I’m going to be present at the Lions’ annual Town Hall Meeting for season-ticket holders. I’ll be live Tweeting the event from my account @lionsinwinter,
EDIT: No, I won't. The Lions are asking me not to live-Tweet. I'll respect their wishes.
obviously I’ll be posting about it here after the fact. If you have any questions for the bigwigs, comment on this post and I’ll see what I can do.
I'm also working on a post about the flurry of re-signings, and why the grass is greener on THIS side; should be up by lunchtime.
As we head into the first weekend of the Lions’ offseason, it’s time for the second annual Blue Flame Awards. The inaugural Blue Flame Awards were a success, but I think they can be a lot bigger. I’m going to announce these one at a time, an hour or two apart, updating the post and Tweeting as I go. If you’re not @lionsinwinter on Twitter, now would be a great time to start.
The envelope, please . . .
Chris Spielman Heart of a Lion Award: Dominic Raiola, C
Bryant Westbrook Realized Potential Award: Titus Young, WR
When the Lions drafted Titus Young with the 12th pick in the second round, fans everywhere were in shock. Who? A wide receiver? From Boise State? It seemed senseless. With several pressing defensive needs, and the first round pick already spent on a "luxury," a receiver to groom behind Nate Burleson was a total head-scratcher. When he missed most of training camp and preseason with a nagging injury, fans assumed his chance to be productive this season was lost.
But the Lions knew exactly how they wanted to use Young, and Young threw himself into being a Lion. He immediately earned Matthew Stafford's trust, and hauled in 48 catches for 607 yards and 6 touchdowns. Best of all, it's clear he's just getting started.
Tom Moore Coach of the Year Award: Shawn Jefferson, WR Coach
It's a little too easy to give this award to offensive coordinator Scott Linehan for the second year in a row—though he deserves it just as much, if not more, than last season. But the job Jefferson did with the wideouts this season was phenomenal. Besides helping Calvin Johnson reach record-breaking new heights, he helped Titus Young achieve his Blue Flame-winning potential and Nate Burleson drop that #ToeDragSwag.
Game of the Year: Week 5, Lions vs. Bears (Monday Night Football)
The Christmas Eve demolition of the Chargers that clinched the playoffs was special, but Monday Night Football was the Game of the Year and it isn’t even close. Besides being an anticipated-for-months revenge match for 2010’s season opener, besides it being a showcase game for the Lions, Lions fans, and the city of Detroit as a whole, and besides every second of the pre-game, in-game, and post-game festivities simultaneously oozing Motown and awesome, this is the game where the blue fire of Lions fandom roared so loud the Bears couldn’t play football in its presence. It was the greatest sporting atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of.
Mel Gray Three Phases of the Game Award: Jason Hanson, PK
At age 41, Jason Hanson entered training camp with question marks surrounding his injury—and, for the first time in nearly two decades, his job. In a legitimate kicking competition for perhaps the first time in his career, he shut out those suggesting it might be time to hang ‘em up and made 24 of 29 field goals (including blocks) and all 54 extra point tries. He proved he still has the leg, too, drilling 5 of 7 attempts from 50+ yards.
Honorable Mention: John Wendling
Mike Cofer Tecmo Super Bowl Beast Mode Award: Stephen Tulloch, MLB
After signing a one-year deal in the offseason, Stephen Tulloch stepped into the heart of the Lions defense and dominated. Besides leading the team in tackles, he led all Lions linebackers with sacks (3) and interceptions (2). He was Pro Football Focus’s seventh-highest-graded inside linebacker, at a whopping +20.8. He earned their second-best coverage grade, too: +11.2. His run-stuffing grade was the ninth-best in the NFL at +12.6.
Let’s please hope he stays.
Barry Sanders You Can Only Hope to Contain Him Award: Matthew Stafford, Quarterback
Matthew Stafford had the greatest statistical season of any Lions quarterback ever. 63.5% competions, 5,308 yards, 41 touchdowns—and only 16 INTs, almost all of which were thrown while Stafford was throwing with a glove over a broken finger. Megatron gets honorable mention here, but Stafford was asked to carry this team to the playoffs at age 23 and he did. Absolutely incredible, history-making performance.
