BLeach

Will I Become an Eagles Fan?

With the NFL Draft scheduled to take place tomorrow night, and the world, the state of Michigan, the city of Detroit, a few people I know wondering what the Lions will do with the second pick, I thought I'd answer one of the most common questions people have asked me since I announced we'd be moving to Philadelphia to plant a new church.

Will I become an Eagles fan?

There are a few arguments people have offered as to why I should become an Eagles fan.

• The Lions are losers argument: This is a weak argument. If I was going to switch my allegiance simply because the Lions aren't competitive, I would have done it about 25 years ago.
• The missiology argument: Doesn't a missionary seek to understand the culture and adapt values that are important to the people he's seeking to reach? This argument, admittedly, is better than the first.
• The parenting argument: When you have one child you don't think you'd ever have the capacity to love another child in the same way. Yet, parents who have additional children don't love the first any less. Their love simply expands. This is probably the best argument I've heard.

But still, here's my struggle.

For me, following a team is not a business transaction or missional strategy. It's a relationship. So I don't know how to make an intellectual decision to love another team.

I love the Pistons because I grew up attending games at the Palace with my dad. I still remember watching Vinnie Johnson hit the game winner at the buzzer to bury the Trailblazers for a second straight NBA Championship. 

I love the Lions because I grew up watching Barry Sanders embarrass helpless defenders in the open field. I still remember watching him break 2,000 yards in a single season at the Silverdome.

I love the Red Wings because I grew up watching Yzerman and the Russian Five bring the Stanley Cup back to Hockeytown. I still remember ordering pizza during late playoff games, making up a Red Wings special, and getting it.

So will I become an Eagles fan?

Probably...but not because I make an intellectual decision to try and reach people or switch to a better franchise. I'll become an Eagles fan the same way I became a Lion's fan.

I'll watch a game winning drive with my son. I'll get caught up in the excitement of a city championship. I'll stay up late watching a playoff game roll into overtime.

And I'll fall in love.

How Far Must a Missionary Go

I arrived in Philadelphia yesterday around noon, and met Brian Bolt. Brian is planting discipleship homes and churches in Pittsburgh, modeled after the ministry he was discipled in, Victory Outreach. I got to spend the afternoon in West Kensington getting to know Pastor Titus and some of the other Philadelphia Victory Outreach leaders. 

They were patient with all of my questions and taught me a lot about the city. Vision oozes from these guys! They've already bought three buildings on their block and are praying in the rest of them! They work toward total transformation of lives, which in turn transforms the neighborhood.

Last night Brian hooked us up with tickets to the Sixers game. I'll be honest. I felt a little dirty, like I was cheating on the Pistons by sitting in another NBA team's arena. Now I'm wondering if a commitment to good missiology has to impact my allegiance to Detroit's sports teams. I know Paul became all things to all men, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to give up the Pistons and Red Wings! 

Pray for me!

A Sad Picture

Today I'm thankful for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Thanks to them, I don't have to be alone in this world of sad sport's fans.

My Dysfunction Revealed

It's true. I'm a Lion's fan.

And as this picture suggests, it's a curse that has been a part of my identity for quite some time. 

I understand that I could not have afforded this duffel bag at such a young age.  That can only mean one thing.  Someone bought it for me.  Maybe my dad.  Maybe my mom.  Maybe some other family member or friend.  Perhaps they intended only good to come from the gift.  But here I am, at 30 years of age, still wondering if this might be the year that the Lions turn it all around.

Thanks to everyone who played along and left comments on Facebook and the blog.  Ernie Fox guessed closest by suggesting I was wearing a Lion's jersey.  So Ernie, your free book is in the mail!

Go Lions!

More Marital Rivalry

In just a few minutes the puck will be dropped on this year's rematch between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals.  When Leah and I said "I do" in January, 2008, we had no idea our marriage would be tested twice in just 16 months.

Last year we made a wager going into the series.  Of course, we all know the Wings dominated the series and decimated the Penguins.  But in the end, I learned a valuable lesson. 

It's never a good idea to bet with your wife.  If you lose, you lose.  And if you win, you lose.

So this year I've agreed to a friendly little wager with Doug Melder, another Pittsburgh friend.  If the Wings win, Doug has to preach in a Wings jersey.  And if the Penguins win...

Why bring up the impossible?

So if you love me, pray for me.  Pray for my marriage.  And pray that the only jersey being worn in the pulpit between Doug and I has the name "Hossa" written on the back.

