Editor’s Note: Longtime Pistons fan Tom Lucier, 27, resides in Windsor, Canada, where he owns and operates an art and music themed café. Tom’s wife, Jhoan, purchased two half-season tickets for the 2006-07 season, good for more than 20 Pistons games, as a gift for her husband. Here’s what Tom had to say looking back at his first season as a Crew Member.

This first year has been amazing. It is something I’ve wanted since I first found out what season tickets were, but I thought they were exclusively for rich people. I thought it would take a year’s wages to have a ticket to every game. I can’t thank my wife enough. She just knew I loved to play basketball, and from that she began to follow the game and get the tickets. Now, she’s a die-hard, freak fan. Like sweating, unable to speak, gets very inside herself when it’s a close game in the fourth quarter. It’s like I’ve created a monster. But it’s great to have something else in common with my wife. I really owe it to her for getting the tickets.

It’s been one of those years when everyone in the media and the ESPN guys are talking about how it’s been a lackluster season, but I don’t know about that. I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit, and I don’t think it’s just because I’m sitting at the games necessarily. The Pistons were just fantastic, the road record was amazing, actually better than it was at home, which made being at the games a little bit more exciting because they were closer games.

Personally, I really enjoyed seeing Jason Maxiell make his first start. I’ve been a big fan of his since I saw him start playing in preseason. The guy reminds me so much of Ben Wallace (only with shooting touch) and it was very uplifting to see him play. The same with seeing Amir Johnson get super minutes the last three or four games. But watching Chris Webber’s debut was probably the most memorable. I was a huge Fab Five fan, so to see Webber in that first game, even though they didn’t get the win, was incredible to watch happen.

Having season tickets is just about being a more informed fan that stays on top of things and follows the importance of a particular game or matchup and the health of the players. On Wednesday I won my fantasy basketball league, beating 12 guys who probably know more about basketball than me. I feel like I know every detail of every game with these guys because I’m at The Palace so often. You just feel like you’re more of a part of what’s going on there. So that’s the advantage for me, more than having tickets all the time, just having the constant knowledge that a fly-by-night, bandwagon fan might not have.

That’s not to say I know everything. I’ve made my share of mistakes, like when Sheed hit the 64-foot shot. I was absolutely livid that Chauncey did the pump-fake, off-balance 3-point attempt instead of just pulling up and making the three. When he missed, I was like, “This game is so done, all they have to do is inbound the ball (anywhere except where they did), and it’s done.” So as soon as Chauncey missed the shot, I said, “Alright, let’s go.”

My wife was not happy, either, so we walked out and about the time we reached the Comcast Pavilion I started thinking, “If I hear screams or cheers while I’m on my way out of here, I’m going to be so angry - but it’s impossible...” Within five seconds of the thought I heard the scream. Everyone froze in their tracks and started running for the stairs (our seats are in 214). It was like a stampede. We got back to our seats, groaning about missing probably the most exciting play of the year, and at the same time we got to see this overtime win which was rewarding in itself - but I missed the best play of the year! Missing that shot is the lowlight of my year, but I almost feel good that I anticipated how rotten I’d feel if I heard that crowd cheer. I would love for my worst moment to be the best moment for the Pistons.

Tom on his way to a weekly basketball game in his now unwearable jersey, because Chauncey signed it. Courtesy Photo The small things are great, too. I think I was little taken aback by the quality of the bobbleheads. I’ve been to toy fairs in New York a few times and the bobbleheads at those events are really light, cheap plastic garbage. The ones you get at Pistons games are amazing. They’re a nice heavy quality and it feels there’s something to them. There’s a value to it that’s not usually attached to things of those nature. I don’t know how appreciated they are; hand painting 10,000 of them can’t be cheap. I wish I could have arrived there early enough to get one at every Friday game.

The problem with owning a bar or being a business owner is that something pops up and you can’t be where you want to be, which is the game. I have loads of people who want tickets to games, and when I hand them the tickets, I don’t think they realize how easy it is to see a game. They really don’t. Being in Windsor, the concept of crossing the border and then “How do you get to The Palace?” for people who don’t see shows or anything else there on a regular basis in intimidating. But they are gung-ho when they find how simple it is if you leave early enough, and I think a lot of them go to games on their own after that.

I try to get there early, though it amazes me how many people are fashionably late. My ritual is completely based around my wife getting off work, rushing to get her and getting on the road to see player introductions. For me, that’s the start of the game: the player introductions, the flames, getting fired up about the game. It’s not necessarily tipoff. Mason does such a good job with it. Mason is someone I listened to on the radio before I was a ticket holder, and he’s the man. I’ve gone to a few games in other cities, but there’s no comparison. That guy could talk all game and it would be enjoyable.

One of the things you realize as a fan sitting in the same sit every game that I find very welcoming is you get ushers who work the same doorway every time. It’s a very comforting feeling to see the same faces in certain areas, like selling the game program or concessions.

Just everyone at The Palace has been great and made this experience worth it. The people behind the scenes have been overwhelmingly warm and helpful, even calling about the opportunity to write this blog. This kind of thing is incredible for a fan, to feel the hands-on side of it. I’ve heard about how the Pistons are the most accessible team in the entire league and I can see that because I had a chance to meet Chauncey and Dupree in a player meeting after the last Indiana game. That kind of above-and-beyond thing just shows their appreciation of us. You feel very welcomed, and it’s automatic, there’s just a non-stop flow of good things coming our way. I did not expect to have anybody talking to us at all or sending us emails; I just expected to show up to games. There’s not even a question if we would come back next season - and I hope to get an upgrade, too.