Cheers and beers for Lions fans
It has to be one of the toughest tasks in sports, being a Lions fan. Practically every downtrodden franchise in the NFL has had its moment the past half-century, while Lions fans still wait for the next new era that changes everything.
Lions fans still go to games, although in this economy, expecting sellouts at Ford Field is expecting too much. Lions fans still rave about their hopes (um, sometimes), rant about their team (a lot) and care about their team. And when I'm on the road covering the Lions, I see plenty of fans that still travel with their team.
How do they do it, maintaining sanity amid an 18-game losing streak? Well, I noticed one method of coping on my trip back from New Orleans Monday afternoon. The Lions had lost to the Saints 45-27 the day before, and in the airport lounge, there was a pack of Lions fans loudly recapping the game. They were mostly merry and kind of funny. They also got to the lounge a bit too early.
On the plane shortly before takeoff, the pilot came on the P.A.: "It appears we have some passengers who spent quite a bit of time in the bar. We cannot have these people making it difficult for our flight attendants. So, I've never done this in my 13 years as a pilot, but I'm gonna say there will be no alcohol served on this flight. If there's any problem from any passengers, we will land somewhere short of Detroit. Thank you."
Ouch. Lions fans weren't the only ones who had imbibed, by the way. And there was no overt rowdiness on the plane, just some boisterous ranting.
Ah, if only the Lions themselves could be as intimidating as their fans. I've said it before, I'll say it again: If the Lions ever got this thing turned around and won big, the party would make any other Detroit party look like just another night at the bingo hall.
