Bobby Layne Turning
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:12 pmover in his grave.......
(from Wikipedia)
In 1958, the Lions traded Layne to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Layne responded to the trade by supposedly saying that the Lions would "not win for 50 years," although it has never been officially confirmed. As of the end of the 2008 season, it has been 50 years since the trade, and indeed the Lions have not won a championship in that time. Interestingly, the final season of the curse concluded with the worst season in Lions' and NFL history, at 0-16, and shortly after the season free agent and Lions' player from 2006-2008 Corey Smith perished in the Gulf of Mexico, and former QB Jeff Komlo died in a car accident in Greece. During this 50 year period, the Lions have accumulated the worst winning percentage of any team in the NFL. The Lions made the playoffs nine times in the last 50 seasons, have one post-season win (1991), and three division titles (1983, 1991, and 1993). More than 50 years after the curse was supposedly enacted, the Detriot Lions will have the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Most NFL pundits think Detroit will draft University of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford who is also a graduate of Highland Park High School in Dallas -- the very same high school as Bobby Layne.
