A Torn Tale Between Two Cities

Sunday, September 14, Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a nice, cool, Sunday in the Queen City- great day for some good 'ol American football. I have been living in North Carolina for the past six years, the last four in Charlotte. Today, my home team, the Detroit Lions, play the Carolina Panthers. I have been super excited about this game since the Panthers and Lions released their schedules late spring. 

My very first Panthers game was last year, when they played and crushed the New York Giants 38-0; I was hyped, sporting my Lions tank top, hanging with my girl Sheila, also from The D. Lions blood has flowed through my veins for twenty-five years...that's a quarter of a century! Up until January of this year, I had never worn or owned any other pro football team paraphernalia, ever! 

In December 2013, I lost a bet to a friend. The Lions with a winning record in their division, started to lose games and dropped in their ranking when they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were struggling to stay alive last season. The Panthers played the Jaguars the week after the Lions. I was being facetious.."The Bet" was.. should the Panthers win against the Jaguars, I would purchase a Panther something, and should Michigan State win The Rose Bowl vs Stanford, my friend would purchase a Michigan State something. The loser would wear the item and take a photo. Well, I lost and bought a Panthers hat. He lost and bought two Michigan State shirts (one for me...too sweet!). As the Lions spiraled from a winning streak to a losing one, my friend, clearly a Panther man, tried to recruit me into Panther Nation. His argument was for me to at least support them seeing I now live in Charlotte. His argument was well made, understood, considered and implemented. 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago that friction started between us. As the Panthers vs Lions game drew closer, I grew anxious. I made my mind up that I didn't care who won. I would support both teams- yeah, I know that's straddling the fence but I was going to be okay with it either way, lol. Then I decided to support the Panthers fully, gear and all. To show allegiance to my new home team and to someone that supports me at all times. I was crushed when my show of support was criticized and disbelieved [enter friction here]. I couldn't even sit where I was initially sitting. With an emotional blow to my heart, I graciously accepted my other seats and let it be. 

After the blow, and being asked over and over by my friends who I was rooting for, I started to agonize over my support and gear, even asking my NC family (Nina & Allen) for help. I felt torn between two teams, two cities that I love, and found myself questioning my friend's actions and his faith in my support... what I had felt good about initially, started to give me anxiety attacks as the game approached. I finally decided to revert back to my initial plan and show support for both teams, whew! 

Yeah! Game Day is finally here!! I threw on my Panthers shirt and my Lions hat- Panthers blue and Lions blue clashed a bit, but hey, blue is blue and I am down for a good game. I expected nothing short of a good game! 

Instead what I witnessed was a terrible game...for the Lions anyway! A feeling of unease started twirling in my gut. Though I went in with the mindset of not choosing sides, that I'd be good with whatever, and sincerely happy for whomever wins; I did not expect the Lions to play so poorly. The bad plays started to make me nauseous. I found myself clapping for Carolina and wanting to cry for Detroit. I started praying a familiar prayer- Dear sport gods, why must we go thru this? Why must we (Lions fans) be subjected to such debacles year after year. The Lions were not ready and clearly unprepared for the Panthers defense. I wasn't mad that Carolina was winning, I was frustrated and perturbed with how poorly the Lions were playing. The Lions, once again, showed they were stuck, high on their egos coming off off their Monday Night game win against the Giants.

The Lions may have a different look and a different coach, but under that Lions blue and silver armor flows the same Lions blue blood of games past...bring you up, only to let you down. 

It was a bittersweet day in the Queen City. I never knew Charlotte had so many Lions fans. They were out in full force, representing hard, doing what they've done forever- win, lose, or draw, they still showed up, showed out, and showed love, even after the loss.

Don't get it twisted, I am very proud and happy for the Panthers!! They have been working hard for a couple of weeks preparing for the Lions, their defense and stopping Calvin Johnson aka Megatron, and it showed! It was a well executed game by the Panthers, and though I didn't mind the win at all, it honestly pained me to watch the Lions take a beating. I was ready and mentally prepared for a good game; but I wasn't ready or mentally prepared for a piss poor performance or an @$$ whoopin'...or what I felt...the team spirit of a ghost Lions past. 

Someone once said, "Proper Preperation Prevents Piss Poor Performance"...The Lions need this quote inked in Lions blue on everything they have. 

On Any Given Sunday, you will win some and you will lose some, but you need to come to play!

Great game Panthers!!! #KeepPounding

 

~A2   

The Curse or Not The Curse…What Is The Detroit Lions Problem?

After decades of little joy and many painful, heart wrenching moments. After acquiring Reggie Bush to attempt to fill the shoes of Billy Simms and Barry Sanders (poor Reggie). After having one of the best receivers in the league in Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, as well as a strong defensive tackle like Ndamukong Suh, and what seems to be a seemingly nice defense; the Lions still can’t seem to get it together and regress to the same bs as years past.

One week they’re leading the NFC North and on the right track, then the next two weeks they lose back to back games to the Steelers and Bucs.  How do you lose at home to the Bucs? It’s more than just embarrassing, it’s outright shameful! Are the Bucs even rated this year? Okay, yes, I’m salty but going into the Thanksgiving game against the Packers thinking about the Bucs loss, is very unsettling. Thinking that we can be 6-6 and may forfeit yet another chance at seeing the playoffs is disturbing. 