In every cup of coffee, there is bitterness. Some bitterness comes from the flavor of the bean, and some bitterness comes from how darkly it was roasted. Ever wonder how Starbucks turns out drinks that taste exactly the same in massive volumes all over the world? They roast all their beans so dark it doesn’t matter what they used to taste like. That’s why a downing a straight shot of Starbucks espresso is like drinking a campfire.
Yesterday's loss leaves a bitter taste in the Lions fan's mouth. It’s not a delicate touch of acidity awakening the earthy qualities of your Monsooned Malabar, it’s just nasty cup of bitter upon bitter.
Bitter, because it was an awful loss. The 49ers played well, but the Lions had every opportunity to win the game, and didn’t. Time after time, the defense got stops, and time after time the offense frittered good chances away. The “first quarter jitters” Lions fans have seen from Matthew Stafford and the offense never settled down. As I said in the Fireside Chat, it felt just like the Cowboys game: either the receivers aren’t getting open, or Stafford’s holding onto the ball too long.
Bitter, because the Lions lost Jahvid Best to a concussion. This is his second concussion of the season, and he had a history of concussions and neck injuries at Cal. This is now a serious concern . . . we must now worry about his medium- and long-range future.
Bitter, because Jim Schwartz and John Harbaugh got into a postgame skirmish that made both men look bad. The story of the game wasn’t the 49ers win or the Lions loss or any of the great plays made on either side, it’s “OMG COACHFIGHT.” and that’s too bad.
But Starbucks sells a hell of a lot of coffee every year, and there’s a reason why: they take that bitter swill and dump a bunch of heat-sweetened milk in it, then slather that in whipped cream and sugary sauces. Here’s the sweetness that makes yesterday’s loss palatable . . .
The Lions are 5-1. Only three other teams are either 6-0 or 5-1. The Lions are still two games ahead of the Bears, with a head-to-head win and a better division record. They’re now at the soft underbelly of their schedule: hosting Atlanta (3-3), at Denver (1-4), at Chicago (3-3), hosting Carolina (1-5). I’d expect the Lions to win at least three of those four games—and if they beat Chicago, it’s a two-horse NFC North division race.
They took their only loss against one of the toughest teams on the schedule. Remember when I called the Kansas City game a “must-win?” It’s because the Lions’ schedule is tough enough that they had to win their winnable games. Because the Lions started 5-0, they can lose some of their toughest matchups (this one, at New Orleans, both Packers games, etc.) and still make the playoffs.
Now that the Lions have brought their B-/C+ game for the third time this season and not won, they can take a breath, reset, and get to work on fixing the issues that winning has glossed over. The team and crowd should be doubly motivated to get a home win against Atlanta next Sunday.
Finally, though the nation is talking about “OMG COACHFIGHT” and what a black mark it is on both franchises, I choose to look at this a different way. Charles Robinson of Yahoo! said on Twitter:
Please let San Francisco and Detroit meet in the playoffs. I love it when the NFL coaching fraternity develops some bitterness within it.
I’ve said before that rivalries—real rivalries—are when it means a little more to the players and coaches. Those naturally happen when games are played for high stakes multiple times in short window. Tempers get high, slights real and perceived get magnified, and both teams carry grudges into the next important matchup. At this point it looks possible—even probable—that the Lions and 49ers will meet again in the playoffs, and both teams will want vengeance.
Take this to the bank: The players on both sides loved seeing their coaches get after each other. Each leader has instilled a fighter's mentality in his team, and this was the manifestation of that approach.
Harbaugh's bluster, Schwartz's intensity. All there on display.
I say, enjoy the show. And enjoy that, in this age of chuck-it-around-the-yard-all-day offense, we had a couple of teams going at it Sunday that are a little more Mike Tyson than Muhammad Ali when they get in the ring.
I’ll happily drink my third cup of bitter office-pot sludge to that.
NFL Network showed up to film the Lions’ player-led workouts today, and for the first time, Ndamukong Suh showed up to participate. I’ll let the various reporters’ Twitter feeds break it down from there:
Several fans, including longtime friends of TLiW @jacoblrussell and @Dustin_aka_D, were taken aback by this news. Was Ndamukong Suh big-timing the local media? Was he making a phony show of being a great teammate for the national media? Is his “awesome guy” persona just that—a thin façade covering a monstrous ego?
