http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Detroit-wants-to-disinvite-Nickelback-from-its-T?urn=nfl-wp11074

Detroit wants to disinvite Nickelback from its Thanksgiving game

By Doug Farrar

Detroit wants to disinvite Nickelback from its Thanksgiving gameFrom the Motown Sound to the Motor City Madman, from the MC5 to Mitch Ryder, from Bob Seger to "Detroit Rock City," from Kid Rock to "8 Mile," the city of Detroit has a rich history when it comes to all kinds of rock and roll. And that's why the NFL really goofed up when it set the entertainment for this year's Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game -- another estimable Motor City tradition.

For the first time in eons, the Lions are a very exciting and competitive team, which means that football fans around the country will not be scheduling their post-Tryptophan naps to coincide with the appearance of Ford Field's home team. It's a marquee game for once, so you'd think that a tribute to some tough Detroit rock would be in order.

Nope. Instead, the league has presented us with halftime entertainment in the form of the inexplicably popular proto-generic post-grunge band Nickelback. That's right -- these seventh-generation Pearl Jammers are set to whine and squall at halftime of the Lions' game against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day, and the city of Detroit is not at all happy about it.



Some Lions fans have taken this to the Internet, and created a petition at change.org, begging the NFL to get the band (which is from Canada, by the way — aren't there some CFL games it could inhabit?) out of the picture.

This game is nationally televised, do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians and they chose Nickelback?!?!?! Does anyone even like Nickelback? Is this some sort of ploy to get people to leave their seats during halftime to spend money on alcoholic beverages and concessions? This is completely unfair to those of us who purchased tickets to the game. At least the people watching at home can mute their TVs. The Lions ought to think about their fans before choosing such an awful band to play at halftime.

Detroit wants to disinvite Nickelback from its Thanksgiving gameAnd just in case you think this is some sort of Detroit-centric thing, consider that two writers from the Winnipeg Free Press recently begged NHL commissioner Gary Bettman not to put Nickelback on the bill for the "NHL FaceOff" season-opening ceremonies.

As people who love music and love Winnipeg even more, we have a request: Please ensure this does not happen. The return of the NHL to Winnipeg is something we have been dreaming about for 15 years. Please do not sully the celebration with the presence of a band whose existence is antithetical to the very concept of celebration.

Shunned in their own country? You bet your ass. Why foist them instead on the hardworking American public?

Side note: Lions coach Jim Schwartz is one of the more metal-centric NFLers out there, regardless of position or standing. He frequently tweets out his "What I'm listening to on the way to the stadium" choices, and you'll see a lot of Pantera, Metallica, Iron Maiden, and much of the best of 1970s and 1980s arena rock. Schwartz can't be happier about this than the Lions fans are — maybe it's time for the coach to step in and put a stop to this?

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-detroit-lions-replace-nickelback-as-the-halftime-show-for-the-thanksgiving-game

Meh. I couldn't care less. I never watch those shows anyway.

if people would put their time & energies into more important things, this world wouldn't be the cesspool that it is.

Well, Detroit has an incredible musical legacy, I can understand why they would want some "hometown talent" to provide the halftime entertainment.

Plus Nickleback sucks so bad that almost any cover-tune-bar-band would be an improvement.

I dont watch that crap either so i could care less.Hate Nickleback.

I don't really care who plays the halftime show, though if they invited Ultimatum, I'd care.

I don't give a crap about football, so this doesn't bother me in any way.

Just be thankful you're not getting Meat Loaf, like we did in Australia for our AFL Grand Final. Off key, off time, off balance, off the planet.

Just awful. And you won't find it on YouTube, becuase it keeps being pulled.

Wow - I really couldn't care less

We had something similar here in India four years ago. Iron Maiden were to perform their maiden concert in India in Bangalore, and opening for them were winners of a competition for college bands. The catch was that the winning band was one largely influenced by Disturbed and Slipknot. This irked the elitist metal fans all over the country, although I wouldn't be surprised if they came from that one city. They started a petition to get the name of this band removed from the posters and advertisements for the concert- and succeeded. Worse, for the band, they were told not to play too loudly and stick to playing covers. A poor sound system, delay in getting on stage and an excessively hostile crowd reception caused what was a really damp squib, which caused this band to break up shortly afterwards.

Two years later, when Maiden were to return to Bangalore as a part of the Somewhere Back In Time tour, another petition was started, to ensure that only Bhoomi (classic metal) and Kryptos (melodic death metal) open for Iron Maiden, not some silly college outfit. This didn't take off.

I hate Nickleback but c'mon!!!!!!!

I signed it just to be an ass!

I haven't heard much Nickelback since I graduated from high school six years ago. Are they still that popular?