Dear Crabby, I Hear They’re Going to Bring in the Wrecking Ball for the Pontiac Silverdome, will you Miss it When it’s Gone?
Sincerely, Dee Flated
Dear Dee,
You know, as a sports fan I sure will. The Detroit Lions, the Detroit Pistons, the Detroit Express, the Michigan Panthers (finally a team that released they weren’t actually in Detroit) and numerous other sporting games, championships, and tournaments took advantage of the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium. After the 80,000 + seat stadium was built in 1975-76, the name changed to the Pontiac Silverdome, in part because of the way the roof shined like silver when the sun hit it just right.
They even had Super Bowl XVI there. I get those darn Roman Numerals messed-up, but it was in 1982. Two first time teams to the Super Bowl – the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals – competed that cold, snowy day in Pontiac. They were happy to be at an indoor stadium, so were the fans, but as a host city, Pontiac failed with parking, restaurants, and traffic control. I missed going to the game and I had to settle to watch in on TV. But the “Dome” and the game sent the TV ratings way up there. It was a rare chance to see professional football played at the Silverdome – or even in Detroit for that matter – yes, I’m reminding you about the Lions. After not getting to go the Super Bowl, Mrs. Crabby promised me a trip to the Silverdome one day soon.
In September of 1987, we went to mass at the Silverdome. Yes sir, we got to see Pope John Paul II (again with the Roman Numbers – at least it makes sense as the Catholic Capital is in Italy). Not quite as exciting as football, but just as spiritual. All the beer, wine, and liquor were removed – because it was a big religious event – not a drop of alcohol could be found. Except, as rumor has it, a six-pack of beer was waiting for the Pope after giving mass – it’s a European thing I guess. But the joke was on the Pope, it was American beer. They had a record attendance of 93,682 people there to see John Paul, just beating out the previous record of 93,171 for something called WrestleMania III (seriously, another Roman Number).
The Silverdome lived through some memorable times. Its roof collapsed, rock icons such as the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Led Zeppelin performed, and Lions disappointed fans until 2001 – all in the same venue. Not to mention the monster truck events and the soccer hooligans from the World Cup. The new owners ran it straight into the ground. Plagued with arson, vandalism, and the threat of bringing soccer back to the stadium, it’s all over now.
With all our major sports teams back in Detroit, I don’t see a use for the old girl at this point. And I don’t think the new Pope will visit any time too soon. It will be sad to see the wrecking ball demolish her, but I won’t cry, I’ll save those tears for what happens at Ford Field.
Well, time to get back to reading your letters, I have another XXVIII to go yet.
Dear Crabby
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