Artist Kim Fox sits among the 32 NFL team logos she created for the 2026 NFL Draft. (Photo by Matt Dayak)
I discovered Pittsburgh-area Kim Fox thanks in large part to former Conversations’ guest, Brian Fowler (S:5, E:26). Brian, of course, is the Las Vegas Raiders fan who broke a pair of Guiness World Records last season for attending the most NFL regular-season games in a season and fastest to see a game in all 32 stadiums.
Fowler was attending the 2026 NFL Draft and posted a video of the artist who created the 32 NFL logos that lined the corridor from the green room to the stage during this year’s draft in Pittsburgh. (See the video here on Instagram.)
That artist was Fox.
The more I discovered about Fox, her process, and her backstory, the more I hoped she’d be willing to join me on a future episode of Conversations. To my delight – and soon, yours! – she said yes.
During our time together we discover how she, at first, thought the contact from the NFL was a scam, how she went about sourcing the materials for her work, and how the team she worked with from the NFL could not have been any more accommodating.
The Cleveland Browns logo.
The Buffalo Bills logo.
The Detroit Lions logo.
A rough build of the New Orleans Saints’ logo.
Fox also shared what sports has meant to her throughout her life, growing up in southwest Pennsylvania, the impact of a family move to central Florida, and her ultimate decision to return to the Pittsburgh area.
You’re able to follow Kim and her work on Instagram (@workerbird) and visit her website (workerbird.com) where she has an entire section dedicated to her 2026 NFL Draft work.
Among my former guests on Conversations was been Craig Caswell (S:2, E:16), the Ohioan who wanted to see all 364 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Teams play in person. He then set off in pursuit of that goal and, thanks to spreadsheets, careful planning, and an understanding spouse (not to mention an unusual Hawaii Rainbows trip to Champaign-Urbana for a game) he accomplished his goal.
Similar to Craig, the Basketball Mavens (S:3, E:12) decided it was their mission to maximize the Madness each March so they set off on a goal to see all the Round of 64 and Round of 32 games at a pair of geographically close sites, then attend the three games at a Regional, before ending their annual hoops travel at the Final Four. Over 600 NCAA games later, the Mavens are still going strong.
It should come as no surprise, then, that when I learned about Las Vegas Raiders’ fan Brian Fowler‘s desire to establish a pair of new GuinnessWorld Record for most NFL games attended in a regular season as well as the fastest to see a game in each stadium, you just knew I wanted to speak to him.
I’m happy to report both Brian and my missions have been accomplished.
He had both of his record attempts certified by Guinness (56 games in one NFL regular season shattered the previous mark of 33 and spectating in all 32 stadiums took him a scant 72 days, 20 hours, and 56 minutes). And, in this episode, I’m delighted to share my Conversation with Brian.
He discusses not only his sports fan origin story, but also how he came to love the Raiders and why, exactly, he decided to pursue these two records and what it was like pulling off the feat.
Brian Fowler is a 2-time Guinness World Record holder and a fine Conversationalist.
Watch Brian light the Al Davis Memorial Torch prior to his 56th and final regular-season game at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
The home page of Joe Flynn’s Fantasy Football for Good 2025 Draft Guide.
A couple months ago I read former Conversations’ guest, Matthew Barry’s (S:4, E:52), terrific newsletter, Heart of a Fan and featured in that particular edition was a fella named Joe Flynn.
Joe, I discovered, works in the non-profit field and is also a big – really big – sports fan. His obsession each fall is fantasy football.
So when he learned about and had an opportunity to enroll in George Washington University’s Sports Philanthropy professional certificate program he didn’t hesitate.
The results were some life-changing networking opportunities for Joe and a capstone project that led me to contacting him about joining Conversations. His final project for the course was to create a Fantasy Football Draft Guide. However, this was no ordinary draft guide, it was the 2025 Fantasy Football Draft Guide for Good which compiled 180 NFL offensive stars and shares not just their on-field statistics but also those off-field statistics in the charitable and non-profit world.
It’s a fascinating concept and one that Joe’s already working on updating for 2026. As Joe himself likes to say, “The ultimate goal of the draft guide is to highlight the human under the helmet so hopefully you can use it to learn a little bit more about who’s on your team this year.”
