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82-year-old Lions fan says he watches games on delay to control blood pressure

phoebe wall howard, detroit free press
·3 min read

Aymour Shannon, an 82-year-old from Kingsley just southeast of Traverse City, is a lifetime Lions fan who needs to control how he watches the football games.

He can't view them live. He needs tape delay. For real.

"That helps control my blood pressure," Shannon told the Detroit Free Press. "I can't take the stress. Watching later helps."

Aymour Shannon, 82, of Kingsley is a longtime Detroit Lions fan who watches the football playoff games on delay to prevent throwing an avocado through his TV or having traumatic stress, he said. He is seen here in Frankenmuth in June 2019.
Aymour Shannon, 82, of Kingsley is a longtime Detroit Lions fan who watches the football playoff games on delay to prevent throwing an avocado through his TV or having traumatic stress, he said. He is seen here in Frankenmuth in June 2019.

Shannon can't handle Coach Dan Campbell, quarterback Jared Goff and Lions football live.

"Right after it's over, I go to the football channel, 154 on Dish, and the game starts," Shannon said. "We'll watch some hair-raising movie like 'Pretty Woman' or 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' during the game so we're relaxed. And then, after they play and they win, I'm relaxed and can enjoy the game without throwing an avocado through the (TV) screen."

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) barks signals to teammates before a snap against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of the NFC divisional round on Jan. 21 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) barks signals to teammates before a snap against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of the NFC divisional round on Jan. 21 at Ford Field in Detroit.

Still, this winning season has been a challenge, he said.

"You get all ready for them to almost lose and they pull it out at the last minute. It's so stressful," Shannon said. "You're so afraid it's not going to be forever."

Lions fans, after all, have endured decades of humiliating loss, including a 0-16 season.

"You hope the Lions are building something for the future, and winning," he said. "I've never really cared about basketball, but football and baseball, I like those. We went down to Ford Field eight or 10 years ago. That was a huge place. Makes everything look small in there."

These days, the man who grew up on a dairy farm in Owosso, whose jobs have ranged from delivering mail to working at U.S. Steel, is surrounded by pine, oak and maple trees. Shannon has two dogs, four donkeys, six cats and a horse named Guinness who is dark and stout.

Though he turns 83 next month, Shannon said he identifies as 47.

Jill and Aymour Shannon of Kingsley are Detroit Lions fans who watch the playoff football games after they've ended. It helps control stress and blood pressure, Aymour Shannon said. They are seen here in Lansing in August 2018.
Jill and Aymour Shannon of Kingsley are Detroit Lions fans who watch the playoff football games after they've ended. It helps control stress and blood pressure, Aymour Shannon said. They are seen here in Lansing in August 2018.

He has no plans to fly to California this weekend or Las Vegas if the Lions make the Super Bowl. Before the game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Shannon and his wife, Jill, plan to watch "American Graffiti" -- to hear the music and see the classic cars he knows from younger days, and to relax.

And then, half an hour after the game is finished, Shannon said he'll watch the game.

Jill Shannon, an insurance underwriter, said she usually looks up the score and sometimes reveals it to her husband as the game progresses. "But he doesn't want to know until it's done."

She said, "I really don’t know anything about football. But I do think it would be nice for our state team to make it to … the Super Bowl."

A Lions spokesman couldn't be reached for comment on how best to navigate stress during this playoff season.

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Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X at @phoebesaid

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions fan, 82, offers tip to control stress, blood pressure