Lions game was a treat!

I was treated to a rare Turkey Day treat on Thanksgiving. Because of the Belleville and Eastern Michigan University ties the paper has with a few current members of the Green Bay Packers I was able to go and watch the Detroit Lions battle the Packers at Ford Field.
Cullen Jenkins of Belleville is a defensive end for the Pack and is in his sixth season with the team. T.J. Lang is a rookie one year removed from Eastern Michigan University and he plays offensive guard and tackle.
It was a pretty busy Thanksgiving Day in Detroit as usual so I told my sports editor, Don Richter, that we better leave for the game by 10:30 a.m. Kickoff was set for 12:30 p.m. and I wasn’t sure the amount of traffic we would run into down in D-Town.
As I expected we were forced off the freeway because of the Thanksgiving Day Parade and forced to circle around Ford Field through an alternative route. We had to swoop in for the tickets and parking pass but I have to admit despite talking about 30 minutes to do that it was much better than paying $50 for parking by the field.
We found our parking space a few blocks from the field and got on the bus to take us to the game. It was nice having a press pass. We didn’t have to wait in any line and we were able to flash it to the security who promptly informed us were the press box was and the elevator.
We decided to walk the seven flights of stairs up to the press box (something I wouldn’t advise in the future). When we got there guess what they had to ear? Turkey and stuffing and carbonated beverages were on tap for us in the box.
Not too shabby considering must of the high school football games that I attend do not even have a cup for us to put water in out of the team’s water jugs. That being said we ate and rubbed elbows with coaches from both teams and local media and sports writers like Rob Parker and some from the Associated Press like Scott Held (who I worked with in Southgate with the News-Herald).
After we ate we took our seats and watched the game. As expected the Lions didn’t fare all that well and things definitely had a green tint to them on the day and the Packers walked away with what turned out to be an easy win.
While, the reason I went to the game was to interview the two of the players so it was no surprise it was time to head to the locker room and find out how the other side lives. Let me tell you it lives rather well and from what I can tell the professional level of sports is a totally different experience than watch the Belleville Tigers, the Ypsilanti Phoenix or even the EMU Eagles.
These guys are use to success and you can tell that they don’t get bothered by the media and the media loved to feed on whatever they have to say.
After waiting or the players I wanted to interview to become available and get out of the showers I was reminded exactly how big these professional athletes really were. I mean they were giants and besides being tall they were all in extremely good shape.
So I was able to talk with Jenkins and I asked him what it was like coming home to play and how many friends and family he had at the game. He said he had around 50 people at the game and admitted that was slightly more than usual. He said the win was a very big one for him and his team especially after not having the start to the season they would have liked.
I asked him about the crowds and the cheering at the game and he said he doesn’t even hear it or admitted that if he did hear it he was so focused on his assignments and what he needed to do that it didn’t matter to him.
Jenkins said he still talks to his old high school coach Bob LaPointe from time to time but admits it is kind of hard to keep track of his former team.
Lang who is a rookie this season admitted he had about 50 people at the game to watch him as well. He loves playing the sport and admits that he is learning a lot and just glad to be on the field and help the team anyway possible. He seemed a bit more eager to play in front of his friends and family that Jenkins. The funny part was Jenkins could almost laugh about how the rookie was with the reporters and other members of the media. Despite the loss (as expected by the Lions) it was a bunch of fun to be at the game and I really did enjoy the entire experience.