Page 5 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

LIONS, Continued from page 3 ing lot every day. Now, don’t get me
wrong, these friends of mine are
when Scott got off the field, he would good at their jobs—and they grind
strip down, he would put his equip- through it. But they don’t feel the way
ment inside that bag, and he would I feel. And that’s the biggest perk
go shower, get dressed, and then he right there.
would leave. So, then we [equipment
staff] load all those bags up in the CC: What’s an unfortunate
truck, bring them from Ford Field downside?
back to Allen Park [Lions Practice Fa- TO: You need everyone in the
cility], and then we would set Scott’s building to have a 100% commit-
locker up back here at Allen Park. ment to winning, so it’s a lot of time
And then—besides doing all the laun- away from my wife. Most of the peo-
dry, we’d clean his helmet, clean his ple here have families, and they miss
shoulder pads, and sanitize all that a lot of things—dance recitals and T-
for him. So, a lot of times, players ball games—and that’s a hard thing.
don’t even know that goes on. It’s a little less for me because my
wife and I don’t have children. But I
CC: So, wait. You do all the do miss a lot of time with my wife.
above with a staff of only five peo-
ple? That seems nearly possible. CC: Now, let’s switch gears for a
TO: Yeah, it’s a lot of hours. When moment and pivot to personal
the season starts, we don’t get a day stuff. How did you end up moving
off. You just grind it out. Again, to Wayne, and when?
you’ve really got to love this. TO: When we first got here
“I think the biggest perk for me is…Happiness. I have so many [Michigan], we were living in an
CC: Now, take me through a typi- apartment in Dearborn and had
cal day of practice at the Lions Prac- friends that go to work and—at this point in their career—they’re some friends we had known from
tice Facility in Allen Park… burned out. I truly love pulling into this parking lot every day.” Green Bay that lived in Canton…so
TO: Our week runs Wednesday we started looking at condos out
through Monday. Wednesday and Tim O’Neill there. But then people started to tell
Thursday are heavier days for the us to be careful of where you are in
players—there’s a walk-through nouncer] will say, “This running classrooms: One side has chairs, Canton—too far west—there’s a lot
practice, lunch, and then a main back was running 20 mph on that whiteboards, and an overhead pro- of traffic.
practice in the afternoon; on Friday long TD run…” All that’s generated jector—like a defensive classroom So, then, my wife and I started
there’s only one practice; Saturday is by people way smarter than me, but and an offensive classroom. And by doing lots of driving around. And we
kind of a lighter day—and then you we put all the chips in those shoul- now, the National Anthem is playing. drove past where we now live—and
either travel or players will have der pads in the morning. You men- Once the game starts, we [equipment there was a for sale sign in the win-
their pre-game meeting; Sunday you tioned how carpet tape helped Scott. staff] watch it differently, I’m watch- dow. We wrote down the address and
play; on Monday there’s review; and Well, now, we use a real fine Velcro— ing for things like Is he messing with looked at photos of the property on-
then Tuesday the players are off—al- like really fine sandpaper—and the his chin strap? or Is he fumbling line. We loved the location. Our real-
though, you know how it is, most material the jerseys are made of now with his cleat? Sometimes a face- tor got on it, and one thing led to
players are still here on Tuesday to is different. It’s much more of a per- mask might get bent. You really have another. I really like Wayne. We’re so
watch film, or do some kind of rehab formance-nylon material than when to pay attention. When the game fortunate that it worked out. It was
or recovery—cryotherapy and float Scott played—in his era it was that ends, one of my guys will get a kind of like dumb luck. And we
tanks are a big thing now. But our diamond mesh [material]. It just flatbed cart and load up all the stuff couldn’t be happier.
day starts at 6 a.m.—I’ll get in a little works better than the tape does. So, on the sidelines—video equipment,
earlier than that—and on Wednesday also in the morning, we apply that headsets, etc. and take it to our CC: Let’s say you’re given a
and Thursday we’ll leave around 7 Velcro to the jerseys of half the roster. truck. Then, we’ll help players get week off from work and you have
p.m. Players will then start trickling in, their jerseys off, clean the locker the capacity to go anywhere and
and then, we’ll manage different room, load the trucks and take do anything. Where are you going,
CC: Now, contrast the above things the players may need. We’ll everything back to Allen Park. And and what are you doing?
with Sunday—game day—at Ford clean and wipe down cleats, if need when we get here, we have about an- TO: Oh, boy. We don’t have any
Field… be, because with HGTV, we’re real other four hours of work here, set- family here. My family is a little
TO: I’ll have all my guys go right conscious of how things look. Then ting the players’ lockers back up, spread out—I grew up in Chicago,
to Ford Field, but I’ll stop here at we’ll head down to the field, test doing the laundry, and starting the but my folks retired in Cincinnati,
Allen Park because it’s on my way in. equipment, and make sure all the sanitization process. and I’ve got an older sister there. So,
I’ll run a load of laundry from late batteries are charged. And from we would probably go there or
Saturday, pick up any items that a there, we help the big men—the line- CC: What’s an unforeseen perk maybe to Wisconsin to see some of
player may have left behind, and I’ll men—get their jerseys on because of your position as head equip- her family.
be down to Ford Field by 7 a.m. it’s a process now. I’m sure Scott has ment manager?
There are GPS chips that go into all told you. It’s not like you can just TO: I think the biggest perk for CC: Thank you so much for
the shoulder pads these days—so all slip those things on. Some of my me is…Happiness. I have so many your time today and best of luck
the player participation is tracked. If guys are go out on the field to help; friends that go to work and—at this for a great season.
you watch the game, there’s a thing a couple stay upstairs. Then, we set point in their career—they’re burned TO: No problem. I’m looking for-
called Next Gen Stats. And [an an- the locker room up, almost like two out. I truly love pulling into this park- ward to the season ahead.
The Wayne Dispatch · September 2021 · 5