As if the lockout weren’t reminder enough, there are two words in the phrase “professional football,” and the first word means it’s their job. These men are paid to do a job, the same as you. Some players see talking to the media as an essential part of that job. Some see it as an annoyance. Some see it as a necessary evil. Some see it as an opportunity to get their face in front of your eyes, when they play a game where everyone’s head is covered. Most see it as some combination of the above, varying by circumstances and mood.
Chris McCosky, Paula Pasche, Dave Birkett, and Tom Kowalski are professionals, too. It’s their job to cover the Lions, to come up with fresh angles, to get good quotes, to keep us informed, to tell good stories, and keep us coming back for more. In the midst of a lockout, such stories have been incredibly difficult to come by—and Ndamukong Suh showing up to the voluntary workouts is, relatively speaking, compelling stuff. Add in a decent quote or two, and that’s a real actual football story they can write, and we can read. To get blown off after doing on the heels spot for the national media . . . it’s understandably upsetting.
It's tempting, as fans, to overreact to this, and assign all sorts of motivation and blame to Ndamukong Suh and his handlers—just like we assigned all sorts of motivation and blame when Suh didn’t immediately sign and report to camp. Remember all that hullabaloo? How Suh went from being the Best Guy Ever to a no-good spoiled money-grubber in a matter of hours? How a few missed days of would leave him scrambling to catch up? How falling behind in his rookie year would set his development back months—or maybe years? How Lions fans took to Twitter and started hurling invective at Ndamukong and his sister, Ngum?
How’d that turn out?
The mild grumpiness I saw on Twitter about this incident wasn’t out-of-line. I thought it was a little out-of-character for Suh, too. But remember—part of what we love so much about Suh is his intelligence, his personality, his self-awareness, his selflessness, his engineering degree, his marketability, and his ability to be represent the franchise. He’s so much more than a monster between the hash marks; that’s what makes him special. He realizes that people across the nation associate him with the Lions, and the Lions with him—and he needs to maintain that relationship in our minds. He’s taking care of himself and his family first—and c’mon. We all know he’ll be ready for football when football happens, whether he’s pumping iron in Detroit or Lincoln or Portland or Belgrade.
So, don’t crucify Suh for this. It’s one little tiny spot on an otherwise spotless record so far. This doesn’t make him a prima donna or a problem child or Just Like Big Baby or any of that. It’s just another day at the office.
With all of the armchair scouting, mock drafts, media hyperventilation, and everything else that surrounds the NFL draft, there are very few surprises left. This is especially true for hardcore fans: just look through the Mlive.com article comments and forums in March; most of the Lion regulars have their preferred targets picked out through all seven rounds.
Tom Kowalski immediately told Lions fans not to worry, Titus Young would become a fan favorite. Young plays, talks, and Tweets with irrepressible emotion—from crying when the Lions drafted him, to exulting on the phone with Lions fans at the Hard Rock Café, to throwing himself headlong into becoming a Lion and a Detroiter:
“Man Im Bout To Get #313 Tatted on My Chest, and #BringinBackTheBadboys on my Back! Would yall Love me then????????”
It’s amazing, then, that in spotlight of Los Angeles, Young blended into the shadows. At University High School, Young’s rail-thin frame and talented teammates kept him from drawing much attention from big schools, despite being named All-League his sophomore and junior years. But then he attended the USC Nike Camp, and his performance put him on major-school radar—and his unbelievable senior season was too huge for anyone to ignore. As a receiver, Young caught 66 passes for 1,359 and 10 TDs, plus 49 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. As a defensive back, Young had 97 tackles, 11 INTs, 8 PDs and a sack. For good measure, he returned 18 punts for 392 yards and 3 TDs, and 11 kickoffs for 363 and 1 score.
I'm still sending film out right now and I think that could result in even more offers for me. I had a great season and honestly feel I'm one of the top athletes in the country. Schools are just now finding out about me, that's why I'm keeping that last visit open. I want to take all all my trips and then I'll make my decision close to Signing Day."
