If you are an out-of-state visitor coming to Michigan to attend the Detroit Auto Show that starts this weekend, you may notice that the locals are a notch or two happier than you might expect. This may seem odd to you, maybe even unsettling. After all, the automobile industry is in a state of uncertainty, our now apparent object of conquest Canada looms right across the river, and then there's the persistent dread that Ted Nugent lives somewhere around here.
But there is in fact a good reason for our general happiness: The Detroit Lions
And if you want to join in on the happiness, don't worry — you don't actually need to know anything about them. You only need to be open to hearing about them. Merely say "How about those Lions?" and then sit back as your new Michigander friends regale you on the virtues of the current team. They may detour into the past decades of despair (old habits are hard to break), but say the magic words (Dan Campbell), and they will be right back on track.
Enjoy the brief respite from a world of unhappy news. And if you really want to make friends, buy one of our cars.
Editor's note: John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Public, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
