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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Cleveland

The year was 2001, the month September. Even though my boys had lost to the Packers in week one, surely the Marty Morninghweg/Matt Miller era would be one of promise. After all of these years, we have a GM running the team who "knows" what he was doing.

Even thought the Packers game was pretty bad, it was at Lambeau and surely Charlie Batch didn't play bad enough to warrant being benched, right? I mean, all we have as a backup is Ty Detmer, and he's been on the team only a few days.

Monday, September 10th. My boys are 0-1, Batch is still out starter, and we only have one winnable game agsint the Cowboys before we travel to Cleveland to see the Lions beat the Browns. I thought for certain, that I would be at the Silverdome on Sunday 9/16 watching the Cowboys.

First, they announce Charlie Batch is benched. Bummer, now we've got to hope Ty Detmer can hit the ground running.

Tuesday, September 11th. Enough said about that.

So come Sunday the 16th, there's no football game to go to...anywhere across the country. They're going to play it later this year. For a week, football seemed pretty unimportant.

Sunday, the 23rd...football is important again. President Bush said if I don't get up early and drive to Cleveland, then the terrorists win. So we pack up the grill and a cooler with drinks and drive to a dirt parking lot overlooking Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Did I mention that this stadium is right on the end of the runway from the Cleveland airport? I mean, right off the runway. So sitting in this parking lot eating spicy sausage and drinking soda (euphamism for beer) we get a constant reminder that we're still scared out of our wits, and loud airplanes flying overhead only make it worse.

We go into the stadium...we're actually getting treated better than I expected...but I guess we're all Americans. The Lions and Browns each run out carrying an American flag...cheers all around. They sing several renditions of national anthems and such, still all Americans. Ball is kicked off...once again we're ugly stinking Detroiters invading their sacred stadium. This is a feeling you get used to when you're an away fan, I've almost become addicted to it. Strange high, it really is.

Back to the game. Certainly, Ty Detmer has learned enough in his extra week to prepare...so lets get this show on the road!

Well...the first interception was just the rust shaking off...he'll bounce back. The first 4 picks...well, I see Charlie Batch warming up. Maybe Marty will realize that he was too quick with the hook, and Charlie will be the victor.

Not yet...we have to wait for Ty to throw his 5th, then 6th interception. The truly sick this is...we were still in reach of winning this game!!!

So surely they'll turn to Charlie...who was warming up on the sideline. They give Detmer one more chance....it's number 7!!! wait...nope, pass interference on the defense. At least Detmer won't set the NFL record for picks...now that they'll put in Charlie.

What??? Are you kidding...Charlie is still on the bench and Ty Detmer is under center? Are we learning disabled Marty??? Do you need to see the film? This guy has 6 picks already, and only missed his 7th because of a penalty?

Detmer enters the game, and it doesn't take Poe to write the ending to this one...one last interception to seal it up, and tie the NFL record. For the record, I say he has the record so I give him 8* for the one they took away.

The drunk guy in front of us finally got ejected for refusing to stop doing the bull dance in front of us. To tell the truth, he was going for annoying and aggravating, but we all thought it was funny.

We got lost on the way back to the freeway, and saw a man who resembled Charles Manson crossing the street in front of us. Creepy.

All in all, it was a memorable game...and we left thinking things aren't that bad...even Bill Walsh started out badly in the NFL...certainly the Millen/Morninghweg era wouldn't be a complete train wreck...would it?

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