A few days later, Boise State made an in-home visit. After that visit, Young immediately visited Boise's campus. After that visit, Young immediately committed to Boise State—just six days after telling Rivals he wanted to play it all the way out to the end! It must have seemed like a perfect fit . . . so what happened?
“I was thinking it would be best for him to go someplace else,” [BSU Head Coach Chris] Petersen said.
According to Chadd Cripe at the Idaho Statesman, Young’s impact on the Broncos was immediate. The 2006 team that beat Oklahoma featured three senior wideouts, and Young’s talent and personality turned heads—those of his teammates’, and the media. The spotlight loved Titus, and he loved it right back. The 17-year-old caught a pass in every one of the Broncos’ games that year, and finished third on the team in receptions (44), second in yards (639), and third in TDs (5). Still, he struggled to hold onto the ball, and struggled to maintain perspective.
Young was suspended for the first quarter of the 2007 Hawaii Bowl, yet still fumbled twice in the remainder of the game. Still, that humbling experience wasn’t quite humbling enough. Young tuned out his coaches, put himself first, broke some team rules, and was ultimately suspended for all but three games in 2008. It reached the point where both parties were ready to move on.
“I really just wanted to go home for a while, sit on my couch, lock myself in a cage,” he said. “That’s how I really felt at the time. If I would have ran, I would have been running from my problems. I’ve never been a type to run from a problem. You’ve always got to hit it in the mouth and stay strong and endure and have faith.”
Petersen offered him “one more shot" during the practice sessions for the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl, and Titus took it seriously. He remained on the team for the 2009 season, and in spectacular fashion—he finished with 79 catches, 1041 yards, and 1o TDs through the air, plus 15 carries for 138 and 2 on the ground. He was named first-team All-WAC as both a receiver and returner, but that was just the warmup act.
His senior season, Young hauled in 71 balls for a BSU single-season 1,215 yards (that 17.1 YpC!) and 9 TDs. He added 14 carries for 91 yards and a score. He again was named first-team All-WAC, and third team AP All-America. His truncated career at Boise State was still enough to place him #1 all-time in both single-season and career receiving yards.
Young wasn’t done proving himself at Boise State, though. After a disappointing Combine where he cut an official 4.53, Young really needed a great Pro Day performance to assure teams his on-film game speed wasn’t just an illusion generated by WAC competition. Depending on who you ask, Young’s two Pro Day runs averaged somewhere between 4.39 and 4.43, easing the concerns about his timed speed. He dropped no passes, and the National Football Post reported Young successfully boosted his draft stock back into the high second-round/late first-round territory (which, obviously yes). But hey, let's hear it from the scouts themselves:
Positives: Has good but not great speed... Smart player, knows where he is on the field at all times, plays the sidelines well... Runs nice crisp routes, slips well into zone coverage... Quick off the line of scrimmage... has good change of direction ability and cuts well in the open field... Explosive deep threat, gets behind coverage with ease... Dynamic return man, can return both punts and kickoffs in the NFL... Tough to bring down when the ball is in his hands, keeps a low center of gravity and slips through tackles... Elite short area burst, is an absolute terror with the football in his hands... Terrific body control, adjusts well to balls in the air and plays the sidelines well.
Negatives: Very small, would like to see him add some weight to his frame... Ran slower at the combine than most expected... Questionable hands, drops some catchable balls... Looks up field before securing the football... Average run blocker, size limits his ability to be much of a factor in this area... Stats may be inflated due to playing in Boise State's high powered offense against WAC competition... Comes with character concerns, missed most of 2008 due to suspension.
Strengths: Very quick receiver who eats up the cushion out of his breaks and gets on top of the corner in a hurry. Has a solid second gear to get down the field after initial moves and can run away from defenders. Explodes out of his stance with no wasted steps and does a nice job of stemming his routes. Is a sudden athlete who moves seamlessly in and out of his breaks without sacrificing acceleration. Maintains his balance when cutting and keeps his feet under him in his routes. Runs crisp routes to earn consistent separation from defenders and is shifty enough out of his stance to slip press coverage. Has great lateral quickness in the open field and can create on his own after the reception. Sells out to make tough catches and fully extends his body and arms when going over the middle. Possesses strong wrists to snag the ball and hold onto it in traffic. Tracks passes over either shoulder. Understands spacing and will not drift back into coverage. Versatile player who brings added value as both a kick and punt returner due to this combination of straight-line running, toughness and elusiveness.