If I were to get back into the fantasy football game, I believe I’d use Joe’s draft guide to help direct my decisions on draft day. Maybe you will as well.
One of Shamit’s favorite spectator sports is MotoGP.
I dive into the wayback machine for this episode of Conversations, tapping a long-ago work colleague of my wife, Carol, from her days at the old Gateway Computerstores.
Shamit Desai and Carol both worked at the Gateway store in Roseville, MI, at the turn of the 21st Century and, as life happens, sort of went down separate paths after their time together.
Shamit wound up in Washington, DC, London, Hong Kong, and India (twice!), which is where I caught up with him for this long overdue catch up on his life as a sports fan.
To say Shamit’s fan life is varied would be a tremendous understatement!
We talk about his introduction to American sports in the greater Houston area upon arriving as a youth with his family, his fondness for Hakeem Olajuwon, attending an Oilers’ game in the Astrodome, and then about his eventual move to the Detroit area where, as a parking valet at a downtown hotel, he had opportunities to hob-nob with many sports legends.
He loves all motor sports so there’s plenty of auto – and motorcyle – discussion and, of course, cricket, which he is actively playing as a bowler for a local team. Much like previous guest, Nikhil Kulkarni, Shamit oozes patience in attempting to continue educating me on the rules of the game.
In the NFC, West Division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks, square off in the Pacific Northwest where Seattle’s vaunted 12s will, no doubt be a factor (game time, 6:30 p.m. EST).
Meanwhile, in the AFC, the New England Patriots visit the Denver Broncos in what will be the team’s third all-time meeting in the AFC Championship. Like this one, each of the previous two have been played in Denver’s mile high elevation (game time, 3 p.m. EST).
The Broncos won each of the previous two meetings (26-16 on January 19, 2014, and 20-18 on January 24, 2016) with a certain Hall of Fame quarterback (and current pitchman for various products!) named Peyton Manning leading the way.
That will, decidedly, not be the case this year, as the Broncos’ will be led into their – potentially – penultimate game of the season by Jarrett Stidham, a sixth year pro with a total of 20 games played and just four starts (the last coming in 2023).
This week’s #FanTeaser image was captured immediately following the Broncos’ 2016 victory over the Patriots when Manning and Tom Brady were visiting near midfield.
New England’s Tom Brady and Denver’s Peyton Manning talk following Denver’s 20-18 AFC Championship victory in Denver on January 24, 2016. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Is this photo of my friend Rob and I suitable for framing? Some might say it is.
The last time I saw a Detroit Lions’ home football game was November 28, 1996.
The Lions hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in their annual Thanksgiving Day Game at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Chiefs, led by a pair of Marcus Allen touchdowns (his 111th and 112th of his career which passed Walter Payton for the NFL record), won the game, 28-24.
I remember this game because it was my friend Rob’s bachelor party and a bunch of fellas attended in advance of his wedding the next evening.
It only seemed like deja vu because our other friend, Mike, did the whole Lions’ Thanksgiving-Day-game-bachelor-party-thing the year prior when the Lions bested the Minnesota Vikings, 44-38.
In the years since – also known, largely, as the “Dark Ages for Detroit Lions’ Football” – I did my viewing of the hometown professional football team from the comfort of my living room sofa or a few select road games where I either met friends or checked some stadiums off my list: Once in Green Bay’s Lambeau Field for a 28-6 Lions’ loss; once in Denver for a 20-16 Lions’ loss; once in Arizona for a 17-10 Lions’ loss; and, mercifully, once in Dallas for a 47-9 Lions’ win.
That said, when it came time to determine which 80 would be on my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events list you could have bet the house that a Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day Game was going to be on it.
Securing Tickets
Thankfully, this was a home game for me. Sleep in my own bed. Drive in my own car.
Lions’ tickets, however, are not what they once were e.g. abundant and cheap.
With the move 23 seasons ago from the cavernous Silverdome (capacity 80,311) downtown to the relatively cozy confines of Ford Field (65,000) and a team that suddenly – and rather miraculously – learned how to be competitive in the NFL, Lions’ tickets have been H-O-T. For an occasion such as Thanksgiving Day with division rival Green Bay coming to town, these were some in-demand tickets.
