Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford Stays in Town Year-Round, Turns into Leader

June 29, 2013   ·   Greg Eno   ·   Jump to comments

He jogged toward us, his eyes piercing, his face ruddy from years of playing in the NFL. The physique was still in fine form, despite having been retired for a year as a player.
My friend, Rob Polster, looked at me after the retired football player passed us, our mouths agape as he breezed by.
“Is that Wayne Walker?”
“Yes it was,” I said.
We were both about 10 years old, Rob and I. We were playing some catch outside his house, the yard of which abutted a sidewalk leading to our elementary school in Livonia. It was the spring or summer of 1974.
We had heard the rumors that Walker, the Lions linebacker who played 15 marvelous seasons in Detroit, lived in our neighborhood. But never before had those rumors been confirmed. Until now.
Walker had a mustache at that time, and to a 10-year-old, he looked like he could still play, despite his 37 years of age.
Rob and I just shook our heads and returned to playing catch. Rob wasn’t...

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