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2009 Lions: First painful year of the Schwartz era
I said all that in 4 lines. Just scroll down a bit. The only thing I left out is Levy on the list of holes filled by the last draft. So thanks for elaborating.
I will take a second to offer a reason John stays away for days at a time. Sure he's busy but why would he want to answer anything anyway from some of these idiots? I guess I should feel sorry for those with mental illness. Good luck John, I hope the News has a fat Holiday bonus for you. This forum must seem like a pennance...next time have some errand boy, newbie answer in your place. I promise they'll never know the difference. Peace.
No, my excuse for staying away this week was/is a house full of 103-degree temps.
Bashing the Lions; waste of time
Why continue to state what everyone can see on the field. No one will listen. Troy Aikman was 1-15 his rookie season. It will take more than one draft and off season to change the organization. Millen blew it up for 8 years. This team is way better than last year and filled major holes with Stafford Delmas and Pettigrew. Lions fans need what ran out years ago...patience. It is our reality just accept it!
You're right, but can't blame fans for a lack of patience -- or for being skeptical that this franchise will eventually get it right.
GM hat
John,
To argue your point, subpar quarterbacks go hand in hand with a weak offensive line. They wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't running for their lives. Hate to admit this but Kitna could move the team when he was upright. He turned to garbage when pressured.
How do guys like Damian Woody and Kyle Kosier flourish after leaving Detroit and a guard like Rick Demulling blow after he arrived? The Lions O-line still suffers from the loss of Andolsek and Utley. They have been playing with a patchwork group of second stringers ever since. Bring back Kevin Glover...it was like watching Junk Yard Dog with pads nothing like jobber Raiola. Have a good night.
GM hat
John,
What are the only constants over this era of putrid Lions football? Backus at LT, Raiola at C, and Hanson kicking. Hanson aside, as the GM wouldn't you realize these two positions are in need of an upgrade? Backus has been average to below average his whole career and the little engine that couldn't Raiola is better at yelling at fans than opening holes. What would you do as GM? Feel free to rip them because their W-L record over time calls for dismissal.
To play devil's advocate here, what does that say about the rest of them that weren't good enough to stick around? I'd argue the constant that has caused the most problem in recent years (not incl. Mr. Millen) is the constant shuffling of subpar QBs, not to mention the annual roster purge in the secondary and, maybe even more important, the laundry list of head coaches and philosophies that have come in an out of the door.
I'm not saying the Lions don't need to go find a young LT to go with their rookie QB, but I just think people go overboard a bit with those two guys being easy, obvious targets.
Another season over...fans unite, look at Cleveland
John,
Thanks for hanging in there and for the responses. How can you let an 0-7 team deficate in your kitchen then turn around and tell you to clean it up beeaahhhch! Last year we all knew Marinelli and co. were garbage. All the turnover of coaches and players and it is still trash.
Piss on Eddie Shore, piss on old time hockey....your playin like a bunch of pu$$ies. Classic scene that fits the Lions. I like what Cleveland fans are planning for Monday Night. Lions should do the same for the Nov. 22 game ironically against the Browns. But make it the 1st quarter!
Today officially became next year. Good work John.
Those fan protests rarely work. But honestly, the empty seats did send a message last season -- Ford Sr. acknowledged that when he sat down with a few of us back in June. And the message is still being sent. They'll have barely 40,000 for three of their home games this year -- WAS, STL and probably CLE. We'll see about the Bears finale.
A long way away
That's all Detroit could come up with after two weeks to prepare? What a step backward! They showed the league that they are still a solid bottom feeder. There only hope for a second win is against Cleveland. The best thing about this loss gives Detroit the edge on next years draft board if they tie with the Rams. Oh yeah fire Stan Kwan!
The question to you John is when will you ask the News to change your assignment?
I've seen it through this far, so no sense bailing now. (Officially 1-22 on the beat, in case you'd lost count.)
Another rough one for Kwan, yes. When the opposing kicker's calling you out for being predictable, that's probably not a good sign of job security.
I do think they'll beat Cleveland. But I also thought they'd win today. Cleveland and San Fran were the other two wins I gave them to put them at 4-12 for the season.
Odds and Ends
John,
Well guess what, on my Madden game my Lions lost a close one they should have won so to shake it up I played the next game with all back ups!....and they won! Do you think if the real Lions played with all back ups they would win?
WCF is not my owner and my guys have won many rings and back in 1980, yes they all bit the dust. JD get real. Good question but do we really need to go into your manhole. Put the controller down for a while.
Real question do the Lions take the next 3 of 4? Seattle is beatable. What do you say?
Mr. T from Southgate
Hole E Sheet! You just made my day Mr.T from Southgate. We've had to endure the weasel for two seasons and just know he can't help being this NE Patties loving instigator. By the way some of his early posts were as if a sixth grader were on the keyboard. Now I think he is posting from the Plymouth public library (Novi kicked him out) so he can use their dictionary. He is a neophyte to football, yeah I said it weasel look it up.
