The Athletic’s Detroit sportswriters–Chris Burke, Cody Stavenhagen, Max Bultman and James L. Edwards III–engaged in a round-table discussion regarding Detroit’s “four major sports teams'” rebuilding efforts, and here’s what they said about the “Face of Detroit Sports”:
Who is the face of Detroit sports right now?
Stavenhagen: As an Oklahoma State grad, my knocks on Cade Cunningham last year were, like, 50 percent just a bit. He’s proving he can be a franchise-type player. So if it’s not Cade yet, I think it will be soon.
Burke: I think I argued for Dylan Larkin, like, three years ago, when we first did this. I’m definitely going to bang the table for him now as the Red Wings start to turn a corner. There’s a case for Cade, Casey Mize, T.J. Hockenson and — still — Miggy. But Larkin’s a hometown, homegrown talent on a rising club that the fans are starting to find again.
Bultman: It’s fair to debate Cade versus Mize or Torkelson, who have the No. 1 pick factor, and I think Chris’ point about Larkin as the homegrown captain is good (though with all the face time Raymond and Seider are getting, they may soon challenge him for face of the Red Wings).
But come on: Whoever emerges as the Lions’ QB of the Future is going to quickly become the face of the city’s sports. If that means the city’s sports face is a vague silhouette right now … well, I’d make that case!
Edwards: If the Pistons were better, I think it would be Cade without a doubt. I think he eventually settles into that, though. For now, Larkin makes the most sense for all the reasons you guys mentioned. I could see Torkelson making a run, too, when he gets situated at the top level. And, of course, whoever the Lions QB is will be worshipped. That person just isn’t in place yet.
So, just to rank, I’ll go: 1. Larkin, 2. Cunningham, 3. Miggy
Continued (paywall); I hate to agree with Bultman here, but the Lions tend to rule the town. In no small part thanks to 97.1 the Ticket’s propaganda machine.