Weaknesses: Slight, thin frame that may not hold up in the NFL with his playing style. Loses focus and drops catchable passes. Concentration wavers all too often and will look to run upfield before securing the ball. Does not win jump balls often and struggles to out-leap defenders. Can be stymied at the line by physical corners and lacks the strength and drive to be an effective run blocker. Has nice timed speed, but lacks elite ability to burn by defensive backs on a consistent basis. Has a reputation as an egotistical player who can resist coaching.
For the first Lion draftee this season, SI.com lists "Positives"! They graded Young a 2.80, practically equal to Mikel Leshoure:
Positives: Productive college receiver with a consistent game. Fluid releasing off the line and runs sharp routes, quickly getting into breaks and immediately coming back to the ball on exit. Displays terrific focus and concentration and makes the reception away from his frame. Possesses strong hands, showing the ability to snatch passes from the air. Easily adjusts the errant throw, effortlessly makes the reception downfield, and elusive running after the catch. Reads the defense and settles into the open spot on the field. Sneaky fast and finds a way to get behind opponents. Gives effort blocking downfield and gets solid results.
Negatives: More quick than fast. Erratic workout at the combine. Lacks top size and likely to struggle handling jams or battling at the next level.
Analysis: Young was exceptionally productive the past two seasons and turned in a terrific performance at the Senior Bowl in January. He's a prospect who comes to play on game day and should be a productive third receiver while also being an asset on special teams.
Positives: Exceptional burst, acceleration and deep speed to stretch the field vertically. Fluid strider with big-time turnover. Quick-footed to slip the jam. Is sudden in and out of breaks and makes speed cuts smoothly. Very good hands and concentration — tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Outruns angles and can take it the distance. Agile and elusive in the open field. Versatile and highly productive — consistent playmaker as a receiver and kickoff returner.
Negatives:
Has a slight build with short arms and lacks bulk — is not equipped to work inside, and durability could be a considerable issue. Can be outmuscled and does not always come down with the contested catch. Has limited run strength and exposes his frame to some shots. Occasional concentration drop. Soft blocker. Was immature early in his career. Production was slightly inflated by WAC defenses and was rarely challenged by comparably athletic cornerbacks. Did not run through the gauntlet drill at the Combine with any tempo.
Summary: Thinly built, tight-skinned, confident, competitive, explosive deep threat whose loose hips and lateral agility set him apart from generic burners. Versatility increases his value —possesses the vertical speed to scalp a secondary as a vertical “X” receiver, the suddenness and run-after-catch ability to create mismatches from the slot and the burst to pose a threat as a primary kickoff returner. Multifaceted playmaking ability could even push him into the first round, though his slight frame could keep evaluators at bay and shorten the shelf life of his NFL career.
Of course, none of this is why you are here. You are here for the TRUTH. You want to KNOW if Titus Young is bound for the Hall of Fame or the Charles Rogers Failure Valhalla. Fortunately the One True Oracle of NFL Success, YouTube Highlight Reels, loves Titus Young more than any prospect I’ve ever had the pleasure of breaking down for Meet the Cubs. You know a kid is a player when he has HIGH SCHOOL YouTube Highlight Reels, especially one that's such a love letter to the art:
I’m . . . I’m not saying someone who is really into Titus Young is also into video editing, but there’s a treasure trove at YouTube just too big to embed. Here’s a nice collection of straight highlights, followed by a very interesting meta/narrative/trick catch/interview thing that you don’t see every day (which also includes straight highlights). When contrasted to the high school clip above, the difference between who Titus Young was a kid, and who Titus Young is as a man is dramatic, and unmistakable.
Here's a special treat. Aaron Aloysius of Draft Breakdown does some really, really nice videos that spotlight individual prospects throughout individual games, and this one of Young vs. Nevada is a gem:
First of all, the speed thing. Young definitely plays much faster than the WAC opponents, and I believe he’d still be electrifying against AQ conference competition. I got frustrated while watching through these, because it seemed that so much of the running time of each video was Young blowing by everyone to the house—over, and over, and over again . . .
