Tinderbox: Guest Articles at RoTL & Press Coverage

I’ve been fortunate enough to get a couple of guest posts up around the Web lately, and I’d be remiss not to let you folks know.  So:

After a too-long absence, I’ve rejoined the flock at The Lions Congregation!  DetFan1979 from Roar of the Lions has continued to host this Lions blogger roundtable, and the latest edition of The Lions Congregation discusses expectations, and how the Lions’ 2010 season measured up to them.

Also—and this is something I’m really excited about—I’ve written a post about the Michigan coaching search on Press Coverage, the sports media blog edited by Dan Levy of On the DL Podcast fame.  Don’t worry, Michigan fans, I think I did right by you.

Technorati Tags: nfl,ncaa,detroit lions,rich rodriguez,les miles,dave brandon,university of michigan

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The Lions Congregation: Preseason Week 4

Mea culpa!  I didn’t get this link up on Sunday, but The Lions Congregation met and mooted, engaged in discourse over the weekly questions:

• What was with the media circus surrounding Suh’s play on Delhomme? Would he really face suspension?
• Dan F: I have only passingly watched/followed the Lions the last few years thanks to Matt Millen. They still only won two games last year, and Mayhew was Millen’s guy. Other than lucking into Ndamukong Suh how are things really different than when they were adding “weapons for Joey”?

Do not tarry!  Get thee to the Roar of the Lions for the philosophy of the men of the Lions cloth.

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,ndamukong suh

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The Lions Congregation: Ford Field Memories

This week, the bloggers of the Schwartz cloth recite the most treasured of the Ford Field parables. Though few in number, and dimmer in glory, than those tales of the Silverdome Testament, there yet is much entertainment and enlightenment to be gained from them. So, get ye to the Roar of the Lions, and partake of the Lions Congregation's learning!

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The Lions Congregation: CBA Musings

It’s time once again for The Lions Congregation!  The top Lions bloggers, and I, have met as a body of Schwartz.  We have testified our fervent wishes for the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).  They discuss rookie salaries, a developmental league for the NFL, retired players, season length, roster size, and many other issues.  So wash in the waters of the Congregation’s temporary home, the Roar of the Lions, and become clean!

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,nfl collective bargaining agreement,nfl cba

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The Lions Congregation: Post-Draft

Here's the latest installment of the Lions Congregation, one of the best roundtable features . . . well, around!  The men of the cloth congress and discuss several topic questions:

• Now that they drafted Suh, what does our starting D Line look like?
• Given the changes that have been made to the Lions roster so far in the off-season, what do you think are the strongest and weakest position groups?
• Which Undrafted Free Agent(s) do you feel have the best shot to make the team, or even to camp?

Please, take note: two of the questions were submitted by laypeople--so if you have a question you'd like the Congregation to delve into, please submit it to lionscongregation@yahoo.com!

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,the lions congregation

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The Lions Congregation: Resurrection!

Yes, you read right: The Lions Congregation has risen from the dead!  The men of the Lions cloth have gathered in council once more, now over at DF79’s Roar of the Lions site.  The flock, increased in number, discuss these ineffable questions three:

• 1. With the loss of MLB Larry Foote to Pittsburgh, which diminishes the versatility of DeAndre Levy since he will likely be called upon to fill the role as starter in the middle, do the Lions need to address their LB personnel? Are Ernie Sims or Julian Peterson still tradeable?
• 2. The Lions have Chester Pitts visiting, and Ryan Lilja remains on the market as well. Would you like to see the Lions add yet another veteran stop-gap to help fill out their offensive line, or would you like to see them utilize one of their high draft picks on upgrading the offensive line? (Please note that Lilja was still on the market when the questions were sent out, and answers submitted. The speed of the league is lightning at times)
• 3. The Lions brought in Shaun Hill via trade from the 49ers to fill the role of veteran backup. Is there still need at the backup QB position? What are your thoughts on the deal? (Detroit gave up a 2011 7th rounder)

  Check out The Lions Congregation, at its new digs, for the answers!

  
  
  Technorati Tags: detroit lions,the lions congregation,chester pitts,deandre levy,larry foote,shaun hill,ryan lilja

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Goodbye: The Church of Schwartz

Though it's been scarcely a year since I began writing here, it seems like it's been much longer.  I find myself looking back through the archives more and more often, to remind myself of “how I did it last time”, or to check up on how my old predictions came out.

