It’s kind of become my new epiphany…
I know that what we need is a strong lineman or a tough defensive player, that is the most urgent need. Yet, there are intangibles that need to be addressed when you’re dealing with what was the worst team in NFL history:
The Quarterback Position.

It’s there plain and simple. Orlovski will not be a Lion anymore and let’s face it, the way that line is shaping up, Culpepper won’t make it through September. The guy is made of glass and he’s been hurt. Like a LOT. He hasn’t managed to last very far into the [...]

What kind of lengths would you go to in order to ensure that you won’t end up in Detroit?

Let’s roll it down the timeline.
It’s the Sugarbowl, the biggest game of his college career and he can’t play in it. Why? Suspended for violating, not just team rules, NCAA rules. He was talking to an agent. For the case and point of ‘blah blah blah’, I’ll go on the record as saying that it’s a stupid rule and a senior should be able to start lining up his opportunies to finally get paid for what he’s been doing for free for [...]

This just popped up on the ESPN ticker, Andre Smith has left the nfl draft combine where potential draftees are reviewed and assesed for their physical abilities by the NFL teams.
There has been no word as to the ‘why’ of the situation; I feel that were it injury the information would be forthcoming.
There has been a lot of buzz around Smith who, despite coming into this combine was regarded as the top offensive lineman pick, has seen his draft stock dip down further and further the past two days as the other potential draftees have outshined him.
More to come….

 
There is a fine Freep article on Schwartz speaking of the gamble that is the no. 1 pick. 
You’ve got to love the NFL. 
It’s all or nothing, all the chips are on the table. The biggest problem is the money issue. There needs to be some serious reform, NFL rookies get these bloated long term contracts and so few of the top five pan out. The NFL needs to switch to the NBA’s capped system, it would lay everything out on the table and eliminate the training camp hold out drama. Look at how Jamarcus Russel threatened his career holding out [...]

In order to circumvent the sizeable roster bonus that was due to Culpepper without cutting him from the team, Culpepper and the Lions have agreed to a 1 Year deal that the Veteran Starter signed today. Lewand says that this deal does not necessarily mean that Dante is guaranteed the starting position. 

In lieu of franchising Jason Hanson before the the deadline on Thursday, The Lions and Hanson agreed to a 4 year deal. 
This works out well for everyone, I suppose this means that Hanson has resigned himself from any ‘free agent kicker seeks Superbowl contender’ thoughts and wishes. Jason is [...]

I should probably mention that Mike Furrey was on Sirius Satellite Radio and claimed that Culpepper will be the starter next year. But whatever. It’s the Lions Quarterback. Who cares? It’s not like people talk about it. Or speculate. Incessantly. Dante has experience, so seriously, whatever. Whoever you get is a placeholder and nothing more. 
 
The real fun begins on Thursday. I hope you have the NFL Network as the combine begins, they will have live coverage and constant commentary and it’s nice and addictive, I’m going to try to spend a few hours a day getting my fix and watching [...]

I don’t like Mike Vick. As a player. 
I despise him as a person. We’ll just get that out there in the open.
As a player he was a decent Athlete that could scramble and he just so happened to throw the ball (poorly) when the situation called for it. He was a wretched QB, he can run but if you crush the pocket and give him no place to go, he can’t hit the broadside of a barn with a football. Even the Lions embarrassed him a few years ago in Marinelli’s first year. It was a simple trick, force him to be [...]

The rock, the steady guy, the one Lion you can count on… Could he be gone, lost to free agency? 

 
The situation is complicated. 
Jason Hanson is the most beloved Lion. He is the only guy we’ve got that puts up numbers; Even when it goes wrong with Hanson, it’s usually the snappers fault, not his. But how far out on a limb do you go for the 17 year veteran? It has become a poker game. Who is going to twitch? Who is going to have the beads of sweat running down their neck expose the fact that they are bluffing? [...]

The Lions officially released six players today: cornerback Leigh Bodden, tight end Dan Campbell, offensive lineman Jon Dunn, wide receiver Mike Furrey, offensive lineman Edwin Mulitalo and safety Dwight Smith.

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General manager Martin Mayhew informed players of their impending release over the past couple of weeks, but teams could not begin releasing players until today, under NFL rules.
From Freep.com
We’ve known that a lot of these were coming, it seems as though there is a concise effort to eliminate the remnants of the Millen Era. It’s going to take a season or two and its going to destroy our cap penalties but, [...]

Mayhew has announced that the alternate will be the retro jersey that we know and love from previous Thanksgiving Games.
Last month I received this random e-mail:
Now that the Millen regime is over, can we please get rid of the black trim on our uni’s helmets?  The whole “Lets look more like my
Raiders” thing never sat well with me, and I have still yet to buy a
single piece of Lions gear since we added black to our colors (and I
used to buy a TON of Lions gear).  Can we please switch back to the
good old ‘Honolulu blue and silver” (not black) [...]