Luckily, I knew a guy;-)
My friend Rob (and not the one whose bachelor party was in the Silverdome 29 years ago) is a long-standing Lions’ season-ticket holder and when I shared my vision for the Around the World project he seemed all-too-willing to support the effort and sell me one of his tickets at face value. His only request was that he be my wingman a couple days later for the Michigan-Ohio State game at Michigan Stadium (more on that event next time).
Sold!
No hotel expense, free parking at a downtown casino, face-value ticket cost … this event was trending toward an under budget experience.
Joining the Parade
The Mother Goose float, a staple in America’s Thanksgiving Parade, since 1924 heads toward me on Woodward Avenue.
While there may be nooks and crannies around the city of Detroit that afford free parking for major events, there is only one has free parking 24/7 365 days a year: The MGM Grand Detroit Parking Garage.
While it’s not located right next to the city’s major venues (Ford Field, Comerica Park, and Little Caesars Arena), it’s close enough that it’s not a taxing walk to get to any of the above and, as they say, the price is right.
I met Rob, his wife, Jaime, daughter, Cameron, and brother, Justin, in the garage and we began the nearly one mile walk to Ford Field.
When it came time to cross Woodward Avenue – Detroit’s main street – we had to dodge floats from America’s Thanksgiving Parade to get from one side to the other. So, for a moment, I guess I was in the parade.
Paying Homage to Barry
Me and Barry (with a Robert Porcher and Wayne Fontes photo bomb) outside Ford Field. (Photo by Rob Byrd)
I dare say Detroit’s Hall of Fame running back, Barry Sanders, has never purchased a beverage – adult or otherwise – in this region since he abruptly walked away from the game on the eve of training camp in 1999.
If any Lions’ player is statue worthy, it’d be Barry.
And, finally, the Lions’ did the right thing in September 2023 when they unveiled a Sanders’ statue in front of Ford Field.
Having never been to a Lions’ game at Ford Field and no event there since the statue was dedicated, I’d not seen it.
Consider it seen and homage paid.
First-time for a Ford Field Lions’ Game
Clockwise from upper left, a showcase devoted to current Lions’ edge, Aidan Hutchinson, is found in the Detroit Lion Archives area; the Christmas trip was up and resplendent in Honolulu Blue and Silver decor; this Jahmyr Gibbs mural is see along a concourse; the entrance into the Archives area; the former Ford Field message board ring is now along the concourse; items from Lem Barney, left, and Yale Lary are found in the Archives area; the 2nd Level Concourse was poppin’ over an hour before kickoff.
While I’d never seen a Lions’ game in Ford Field, I had been in the venue, previously. Once for a concert (U2), twice for a high school marching band competitions, once for what was then the Motor City Bowl, and once for a facility tour.
So before we visited our seats, Rob took me for a walk around the venue which, as you might imagine, was festooned in Honolulu Blue and Silver for the occasion.
Along the way Rob pointed out how the facility repurposed the old message board ribbon that used to ring the stadium. It now serves as a live scoreboard for both the Lions and other games along some of the concourses. We were able to see the giant Christmas tree that was fully decorated near one of the entrances and was a hot spot for folks to get pictures and, nearby, we took a moment to hear from the Honolulu Boom, the Lions’ drum line which was performing in the area. Finally, we moved through the 2nd Level Concourse that featured a large open-air space between the seating and the old Hudson Warehouse which was a major piece of the original design of the facility. It included theBlitz (a dining spot that’s also open for lunch weekdays) as well as a DJ spinning tunes and plenty of spots get a cooling beverage, sit, and visit.
Additionally, the concourses featured plenty of large murals of current Lions’ players and a special area known as the Detroit Lions Archives, which serves as a repository of team artifacts, past and present.
Settling In
My view of Ford Field for Thanksgiving Day.
Rob’s seats were positioned in the corner of the endzone to the upper right of the Lions’ logo as you watch games on television.
It was a terrific spot to see the action … all of the action.
