The alarm rings with its usual obnoxious tone, yet he doesn’t seem to mind. Instead, he smiles. He opens the window shades, and outside, a dark, gloomy sky greets him. Rather than focusing on the dreariness, he spots a lone cardinal, its bright red feathers like a rose, fluttering from tree to tree and filling him with a sense of joy. He steps outside, his shoes soaking in a puddle, but he doesn’t flinch. Knowing they’ll dry, he continues on, practically skipping down the sidewalk. His smile is visible from across the street, and it seems nothing could ruin his day.
The source of his happiness? A hard-fought win from his team the day before. This is a sports fan. A person who when their team wins seems indestructible, like nothing can ruin their day. However, if their team loses they think the world will end. Sports fanatics learn to cherish the wins, especially the big ones like winning a championship. These moments will last forever and allow fans to share their love of the team with others. Here are some memorable moments shared by some of West Ottawa’s sports fanatics.
Instructor Scott Stevens:
“My favorite sports team is, hands down, the Detroit Lions. I do not have a specific year in which I liked the Lions the most, I am a loyal Lions fan for life. Obviously, there have been 0-16 and 1-15 years that were difficult to watch game after game with continuous losses. There are years like last year and this year where winning tends to come much more easily.
My favorite moments from this season have been watching Jared Goff prove himself as a team leader after being recently swapped out with Matthew Stafford, a swap I wasn’t excited about when it happened. Seeing him break records, and solidify his rightful spot on the team has been fun to watch.”
Instructor Cody Ryan:
“I would say my favorite sports season was the 2023 Detroit Lions. I have been a Lions fan my whole life so I have seen my fair share of ups and downs throughout the years, but mostly heartbreak and disappointment. Last season was so much fun to watch not just because of the success the Lions had, but because of the history they made. They both hosted and won a playoff game for the first time since 1992.
To make it more interesting, this playoff game was against none other than the Los Angeles Rams. Two seasons prior, Detroit traded QB Matthew Stafford to the Rams for QB Jared Goff and multiple draft picks. Fast forward two seasons later and the trade would all come full circle as Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions beat the Rams 24-23 at Ford Field.
Detroit eventually made it to the NFC Championship game, where they fell to the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. Despite losing in the NFC Championship game, watching the Lions win the NFC North Division title and make a deep playoff run is something I will never forget.”
Instructor Sean Hoey:
“It is really tough to choose just one but my top two favorite seasons I would say are the 2006 Tigers or the 2023 Lions. For the Tigers, I would say my favorite moment was Magglio’s walk-off home run to send the team to the World Series. I can still remember where I was, who I was with, and what I was even wearing. And for the Lions, I would say the first down where Amon-Ra St. Brown caught the ball for the first down to seal the Lion’s first playoff win in 30 years.”
Instructor Larry DeLeon:
“The 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series Champs are my favorite team. I was 11 years old – my dad took me to a bunch of games that year at Tiger Stadium and the old Comiskey Park (White Sox) in Chicago. I have a bunch of memorabilia from that season. I think one of the reasons that season was so special is because I associate it with my dad.
Probably one of my favorite sports memories of all time was Kirk Gibson’s home run off of Goose Gossage in game 5 of the World Series. They didn’t respect Gibby and he made them pay.”
Instructor Shannon Witvoet:
“I remember becoming a Tigers fan when I first watched Tiger Town, and then when the Tigers won the pennant in 1984, I was completely hooked on Tigers baseball. I think the 2024 Detroit Tigers are my all-time favorite team.
My son’s friend, Matt Harrison, decided he was going to become a Tigers fan, so I had a lot of fun watching him learn about the Tigers and become a fan. I remember feeling sad for Matt at some point in July because the Tigers were not doing well, but then by the time he left for college, the Tigers had already launched their comeback.
When my son Carson was at school, we would text each other pictures of our game-watching setup and we would share our favorite stats, memes, plays, and quotes from the games. It was a fun way to cheer on the Tigers and to keep in touch with my son. I remember rooting for them to have a winning record, and then for them to make it into the playoffs as a wild card and to cheer them on to win in the playoffs.
It was exhilarating watching them come from behind to win games, but it was exciting to see a bunch of young kids play for the team and for fun. It truly looked like they were having the time of their lives and it brought so much hope and excitement to Detroit sports. Following their climb into the playoffs was pure joy and I loved every minute of it!”
Instructor Anthony Seville:
“I was a big fan of the 2023 Michigan football season because Michigan won the national title last season. A notable memory I had from the 2023 Michigan football season was the last play of the Rose Bowl when Michigan beat Alabama. I felt that among the four teams in the playoffs—Michigan, Alabama, Texas, and Washington—Alabama was the second-best team behind Michigan. So, when Michigan beat Alabama, I felt very confident that Michigan, was going into the national championship, and had a very good chance of winning it all.”
Whether it is winning or losing, sports create a sense of community that is unmatched. While the games only last hours at a time, the memories last a lifetime.
