all count the same, some …
feel little bit different
and this is one of those
“They all count the same, but there are some that feel a little bit different. And this is one of those”
− Troy Aikman, on ESPN, after the Lions 38-20 win over Baltimore
I watched last night.
I watched the Detroit Lions pull off a 4 down goal line stand that was one for the ages.
Then I watched the Lions give the ball right back after a typical for me Lions 3 and out and then I watched the Lions give up a score to tie the game.
In my mind, the score had changed to 21-7 Lions and now it was 14-14.
A lot of game to go to be sure, but my old Lions Fan brain kicked in and I said to myself, ‘Same Old Lions.”
I am here to apologize.
I am here to say I was wrong.
I am here to say, I believe and I won’t doubt again.
And I want to say thank you to the Lions for the break away from everything else on my mind and thank you for the respite.
That 4th and 2 pass, well Boy Howdy, I will not doubt again.
As Troy Aikman said as time wound down, “They all count the same, but there are some that feel a little bit different. And this is one of those.”
Which I thought was pretty good.
As much as I know about TV and behind the scenes producers and production meetings and planned one-liners, I felt that in this moment, Troy Aikman, who has experienced his share of the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” spoke from the heart, spontaneously.
Mr. Aikman enjoyed the joy with which the Detroit Lions and their coach, Dan Campbell, play the game.
As Mr. Aikman looked at the crowd, the packed stadium, the roaring fans and the home team all in black, a team named for a bird in a poem written by one of America’s darkest poets (who was from Baltimore), and the visiting team comes in, bets all their chips and lays down the winning hand and Mr. Aikman said, “They all count the same, but there are some that feel a little bit different. And this is one of those”
The next morning in the Detroit Free Press, Mitch Albom published his column with the headline: Detroit Lions prove they are ready for prime time with win at Baltimore.
Mr. Albom led with:
You live long enough, you get to write a sentence like this:
Monday Night was why so much of America loves the Detroit Lions.
Mr. Albom closed with:
Bright Lights, Big Lions. America loves a good show. And America, more and more, loves this team. Go watch the tape of this game again. You’ll see why.
Once again folks, these just aren’t the same old Lions.
No Haiku For You 