Getty Dick Vitale before broadcasting a Michigan-UNC game in 2021.
Though he is a college basketball fanatic and analyst, ESPN’s Dick Vitale knows his sports. From football to baseball, there isn’t a sport you can’t catch the veteran commentator watching and providing an opinion on.
This week, Vitale was particularly impressed with the Detroit Lions. After their massive upset of the Arizona Cardinals this past weekend, Vitale was fired up about what the team was able to do, and jumped on Twitter to give his rosy assessment of where the Lions could be heading as a team.
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As Vitale tweeted, he was impressed with the win that left the Motor City rocking, and believes it could be a springboard to bigger and better things in the days ahead for the Lions, especially in 2022 with the leadership of coach Dan Campbell.
Hey the Motor City rocking baby as @Lions get W # 2 vs @AZCardinals 30-12 ! The VBDI says as an @NFL fan that the DETROIT LIONS under DAN CAMPBELL in 2022 will make big noise – yes I believe his leadership is going to finally get the Motown fans VF excited .
“Hey the Motor City rocking baby as Lions get win #2 vs Cardinals 30-12! The VBDI says as an NFL fan that the DETROIT LIONS under DAN CAMPBELL in 2022 will make big noise – yes I believe his leadership is going to finally get the Motown fans VF excited,” Vitale wrote in the tweet.
It’s clear that Vitale, a noted fan of Tampa Bay, is a big believer in what the Lions are building and likely wouldn’t mind seeing some success for Detroit. After all, he used to coach in Detroit from 1973-1979, first with Detroit Mercy and then with the Detroit Pistons. In college, he compiled a 79–29 record as a coach. As a result, he knows a thing or two about the city as well as what makes a successful leader.
As Vitale says, 2022 might end up being much better for Lions fans.
Lions Celebrated for Mindset Under Campbell
Vitale would hardly be the first person to say that he came away impressed after watching the Lions play. This season, while the Lions have one of the worst records in all of football, they have been a very competitive team and have managed to hang in games most of the year. Many in the media have said they believe the Lions will be heading for bigger and better things in the future because of how they have been able to play under Campbell and the gritty mindset they have shown on the field. This season, the Lions have been undermanned amid a rebuild, but have managed to show some impressive things in terms of character and their ability to never quit on the field.
That has aught the attention of folks across sports, including a personality like Vitale.
Highlights of Lions’ Second Win of 2021
Coming into the game, most people expected a blowout the other way, with Arizona being favored by as much as 12.5 points during the lead into the game. The Lions, many figured, didn’t stand much of a chance against a high-powered offense and a defense that had been proven as stout. From the start of the game to the finish, that didn’t seem to matter much. The Lions raced out to a 10-0 lead, and managed to hold the Cardinals scoreless into halftime following putting up another touchdown of their own. In the second half, the Lions kept the pressure on, even as Arizona lined up a few field goals to get on the board. The Cardinals got a touchdown, but the Lions managed to hold them at bay with solid defense most of the way through for the upset win.
Here’s a look at how the game played out:
It was a very impressive showing for the Lions, who will try to use the momentum from this game to push them forward toward some better results for the end of the season. Many like Vitale wouldn’t even be surprised if that isn’t the case in 2022 as well.
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