This relationship, this emotional roller-coaster ride of emotional highs and lows that I’ve been on for decades has turned from abusive to quite toxic. Have I had enough? Am I nearing my sport-witted end? Am I ready to cut ties? I’ve called myself taking some "me" time, some "space" from my beloved yet frustrating home team before. Maybe, like any other relationship that has run its course, it’s time for us to part ways? Maybe, seeing I live in Charlotte now, I should switch allegiance and give the Panthers my attention? The Carolina Panthers are now 8-3 and they play the Bucs at home this Sunday. I made a wager with a friend that if the Panthers win at home against the Bucs, I will break down and do something I don’t do--purchase a Panther something…as I clearly need to start scoping other teams that will appreciate and reciprocate my devotion. I’m not a bandwagoneer, but this ride has gone on far too long, and seeing images like this really doesn’t help my sport spirit...sigh! 

56 years and counting...it's been 56 years since the Lions have won a Super Bowl! The storyline never changes, it never fails; either we totally suck or we hype up, make the playoffs only to lose in the first round. Turnovers, interceptions, inconsistencies, blah blah blah- when/where does the cycle end? Sometimes, when I hear the team explain themselves, I swear I’m watching a Charlie Brown special! When will the excuses stop? At what point do we, the fans, fold? We’ve held on for so long, hoping, praying for a different outcome, only to be disappointed and witness the same results. We've had some great players. We've had decent squads. What is the Lions problem? Why can’t they get it right? Get it together? Are they just too spoiled- having a plush indoor stadium, indoor practice facility, new logo and uniforms but still over promise and under deliver year after year? Or are they just cursed? Maybe they need to practice outside in this brutally cold Detroit weather! Maybe that will give them the edge, the focus, the consistency they need. Something has got to give and soon!

Having one of the best running backs to just up and quit the game because he lost the love for it isn’t much hope to hold on to either; it depletes your sport spirit to think if he lost hope, if he lost the love…how could a fan after years of torture keep hope alive? I pray to the sport gods to bless my Kitties every game and most often than not, I’m left burying my head into my hoodie in silent pain. 

This week is Thanksgiving, which means we entertain at home and play the Packers this Thursday on national TV. I wish the Lions the best of luck and hope that they have learned something from the Bucs game!!

What if the Panthers defeat the Bucs, you ask? (In my Sheldon voice) "Oh, the horror!!" 

I guess we shall see. Good luck to the Panthers as well! 

tbc...

Sincerely Disappointed,

~A2

4-0! I am a LION, hear me ROOAAAR!!

What a night, what a night!! There was one loss I was not going to be able to handle last night and that is my home squad, the Detroit Lions losing to the Dallas Cowboys.
Living in the Charlotte area and being in a building that subjects me to Time Warner Cable only, I really don't get to see my home teams much unless I go to a sports bar or to someone's house that has a sports package. I was not going to miss this game. Lucky for me there's a sports bar downstairs from me. I walk in with my Detroit Tigers gear on in support of the Tigers being in the MLB playoffs and playing the Yankees, the same day. I look around for a TV with the Lions game on and I don't see anything. I turn to the bartender and he tells me it's the one over to the corner. You have your own section, he says smiling. No problemo, I liked it that way.
I really wasn't nervous in the first quarter, I wasn't even nervous going into the second quarter. I kept thinking of last week’s game when the Lions came back from 0-20 and defeated the Minnesota Vikings, in Minnesota, that's what I kept in my head. I didn't waiver...until the beginning of the third and we were still struggling. Panthers fans all around me are yelling at their TV because it looked like the Bears were up to their same, cheating antics. Me, I'm glued, leaning back with both my hands on my head and we're now 3-27. I text a good friend and he says, "There are two halves"...he was right, because between me following the Sportcaster commentary on my cell, Tweeting and Facebooking my nine cents worth, now I’m a little freaked out. I ask for a little help from the Sports Gods in the fourth quarter and I got it just in time and just like that, thanks to Megatron and Stafford the Detroit Lions defeat the Cowboys at the Cowboys own amusement park 34-30 and are now 4-0. The announcers are baffled...but why??
While Dallas may be a good squad, Tony Romo, in my opinion is an overrated QB and the Lions again, in my opinion, are the better overall team. So okay, they haven't been 4-0 since I was the age of... okay, never mind! But they're doing it now! And I am a PROUD Detroit Lioness. Two weeks in a row they come back and win huge games AWAY. The credit is theirs. However, I will say that the Lions need to start coming out and handling business early. “We” play Chicago next week, and I/ THEY need a win to make up for that game Chicago stole from “us” last year.

Side note: I want these announcers/ sport analysts to stop referring to Dallas as the big D. There is ONLY one (1) D, please do not get it twisted, and that is Detroit! And what's with the D on the Dallas folks hats---CUT THAT OUT!!! I'm glad the Detroit Lions got the last laugh, in their face and on their home turf!!! Dallas is clearly "d"elusional and need to find their own i"d"entity! :)

BTW: Tigers beat Yankees 5-3!! It was a great day for Detroit sport fans!!! CHEERS!

~A2