Rock Bottom

I am a football junkie.

I'll admit it, it's an addiction. It starts young and sucks you in, and you bring down those around you.

Rock bottom for me occured this December at Lambeau Field. The absolute worst experience of my football life. I saw my team go 0-16.

I guess I should say, I say I'm a football junkie because it takes some of the sting and pity away from saying I'm a Lions junkie.

Yup, I was there on the 50 yard line 10 rows away from my boys getting hammered for the 16th straight and final time. Why was I there...a glutton for punishment? Nope. To be there when history was made? Nope. I was such a Lions junkie, I was there to watch them narrowly miss going 0-16.

I was there for the 1-15 game, a game which would have clearly been the Lion's best win...our Super Bowl. We could walk off the field being 1-15...I mean, the Cowboys, the Jets...they've gone 1-15.

Nope. Rock bottom happens, and my boys get the 0-16 mark.

My wife, whom I've dragged down with me into this pit, had fun at the game. She was proud to go 0-16. I hung my head in shame, as I've done so many times. I walked that long walk back to the car (or in this case, the bar) and sucked it all in.

I think I counted this game to be the 13th regular season game i've seen the Lions lose...and those are only away games. The 0-16 game was my 0-13 game as a travelling Lions fan.

This game was my 3rd at Lambeau Field, and my 3rd loss. I've had 2 losses at Soldier Field, 1 at The Metrodome. I hung my head in shame in front of the dogpound in Cleveland while Ty Detmer threw his NFL record tying interception in a game (7). I've walked dissapointed from the RCA Dome, Texas Stadium, and the Trans World Dome (or whatever St Louis calls that plastic POS). I've had to damn near fight my way out of Buffalo, and staggered out of Seattle ($4 beers!!!)

The worst though, has to be Tampa Bay. I proposed to my wife on the beach that weekend, how could I not marry someone who plans a trip to Tampa to go to a Lions game?

Yup, we lost that one too. I was still happy after the game...probably one of the few times I have been happy after the Lions lose...I found a woman willing to dive into the Honolulu Blue and Silver abyss with me.

Oh well...at least for the first time in a long time...the Lions clearly will have a better season than the one before.

Rock bottom...only goes up from here.

PS...as I write this, my wife and I are planning trips to Cincinnati and San Francisco very soon. Think the Lions will get a win for us finally?