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

Tackling the Tressel and Terrelle issue…What’s really going DOWN in Buckeye Nation and the NCAA??

Jim Tressel resigned from Ohio State after ten plus years as head coach, and a week and a half later, Terrelle Pryor tells the NCAA to kiss it or “foregoes” his senior year. Is this really shocking to anyone here? I wouldn’t want to answer to the NCAA either. Yes, Tressel knew, I’m sure there are a lot of coaches out there that know of such acts but don’t disclose the information because it could disturb or alter the dynamic of their athletic program due to the sanctions the NCAA has in place. Is that hypocritical? Maybe, but why not ask the NCAA why this continues to happen? Who’s really the culprit? Is it that these kids are signing their lives away to their school and while making the school millions of dollars, they can’t get not one percent of their merchandise earnings ever and end up getting lured in by boosters, businessmen and whoever has the cash flow to facilitate their current needs?

Many people feel that it’s a fair trade- you, a kid, sign your entire college earnings FOR LIFE in exchange for an education, room and board maybe even a few dollars in your pockets depending on your scholarship amounts. Really?? So, if I lived on a plantation, and I did what my master told me and worked hard, I’d have a meal and a roof over my head but can’t get any money off the cotton that I picked that’s now headed to town to be threaded into fabric?? I believe there’s a term for that…right? Same analogy, different circumstances- yes, I said it! The NCAA is nothing more than a modern day plantation owner. Pay these kids a percentage of their earnings. They are making you money. Wake up folks! The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a for-profit business. The University/ College is not paying these kids way through school, the athletic program, that’s worth and making millions of dollars is!!

So where does this leave OSU? Well, I’m from the D aka Detroit…home of The Big House (if you don’t know, Google it), and for me, there’s nothing like watching a Big Ten game but frankly I don’t mind watching OSU sweat and scramble, I just hate for the kids who chose to attend and be a part of the legacy that is Ohio State to get lost in this madness. Ohio State went 11-1 last year losing only to Wisconsin, including winning against my two home teams Michigan and Michigan State. Tressel is the coach that got them there and to the Sugarbowl, which they won over Arkansas 31-26. Pryor ran for 2772 yards, followed by Herron 1155 yards, Sanzenbacher 948 and Posey 848. So it’s safe to say that Coach Tressel had a fire of a squad and that he did his job. Am I mad at him, nope! Am I crossing my eyes at the NCAA, yes! I hope that the Buckeyes get through this madness and smooth things out. Tressel and Pryor are gone but is that going to stop any of the infractions committed by the athletes??? You answer that.

I will say this, on Saturday, November 26, 2011, OSU plays in the Big House…maybe I will fly home and attend the game. My swami is saying it doesn’t look good for The Buckeyes, yeah, I know it’s early but I’m going to call it anyway…smile OSU fans, all in fun in the love of sports :)

PS Terrelle Pryor’s so called former friend is a PUNK!!!

~A2