Three cups deep: fundamentally strong

Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press, in reaction to a notable Lions victory (I believe it was this one), once said: “Hang on, folks.  We have ourselves a football team.”  As it turns out, we didn’t—the Packers went on to bounce the Lions from the playoffs in the first round.  I’m tempted to use the same line today--though not to describe a perennial also-ran who gutted out a must-win win. I’m tempted to use that line to describe a team coming off an 0-16 season, the worst season ever.  I’m tempted to use that line to describe a franchise that looked like it had no business taking the field against NFL competition.  I’m tempted to use that line in reaction to the Lions 18-17 preseason win over the Colts--not because our football team finally came of age, but because we appear to have established a minimum standard: The Lions appear to be an actual NFL football team. Coming into the game, I was positively mortified.  I had nightmares of Peyton Manning rending the defense helpless;...