The Motor City welcomed back Barry Sanders — with a roar. The Hall of Fame running back was serenaded with “Bar-ry! Bar-ry!†chants by a handful of fans when he walked onto the turf at Ford Field about an hour before Detroit played Chicago on Monday night. After being on the field for the coin flip, the national anthem was delayed slightly because tens of thousands wouldn’t stop chanting “Bar-ry! Bar-ry†just as they did at the Pontiac Silverdome. Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, five years after his retirement that left some Lions fans bitter in part because he walked away when he was one of his average seasons away from breaking Walter Payton’s career rushing record. He had been booed by fans in the area, most notably at a Pistons game, but they seem to have moved on to hail him. “I think they’re cool with me now from what I can tell,†Sanders said before the game in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think we’ve all had a chance to reflect. I have mostly good memories about good times.†Source: Associated Press
Never was bitter towards Barry, many of us were just sad to see him go and wanted him to break all those records but we all knew where the football program was going as did he. Imagin that Barry playing with this team, it would be pretty awesome.
He made me a Lions fan cause of the way he played. Couldn't blame him for walking away while he could. Team wasn't trying to improve and he had enough. Still thought they could have won with the team they had back then. Fontes just couldn't get it done but that was at the time of Montana and Rice.
