JustinD
10-12-2011, 04:13 AM
As a long suffering fan and a Detroiter, I have to just put out there just how incredible this team is. I've never seen such a turnaround of a roster and an attitude in such a short term. Congrats to Coach Schwartz, a man I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with and a truly nice guy.
I moved to the Detroit area three years ago, a byproduct of a voluntary work transfer to be closer to my future wife. While living in the Lansing area, I had taken my son to several games per year to bond and keep our fingers crossed that our team might actually win. Our first year after the move saw me spend way too much to have us watch an 0-16 season...heartbreaking.
I admit I may have gotten so frustrated to have sworn off my beloved hapless Leos. I told my son that I was refusing to buy tickets for any games, and we would subsist off a few Tigers games during the summer.
Well, as we all know, fandom is a curse. So happens that I ran into a ticket broker at the rail of a local sports bar. He was lamenting how he had lost about 10 large during the last season in unsold tickets and had to pare down to avoid another disaster. After a long talk and several beers, he had offered me a couple seat licenses for my son and I in the 8th row for 800 bucks. Too steep for me, especially after that season, so I lowballed. I gave him my number and said if he wanted, I could give him 300 and to call if he changed his mind. Three weeks after completely forgetting about it he called, I was now the owner of 8th row seats for a team everyone gave up on.
After the transfer paperwork went through, I jokingly asked the team for an upgrade. Guess what? They put me in the 5th row! :) Well here it is a couple years later and those seats are now worth a small fortune. Together my son and I got to watch the build, and thanks to Marten Mayhew and Coach Schwartz he sees what hardwork brings. My health has been a little shaky lately, so we unfortunately have only been able to see a couple games this season, but I am hoping that changes soon. However, the proceeds from those tickets when I can not go has been keeping the collection going lately.;)
I am looking forward to my son and I sitting in those seats and watching great teams for many years to come.
Once again...Go Lions!
I moved to the Detroit area three years ago, a byproduct of a voluntary work transfer to be closer to my future wife. While living in the Lansing area, I had taken my son to several games per year to bond and keep our fingers crossed that our team might actually win. Our first year after the move saw me spend way too much to have us watch an 0-16 season...heartbreaking.
I admit I may have gotten so frustrated to have sworn off my beloved hapless Leos. I told my son that I was refusing to buy tickets for any games, and we would subsist off a few Tigers games during the summer.
Well, as we all know, fandom is a curse. So happens that I ran into a ticket broker at the rail of a local sports bar. He was lamenting how he had lost about 10 large during the last season in unsold tickets and had to pare down to avoid another disaster. After a long talk and several beers, he had offered me a couple seat licenses for my son and I in the 8th row for 800 bucks. Too steep for me, especially after that season, so I lowballed. I gave him my number and said if he wanted, I could give him 300 and to call if he changed his mind. Three weeks after completely forgetting about it he called, I was now the owner of 8th row seats for a team everyone gave up on.
After the transfer paperwork went through, I jokingly asked the team for an upgrade. Guess what? They put me in the 5th row! :) Well here it is a couple years later and those seats are now worth a small fortune. Together my son and I got to watch the build, and thanks to Marten Mayhew and Coach Schwartz he sees what hardwork brings. My health has been a little shaky lately, so we unfortunately have only been able to see a couple games this season, but I am hoping that changes soon. However, the proceeds from those tickets when I can not go has been keeping the collection going lately.;)
I am looking forward to my son and I sitting in those seats and watching great teams for many years to come.
Once again...Go Lions!