Entry: After being let in, we had to run through an absurd number of metal barriers to actually roam freely. (Picture a day at Cedar Point when no one is there, and to get to the roller coaster, you still have to run through a rat maze.) Turns out there was a coat check, so we could have worn our coats, but it could have cost money and as parking would cost us $14, we probably made the right financial decision by leaving the outerwear in the car. However, we were saddled with these big wet plastic ponchos, so we tried to cram 'em back into their bags. Didn't work so well. Finally, we made our way to...

The Exhibit Hall: The first things you encounter are big NFL player bodies you can put your head behind to make it look like you're a ferocious linebacker. There were long lines to get a picture behind the Steeler or Seahawk bodies, so we moved on.

The Team Photo: Amusingly, there was a life-sized photo of the entire Lions team. Fans could walk up behind the second row and "insert" themselves for a photo op. My brother strangled the Matt Millen cutout, while I stuck out my bottom lip in mockery of Joey Harrington's poor play. It was amusing to see the venom of embittered Lions fans. A kid of about 10-years-old went up behind the cutout of the Lions GM and held a sign next to his head that said "Fire Millen." Seemed everyone wanted to take a shot at the crumbling franchise. Most disturbing was the overweight woman who perched herself on Joey Harrington's shoulders, her fat thighs crushing his head. I shudder to think what would happen if such a woman would bump into the QB in a supermarket or something.

The Traveling Hall of Fame: Having been to the actual Hall of Fame, I was curious to see what they brought along. The displays are pretty typical of what you'd see in Canton, only smushed down to fit inside the smaller, portable cases. There were old-school helmets, balls and jerseys. I was amused to see NFL Championship programs from the 1950s... Turns out the Lions were good before any of us were born. Of course, that was before the NFL merged with the AFL, so it's all pretty academic. It was worth a picture, at least. In the center of the display cases was a rare jewel...

The Lombardi Trophy: This was no ordinary copy of the NFL's most coveted hardware. It was THE trophy they'd hand out the next night to the winner of Super Bowl XL. This was an extremely popular photo op. The Detroit Free Press reports this is the first NFL Experience where the Lombardi Trophy has been on display. Lucky us.

Lame Exhibits: Then we ran into something called the Reebok Locker Room. Basically, it was some kind of weird Reebok commercial in hallway form. Periodically, there would be a mock-up of NFL player lockers. At first, it seemed exciting, but it quickly became lame. Case in point: There was a locker made up as if it belonged to Chad Johnson... but it was clearly fake. How could I tell? There was no checklist of opposing DBs. From that point on, we breezed through. There was no way to tell if these things were legit or replicas. Disappointing. Up next was something cooler...

Doug Flutie: That's right. The diminutive QB was at the head of a long line, signing autographs and taking pictures. We might have waited around, but we got a glimpse of him and that was enough. Amusingly, he was wearing Boston College gear. I guess when you've played for as many NFL franchises as he has, you might as well stick with the classics. For reasons I can't recall, we didn't bother taking his picture.