As for the Lions question...what is going on with Cherilus?
Thanks again T, you are a hero in more ways than one.
Cherilus went through a full practice today and should be back in the lineup Sunday. He hurt the right shoulder early in that Bears game, when Backus fell on him at the end of a play. He also wrenched the knee when Peterman & Co. fell on the back of his leg at the end of the play. It looked pretty bad at the time, and he said he thought it was, too, but it's OK.
Non Lion question
John,
How does disgruntled Michael Crabtree benefit from his holdout? If he does enter next years draft is he expected to go before #10? Who would want to negotiate with him and how will he make up the $$$ he is losing today if he is drafted say #15? How can someone turn down a winning lottery ticket contract because of a few draft slots? He is a complete idiot!
Well, his marketing guy (same guy who repped Reggie Bush coming out) says he's making 750k on endorsement deals Subway, etc.) even while he's holding out. But I have no idea what he and his agent are thinking. When you do all the accounting work, he's actually got to go higher than 7th next year to recoup the money he's losing right now, I think. And what team in their right mind is going to use that high of a pick on a diva that hasn't played football in 16 months? The tampering charge filed against the Jets, though, was a shot across the bow warning teams that might be whispering to his agent that they'll pick him next year.
Can Henry or Buchanon sing?
Did you know or had to look it up because I didn't see English on the roster for 1980?
No, English actually "retired" for one year ('80) and went back to Texas to try to strike it rich in the oil biz. But then he came back the next year and went to a few more Pro Bowls. That was before my time here, but I remember looking up a bunch of that stuff last year for the 75th anniversary celebration.
Can Henry or Buchanon sing?
Last years team was 0-16 but this is the year for Miami. Are you ready? Are you ready for this? Sitting on the edge of your seat. Come and watch the Detroit Lions which only Washington just can't beat. Un,Un,Un The Redskins bite the dust. Un,Un,Un beat'in the Bears in Chi town a must. Un,Un,Un, nothin' left to rhyme with ust...It's Gold!
John, Can you name the front four of the Silver Rush?
How about a high-five instead? Baker, English, Gay, Woodcock and the late Dave Pureifory ...
Nice Touch
John,
Detroit may have found a coach for the next decade or longer. He told the team to go back out and celebrate the victory with the remaining fans. He talked about what the team owes the community. One win against a bottom feeder is not the Super Bowl but the gesture to the fans was special. Ford finally made the right hire. No question for you, just enjoying the moment.
No doubt, and he actually was a bit reluctant to talk about it after the game, much like he was when he had his top three draft picks pay a visit to the Rouge plant during minicamp last spring. He gets it -- that's the best and easiest way I've found to describe Schwartz to long-suffering Lions fans who've heard all the this-is-the-guy talk about new head coaches in the past. This guy's smart, he's prepared, and he gets it.
That said, you can't do what they did after the game and still try to have us believe they'd already turned the page, the way Schwartz and the players kept telling us they had. This team couldn't turn the page until they finally ended that streak: We kept writing it because it was true, not because we're negative.
What's the story Niyo?
John,
Why is Michael Rosenberg calling you out as the reason for the 19 game skid? I only ask because it really didn't come across as funny. I wonder if it was his way to jab you because your timeline covering the Lions fits the losing streak? I would never expect you to rip a colleague but was it real or fake?
If it was real, what a complete D-bag! If it was a joke still a D-bag for not being funny.
C'mon man give up the goods. Later
No, we're pals. He's been threatening to include my glorious career on the Lions beat in his weekly satire and finally went ahead and did it this week. But the folks in Ann Arbor tell me he punches dolphins in his spare time.
Guarantee a win vs. Washington
John,
I know it's a loss but what a great 1st half. Is that a loser mentality of course it is but the Lions have had nothing for so long and that was something. Great to establish the run but mix in some down field throws. Linehan went deep only when he was forced and Minnesota was waiting. Play action on Stafford's final interception did nothing to freeze Greenway...with the game situation why bother. The Jets are letting Sanchez fling it, time to take the kid gloves off and let Stafford play. CJ continues to look like a manbeast! Let him go get the ball.
All in all Detroit looked like a good team for more than an hour of my time and it felt good. Huge improvement from week one. Will you guarantee a win vs. Wash? It's gonna happen!
I make no guarantees, but I'm sticking to my preseason prediction for Week 3. See above.
I don't know nothing about no 0-16
Quote from new captain Larry Foote.
That is the point of bringing up 60% turnover on the roster. Did Mayhew bring in the same losers? The biggest change will be some sanity on the sidelines. That is the intangible not measured by Ht. Wt. and speed. The media is selling Schwartz and company short for what they bring to the table. Get on board. Sunday is the start of an era!
I don't think you're wrong. But these guys do need to realize they now own that streak, too, whether they want to or not.
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