For the first time in a very long time the annual Thanksgiving Day game involving the Detroit Lions ha the potential to be pretty entertaining, as they will host the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. Unlike past years, this year’s Lions are talented and competitive, and won’t be it’s usual pushover self for a much stronger team like the Packers.

Yessiree, things are coming up roses for the Detroit Lions this year, so what better way to ruin that feelgood vibe than by having one of the most universally detested rock bands on the planet, Nickelback, play the halftime show.

As to be expected, many Lions fans are up in arms over this decision, going so far as to start an online petition in the hopes that they can rally enough support to have the Canadian rockers replaced with a more appropriate substitute.

From the petition site change.org…

This game is nationally televised, do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians and they chose Nickelback?!?!?! Does anyone even like Nickelback? Is this some sort of ploy to get people to leave their seats during halftime to spend money on alcoholic beverages and concessions? This is completely unfair to those of us who purchased tickets to the game. At least the people watching at home can mute their TVs. The Lions ought to think about their fans before choosing such an awful band to play at halftime.

They make a passioned and spirited plea, full of valid points. And if this sounds familiar, remember that earlier this year a music critic for the Winnipeg Free Press petitioned NHL commisiionner Gary Bettman to have this very same band not play at the Winnipeg Jets’ home opener. And that guy was a Canadian speaking on behalf of Canadian fans, which says loads about the popularity of Nickelback and how their generic brand of rock sits with music lovers.

I could go on for days listing other music acts which could replace Nickelback at halftime of the Lions/Packers game on November 24 but I won’t waste your time. But I will leave you with probably the most depressing thing you will hear all day, courtesy of mlive.com…

The mega-platinum Canadian artists currently have two songs on the Billboard charts, “Bottoms Up” and “We All Stand Together.” Led by frontman Chad Kroeger, the foursome is America’s most popular foreign act since The Beatles.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to put on some Sgt. Pepper’s, curl up in the fetal position, and cry myself to sleep.

[mlive.com]

Read more posts on The Last Angry Fan »