Detroit Lions Home Opener: Enjoying with Friends Takes Out the Sting

Despite our best hopes for victory during the Detroit Lions 2010 season home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, there were other ways in which some of us found success as we departed with the throng from Ford Field.

Watching the game with friends sure helps to take the sting out of another Lions loss.

My purview of the Detroit Lions home opener was that of large child, rather than that of nitpicking sportswriter.  From the view in section 120, it ultimately mattered little to me the final outcome on the scoreboard, because everything that was truly important to me had already occurred over the weekend from Friday through Sunday, and a Lions win at home would merely have been icing on the cake.

The cake was so good it didn’t need any darn frosting.

You see folks, as most of you already know, it is the relationships we build in life that creates the wonder and beauty that help us to persevere in the face of adversity.  I think we are all top graduates of the University of Adversity as administered at every satellite location in the state of Michigan.

I am blessed to have made friendships with Detroit Lions fans from all over the country, and even one very strange fellow from across the river, and when we all get together to celebrate our passion for Lions football, you’re talking about some very large children with little to no adult supervision.

If you’re familiar with Detroit Lions coverage on mlive.com, you know there are a bunch of die-hard Lions fans who eat, sleep, and drink Detroit Lions football, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.  There is no shortage of passion, intensity, or enthusiasm relative to all things Detroit Lions when in the midst of the mlive Lions crew, whether online or in person.

For years, one of my main goals was to break down the barrier of anonymity that provides some with false courage and others a medium to “test the waters” to see if the current is right for them.  I wanted to create a more robust opportunity for Lions fans to interact with each other and to create relationships that were meaningful and can stand the test of time.

We seem to be getting there, little by little, one year and one person at a time.  That, my friends, is very satisfying to watch come to fruition.

The serendipity of spontaneity should never be under estimated and should be embraced as often as possible.  It’ll do your heart good.

Rush bassist and lead singer, Geddy Lee, sings the words penned by drummer Neil Peart, delivered on their 1982 album Signals:

Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight

When you get caught up in the rate race that life seems to consistently serve up, do something fun with friends to break up the monotony.  Do something to build a relationship and invest in the life of another.  Be their blessing for a day.

Being a Detroit Lions fan is far from easy, and for those Lions fans (ode to Ryan Click) who live out of state, the picking on, teasing, and harassment is only intensified, especially in areas of the country where opposing fans’ teams have enjoyed much greater recent success than the Detroit Lions.

That covers pretty much everywhere, and CFL teams even feel good about themselves in comparison to professional football offered in Detroit, Michigan.

And, regardless the taunting, heckling, and verbal flatulence that Detroit Lions fans must endure, it seems to be a yoke that some are more than willing to bear at any price, at any cost, public opinion be darned.  Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, and nothing has changed upon the field of play to make things any easier.

Big whoop.

I’m Honolulu Blue and Silver from the Motor City, and I always will be, win, lose, or draw.

Strangely enough, I know I’m not alone.

On Friday afternoon, “late58” put out a feeler to “willy410” to see if he had any interest in partaking in all-you-can-eat walleye dinner at My Mother’s Place just east of 10 Mile Road and Dequindre in Warren.  Although Willy did not reply, I did, and subsequently contacted “mikeyclaw,” our very own Michael Sudds here on the Bleacher Report, and we agreed to meet at objective rally point “Mama’s” for Operation Walleye Strike.

Two Marines and a Cav Trooper got after some chow at “the feast of the loaves and the fishes.”  It was without question and bar none, the most outstanding walleye dinner I have ever had in my life. 

No tartar sauce required, folks.  That good.  The fish was unbelievable it was so good.  If you like walleye, My Mother’s Place next to the McDonalds which is just east of the intersection of 10 Mile and Dequindre is where it’s at on Friday night.  Simply awesome.

