Sportsbeat by Peter Jakey: Honoring the champs one more time
SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
Showdown at Lambau; champs honored one more time
It has been the same ole’ Lions the last two weeks, but with different results. They keep on winning.
For most of my lifetime, and yours too, the Lions have been that professional football team that found creative ways to lose football games and stomp on the hearts of its fans.
Detroit has shown those “same ole’ Lions” stripes the last two weekends by gift wrapping a touchdown with a muffed punt or giving up scoring chances with interceptions in the red zone.
Unlike the past, this year’s team has found ways to overcome mistakes and demons of the decades.
There have been great plays on defense and first downs when the offense has needed it most. Kind of like playing “seat-of-the-pants” football,” for a lack of a better term. That is the way it has been the last two weeks against Minnesota and Chicago.
It just cannot happen in Sunday’s Lambau Field showdown. It is something he has not done in his last 10 games at Lambau Field.
It is going to take an extraordinary effort to win the division title and earn a home playoff game.
*** *** ***
Fans, families and the players from the 2014 Huron softball team packed the Rogers City Theater to view a 70-minute video presentation of the girls’ tournament run to a Division IV state title.
Around 175 guests were in attendance to honor the state champions one more time. Some of the players are home from college for Christmas break.
Coach Karl Grambau presented all-state photos produced by Advance owner/publisher Richard Lamb to Courtney Streich, Logan Fleming, Alexa Quaine and Morgan Hall. Sarah Meredith, an RCHS bowler, could not attend.
Some people who watched the video said they were on the edge of their seats while watching the presentation, set to music, from the state title game — almost as if they forgot the outcome of the game.
“The job that Rich did was just unbelievable,” said Grambau. “It was very touching. I think it brought a lot of tears to some people’s eyes, watching. I think it made everyone excited for spring to come fast here in Rogers City.”
Rich is not even sure how many hours went into the production. For the final portion of the movie, he matched up photos he and I took from the semifinal and final games in East Lansing. He was positioned on the first base side near the Rogers City dugout, while I was above the visitors’ dugout in the stands. He matched the photos with videos he took with his iPhone—sometimes while he was also taking stills with his camera at the same time.
“There were some things that go on in the dugout that you don’t see,” Grambau said of some of the shots from inside the dugout.
“Everybody who was there really loved it,” added Grambau. All the players received a complimentary DVD from Rich.
Kudos need to go to theater owner Karl Heidemann as well for opening his doors and putting it up on the big screen and for letting the players enjoy reliving all the historic moments from the entire season in the comfort of those terrific movie chairs. Karl also put “state champs” on the marquis to greet the softball players and fans.
Karl is a class act and the girls are deserving of all the red carpet treatment they have received.