As exciting as it is to begin drawing from my blog’s ‘history’, this is still a very young site.  For the most part, the friends, readers, and commenters who’ve gathered here have stayed—if for no other reason than they just got here.  The Lions in Winter simply hasn’t been around long enough for the natural cycle of an Internet community to make a complete trip around; very few regular commenters have come, stayed, grown close, grown distant, and then left.

However, while TLIW hasn’t been around that long, the Lions blogosphere has . . and today, we say goodbye to The Church Of Schwartz.  As you can see, hackers have eviscerated the site—and its archives.  The authors, Reverend Spielman and Deacon Blades Boyd, have elected not to try to recreate from scratch what they’d spent the last year building.

The email from the good Reverend to the members of The Lions Congregation, the CoS’s weekly Lions writer roundtable, saddened and depressed me.  The number of truly dedicated Lions fans is relatively small; that of the excellent, frequently-updated Lions blogs even smaller.

We won't be losing Rev or the Deacon as fans, of course—and the Reverend assures me that they’ll continue to read and comment on Lions blogs and forums as they always have—but now, there’s one less place on the Internet that Lions fans can go for thoughtful, well-presented analysis and discussion, and for that we’re all worse off.

Reverend, Deacon, if you’re reading this, I’m pouring two mugs of hot, hard cider, and keeping two seats by the blue bonfire open for you.  You’re welcome to sit and drink here any time.

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the Lions Congregation: WHA? No MO? Edition

It’s time once again for The Lions Congregation, a roundtable discussion of the most devout Lions scribes.  This week’s edition included a question which got answered for us:

• The Mo Williams pickup, yea, meh, or nea?
• The Ravens offense leaves a lot to be desired. Is there any way our defense can contain their offense?
• What’s your projection for Ravens – Lions?

Please, visit the Church of Schwartz to read, and be enlightened!

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Giving Thanks

I hope you all had as wonderful of a holiday weekend as I did.  Spending lots of do-nothing time with friends and family is a great way to relax, recharge, and reinvigorate yourself.  I also went to my official 10-year high school reunion--nothing screams “high school” like having two reunions—and I’m still kind of grooving off of the whole reconnection vibe.

In that spirit, I'm going to virtually reconnect with a lot of the folks who've been there for me throughout the eleven months I've been writing. In absolutely no particular order . . .

