photo courtesy: Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD)
If you live in Seattle, chances are you know who Lorin “Big Lo” Sandretzky is. And now that he has added to his tattoo collection with a Clint Dempsey image on his neck, chances are you’ll soon know the name no matter where you live.
For those who don’t know, “Big Lo” is considered as the biggest Seattle sports fan in their history and even has a business card to prove it. In 2005, he was featured in a Seattle Times article. He has been mentioned by Lou Piniella in a press conference, is acknowledged by players frequently, attends every Seattle Seahawks game, had season tickets to the Supersonics and since the franchise came to the city, he attends Seattle Sounders games too.
In fact, it was at one of these games that Sandretzky actually told Dempsey that he would be the first soccer player to be added to the tattoo collection. Even as he looked at Sandretzky’s tattoo-loaded arms, Dempsey probably thought he was joking.
But when it comes to his teams, Big Lo never jokes. He made true on his promise to Dempsey. Unfortunately, the tattoo may not have come out as he hoped.
In what is now sure to be a viral image, the picture of Dempsey, which the player will soon see, looks absolutely nothing like him. And then there is the issue of the head floating on top of a pair of cleats. I get that he is a soccer player, but nothing about that image makes any sense and nothing about it looks good. Placement wasn’t exactly in the best area either as Dempsey and his cleats will now be the first thing anybody sees when they look at Big Lo’s massive neck.
But while others might get a tattoo like this ironically or as a way to get noticed, Sandretzky did it because this is what he does. He already has a tattoo of Seattle Mariners superstar Felix Hernandez, which he actually got the “King” to sign himself. The Dempsey tattoo is one of many and just another way in which Seattle’s biggest sports fan shows his love for his teams and their players.
So make fun all you want, and trust me the tattoo is bad enough that people will, but you have to give the man credit. Diehard sports fans like himself should be commended because after all, not everyone is so brave and so bold to get a tattoo of a player’s head, which ended up looking nothing like the player, on their own neck of all places. And the addition of the cleats quite simply makes this a tattoo that no one who sees it is soon to forget. But when it comes down to it, Big Lo is certainly never going to be a forgettable guy.
Marilee Gallagher is a baseball writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow her on Twitter @MGallagher17 like her page on Facebook, or join her network on Google.
