Miami vs Detroit

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

this was backlash from an article in the freep yesterday by a fellow mn person...enjoy...

http://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/lebatard23e_20050523.htm

Mr. LeBatard,

You should be ashamed of yourself for writing an article like this. Detroit has received enough bad publicity, as a fellow countryman, why would you add to that? This once dense and bustling metropolis has spent the last few years clawing its way out of economics that are as much our countries fault as the people of the city itself.

To say that Detroit makes Miami look like Pleasantville would be true in this context only in that apparently it is full of repressed, narrow-minded people who are afraid to acknowledge what is really going on in the world around them.

Detroit is a city that needs the help of everyone and anyone willing to help, not more negativity and defamation. Please don't misunderstand my statement here, if you want to talk sports, talk sports, that's what writers like you do every day; run each other through the mud, but to talk about an entire city that is so obviously doing what it can to function, well,I would ask, what have you done lately that makes you infallible?

[email protected] wrote:

anything untrue?

Yes. There are untrue statements.

First, the city is not ugly or depressing. There is beauty all around, the beauty found here is similar to the beauty of a wild animal, it is passionate, and magnificent, and completely unpredictable. This is a city Mr. LeBatard, that despite all the "bad" that is there, despite the fact that they have been essentially abandoned by their state, they still try to resurrect themselves. Thankfully, slowly but surely they are doing it.

Their streets are bad, true, but take into account the fact that they have had a lagging tax base for some time and highways that were made in the forties, yet they still they put forth a huge effort to repair, rebuild and refresh them. Ask anyone in Detroit, there is always road construction.

This city is responsible for "foisting" on us, Motown, which is enough in just that, but also the White Stripes, Eminem and countless jazz and blues greats.

Also, you using a direct reference to Satan disowning Detroit is just another mediocre attempt to demoralize a city that is already down. I understand that sports writers are supposed to give each other guff, but I have to ask, didn't your mother ever teach you not to "kick someone when they are down?" It is easy to pick on Detroit, why not try and stick to what you know, sports. Ultimately it all comes down to facts, when is the last time that you were in Detroit. Do you know their current statistics, what kind of improvements have been made? Do you know the amount of money going into fixing this city? Do you know the benefits of living in Detroit? Really, what do you know about Detroit, did you even know the palace isn't in Detroit proper? I think in all fairness you need to attack the entire state of Michigan if you want to attack at all.

Finally your comment "Detroit would have to add Miami's beaches, weather and nightlife, New York's culture and restaurants and L.A.'s entertainment to upgrade to being merely awful." Really? Again I would ask, when is the last time you went to Detroit, and did you really experience the city? I don't want to sit here and debase you, because maybe you really feel this way...I am only saying that as a fellow American, you have reached an all time low when your referring to one of our own cities and comparing it flippantly to a place in which we are immersed in war. But, I guess to each their own. Personally, I like to vacation in Detroit, maybe next time I go, I will send a postcard.

[Zissou]

I also plan on emailing this moron. Its also nice to see he put some thought into his response. Good job on the emails.

[Zissou]

Here is what I wrote.

Mr. LeBatard

I would personally like to thank you for pushing the envelope for creative writing.  We "thugs" and "killers" in Detroit had never heard comparisons the likes of which you wrote in your article.  I mean its not like every writer compares Detroit to some bombed out city, right?  For a second there i thought you had simply taken TJ Simers article from last year, slapped your name on it and replaced LA with Miami.  I mean thats how original it was.  It must be nice to get payed so much to regurgitate the same crap over and over.  You've probably earned it though.  At some point in your life you must have been creative and original.  I guess i shouldnt expect someone from Miami who has a history of trying to "stir the pot" to really understand Detroit.  The stereotypes are much more entertaining, plus noone outside of Detroit really wants to hear how the city is turning itself around.  Oh and another thing, before you poke fun at the Detroit Lions how many wins did the Dolphins have last season?  Yeah you really got us Detroiters, excuse me "thugs", with that one.  I just signed up for the Miami Herald online.  I look forward to reading more of your articles after each Heat loss to the Pistons.  I especially look forward to reading the one after Detroit knocks the Heat out, in fact, I'll probably write you another email at that time.  Thanks for your time, I know your probably writing another original piece.

Proud Detroiter

Ryan *******

[monsoon]

Good for you Zissou. Its great to see someone respond in this manner to what passes for journalism these days.