• Steve from Detroit Lions Weblog was an early inspiration. When I was considering starting TLIW, I knew absolutely nothing about the Lions blogosphere.  I spent a couple of weeks looking around to see what blogs were out there already, what was being written, and what was being read.  I was taken by Steve's ability to simply write about the Lions, holding nothing back in either emotion or vocabulary.  Reading him express himself completely, and then let those words stand alone, convinced me that what I wanted to do could be done.
• Reverend Spielman over at the Church of Schwartz has put together what just might be the best regular feature of the Lions blogosphere: the Lions Congregation.  This roundtable of Lions bloggers, discussing three new Reverend-composed questions, has sussed out the gamut of reasonable opinions on almost every Lions topic.  Frankly, it’s a must-read for anyone who likes intelligent Lions analysis.  Beyond the Congregation, the Rev and his partner, Deacon Blades Boyd, do some very sharp analysis of their own.  They also hail from the Great White North, and therefore connect a lot of international readers with the greater Lions community.
• Phil Zaroo over at Mlive has been an incredible boon to me, and the rest of the Lions blogosphere.  Phil reads just about every Lions blog there is, and regularly links the best of all of them (and me) in his Highlight Reel blog, which has provided me with the lion’s share (ha ha) of my exposure and traffic.  However, Phil's much more than a linking machine.  He writes with his own voice, both frequently and well.
• Kevin Seifert at ESPN.com is technically an “NFC North” blogger.  However, he not only has the regional knowledge of being a Vikings beat for years, has the sources and resources of the Worldwide Leader at his fingertips, he takes the time to do a genuinely awesome job with his Lions analysis.  He also did me the amazing favor of writing about, and linking to, a TLIW post.
• David M of NFL Draft Blogger has all the college pigskin knowledge I lack, and he puts that to good work doing all the draft prep that I, at best, put off until February.  He’s also a Lions fan, and both reads and comments here from time to time.  Frequently, we pick each other’s brain over IM, and the result is better stuff for all you folks.
• Sean Yuille at the Pride of Detroit does an amazing job breaking down all the latest news, reports, and rumors about the Lions.  He actually got a hold of the complete style sheet for the new Lions fonts, logo, and uniform weeks before anyone else had it.  In my early days, I tried to keep pace with him on that stuff--it only took a couple of weeks before I realized I was just parroting him and knocked it off.  More than that, though, I admire the way Sean has built a massive community; plenty of people write their own mini-blogs and one-shot posts under the umbrella of PoD.
• I would be beyond remiss if I didn't also mention DrewsLions, a regular poster at PoD, and an excellent commenter here.  Drew writes from the heart, much as I do, and we’ve frequently admired each other’s work.  This next bit has nothing to do with his writing or the Lions, but Drew has recently been through a profound personal struggle; I can only hope that if I were in the same situation, I’d have half of the resilience and strength of spirit he’s shown.
• No rundown of awesome dudes in the Lions blogosphere could be without Greg Eno, and his partner in knee-jerking, Big Al of the Wayne Fontes Experience.  Their weekly Blog Talk Radio show/podcast, “The Knee Jerks”, is a whole lot of good talk, good interviews, and just plain good stuff on all the Detroit pro teams.  Both Greg and Big Al are well-spoken on air, comfortable with each other, and clearly have a good time while they’re doing it.  Greg’s a professional writer who’s started and maintained several outstanding blogs—notably, Out of Bounds, and enotes (non-sports).  Big Al is a very smart, very funny guy who is unafraid to drop Star Trek, Life is Hell, Invader Zim, or The Three Stooges screenshots into his work—sometimes, all in the same post!  His weekly Facepalm Awards are not to be missed; here’s a prime example.  Big Al’s gotten a lot bigger lately with his incredibly invasive, but incredibly successful back surgery--here’s to that!
• Big Al's stuff has been so smart, so funny, so consistently, that he's been asked to contributed to Mlive.com's It’s Just Sports.  Patrick Hayes and company over there consistently deliver the daily news about Michigan (and national) sports with a sly grin and a barbed stinger.  They also did me the honor of a feature article and interview a little while ago, and I’m incredibly thankful for that.
• Speaking of smart and funny, Neil over at Armchair Linebacker is in a class all by himself.  Any regular TLIW readers have both seen me highlight his work, and seen him comment here, many times.  What Neil does is something I’m consistently astounded by: with wit, style, and sparkling prose he captures the profound depression and unstoppable optimism that comes with being a Lions fan.  We’ve often noted that our work seems like two sides of the same coin: I soar through my blue-sky optimism on patched and tattered wings, while he trudges through the marshes of the river Styx, protecting his blue-flamed candle from the muck and the mire.
• Lastly, and very far from leastly, is DF79's Roar of the Lions.  He started the way I did: with nothing but will a Blogspot account.  However, he recently joined forces with Fanball to present the same great material in some very shiny new digs.  He’s knowledgeable and analytical—yet, he writes with personality and passion, much as I do.  As a fellow young father of multiple kids, he and I both experienced the great joys of mixing family and fandom.  DF79 and I share a love of coffee, and we’ve even been lucky enough to share Lions talk over lattes at our mutual favorite establishment.  He and his have also experienced a recent loss; I hope this time of reconnection helps his family recover.

I really could keep going for days; there are many folks (be they Lions-, sports-, or non-sports) that have inspired me from afar, checked out my writing, linked to my writing, collaborated with me, or otherwise deserve mention; there’s too many to list them all.  I just wanted to take this time to make sure that everyone reading knows how much this site’s been lifted up by all my fellow Lions bloggers—most of whom have been plowing this frozen ground for far longer than I have.  Infinite thanks to them, and to you.

Be well, everyone, and may peace be with you and yours throughout this holiday season.

--Ty

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the lions congregation: week ten

Well, it’s time once again for the Lions Congregation—the weekly series over at the Church of Schwartz.  Men living lives committed in service to the Schwartz discourse upon these questions three:

• Well respected ESPN columnist Kevin Seifert says the Lions have 7 keepers on their roster. Using his methodology, who do you see as a keeper on this roster?
• Do the Lions need cheerleaders?
• What’s your projected outcome for Browns – Lions?

Go, and enrich your soul with the answers!

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the lions congregation: WEEk TEN

It’s time once again for the weekly worship at the Church of Schwartz!  The men of the Lions Congregation--the best Lions bloggers on the Internet, plus me--gathered to moot the issues of the week:

• If Ernie Sims is ready to play in the next few weeks, where do you put him?
• Jeff Backus hasn’t been horrific the last week or two. Is there any way he’s back with the Lions next season?
• Is there any way possible the Lions beat the Vikings this week?

So please, take time out to read the works of the Schwartz-fearing men of the Internet!