Players emerged from the tunnel directly opposite from where we sat, we were facing the Lions’ sidelines (the Packers, while closer, had their backs to us), and we had a great view of the video board.
All-in-all, no complaints with the place. Sightlines seem fabulous from what appears to be every seat in the house and the upper levels don’t rise to the heights (and distance from the field) that some other stadiums do. And the acoustics, as I’ll mention in a moment, aren’t too shabby either.
The Game
From left, the field during “The Star-Spangled Banner;” saw this fella at the concession stand; the Packers’ scrimmage from deep in Lions’ territory late in the first half; the home fans adhered to the scoreboard operator’s request when the Lions were on offense.
As you might imagine, for it being a holiday and all, fans were in a festive mood on the way into Ford Field. Myriad holiday-themed outfits being donned, plenty of Honolulu Blue and Silver, but also no shortage of the Green and Gold from the visitors from the west.
The Lions, a team that a season ago went 15-2 and then washed out in the Divisional round of the NFC playoffs, were up and down to the moment. Having not won consecutive games in seven weeks. They were 7-4, coming of an outlandish overtime victory over the New York Giants, and in the midst of a 3-game homestand.
A win against Green Bay would catapult the Lions over the Packers and keep them in the hunt for the NFC North title.
Well, we all now know how this went:-(
Detroit’s star receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, was injured during Detroit’s first offensive series, did not return and, consequently, the Lions’ offense took a while to find itself. Meanwhile, Green Bay jumped to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Playing without two offensive line starters as well, and facing Green Bay with early-September acquistion Michah Parsons fully integrated, Lions quarterback Jared Goff seemed rushed most of the day.
Detroit failed on a pair of fourth down conversions during the second half and that fairly well doomed it to not having quite enough oomph to get the victory. Even so, had the defense managed to stop Green Bay on a 4th-and-3 with just under two minutes left in the game there would have been an opportunity to tie it in the waning minutes. Jordan Love found Dontayvion Wicks for 16 yards to put the game on ice, 31-24.
A Halftime Highlight!
My view of the Jack White halftime performance on Thanksgiving Day.
Metro Detroit was abuzz much of the preceding two weeks after it was announced that Detroit native and hip-hop legend, Eminem, would be helping produce the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving Day halftime show.
What would he have in store for fans and television audiences this year? Would he be performing?
My friend Rob shared with me on the way to the game that he and his daughter were going to be part of the halftime show, selected among the group of a few hundred fans who rushed the stage on the field as the peformance was set to begin. They even had a rehearsal of sorts earlier in the week to work on positioning and choreography. (Nothing, it seems, is left to chance!)
For those who are fans (which I am one), White did not disappoint. He started with a scorching rendition of “That’s How I’m Feeling,” moved into “Hello Operator,” and then welcomed Eminem to the stage – to the delight of the crowd – who sampled “Till I Collapse.”
And was there any doubt how White would finish this peformance? His stadium anthem which is played the world over at sporting events big and small, “Seven Nation Army,” closed out his time in front of his home town.
Later, when Rob and Cameron made it back to their seats, we queried on whether they knew Eminem would be appearing. Either they’re gifted liars or like the rest of us were unaware until he popped up onstage.
Rob, who stood stage right, said he did notice a bit of commotion to his left before Eminem ran up on the stage and only later realized that it was likely a hoodied singer and his people the getting rapper into position to surprise everyone.
The beginning of Jack White’s stadium anthem, “Seven Nation Army.”
Postscript
As I write these reflections in mid-January, nearly two months following my visit to Ford Field, we now know how the Lions’ season finished. They never did win consecutive games again and limped to the finish line (quite literally) with a 9-8 record and finished in the basement of the NFC North.
I’ll take the glass is half full approach on the topic. With injuries to the secondary and the offensive line stacking up like salmon who finished their swim upstream to spawn, it was not – in my opinion – a team built for a deep playoff run. I’ll take the fourth place schedule in 2026 as well as a slightly earlier draft slot.
I’ll also take some fond memories of my first home Lions’ experience in nearly 30 years.