[wolverine]

Nice responses guys. I can't believe someone would demoralize the city in such a horrible way. Go figure though, because apparently this guy has no talent in writing. Because he can't come up with something negative to say about the Pistons, he hits us in the weakest spot he can find.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

Nice job Zissou, I love the sarcasm! Pretty sure he got a few emails that day, I was surprised he even responded, keep us posted if you get a thoughtful and unique return email.

[Zissou]

Im disappointed. I havent gotten a response yet. My guess is that he couldnt find an appropiate two word response for it. Ill let everyone know if he does get back to me though.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

quite frankly, I'm surprised that he responded at all, especially considering how busy he is right now...I mean correspondence with Satan...I can only imagine how many phone calls he's talking right now, and who else is in his rolodex...

[bobliocatt]

Coming from a city (Jax-the land of waffle houses and hooters restaurants) who just bashed with similar articles during the Super Bowl, I actually thought it was pretty funny. You can't get too wrapped up in these things, they're all just fun and games between sports editors.

Word of Advice..get a think chin. With the super bowl coming to town, you'll see a lot more of these pop up in the next couple of months.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

I agree, I think that there will be lots more to come, but, why lay down and take it...the article in the freep related to this was about sports, yeah the players were ripped on, the writer was ripped on, I understand that is how it is supposed to go...

This article isn

[bobliocatt]

Detroit didn't lay down and take it. Your own sports editor responded the exact next day with an article of his own about Miami. Overly responding to these things tend to work out in a negative fashion, that makes it look like local residents are insecure in their own city. If there was one negative about Jax, during the Super Bowl, it was residents overreacting to these types of meaningless articles.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

I didn

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

http://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/herald25e_20050525.htm

This is another one by LeBatard...this time, much more sports specific and far more creative and professional.

[dtwjim]

replied to wrong thread. oops.

[Zissou]

The thing that bothered me about the article was that Mitch Alboms take was more tongue and cheek and meant to poke fun. What Lebatard wrote was ignorant and hateful. And it isnt the first time he has come out and bashed Detroit. He did it after we signed Pudge last year from his Marlins. Its good to have a thick skin and trust me Metro Detroiters have that, but it doesnt mean we have to put up with some hack who has an agenda.

[bobliocatt]

^If you think that was bad, just see some of the things they've written in the past about Jax (ex. being the Armpit of Florida) and any other city, they pick on, from time to time. Its all in fun and games and no one, in their right mind, believes a thing these guys say.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

Seems as though he has toned things down in his last two editorials. I hear you though lakelander...I just appreciate someone taking the initiative to call people on that...I was reading another thread about this and there was a really poignant thought...

"ray" @detroit.com

"I try to never criticize places like Erie, or Buffalo, Toledo or Green Bay or whereever because I know what it's like. A lot of folks in a lot distressed places feel "kicked around." I hope in 25 or 50 years when the wheel of fortune has spun around and Detroit is back on top, that we have a cultural memory of this bullying and exhibit the grace and wisdom not to do it ourselves."

Really, that is all it comes down to.

[bobliocatt]

^Thats a pretty nice statement and a good way to look at things.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

I thought so too, hope he doesnt mind that I posted it here...

[wolverine]

No, you quoted him, so you are fine.

[Zissou]

^If you think that was bad, just see some of the things they've written in the past about Jax (ex. being the Armpit of Florida) and any other city, they pick on, from time to time.  Its all in fun and games and no one, in their right mind, believes a thing these guys say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be honest no city in the country can hold a candle to Detroit as far as critisizm goes. But I definitely see what your saying.

[bobliocatt]

^Gary, St. Louis, Buffalo, Flint, Toledo?

[Zissou]

None of those cities are the size of Detroit nor have they gone through such a documented decline. Whens the last time David Letterman has made any cracks in his monologue about those cities? He mentioned Detroit a week or two ago comparing it to Iraq.

[bobliocatt]

I think St. Louis has recieved the same amount of criticism over the years, although its metro is 1/2 the size of Detroit's. Pound for pound, I think Buffalo is in worse shape considering its one of the few places where the entire metro, not just the city, has been on the decline.

[Zissou]

The perception of Detroit is much worse than any of those cities. If you were to aske someone what the murder capitol of the United States is most likely they would say Detroit even though that isnt the case. The perception of Detroit is worse than any other major city in the country.