Go Lions... sort of

Every year, Leonard (die-hard Lions fan, even though I was the one who hooked him on football) would say,"This year the Lions are going to do better." Each year he would be...wrong. I, even as a Packer fan would feel (sort of) bad for him. When they went 0-16 I thought about how it would have really bummed him out. Our son (for some crazy, whacked out reason) picked the Lions (over my Packers ) to obsess over.

Last weekend, we went to a local restaurant where they show all of the games all of the time (it's like Football Christmas!) to watch the Lions play the Cowboys. I left out that we are now living in...Houston, Texas. Where you are either a Texans fan or an idiot...I mean Cowboys fan (with a few Saints fans in there too, but they get a pass because a lot of them, like me, moved here from NOLA). Anyway, we were stuck at a table (read pool table covered by a board, covered by a table cloth) with a bunch of Cowboys fans. When the Texans play, the Cowboys don't, in Houston... Unless you have Directv, or go to the bar, but I digress.

We have been going to this restaurant for 3 seasons. The manager, taking pity on my son's aloneness as the only Lions fan in a sea of other fans of winning teams, often gave him a room to himself, with sound (!) because most of the games are televised without, except for one in each room. Did I mention the part where this restaurant is also the home base of the Browns in Houston (they still have a few fans I guess)?

On Sunday we were late...hence the pool table seats...with the Cowboys fans. And it sucked...really bad for 3-ish quarters. From the graphic showing Stafford held to -1 in offense in the 1st to the kicking of the trash can...and then it got really good. And the Houston game ended just about the time things were turning into what looked like an obtainable win for the Lions. And, before you could say "Romo has to go" (I got that one from the fan across from me)a group of Texan fans were standing behind my son's chair, high fiving James with each score. Shaking his shoulders and becoming, for one instant, fellow Lions fans. I think they were more "Not Cowboy" fans but all the same, my son had comrades in his cheering again. (Because he knows I'm kind of faking it when I cheer for the Lions).

James' team is currently 3-1... We are hoping that the 1 stays a 1. For the first time he played on offense last week at tight end. Let's just say he is grateful to be back on the defensive side of the ball. I am amazed at how well he is doing and, also, how gigantic he looks on the field in his uniform. I always tend to look for the little guys, only there aren't very many out there anymore. He is making marvelous attempts at studying, all the while muttering,"I hate new 'pro-active' mom..." Last year, we tried giving him assignment and studying responsibility. Luckily, he passed the 7th grade in spite of it.

A housekeeping note. I am not one to typically delete comments, even the not so nice ones. For the first time ever, I did. I would like to extend to that person the message that they may post anything they wish, as long as it is not excessive in its vulgarity (this was) nor outright slander (this also was, as records show). Other than that, have at me.