There’s no doubt that Young is a long strider with good top speed, but even given how much of his body is legs, it’s astounding to see how quick his foot speed is, and how naturally he chops his stride short to change direction—and how quickly he digs back in and gets to that gliding, cruising speed. Normally, those types of runners struggle to get in and out of cuts quickly, but as you see above his footspeed and instincts neutralize that tendency.
In my mind, there’s no doubt that if Young applies himself as he did his senior year, he’ll be able to make an immediate impact here. My question is, how does Scott Linehan plan to use him, in combination with Nate Burleson? As the WR Old Mother Hubbard showed us, the Lions desperately need a field stretcher, a playmaker who can get open downfield and break medium routes to the house. He did that in college, over and over and over again—but can he do it in the NFL? Burleson is a hair taller and decidedly thicker; so is he really the natural choice to slide inside while Young plays #2?
From what the scouts above say, Young will actually be better suited for the outside than Burleson, because Burleson has the strength to handle hits and traffic, and mix it up with linebackers, while Young has the speed to get open deep. Young shouldn’t see much press coverage, given all the short- and medium-depth options the Lions have (Burleson, Pettigrew, Sheffler, Best); He’ll simply be asked to fly—and that, he can do. I see Young used right away as the #2 receiver in three-receiver sets . . . and after that, who knows? Maybe the spotlight loves Young even on the biggest stage of all.
Those of you who’ve been reading for a while have, I hope, been waiting for my Old Mother Hubbard series, where I review the performance of every Lion on the roster with a chance to make the next roster. It begins soon, enhanced with film grades from Pro Football Focus. I do my own film review, too, but they grade every snap—and moreover, they do it for the entire league. As the Lions’ roster has improved, it’s vital that we compare it to the rest of the league for context.
Before, we knew that the Lions were at the bottom of the NFL in terms of talent. We knew the roster was flatly awful. But it’s been so long since we’ve seen truly competitive football in Detroit, judging the Lions against only themselves no longer makes sense. So, this year’s Old Mother Hubbard will try to compare every Lion’s 2010 performance to their counterparts across the NFL. If I do it right, it’ll be like a statistical combine, for veterans.
Ah, that’s right, the NFL combine—it’s this weekend. All of this year’s prospective draft picks—save a few at the very top, and a few at the very bottom—will be doing drills and jumps and lifts and sprints this weekend in Indianapolis. More importantly, they’ll be getting their medical evaluations, and be doing their personal interviews.
As for the NFL combine, you can follow it live at NFL.com, as well as on NFL Network. I always make time for the OL and DL position drills, and I suggest you do, too. Also, the bench presses are fun to watch; the strength coach who usually oversees it is a real character.
As for the Lions, well, I haven’t built out their shopping list for this season yet. But, for the first time in years, they’ll actually be drafting for depth instead of for starters. They’ll be drafting players to sit and learn instead of step in and start. They’ll be drafting players now to be major parts of their future—you know, like real teams do. In a way, it’s not as exciting; without free agency, we’ll be desperate to hear about lots of new starters coming in the door. In another way, it’s much more exciting—it means the cupboard isn’t bare anymore.
During the call, NFLPA President Kevin Mawae said he’s proposed a “lock-in,” as opposed to a lockout, where all the two organization’s leaders would mutually lock themselves into a hotel, and remain until a deal is done. As of the date of the conference call (the 14th), the NFL hasn’t accepted.
After the conference call, Batterman (who you may remember from such films as “The Completely Lost Year of the NHL”) reiterated his charge that the union isn’t truly interested in negotiating. He says they’re just biding their time until the lockout, at which point they’ll decertify the union, sue the league for antitrust violations, and hammer it out in court. NFLPA Assistant Executive Director of External Affairs George Atallah said on that conference call that “We hope it doesn’t come to that,” and said they’ll do everything they can to avoid a lockout, and decertifying in the wake of it.
