Tuesday open thread: Share your favorite encounter with a Lions player

Last night I pulled into Lincoln, Nebraska a little earlier than expected in my trek across the country back to Michigan, and it gave me a little extra time to check out the site. I was happy to see the wonderful stories and pictures from Monday’s Question of the Day.

Some of the Detroit Lions swag y’all have is pretty darn neat. Loved hearing DetroitFanTVC’s story about inviting Lions players on a charter fishing trip in Mackinac and getting signed merch in return, UndaDawg’s picture of his dad and Wayne Fontes, and some other crazy stuff on Twitter, too.

So now I want to hear more. Today’s Question of the Day is:

What is your favorite personal encounter with a Lions player?

My answer: Outside of a couple interviews for this site, I only have one story about an interaction with a Lions player, and I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it before, but let me do it one more time.

Back when I was in middle school, I was with the family at Somerset Mall. Suddenly, I was petrified because standing no less than 10 feet from me was Barry Sanders. Immediately we locked eyes, and he gave me a look that I interpreted as “Is this going to be a thing?”

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t move. I want to say it was out of respect for his personal space, but it was really in paralyzing fear for being so suddenly in the presence of my idol. When he walked away without an interaction, I scrambled to my parents to tell them the news.

My dad then raced to the exit to seek him out in the parking lot, where he proceed to interrupt a makeout session between Barry and his significant other just to confirm that it was indeed him. It was. Nothing more was said.

Your turn.