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DETROIT NATIVE SUN
DETROIT NATIVE SUN
By Brian Drake
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
    The Detroit Lions had a great 2023-2024 season. It was a rollercoaster that kept you on the edge of your seat. From the first game beating the defending champs to the last game being a bad decision away from going to the Super Bowl. 
     And yeah, bad decision. Going for it on 4th down might be the worst decision in Lions history. It really made you want to say “same old Lions”. And that’s what makes it so bad, because this isn’t the same old Lions. 
    This is a team that in 3 years has gone from being one of the worst to one of the best. So they are far from the horrible organization they’ve been the last few decades. That bad coaching call though played into the narrative of their past.
  There are several reasons you don’t go for it on fourth down in that situation. If you don’t make it, it fires the other team up because they stopped you. If you don’t make it, it gives the other team great field position. If you don’t make it, it gets their home crowd fired up. If you don’t make it, it brings your team down some and puts pressure on them.  
     Now granted, Dan Campbell has been one of the best Lions coaches ever. He got them here. That doesn’t mean he's above criticism though. He can be reckless at times when it’s not needed. And even though he didn’t drop a pass or have an interception bounce off of his head, he opened the door to all of that happening. 
     We were so close. 
    And I’ve heard all the arguments about that’s who we are, that's what we do. You don’t do the same thing in every given situation though. I understand that football is a game about physically dominating your opponent, it’s also a game of strategy. 
  On the bright side though, Brad Holmes has shown he knows how to put together a talented team so with the next draft we should be even better. And coordinators Aaron Glenn and Brad Johnson turned down coaching opportunities with other teams and will be back next season. 
    Now as Lions fans we can finally say wait till next year and mean it.




PRNewswire/ -- On MLK Day, legendary artist, actor, basketball enthusiast, and co-founder of the BIG3 professional basketball league, Ice Cube, achieved another milestone in his illustrious career as he was honored with the prestigious Naismith Hall of Fame Award. Adding to his already impressive collection of accolades, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this latest recognition, The Naismith Hall of Fame Ice Cube Impact Award, highlights Cube's significant impact on professional basketball and his commitment to the community. 
  The Naismith Award, named in Cube's honor, will be presented annually to individuals in the basketball community who utilize their platform to make outstanding contributions to basketball and their positive impact on the lives of others in the community. Cube is in the process of appointing a selection committee that he will chair in the coming year's award nominations. 
  The event's highlight unfolded with the unveiling of the Ice Cube Impact Award Exhibit. Featuring a collection of photographs spanning Cube's life, including images of him in his youth basketball uniform, with NWA, alongside Kobe Bryant, and at the inaugural BIG3 launch press conference, the exhibit showcases Cube's journey and his profound impact on the game and a video featuring Cube discussing his journey and the award's significance adds depth to the exhibit.
  John Doleva introduced Nancy Lieberman, who, in turn, introduced Cube as they revealed the exhibit. In an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Cube shared remarks on this significant honor.
  "I am so honored; when you have an award in the hall of fame, people have to take you seriously; it gives you a certain level of credibility," he continues. "I am looking forward to finding finalists who do good work across the country that positively impact the lives of others through basketball, famous or not."
  "The Hall of Fame team enjoyed meeting and honoring Ice Cube as we welcomed him to the Hall of Fame family. We look forward to utilizing Cube's platform in both entertainment and basketball to discover and celebrate people in challenged communities nationally who are using basketball as a lever to improve their neighborhoods, and more importantly, help guide young people by reinforcing positive life skills through their love of the game," adds John Doleva, President/CEO of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
  Leading up to the special day at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Cube was warmly greeted by President/CEO John Doleva. The two-day celebration, meticulously organized by the Hall of Fame team, began with a personal tour of the recently $30M renovated Hall of Fame, and a visit to the Kobe Bryant exhibit, which quickly became a cherished memory to Cube and his family.
  Immersed in the community of Springfield, Cube, alongside BIG3 Coach and hall of famer Nancy Lieberman, actively participated in a community clinic for children from local organizations. The center court at Hoop Hall buzzed with excitement as Cube and Nancy emphasized the importance of practice and hard work. Children from organizations across the city participated in basketball drills, creating lasting memories. He also personally visited Deberry Elementary School in Springfield, giving the students there an inspirational talk.
  In addition to celebrating this momentous occasion, Nancy Lieberman moderated a Q&A session with Ice Cube, engaging with a couple of hundred supporters from the community. The questions ranged from Cube's motivations for starting the BIG3 league to the inspiring story of hiring Nancy Lieberman.
  After this, Cube was given the honor of awarding the MVP to Liam McNeeley of Montverde Academy at the 2024 Spalding Hoophall Classic game between two of the best high school basketball programs in the country played by Montverde Academy (FL- winner) and Prolific Prep (CA).
  This Naismith Hall of Fame Award marks a personal triumph for Ice Cube and a testament to his enduring legacy in basketball, entertainment, and community engagement. In addition to this award, as a member of NWA, Cube will be honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.


Ice Cube honored with Naismith Hall of Fame Award
We were so close