It is in the employer’s interest to get a deal which gets this industry straightened out for the next generation for the good of the fans, for the good of the players, and yes indeed, the good of the owners. Nobody is looking for a lockout. We are looking for a deal. Is that deal going to require some concessions from the players? Yes, it is going to require some concessions from the players because the balance has gotten out of whack. The owners are going to make concessions, too. We are making changes to working conditions. We have made proposals to improve benefits for the players. We have talked about structures to protect the veterans in terms of what the impact of these economic changes are. There are going to be compromises on both sides, and we are hoping to do it without the necessity of a lockout.
This is the key: the NFL believes that the “balance has gotten out of whack.” I said so before in my initial CBA post: the common thinking says the players came out way ahead in the last round of negotiations. The NFL wants to move the scales back in their direction this time around. Unlike the “both sides give a little” language Commissioner used in his letter to fans, the NFL is actually seeking major concessions from the players. The best hope of avoiding a lockout, it seems, is for the players to simply capitulate.
Of course, that’s not in the best interests of the players—or the fans. Why is it that the NFL wants so badly to get major concessions from the league? Well, it’s a complicated tale.
In the last round of talks, the late Gene Upshaw, then NFLPA Executive Director, led the charge to make revenue sharing part of the CBA between players and league. It theoretically allowed for smaller-market teams to keep pace with the big spenders, so there’d be a healthier market for players’ services. The owners resisted it at first—and hammering it out amongst themselves was the biggest stumbling block to getting the last CBA done. Indeed, as Andrew Brandt of the National Football Post writes, the owners arguing amongst themselves about revenue sharing distracted their attention from the rest of the CBA. They inked a deal they almost immediately regretted.
We can see the NFL’s strategy for this time in their two main negotiating points: 1) the “enhanced” 18-game schedule, and 2) a massive increase in the “expense credit” that’s subtracted from the “total revenue” that’s split with the players. Functionally, Baltimore Ravens CB Domonique Foxworth had it right: the owners have decided that rather than hammer out their own disagreements, they’ll “take it from” the players. Their plan is to dramatically increase revenue by playing two more regular season games (for which attendance and TV deals will be much richer than preseason contests), then clamp down on the percentage of all incoming revenue that players receive. The result? A windfall rich enough to make revenue sharing a moot point.
Now, this is all part of the ebb and flow of the labor process; each side needs to negotiate in good faith, and one side cannot repeatedly come out the “winner” without eventual labor strife. I’m not asking the NFL to extend an agreement it seems to think is untenable going forward, and I’m not asking the NFLPA to simply surrender the advances it lawfully negotiated the last time around. I want is for both sides to commit to avoiding any kind of work action.
Tomorrow, the NFLPA is holding “#LETUSPLAY Day,” an Internet-wide push to get the owners to commit to not locking out the players. There’ll be #LETUSPLAY themed posts online, chats on Twitter, even gear giveaways. Let me be clear, I’m not on either “side” here—I’m on the side of the fans. I believe that what we fans pour into the game: our time, our money, and our passion, deserves the respect of both the players and the league. I believe that these men, who have prospered massively from our investments, can and should and will come to an agreement as to how to split the money we’ve given them—without taking away the game that we love.
Therefore, I’ll be supporting #LETUSPLAY day, on here and on Twitter. If you aren’t already, follow @lionsinwinter on Twitter to get all the latest as I help get the word out.
A thrilled Lions fan gets an autograph from Jahvid Best. Also pictured: some little kid
As part of the Pepsi Rookie of the Week/Rookie of the Year award, Jahvid Best, along with thirteen other top NFL rookies, has been honored with his very own Pepsi Max can. The can design got a grand introduction at Meijer the other night, and Jahvid was on hand to meet, greet, take pictures, and sign autographs. Thanks to the Pepsi Max folks, I got a few minutes alongside Jahvid to talk with him, and watch him interact with fans.
As a proud and dedicated Lions fan, I’ve been to my fair share of these events. You bring (or buy) something to be signed, you file in with the rest of the crowd, you wait your turn, the anticipation builds . . . and in a few moments of smiling and signing, you try to say something cool, reference something obscure about the player, pass along a message from another fan—something, anything to make a connection. You try and establish a bond, a kinship, a little moment of commonality with them that you can treasure forever. This time, though, I sat on the other side of the table; instead of one brief moment of connection, I got to witness dozens.