The hour was getting late, but the fans hung in until the bitter end (for both this game and the season). (Photo by Jaime Byrd)
There have been plenty of epic finishes to NFL playoff games through the years, but few have been as improbable as the one known as the “Music City Miracle” which occurred in Nashville 26 years ago this weekend.
Buffalo Bills’ kicker, Steve Christie, gave the visitors a 16-15 lead when he nailed a 41-yard fourth quarter attempt with 16 seconds remaining.
The Bills chose to pooch kick and it was fielded short by Tennessee Titans running back, Lorenzo Neal. He got the ball to tight end Frank Wycheck who – per the designed play, known as “Home Run Throwback” – tossed it across the field to wide receiver Kevin Dyson who proceeded to scamper – untouched! – 75 yards for the score. Titans’ kicker Al Del Greco added the point after to make the final, 22-16.
Tennessee Titan tight end Frank Wycheck keeps the “Music City Miracle” alive during Wildcard Weekend against the Buffalo Bills on January 8, 2000. (Photo YouTube Screen Grab)
A few curiosities about the circumstances of this play:
First, despite having just achieved a first down and gotten out of bounds in so doing, the Bills chose to send Christie out for the field goal on first down with 20 seconds remaining.
Second, Dyson was not a Tennessee special teams member and had almost no familiarity with “Home Run Throwback.” As such, he received a tutorial from Titans head coach Jeff Fisher on the sidelines just beforehand. Dyson was only on the field because primary return man Derrick Mason was injured earlier in the game and backup returner, Anthony Dorsett, was dealing with cramps.
Third, the Bills had sustained quite a few injuries on defense and sought volunteers to cover the kick. Several players on the field for Buffalo had limited or no special teams experience during the season and failed to maintain their lane integrity during the kick coverage.
Fourth, Wycheck’s throwback to Dyson was deemed a lateral by officials on the field and was upheld during a replay review, though many in Buffalo likely still argue the ball went forward. What do you think? This video aims to prove it was a clean lateral.
And, as you’ve no doubt deduced, there’s no video this week because, well, the NFL locks their stuff down. The best I can do is offer a link to the play here with the Titans’ radio crew on the call.
Tennessee went on to defeat both the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl XXXIV where it lost to the St. Louis Rams, 23-16, when the Titans’ Dyson was stopped one yard short of the goal line the game’s final play in another fantastic finish known as “The Longest Yard.”
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
In a stroke of advertising campaign brilliance (in my opinion, at least), the folks at Nike launched the “Bo Knows” advertisements for its line of cross-training shoes in 1989 when Bo Jackson became the first modern athlete to play both Major League Baseball and NFL in the same season. Jackson played in both leagues during the 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 seasons before he suffered a football career-ending hip injury when tackled following a 34-yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 13, 1991. He eventually played three more seasons in the Majors for both the Chicago White Sox and California Angels before retiring.
The Nike poster from the “Bo Knows” advertising campaign. He was a man for all seasons.
The first advertisement in the campaign (seen in the video below at left) featured Jackson playing a variety of sports with other professional Nike-sponsored athletes commenting on what Bo knew (or did not) know. It ends with him playing guitar – badly – along with legendary blues guitarist, Bo Diddley, who delivers the commercial’s final line, “Bo, you don’t know Diddley!”
The second advertisement (seen in the video below at left) was all about Bo. He appeared in various gear depicting him not just as a baseball and football player, but also basketball, hockey, sprinter, surfer, tennis, jockey, cyclist, and soccer player. It’s from this phase of the campaign that the poster used for this week’s Fan Teaser originated. As you’ll see in the enlarged portion below, all of the sports that Bo knew are printed in the background of all the outfitted Bos.
A close up of the poster.
It seemed a great time to use something Bo Jackson-themed for the Fan Teaser as he was part of the trivia question included near the end of Fan Teaser Week 164Solution: Who are the only two Heisman Trophy winners to play Major League Baseball?
Jackson, of course, is one. The other was Ohio State University halfback, Vic Janowicz, who won the 1950 Heisman before playing two seasons as a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1953-54) before embarking on a 2-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins (1954-55).
Just one Fan Teaser reader responded with the correct answer, Jerry Hill (aka my father), so now I need to figure out what his prize is going to be.