Our 115-mile trip to Detroit was modest in comparison to Willy, who flew in from Oklahoma, and “Click,” who flew in from Charlotte, North Carolina, but himself from Huntington, West Virginia.  We also had another of the crew drive up from Illinois with an Eagles fan in tow.

That strange fellow aforementioned had a long paddle down the Saint Lawrence Seaway, as he kayaked all the way from “Windsor, Nova Scotia.”  We brought a Canadian translator who could only be understood while imbibing on “Blue Light.”  It was like we were waiting for a flood named Steve or something, eh?  How aboot that?!

On Saturday at high Noon, we gathered for the Second Annual Telway Raid at the Telway Burger on 11 Mile Road and John R. in Madison Heights.  For those who haven’t had occasion to frequent the Telway, they serve “gourmet sliders” for 85 cents per burger, and they are simply delightful.  The facility has been there since the late-1930s and the people who work there are just as crazy and facetious as we Lions crazies.

My dear brother, “Petessakes,” maintained his “chow crown” for another year by downing a mere six sliders.  While the field wasn’t overly competitive at our lunch destination, it did set up the group nicely to swashbuckle down the road to ye ole Salty Dog.

In keeping with the previous year’s tradition, the mlive Lions crew headed to the “Pirate Ship,” where a scantily-clad serving wench provided entertainment to the assembled rapscalliwags, as did also the Michigan Wolverines during their oval ball contest against Massachusetts.  Another of the crew, Spielmanfan, made his way to the gathering in the Heights.

Michael Sudds is a wonderful gentleman and a superior host, and it has been nothing short of a brotherly blessing to have become his “little breaux.”

No gathering is complete without shenanigans taking its toll, and our friend of “Thundering Herd” repute did indeed dash his foot upon the stone as he tried to fly from the tavern.  Nurse Nikki was called into action, and laid hands upon the lame, packed his foot in ice, and did give him shot to drink.  She is by far “the hostess with the mostest.”

After a lackluster experience at a “mythical” Greektown dining establishment, we went back each to his place of lodging to get ready for the “highly-anticipated Detroit Lions victory” over the visiting Eagles.  I enjoyed a wonderful night’s rest at the Hilton Garden Inn on the corner of Brush and Gratiot, just blocks from Ford Field.  Your “typical” hotel bed it was not, which was weekend moment of serendipity number two.

Two more of the crew, “Sprawl” and “Orion,” joined us for the game day experience, as did “dusty”, and Bethany, our Detroit Lions ticket representative, met us outside Ford Field with tickets in hand.  Many thanks for her work and kindness in helping to deliver an outstanding and memorable game day experience for the mlive Lions crew.

The Sunday game day experience at Ford Field in downtown Detroit, to me, is just excellent.  Targets for children of all ages to throw footballs at, former Lions greats signing autographs, and live music with an upbeat band really sets a festive stage prior to entering the remains of the “old warehouse.”

The host of Honolulu Blue and Silver flowing into Ford Field is a beautiful thing en masse.  Thousands of Detroit Lions fans swarming with excitement really brings Ford Field and the Lions players to life.

Now, if the Detroit Lions players playing skills were equal to or greater than their “pump up the home crowd” efforts, they would most definitely be a 2-0 team as opposed to an 0-2 team.

In the Lions defense, I think the Detroit football team should only have to face one opponent per Sunday.  Either they can play the Vikings, or they can play the referees, but they shouldn’t have to play and beat both.  Insert “Bears” or “Eagles” in place of “Vikings” as necessary, and repeat throughout season on game-by-game basis until further bulletins warrant.

The Best part of the game for Detroit Lions fans was indeed he.  Jahvid Best is the “man amongst boys” in the speed department on the football field on Sundays, as the 21-year-old clearly demonstrated to the defense of not-so-brotherly love that you cannot tackle him who you cannot catch.

Good luck with that fellas.

About the only prognosticative hope that I retain relative to the 2010 Detroit Lions campaign is that the Golden Bear will become the fastest Lion to win the NFL Rookie of the Year award.

