Number 24 – Its all love (or you can’t fire your family)

My brother and I shared a bed in a room with our sisters who did the same. Although he supplanted me as the baby of the family and we fought over covers constatnly, we have one thing in common — we love the Detroit Lions. Like family you grow close through experiences and as you maturing you bring your individuality and own values to the life you want to live, forging love that stands the test of time and adversity. You can fire family (crazy uncle or aunt that is too affectionate), move thousands of miles away — but they are still your family. As the rapper Common says, “If relationship is effort I will match your work” and to be a true Lions fan has been a lot of hard, thankless work.

I have NEVER cheered for another Pro Football team (almost assaulted my brother when he wore a Bears jersey for Halloween). Don’t play fantasy football or do pools, I can’t pull for anything that isn’t wearing Honolulu Blue and silver.  I have NEVER worn another team’s jersey. I’ve seen ALL the bad and I’m right here. In front of the television, expecting history to change. Lions are part of my family. Because of this, we WILL win today.

1 hour to kick-off – Number 23 – I can’t hear myself think

The only time I had been to a Detroit Lions home game was when I went to a 1978 Lions vs Packers game when my relative was playing for the Packers (Nate Simpson). The Silverdome was an oversized dump and our seats were awful. So when the strike was settled last summer and it was announced that the Lions would play on Monday Night Football as hated Bears, I immediately purchased tickets (they sold out in one hour). I hadn’t been to Detroit in almost eight years and would take the opportunity to surprise my mother and see friends I hadn’t seen in over 30 years. Top that off with the Detroit Tigers playing Texas for an opportunity to advance to the World Series was mind-boggling good fun. The energy and level of noise during that game is something that I will NEVER forget and in that moment I knew — we can change history, fans and franchise both. Because of this, we WILL win today.

2 hours to kick-off – Number 22 – Sweating it out in Oakland

Although our first visit into the Black Hole in eight years ago my brother Keith was getting me nervous. Our entire trip up to the Bay Area and the time leading up to game time he kept mentioning that we’d get jumped by maniacal Raider fans. I wanted to introduce tailgating to our tradition and as we set up in the parking lot Keith was so tense his may have shat is pants, but I refused to buy in. Firstly, I was still mending a dislocated toe and couldn’t run if my life depended on it. Secondly, with the incident at the Dodgers baseball game, I figured we should be safe during a day game.

Once on the stadium grounds Keith began being Keith, taunting everyone that walked by, getting the Lions fans in attendance pumped and just having a great time over our grill. It all changed as we began heading to our seats in the stadium. As we walking through the crowd, the home fans began cheering loudly with the R-A-I-D-E-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-S-S-S-S-S at us and a knucklehead immediately charged my nephew and bumped into him. Crowded into the security check, something tapped on my head – I look up an an OG had a vodoo skull/Raider stick that he was ‘casting a spell’ on me with.

Little did he know what he had done – the Lions made a dramatic late game comeback and won the game against the Raiders, 28-27. He had changed our luck. Because of this, we WILL win today.

3 hours to kick-off – Number 21 – It is either you (Brett Farve) or Us

They say three times is a charm, but in this case — not so fast. We had the young Packers led by an unknown, emerging quarterback named Brett Farve coming to Detroit for a Wildcard game. It would be the third time in the 1993 season, with the Lions winning the Central Division title by beating the Packers in the final week, 30-20. The rematch the following week went back and forth and is considered one of the greatest Wildcard playoff finishes as Brett connected on a late touchdown with Sterling Sharpe to begin their championship ascent. I hate the Packers. Because of this, we WILL win today.

4 hours to game – Number 20 – Another One Bites The Dust

Those fans under thirty years old won’t remember a similar fast start to open the season for the Detroit Lions. But back in 1980, the Lions started the season 4-0 and little known but flamboyant defensive back Jimmy ‘Spiderman’ Allen recorded “Another One Bites the Dust” with some teammates a la the Bears ‘SuperBowl Shuffle’.  Unfortunately, the Lions finished the 1980 9-7 and missed the playoffs, losing the tie-breaker to Minnesota Vikings. Today, will we make sweet music in the Big Easy? Because of this, we WILL win today.

Click here to view the embedded video.

5 hours till game – Number 20 – Rodgers, Brady, Fitzgerald and Dalton equals 13 Wins in a Row

The past twelve months has been the best year of my Detroit Lions football life. December 12 began an incredible run – the Lions knocked Aaron Rodgers out in the last game the Packers would lose en route to their Super Bowl win; reserve kicker David Rayner kicked a last second field goal to snap our NFL record road losing streak in Miami; and they’d win all four preseason games squishing Tom Brady, Andy Dalton (Cincinnati) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buffalo). Top that off with five consecutive wins to start the 2011 season had me walking on air. Because of this, we WILL win today.

6:00:00 – Number 19 – You Must Have a Touchdown Dance

After 24 hours of stories being posted bearing my soul as a long-suffering fan for the sake of a win, I must get personal. My brother has a now grown son that, even though we live in California, is a REAL Lions fan. My kids on the other have, are a slow work-in-progress. What if they don’t love the Lions? What if they don’t know the Lion’s fight song? What if….they don’t know my Detroit Lion’s Touchdown Dance? Because of this, we WILL win today.

Click here to view the embedded video.

7:00:00 – Number 18 – ‘Megatron’ crash lands on NFL terra firma

When the Dark One, Matt Millen had the gall to use another top five first round pick on a ‘can’t miss’  Wide Receiver most scouts agreed. Calvin Johnson was considered the best talent available when the Lions selected him with the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. although he has had great seasons previously, the 2011 season is considered his breakout season. Nicknamed ‘Megatron’ by fellow reciever Roy Williams, Calvin caught 16 touchdown passes, led the NFL in receiving yards and made his second Pro Bowl.  He was featured on an unforgettable segment of Sports Science. Because of this, we WILL win today.

8:00:00 – Number 17 – Matt Stafford Says ‘Separate This’

This game was the turning point in THIS core group of Detroit Lions’ history. Coach Jim Schwartz had come in talking tough about accountability and that no loss was a good loss and through the 11th week of the 2009 football season nothing had changed on the scoreboard  resulting in a 1-9 record. Detroit was hosting the Cleveland Browns and Matt Stafford was back in the line-up after an early season injury. In a back-and-forth shootout, the Lions pulled out a miracle win. During the final game-winning drive, Stafford was injured (separating his shoulder). The Lions called a timeout as the medical staff attended to the shoulder. Fortunately, because they used a timeout, Stafford did not have to sit out a play, came back in the game and threw the game winner to Brandon Pettigrew om an untimed play because of a pass interference penalty. Stafford’s ‘mic’d up’ moment captured by NFL Films is an all-time classic TV moment. Because of this, we WILL win today.

9:00:00 – Number 16 – Putting the D back into Detroit (and defense)

In the eighties and nineties, Sports Illustrated and the NFL put out a bloopers video that would highlight NFL films. And in every commercial would show the Bears clothes-lining Eric Hipple on the sideline OVER and OVER and OVER again. To my memory, the Lions defense has always been awful, watching 2nd or 3rd string quarterbacks put up career numbers against Detroit. But two off-seasons ago, the Lions management stopped drafting receivers and begin changing their fate. In the off-season they added DL Kyle Vanden Bosch, drafted DL Ndamukong Suh and DL Nick Farley and in in 2010, Detroit finished in the top 15 in defense. Suh was named defensive rookie of the year and in 2011 drafted . The Lions defensive line is now talked about and feared and is on the uptick. Because of this, we WILL win today.