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'America’s team is not Dallas anymore, it’s Lions': Detroit fans flood the Bay Area
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- 'America’s team is not Dallas anymore, it’s Lions': Detroit fans flood the Bay Area
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA — If the Detroit Lions are even close to the center of the sports universe, then the gravitational force that has gripped a city and state pulled the faithful from all over to a loud and sticky sports bar in Northern California on Saturday night.
They came from Detroit , of course. But they also came from West Michigan and the West Coast. They came from Northern Michigan and North Carolina. Fan celebrities were there: Ron "Crackman" Crachiola , celebrating turning 72 on Sunday. Megan Stefanski, daughter of vaunted Lions fan Yooperman , and a dedicated supporter in her own right.
Detroit Lions fans rally togethe her at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose on January 28, 2024. It's the night before the Lions take on the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship and the right to play in the Super Bowl.
They drank beer provided by Bud Light and the Lions. They sang the fight song, waved flags and chanted "Ja-red Goff " to celebrate the city's new favorite leader. Some dyed their hair Honolulu blue — others permanently inked their skin to herald what to them is much more than a football team.
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In what at times felt like both a rock concert and a church revival, hundreds of Detroit Lions fans packed Rookies Sports Lodge on the eve of what could become one of the greatest moments in Michigan sports history: a Lions Super Bowl berth.
A win would mean everything. But even a loss to the San Francisco 49ers , who Las Vegas favors by a touchdown on Sunday, would not dim the light that appears to burn bright among a fandom desperate for a consistent winner.
Crackman was shocked when the Lions included him in their hype celebration ahead of the game. There were candles, a cake and singing. But an NFC championship would be the ultimate birthday gift. Regardless of the outcome, the culture the Lions are building will continue to grow, he said.
"What's going on right now, it's just magical," Crackman said. "We're not done. We're just starting this thing. This will continue, they're building a dynasty. It's happening right before our eyes."
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It's that hope that bouys the die-hards, said Jessica Smullen of Coldwater.
"We lost for 16 years-plus. We're just amazing. We don't give up on our team. America's team is not Dallas anymore, it's Lions," Smullen said. "I love my boys. They came together somehow this year and I'm elated."
From left, Jessica Smullen and TJay Fitton traveled from Coldwater, Michigan, to celebrate the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Jan. 27 at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose, California.
Her friend TJay Fitton of Coldwater, a longtime season ticketholder, heard about Crackman's party on her flight and called it a special moment for the Lions.
"You sit through some seasons that aren't so spectacular, so the people that have been loyal to them, continue to be loyal to them. This is our time," Fitton said. "Change is in the air … I think we can keep it going. I think Jared Goff, you can tell he wants to be in Detroit. He has a lot to do with it changing."
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While change might be welcome, it's surpassed by a sense of relief shared by many fans. That's the way Ricky Jude, 38, of Detroit described how it feels to finally support a team that's successful.
"When you tell people you're a Detroit Lions fan, with colleagues and stuff like that, (they say) 'Oh, you must be from Detroit.' They don't realize we have a great fanbase … it feels great that it's finally our turn," said Jude, sporting an oversized Lions baseball cap.
"This is the best feeling in the world. It's like, my whole life, this is that moment I've been waiting for. It feels surreal to see so many people smiling, happy. We all have the same common goal."
Ben Broumand, 33, traveled from Milan, Michigan to watch the Detroit Lions take on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game and celebrate the team Saturday, Jan. 27 in San Jose.
Fans like Ben Broumand haven't missed a home game. The 33-year-old from Milan was decked out in a big blue wig, blue aviators and "GRIT" written on a license plate hanging off his neck chain. The longtime Lions fan ran with the mantra that loyalty and hard work pays off.
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"If you're not a fan during the bad times, what's the value in it to you? That's why this is so special, because as a lifelong fan you always hope that the team is going to do well. You always have that hope, right? But when it finally happens, it's that much better," Broumand said.
From left, Dennis Cabay, Rhonda Fairley and Shara Cabay proudly wave their "Grit" flag to share their spirit for the Detroit Lions at Rookies Sports Lodge on Saturday in San Jose, California.
Eric Hamilton, 55, is from Detroit but now lives in Cary, North Carolina. He still identifies as a Detroiter though, and he sees himself and his loved ones represented by Coach Dan Campbell and the Lions.
"It's just, you root for hardworking people," Hamilton said. "Dan Campbell embraced the city of Detroit. He is Detroit."
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Dave Morgan knows hard work. The 40-year-old lives with his wife, Stephanie, on a 200-acre farm in Big Rapids. And there's nothing in his life that moves him like Campbell and the Lions.
"Dan talks about putting in the work. You've got to put in the work and put in the time. We live on a farm. You have to work with your hands, you have to do the job and get it done. It's not going to do itself, you've got to work hard," Dave said.
"I love his attitude, I love how he embraces his players, how he embraces the fans."
Dave Morgan, 40, of Big Rapids shows off his Detroit Lions tattoo while celebrating at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose. He flew in to support his team as they play the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.
Stephanie sees that love everyday. So much so, that she told him he had to get a tattoo. After some research, they landed on a logo the Lions used in the 1950s. He got it in August, on his right upper arm. He displays it proudly.
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It's emblematic of the pride Lions fans feel in their team. It runs deeper than one or two seasons (or decades) of failure. It won't change with a win or a loss on Sunday.
Melissa Koolwick of West Bloomfield, Michigan, decked out in blue from head to toe on Saturday to celebrate the Detroit Lions at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose.
Donning a glossy blue wig and matching skirt, Melissa Koolwick, who briefly lived in Pleasanton, California, before heading back to Michigan, said nobody knew who the Lions were, strengthening her attachment even more.
"It's history in the making. This is it. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it," Koolwick said.
Some fans were completely removed from Detroit. Nito Aguayo of Fresno, California, loves the Lions, though he says it's lonely some days because those around him exude their 49ers spirit. It all began when the team signed running back Barry Sanders.
Nito Aguayo of Fresno, California, has no personal connection to Detroit, yet he's supported the Lions for years, despite being surrounded by 49ers fans. Aguayo celebrated the team Saturday, Jan. 27 at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose.
"I told myself, 'That's my team.' I saw him play, I said, 'That's my guy, that's my team.' All my family was 49ers fans," said Aguayo, who was celebrating with the hundreds of other Lions fans Saturday night. "Everywhere I go, I support pretty loud. Everybody who knows me around my area knows I'm a Lions fan."
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He knew one day, the Lions' moment would come. And he predicts this will be their year.
"I know we're going to the Super Bowl. I know we're going to beat the 49ers tomorrow," Aguayo said.
Contact Dana Afana: dafana@freepress.com or 313-635-3491. Follow her on X: @DanaAfana . Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com and on X: @Dave_Boucher1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'America's team is not Dallas anymore, it's Lions': Fans rush Bay Area