Maybe Bo knows what it should be;-)
The original “Bo Knows” commercial.
And the sequel.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
With the Canadian Football League‘s 112th Grey Cup scheduled for Sunday evening in Winnipeg, we figured, let’s take the #FanTeaser to the great white north.
A case has been made – and who are we to argue it!?! – that Boston College product Doug Flutie is the greatest players in the history of the CFL.
If Flutie, in fact, is the greatest to ever play north of the American border, it was a circuitous route to the that top spot.
A 4-year quarterback at BC, Flutie capped his career by winning both the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award his senior year. That was also the season he capped an improbable comeback against the Miami Hurricanes the Friday after Thanksgiving by launching a 48-year “Hail Mary” to Gerard Phelan in the game’s closing seconds to deliver the Eagles a 47-45 victory.
Flutie was selected in the 1985 territorial draft by the New Jersey Generals of the long-since-defunct USFL and wound up signing the most lucrative professional football contract at the time (five years/$7 million). The Los Angeles Rams later drafted him in the 11th round of the 1985 NFL Draft.
Flutie lasted but one season with the Generals because the league folded. The Rams traded his rights mid-season in 1986 to the Chicago Bears for a passel of draft picks. He played abley in place of an injured Jim McMahon. The Bears traded him to the New England Patriots prior to the start of the 1987 season.
Flutie crossed the picket line to but wound up only playing one game during this first season back in the northeast. He came off the bench a year later to lead New England to a 6-3 mark as starter before being benched himself. He saw limited action in 1989 and was released by the Patriots.
With no NFL takers, Flutie cast his gaze northward and signed with the CFL’s BC Lions in Vancouver. He spent two seasons in BC, the next four with the Calgary Stampeders, and his final two CFL seasons with the Toronto Argonauts.
Quarterback Doug Flutie amid the snowflakes for the Toronto Argonauts in Canadian Football League’s 84th Grey Cup in Hamilton, ON. (Photo by Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)
During those eight seasons he established the franchise record at each stop for single-season passing attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns. All but one (the completions in Toronto) still stand.
He won six Most Outstanding Players Awards (including four straight) during his eight seasons in Canada, he led his team to the CFL Grey Cup on fours occasions and won three of those (1992, 1996, and 1997). The Argonauts’ back-to-back titles is just one of two back-to-back winners since 1982 (the Montreal Alouettes turned the trick in 2009 and 2010). He was named the Grey Cup’s MVP in each of his three victories.
A possible rival emerged around the turn of the 21st Century in the form of fellow quarterback Anthony Calvillo who, over 19 CFL seasons, threw for nearly 80,000 yards, 455 touchdowns, and led the Alouettes to three Grey Cup titles and won three CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards.
For his part, Flutie returned to the NFL where he played nine more seasons for the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, and, again, with the Patriots. He earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1998 with the Bills, leading them to a 7-3 record as a starter.
The condensed version of 1996’s 84th CFL Grey Cup aka the “Snow Bowl.”
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Tim Walker, at left, his mate Ali, and I, during the River Plate-San Martin match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 31, 2025. (Photo by Tim Parker)
One of the many enjoyable aspects of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project is the ability to meet and interact with various folks along the way.
Sure, I’m traveling or attending events with people I have longstanding relationships with, but the individuals I’ve been able to meet along the way are vital characters in any film that’s being created in my own mind;-)
I first met Tim over an empanada, a couple slices of pizza, and a glass of Malbec at Buenos Aires’ El Cuartito before he and I attended the Argentine Primera Divison soccer match between River Plate and San Martin.
The more I spoke to Tim and his mate, Ali, the more intrigued I was with his story. A native Englander, he relocated to the Denver area over 20 years ago and now resides in St. Petersburg, FL. In addition to traveling to far-flung locales for soccer matches, I was able to learn he was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the LSU Tigers and rode his bicycle to Tampa Bay Rays games when Tropicana Field was still a thing.
What I did not know during that brief interaction was how widely he’d traveled and how many absolutely stellar sports fan experiences he’d had.
Have I got some wonderful news for you … Tim joins me this week on Conversations and in addition to enjoying his British accent, he shares many of those stories with us.
