This may sound strange to some, but it felt like returning home, when I romped the sidelines of Howell High School during the Highlanders District Finals game against East Kentwood.
People were friendly. They were chatty. They were welcoming.
It did not feel like home the night before at South Lyon High School. It was not the fault of the folks from South Lyon. Some clown from Dexter threatened to get me kicked off the sidelines because he said I was spying on the Dexter football team.
He questioned why I walked behind the bench and threatened to report me to the Michigan High School Athletic Association. I became enraged. I’ve walked behind and around benches for decades, not just at Howell, but at Brighton, Sterling Heights Stevenson, Detroit Cass Tech and Warren DeLaSalle.
My job is not to spy. It is to uncover stories that are interesting to the public, players and moms and dads.
The man said he didn’t care how long I’ve done this. How many schools I’ve walked the sidelines with. I was not to do it with Dexter High School. After giving him a piece of my mind which essentially was me saying I am not standing in the cold to spy on a high school football team. I have better things to do.
I stood my ground. He eventually went away.
The following day I wondered if it would happen again. Would some clown from Howell accuse me of being a spy. It didn’t happen. Instead, I had a fun conversation with a member of the Howell Police Department. Howell coaches said how appreciative they are of WHMI game day coverage.
One guy wanted to know if my kids were still in school. (They are not. They are working in Los Angeles and New York). It was a pleasant day outside of Howell losing its district finals game to East Kentwood.
Howell coach Brian Lewis said he was appreciative of me of giving Howell a chance and embracing the community.
I even get nods from players who recognize me as a face on the sidelines at their games.
Howell felt like home.