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The church of Schwartz: Week Nine

It’s time again for the Church of Schwartz’s weekly roundtable of the most pious of Lions fans!  Check out the latest installment for the answers to these imponderable questions three:

• How do you fix our special teams units? (After, of course, firing Stan Kwan)
• What is your ideal personnel grouping for our secondary?
• Whats your prediction for Seahawks – Lions?

While you're waiting for this unusual late game, I strongly encourage you to get over there and give it a read.

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The Church of Schwartz: I am the Schwartz

It’s time once again for The Lions Congregation over at the Church of Schwartz!  In this week’s edition, the clergy each take a turn pretending to don the holy headset of The Schwartz, answering ineffable questions three.  Be sure to check it out, for my nigh-heretic approach to the quarterback situation!

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The Lions Congregation, Preseason Style!

It's time again for The Lions Congregation over at the Church of Schwartz; the first, best, and only roundtable of the best of the best of the Lions blogosphere . . . and me.  This week, the flock ponders the following ineffable questions:

1. Which offseason addition will have the biggest impact on the team in 2009?

2. Aside from the big offseason signings (Foote, Bryant J, Grady Jackson, Buchanon, Loper) what under the radar signing will have the biggest impact?

3. What is the one position where we can least afford an injury?

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the lions congregation: the return

Praise be!  The good Reverend Spielman has returned from his sabbatical, and the flock has duly responded to his questions three:

1) Who starts at LG and RG this season?

2) How many games will the Lions sell out this year?

3) Kevin Smith believes this is a playoff team.  Do you?

As always, practically the entire spectrum of possible answers is represented; I encourage everyone to go check it out!

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the lions congregation, week ten

It just occurred to me that I'm way overdue in linking you folks to the latest installment of The Lions Congregation!  The good Reverend is taking a few weeks' sabbatical--I don't blame him--so his parishioners tried to send him off on a high note.  As added incentive, Big Al from the always-entertaining The Wayne Fontes Experience has had the scales fall from his eyes; he'll be sharing his testimony with the rest of the most noteworthy Lions scribes (and me) every week from now on.  Topics discussed by the newly-expanded flock:

1) Are there any undrafted rookies that you expect to be on the team this season?

2) If you can pick one remaining free agent on the market for the Lions to sign, who is it?

3) What retired Lion (if any) deserves Hall of Fame consideration?

I'm going to beg a bit of forgiveness on this week's answers; I was emailing from my BlackBerry, so my answers were slow in creation--and looked a lot better on the smaller screen!  Mea culpa; the rest of the roundtable happily picked up the slack.

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the lions congregation: week six

It's that time again over at the Church of Schwartz.  The clergymen over there have submitted three more questions to the flock:

* If Matthew Stafford is our pick at 1.1, how many games does Daunte Culpepper start next season?

* If Jason Smith/Eugene Monroe is the pick at 1.1, where does Jeff Backus play next year?

* If you could bring back any former Lion (not named Barry Sanders) to be a part of this team, who and why?

I think the third question, and the answers to it, have been my favorite so far of the series.  Anyone reading this site who doesn't go scope this piece is missing out!

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the lions congregation: the fab five

It's time for another round of The Lions Congregation.  This week, the assembled flock break down the following topics:

* Are there any current Lions free agents you’d like to see brought back?

*With the 1st overall pick, do you take the best player or the best contract?

* Who was the worst coach of the Millen tenure: Moronweg, Mooch or Shovel MariRockPounder?

I was really surprised at some of the answers, especially to the third question . . .

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the Lions Congregation, part IV

It's time for another round of the Lions Congregation over at the Church of Schwartz.  Topics for today are:

* Julian Peterson Trade: Yay, Nay or Meh?

* What Do You Prefer: Aaron Curry at 1.1 or Stafford/OT at 1.1 and James Laurinaitis at 1.20?

* Are any of the young linemen on the roster (Cohen, Fluellen, Ikaika A-F) capable of filling Redding’s shoes?

I encourage you folks to check out the Good Reverend's site; he has a draft review series going right now that's a unique idea.  It's also brutally depressing . . .

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the lions congregation, part III

It's Lions Congregation time again over at the Church of Schwartz.  This week, the faithful discuss:

* the one remaining free agent we'd love to see inked

* if Jordon Dizon can start in the middle

* Bryant Johnson's possible role in the offense

Once again, this is a roundtable discussion by the Web's pre-eminent Lions bloggers (and me); you'll see just about every concievable defendable opinon on each topic.  It's always enlightening and entertaining.

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