Check, check, check (featuring Mel Farr Superstar, Charlie Sanders, Cliff Avril and Rob Sims):

Model D TV: Detroit Lions & Hatch Detroit from Model D TV on Vimeo.

Two days ago, Michael Silver wrote an article about the Detroit Lions for Yahoo! Sports (read it here). The message was simple and clear: these Detroit Lions are not backing down from anyone. Many members of the press are calling the teams actions controversial. Sure they have a fired-up coach in Jim Schwartz, and sure some of the Twitter comments or touchdown celebrations get a little edgy, but you know what? This is a team full of pride and excitement. This is a team that is no longer willing to bow down and take the lashing of an 0-16 season.

That courage and pride doesn’t start and end with sports. The same message is coming from the creative sector and a guy like Tim Smith, President and CEO of Skidmore Studio, the design firm that recently relocated their entire office from Royal Oak to the Madison Building in downtown Detroit. Tim’s message via the move: Bold creative is here in Detroit, we’re proud of it, and there’s no reason to be going to LA or New York for your business. Not only is Detroit good, it’s excellent, and Skidmore is putting their money where their mouth is to tell you why.

It’s always easy to be a cheerleader on the heels of development and such in the city (that’s us!). The difference here, and the added edge, is saying that we’re f*#%(ing excellent and capable of scrapping with the big boys. We’re not just “good,” in many cases we’re stronger than the others. The Detroit Lions, though maybe a little brash and rough around the edges, are very directly saying that they’re a championship team in the making, not just a good team. Tim Smith says that not only will his firm’s creative work be excellent, stop going anywhere else to get it done. These are just two bold statements of progress and achievement. This city isn’t just emerging from the darkness, it’s a world-class place. It’s worth it to take a few cues from this mentality and to act accordingly in our daily movements.

Still riding the wave from the Lions victory this past Sunday, it’s really not a bad idea to wake up every morning and read this article. Mitch Albom, the go-to Detroit optimist, the man capable of delivering firebolts of emotion with simple words and uniquely styled paragraph texture, delivers once again. The city continues to rally as we stay tuned to the Tigers and their run for the pennant race. Ol’ Curty Granderson, the Detroit champion that he is, continues to impress with homers in three consecutive games. And while we’re at it, the Red Wings Premiere week starts Thursday. So how about it, Detroit sports really telling a good story these days.