Detroit, MI
Matthew Stafford’s pending playoff return to Detroit sparks debate over support of jersey
(CBS DETROIT) – A Detroit bar is banning Matthew Stafford jerseys ahead of the big game.
Stafford spent 11 years as a Lion. Now, his return on Sunday for the Wild Card game has some excited while others scoff.
“It’s my job to create the vibe of the party it’s our first home Lions game for playoffs in thirty years. I don’t know, do you want to be at the Christmas party with the dude that dressed like the Grinch,” said Erik Olson, owner of Thomas Magee’s Bar.
Stafford jersey or not? It’s a big question happening as the playoffs are days away.
READ: Emagine Theatres showing Detroit Lions-Los Angeles Rams game Sunday
As Stafford makes his return to the Motor City, some want people to pump the brakes on the Stafford fandom. Thomas Magee’s Bar posted online that if fans attempt to enter on gameday with a Stafford Lions jersey, they’d be turned away.
“The actual Stafford and Lions colors kind of represent a not-so-happy era for us on an incredibly happy day for us,” Olson said.
Olson believes Stafford would understand his reasoning. Others, like John Yu, owner of Pro Sports Zone, said this season has been a hot one for Lions gear.
“I look at the holiday season. I would say 80% of the sales involved Lions products,” Yu, said.
With days until the big game, Yu is expecting a big turnout over the weekend. He knows Stafford’s return is a hot topic and expects to sell a few Stafford jerseys.
“We have a few customers call in looking for Matthew Stafford jersey just because he did so much for Detroit – and also without that trade, we might not be in the same spot as we are today,” he said.
Kelly Stafford recently responded to a jersey ban post, adding, “Matthew has always been the bigger person and will continue to be that. Praying for an incredible game with zero injuries.”
“We want the Lions to win and you want to support Jared Goff, but it’s also Stafford brought the city together for many years,” Josh Chesney said.
Chesney is a lifelong Lions fan and is also one fan who recently bought a Matthew Stafford jersey.
Both Yu and Chesney agree that everyone should be able to support whoever, that’s a part of the game. But, they know only one team can be victorious.
“I think the atmosphere will be too much to handle he’s [Stafford] used to everyone cheering for him and this time around it’s not going to be anyone cheering for him. It’ll probably be boos,” Chesney said.
If the Lions win, it’ll be the first time they got a playoff victory since 1991.
Chickens and geese that went missing from a local nonprofit’s Detroit site were found in the backyard of a nearby home, the director of operations said Wednesday.
The Full Circle Foundation, a Grosse Point Park-based nonprofit, said more than a dozen chickens and geese were believed stolen from a chicken coop on Detroit’s east side that also features the Full Circle Edible Garden.
The nonprofit provides training and job opportunities for young people with special needs.
Neighbors who learned from news reports about the missing flock found the “chickens were being held in the backyard of a vacant home not far from the Full Circle Edible Garden,” said Stephanie DiVirgil, director of operations. She said Ribbon Farm 4-H owns the flock.
“The homeowner was contacted, and she reached out to Full Circle to confirm,” said DiVirgil. “We were able to retrieve all of the chickens and geese that were found on the property, 19 in total.”
The foundation and Ribbon Farms 4-H are working to secure the site, including cameras, fencing and lights.
“We will likely start a fundraising campaign to have these items installed,” DiVirgil said. “We’ve gotten amazing support from the community, including offers to help pay for these additional security measures.”
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Human remains were found in a furnace of an home on Detroit’s west side, the Detroit Police Department tells us.
The remains was found by an individual working on the home in the 5200 block of S Clarendon just after 11 a.m.
Anyone with information can call 313-596-2260 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-SpeakUp.
Stay with WXYZ.com for updates on this developing story.
The Detroit Police Department is investigating after a 5-year-old child was shot in the arm near a park on Tuesday.
The shooting happened at about 8:50 p.m. near the Fargo-Oaklfield Playground on the city’s west side. Police Chief Todd Bettison says the child was in front of his home riding a bike with his father supervising at the time of the shooting.
Bettison says an individual at the park fired multiple shots, striking the child. He says the boy’s father reported hearing shots and the child falling from his bike.
Bettison says the child is expected to be OK.
Bettison says the person appears to have been firing shots randomly, which he calls “problematic.” He says a person of interest is described as possibly between 15 and 16 years old and wearing a mask. He says the person is known to frequent the area.
“When you fire a weapon, what goes up must go down,” Bettison said. “To parents and everyone, know where your kids are. Juveniles should not have guns, and whether you’re an adult or a child, you should not be firing a weapon inside of the city limits.”
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield released a statement, saying in part, “By the grace of God, this young boy will recover from his injury and is on his way home from the hospital. With that said, this incident was senseless and could have had a much more tragic ending.
“Every child in Detroit deserves to feel safe riding their bike, playing outside, and simply being a child in their own neighborhood. We cannot accept a reality where our children are placed in harm’s way because someone chose to recklessly fire a gun.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-Speak Up.
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