Tuesday, 1/10

 That'll teach me to try and save a little time.

Sundays are when I usually write my Monday night thing for 19 News.  For last night's segment, though, I was planning on talking about the Packers/Lions game that had taken place the night before.  Because it was a very late game, and because I wanted to get the copy and graphics to them, I wrote it, as usual, Sunday afternoon, assuming something specific would happen and I could get away with it.

And then the Packers had to go and lose.

So early yesterday morning--VERY early yesterday morning--I had to re-write it and send it along.  I was able to salvage most of it, although I did lose a few jokes and one line I kind of liked.

But, like I said, that will teach me to work ahead and save a little time.  Since I wrote it and since it shows how writing can be fluid, given the circumstances, I'll give you both version--the air done and the unaired one.

Compare and contrast at your leisure.

(jim@wmqt.com)

AIRED VERSION--

As we’ve discussed before, we’re all Yoopers. But we’re not all the same. We try to overcome those differences, but there are two or three times a year when it’s almost impossible.

And that’s when the Packers play the Lions.

Last night, of course, was the latest epic struggle between the UP’s two “home” teams. And last night led to something that hasn’t happened much in the past six decades–the Lions won, and the Packers aren’t going to the playoffs.

If I had to guess–and this is nothing more than a guess–I’d say the UP is split 65-35 in favor of Green Bay. There are many reasons why, but let’s face it.

Green Bay’s had a lot of success over the years. The Lions?

Well, they’re the Lions. So it’s probably not a surprise that Green Bay’s more popular than Detroit across the UP.

I’m agnostic on the issue these days. However, I was raised a Lions fan, and the resultant decades of psychic pain instilled in me a deep empathy for Detroit supporters, especially during those years they flirted with or even achieved a perfect record.

Well, perfect if you consider 0 and 16 a perfect record.

Maybe that’s what makes last night so stunning. Detroit looked like a football team and the Packers? Well, at times the Packers looked like the Lions. When does that happen? And because of it, both teams are out of the playoffs.

That’s probably more of a shock to the system of Green Bay fans, for whom a playoff berth seems a birthright. But maybe they should take a cue from Lions’ fans, for whom the unofficial team motto, since 1957, has been “there’s always next year”.

So this upcoming weekend, the 65 percent of the UP who are Packer fans and the 35 percent that are Lions fans should come together, and find a new team to cheer on during the course of the playoffs.

Just as long as it’s not the Minnesota Vikings.

I’m Jim Koski, and that’s another slice of “Life in the 906”.

UNAIRED VERSION--

As we’ve discussed before, we’re all Yoopers. But we’re not all the same. We try to overcome those differences, but there are two or three times a year when it’s almost impossible.

And that’s when the Packers play the Lions.

Last night, of course, was the latest epic struggle between the UP’s two “home” teams. And it turned out like almost every epic struggle between the two the past six decades–the Packers are going to the playoffs and the Lions are going home.

If I had to guess–and this is nothing more than a guess–I’d say the UP is split 65-35 in favor of Green Bay. There are many reasons why, but let’s face it.

Green Bay’s had a lot of success over the years. The Lions?

Well, they’re the Lions. So it’s probably not a surprise that Green Bay’s more popular than Detroit across the UP.

I’m agnostic on the issue these days. However, I was raised a Lions fan, and the resultant decades of psychic pain instilled in me a deep empathy for Detroit supporters, especially during those years they flirted with or even achieved a perfect record.

Well, perfect if you consider 0 and 16 a perfect record.

Things looked like they might turn out differently this year. It looked like it might have been the year when tables turned and hell froze over. It looked like the year that Detroit might be going somewhere and Green Bay might be going home.

But the Packers did what the Packers do. They beat the Lions. They made the playoffs. And for a big chunk of the UP, life is as it should be.

And as for the Lions? Well, there’s always next year. Just like there’s always been a next year since (sigh) 1957?

So this upcoming weekend, 65 percent of the UP will be cheering on their favorite team in the playoffs, while the other 35% will sit back and wonder if maybe–just maybe–the 66th time might be the charm for theirs.

I’m Jim Koski, and that’s another slice of “Life in the 906”