My Life as a Football Tragedy

Warning: there is no significance to this post other than my need to publicly vent:)

2008 will go down in the books as the worst year of my life as a football fan.  I hope! 

I really believe that Michigan's history-making losing season was an aberration due to a transitional season, so I won't spend much time there.  The Lions on the other hand never fail to fail.

The sad truth is that yesterday was probably our best remaining chance to win a game this year.  We were at home, playing a team we nearly beat earlier this season, who also happens to be the team we finally beat in 2001 (the last time we started a season 0-12).  And though the football gods seemed intent on helping the Lions win, we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and cemented our worst start in franchise history.

I'm amazed at how many Detroit fans are hoping that the Lions finish 0-16.  I don't want that to happen, for several reasons.

• For reasons I can't fully explain, they're the team I love.  Who really wants their team to go down as the worst team ever?
• We will still pick first in the 2009 draft even if we win (so there goes that argument).
• Losing is contagious.  Although one win wouldn't make the Lions a winning team, it would at least insure that our rookies had a taste of what an NFL win feels like.
• Rod Marinelli is a good guy.  He doesn't deserve to go down in history this way.
• Some think going winless is the only way the Lions will ever make history.  But I still plan on watching them win a Super Bowl before I die.
• Leah is really pulling for our child to be a Steeler's fan.  If we go 0-16, I'm not sure that even I will believe my own arguments anymore.

The lowest moment of the season came for me on Thanksgiving.  As we prepared to watch the annual Lion's Thanksgiving day debacle, my mom looked at me wide-eyed and expressed her utter confusion as to why I still liked the Lions.  Then she encouraged me to switch to another team. 

My mom.  The one woman in the world who is supposed to support me no matter what (with the exception of my wife who still thinks the Lions will win every time they have a lead).

Yesterday I realized I was sick as I sat on the couch with the computer in my lap, hitting refresh on the box score (since the game was blacked out in Detroit), hoping that the Lions might find a way to move the ball 80 yards with a minute left to win the game.

This week we've got the Colts in Indy, then the Saints here in Detroit.  Then we finish against the Packers, in Green Bay, where we haven't won a game in out last 17 tries. 

Do you believe in miracles?

Joe Dumars for President

Wow!  Looks like the Pistons are about to complete a deal that will send Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson.  After last season's loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, Dumars promised that changes were coming.  And I love this trade.

It's low risk.  AI is in the last year of his contract, so if he doesn't fit in with the Pistons we will have plenty of cap space going into the season next year.  Plus we've got Rodney Stuckey waiting in the wings to take Chauncey's spot.  And my opinion stays the same.  William Clay Ford ought to hire Joe Dumars to run the Lions.

I might even write his name in on my ballot tomorrow!

Detroit Basketball

It's a familiar feeling.  The worse the Lions get, the more anxious I become for the Pistons to start playing.  Tonight they're rolling against the Wizards and well on their way to a solid 2-0 start.  Looking forward to a strong season from our veterans, and hoping to see our young guys develop.  And hopefully we get another shot at Boston in the playoffs.

A new NBA season + an extra hour of sleep = a happy blogger:)

My Fantasies

Today was a packed day back in the office after taking a few days off this week to get away with Leah. So I've been looking forward to the NFL kicking off tonight.  I'm pumped!  I'm in four fantasy football leagues this year, with...

• Some guys from class
• Guys from the church 
• My extended family (on the Leach side) 
• Some pastor friends    

Leah and I get to manage our family team together, so I'm sure that will involve many solid marriage building moments.  We already had a small debate over whether or not to start Andre Johnson or Jericho Cotchery this weekend.

I've really grown to love fantasy football over the past four years.  Not sure why, but it may have something to do with the fact that my team in real life is kind of on a bad streak recently (like for the past 50 years). 

Breaking News

Brett Favre just had breakfast.  This most likely means he will either be traded to Tampa Bay or New York since most people in both of those cities also eat breakfast.

Seriously, the media mayhem has got to end!  Watching Sportscenter these days makes me feel like Brett Favre is twittering.  I know what he is doing at all times.

Speaking of twittering, I have really tried to get into it, but honestly I'm struggling.  I can't seem to remember to update my feed throughout the day.  But I've really tried.  I even had Jeff Leake's feeds texted directly to my cell phone.  That got to be a little too much, especially for Leah, when my phone started vibrating every time he finished a meeting or went to bed.  It got to the point that I was actually worried about him if I hadn't heard from him in a few hours.  I'd tell Leah, "I really hope Jeff's okay:)"