ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - With the Detroit Lions' most anticipated season in years living up to the hype, many of the storylines that come with an underdog team and fandom finding success have been told.
Breaking the mold of the ‘same old Lions’ and giving a win-starved fanbase a reason to celebrate has invited all sorts of mirth in Michigan.
In Ann Arbor, one longtime fan has taken it to a whole new level - capturing the feeling he's waited decades for in one immortal drawing; a tattoo. Like many others who have watched each snap this season, Cinque Crutchfield knew something was different at the end of last season.
"We've always been fans," he said. "The way that they ended that season last year, I saw something. I knew, I knew they were going to be good this year."
There's nothing quite like having one's beliefs match reality. Though not many may have imagined just how sweet reality feels these days in Detroit.
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'Kings of the North'; Lions fan celebrates with tattoo
In Ann Arbor, one longtime fan has taken it to a whole new level - capturing the feeling he's waited decades for in one immortal drawing; a tattoo. Like many others who have watched each snap this season, Cinque Crutchfield knew something was different at the end of last season.
Crutchfield found his own way to celebrate the team's first division title in more than 30 years. He did it with his daughter, a local tattoo artist.
"I’m supporting my daughter and her craft, she’s a tattoo artist and I’m a big Lions fan," he said.
The tattoo done by the Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour on Packard Street in Ann Arbor.
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Zoe Watts likes tattooing her family. And after encouragement from her dad to pursue the profession, she found herself getting one herself because "you can’t be a tattoo artist and not have a tattoo," she said.
Coming up with a tattoo can be designed by the artist or the person receiving the ink. Or sometimes, like in Crutchfield and Watts' case, the design is done together.
"I don’t know much about football - well I knew I wanted the old English D to be in there cause I figured you gotta rep the city," said Watts.
Fans wait their whole lives to see Detroit Lions success, some over a century
Fans believe the Detroit Lions will make it to the Super Bowl after securing the NFC North division championship on Sunday.
The full process took about two hours. And the end result was not one to miss:
"With a Lion in front of it roaring kinda like on a hill top, looks like he’s standing on the D and it says King of the North which is a Game of Thrones reference," said Watts.
It's not an experience Crutchfield will forget - not after the season he's witnessed.