Who is the true Detroit Sports Icon?

Today is a special day for me, and all other Detroit, Michigan Sports fans. Last night our hero, our Icon, our Captain Steve Yzerman was immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. Steve has been a part of the sports history in Detroit since he was drafted by the Red Wings in 1983. Few people remember, he was the first pick of the Mike Illitch era, and it was a signal that the pitiful Wings of that era were going to become the dominating multiple World Champions that they are today. It all started with Steve, and all Detroit is glad to see him in the hall.

With that being said there seems to be some debate today on who is the real or largest Detroit Sport Icon. Steve played his whole career here, and yet he is not from here. Steve brought Three World Championships to this city, and had he not pulled back his offensive game for the good of the team Steve would lead the NHL is most offensive categories.

When we talk about Detroit Sports Icons many names immediately come to mind, Isaiah Thomas leader of the Bad Boy Pistons, Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions, and Alan Trammell and Lou Whittaker of the 1984 Bless you Boys Detroit Tigers. It’s kind of funny that Kirk Gibson name isn’t listed there sine he helped the 1984 Tigers win a World Series and he went to Michigan State University, but he is more a National Sports Icon.

Lost in this shuffle has to be Joe Dumars, as a player for the Detroit Pistons he brought two World Titles here, as an executive for the Pistons he has delivered another, while Yzerman was a member of the 2008 Championship Front office, he was not the architect. Dumars rebuilt the Pistons into a team that made the Conference finals six years in a row.

In the end labeling someone an Icon is something we can debate forever, Stevie Y is definitely a part of that discussion, but in very real ways so are all the others.