I HATE Football!

I vividly remember running through the house as a child screaming, “I hate football!” My brother was nine years older than me and always commandeered the television any time the Detroit Lions played at home or away!

Flash forward to today and I love to watch football, especially college ball. It took the Detroit Lions getting into the playoffs to finally get me to switch on an NFL game. As I watched the game, the fans of Detroit displayed their lifetime devotion to their team, and it moved me because they never gave up despite the years of loss.

I should pause and say my brother, a lifetime fan, died eight years ago and everyone in the family knew his final wish was wear his Lions jersey for his funeral. He was not alone as one guy broke down and cried because he just buried his dad in his Lions jersey. There was another story of a daughter who bought two seats to every game for herself and her dad…in his urn. That is extreme devotion!

After texting with my nephew throughout the playoffs and even living vicariously through him when he attended one of the playoff games, I am now a Detroit Lions fan. It only took me fifty-nine years, but I am sure my brother is resting in peace with the knowledge there is one more fan in the family.