan form of government. Its
recent troubles stemmed from greedy elected officials who put themselves before the citizens who elected them. The newly elected officials, including Mayor Dave Bing, appear to be highly motivated to turn the Ship of State around. Despite the tone of your article, I believe they will succeed. The DWings will stay.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:40:28 +0000

A totally misinformed article. I was born in Detroit and have lived in the area for 50 years. Some of what you said is true but you really don’t know the city. The Detroit Metro area has a population of around 4,000,000 people.

By: chris kohar

chris kohar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:05:09 +0000

one other note,unless you have ever lived through the horror and turmiol that these folks are going through, pleae have some sympathy and not bring additional anamosity to their torn and fragile lives. why irritate these folks more by insisting that the wings will most likely leave because of poor and deplorable conditions. keep in mind that 90% of all tickets sold in pro sports are bought by blue collar folks not some white collar schmuck like you. when was the last time you had to go down to the train tracks and gather coal that fell off the train in order to heat you home? you probably dont even cut your own grass!

By: chris kohar

chris kohar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:55:41 +0000

my sympathies go out to those in Detroit and Michigan as they are going through a very tough time these days. But I would have to ask the media to pipe down a few notches as they portray Detroit as the worst econimically depriced city of all time. Now you want to stir the pot more by taking away one of the few bright things left in their city? I am sorry but their unemployment rate pales in comparison to western pennsylvania and pittsburgh in the 1980’s! Beaver county (NW of the burgh) hit an all time high of 28% in the mid 80’s, worse than the great depression. we kept our sports teams and found ways to keep our youth progams going and thriving. so please dont place detroit on a high throne and say they wings are going away and make a said situation into a way for the emia to sell news papaers and ratings. this author should be ashamed and embarrased!

By: D

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:51:49 +0000

I glad to see this type of info circulating on the web. Detroit has been losing population for more than a decade. You say they have the highest unemployment now…consider what it would be if all the jobless people stayed over the past decade.

By: Felix "The Tiger"

Felix "The Tiger" — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:49:01 +0000

The article commits a basic logical fallacy, the non sequitur. That is, the state of the city’s economy does not make a move imminent. Don’t forget that the Wings are still one of the five most valuable NHL franchises; and even in Gary Bettmann’s NHL, it’s highly unlikely that an Original Six franchise will relocate.

Low attendance, though, is cause for concern.