Despite Jahvid’s 232-yard performance in his second NFL contest, we have yet to truly witness the unleashing of “The Beast, who is an numbered Forty and Four.”

The day is coming when the Detroit Lions will field a professional football team that is a much more complete product than the one we witnessed this past Sunday.

You can see tremendous progress being made, but the evidence of such progress only serves to confirm what a condemned program eschewed to Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew.  We feel the repugnant depths every weekend, and the reminder that as a team, the Lions are far from removed from their winless blight.

I hate both to say and to admit it, but they still are what they are until they are able to stop grasping defeat from the jaws of victory, the never-ending saga of Detroit Lions football.

Yes, the Detroit Lions confidently took the lead in thrilling fashion over the Philadelphia Eagles.  The visitors also confidently took the lead back and squatted on a 35-17 lead, giving up everything underneath, and leaving the scoreboard far from the reality of the situation.

I don’t need to point fingers of who is to blame; there are plenty far more qualified than me to do said bidding.  The leadership is to blame for the loss, and that’s really all that need be said.

The Philly faithful were a mixed bag and an interesting crew.

Sounds like a group I know.

There were Philly fans who travelled from Hawaii, Oklahoma and Illinois.  There was also assembled a very nice group of local Brandon Graham fans who were outstanding representatives of the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Brotherly love abounds in Detroit Rock City.  The visitors said so.

Standing on the corner down by the Detroit Pub, a fired-up Eagles fan was most gracious in victory and had nothing but good things to say about the fans of the Detroit Lions and the people of the City of Detroit.

The gentleman, who really was about a 7/8-scale model of yours truly, spoke warmly about the quality of the people of Detroit, with so many coming up to him with his team’s colors on and asking him how he was enjoying his trip, could they point anything out, and just being kind and helpful in general.

The town of my birth is not always reviewed in such glowing terms by its visitors, but it was a common theme amongst all Eagles fans that I spoke with after the game.  Let’s face it: Detroit and Philly are tough towns, straight up.  It was the fans of the home team who shared the brotherly love to Philadelphia’s sons and daughters, and they were more than appreciative.

One lady from Hawaii said that she had been to Eagles road contests at San Francisco and in Phoenix, and she was very rudely treated in both cities and was cursed at very nastily with her children present.  She said this was by far the best game day experience she had enjoyed as an NFL fan.

I spotted a lovely couple wearing his-and-hers Philly No. 54 jerseys, and being a lifelong Wolverine fan, had to stop and discuss the success of one of Detroit’s favorite sons, in whom many are pleased.

The beautiful woman began to share in glowing terms some of her fondest memories of Brandon, as she had known him since he was five years old.

She recalled talking with Brandon’s mother and she said, “I though he was going to be a doctor.”  “Nope,” came the motherly reply, “He’s gonna play.”

Special memories were flying through her mind more so than words could capture, and I could see those moments dancing in her eyes.  I could tell how genuinely happy she was to be able to share, deeply satisfied, in the success of Brandon Graham.  How she could be so happy, considering her fine gentleman friend was a Spartan, is far beyond my comprehension.

Neither Pythagoras nor Euclid can help me on this one.

The point in all of this, dear Lions fans, is there are matters of greater importance that we must consider while the dearth continues:  building relationships that matter.

What I remember about the game is having a good time with friends, and immediately removing the sleeves (they were defective as they were still attached) from my new Suh road jersey.  For the missus, only the number of the Best would do, so 40 and four in Honolulu Blue it was.

We know the Detroit Lions are far from a complete football team, so while they are working on getting better at their craft, I’ll be spending additional time working on the relationships that help to complete our lives.  Invest in the life of another, Lions fans, so that when the Detroit Lions do finally reach the “promised land,” you’ll have plenty of great people with whom to celebrate.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 40 years.  I’m afraid I’ll have reached my expiry by then!

GO LIONS WIN!

HäMMëR