Men, women, boys, girls, people of all sizes, shapes, colors, ages all approached the table with a story, a message, or a tidbit. “Dude. I just want you to know, I scored a 92-yard touchdown with you in Madden yesterday. I just—I just had to tell you.” “I just wanted to say, we know you can do it!”Well-wishes for his health, the season, the Lions, his future. People taking pictures left and right, people who’d been through the line coming back up. The Meijer folks wanting a group picture. Through it all, Jahvid was smiling, calm, friendly, seeming not only willing, but excited to hear everyone out—even with me buzzing in his ear.
I mentioned I love the way Jahvid uses Twitter interactively; he talks about what he’s into, how he’s feeling, and he listens and responds. “I like to use Twitter to talk to fans,” he said. “I mean, I would have loved the chance to talk my favorite players growing up.” Indeed, Twitter helps us have these little connections with our favorite players all the time. I mean, when Jahvid tweets:
This jimmyjohns is hittin right now... Shoulda got two
I nod sagely, having said the same thing to myself many times. Following him on Twitter throughout the season, something that’s jumped out at me is his consistently positive outlook on life—even though he’s had to take some lumps along with the good this year. I asked him about it: “That is something my parents taught me, growing up: that you should always keep a positive attitude, no matter what happens.”
Whenever NFL talk turns to breakout rookies, an old chestnut always comes up: the “rookie wall.” When college football’s regular season ends, there’s still more than a month left to go in the pro schedule. Rookies’ bodies, we’re told, often aren’t conditioned for the long haul. “Oh, I definitely hit a wall,” Jahvid told me, “but it was much more of a mental wall than a physical wall. In college, it’s half school, half football—but in the NFL, you wake up, and it’s football. And then, football. And then, more football. Film, meetings . . . it’s a much harder grind than in college.”
In the last two games, it’s obvious that some of the burst, some of the explosion we saw in Jahvid’s running has returned. Is that, I asked, because of getting over the mental wall—or because his injury is healing? “Oh, it’s much more mental than physical,” he said, which surprised me. “I wasn’t one hundred percent—I’m still not one hundred percent—but settling into it mentally, I just feel much more like myself.”
I asked him about the turf toe; I knew someone who had it and it seemed really, really painful. “Well, the first one happened in Week 1, and the second in Week 3. Everything I kept hearing was, ‘rest, the only thing that’ll help it is rest,’ but there isn’t any rest in the middle of the season.” I asked him if maybe, looking back on it, it would have been better to shut it down for a few weeks earlier in the season, and try and come back strong. “Well . . . I don’t know. I could have done that, or I could have done what I did—either way, it’s in the past now. All I can do is focus on getting healthy going forward.”
Something I’ve always wanted to ask an NFL running back is the importance of “getting into a rhythm,” the idea of feeding your starting back a steady diet of carries early in the game, to try to get going—and know that if he’s stuffed a couple times early, his number will still be called often. Scott Linehan has been diversifying the run game, profoundly, over the past few weeks, and I asked Jahvid if he’d prefer “getting into a rhythm,” or if the rotation was helping keep him fresh, and defenses off-balance. “It doesn’t necessarily matter,” he said. “You just need to find what works for your offense, and we’re definitely finding that.” With 453 rushing yards in the last three games, it’s hard to disagree.
Given the inital results of my offensive line research, I felt it my journalistic (bloggalistic?) duty to ask Jahvid about Dominic Raiola. Full disclosure, for those who don’t know: I’ve long been a fan of Raiola. I concede his lack of road-grader-ness, but I’ve always thought his tenacity, his excellent calling of pass protections, and agile second-level blocking more than made up for his lack of pure power. I referenced Jahvid’s experience at Cal behind All-American center Alex Mack (now of the Browns), and asked him if he’d prefer to have a more beastly center opening up seams in front of him. “Oh, Raiola’s a great player,” he said. “He’s been in the league—honestly, I’m not sure how many years—but a long time. No, he makes great plays for us, and he puts us in a position to win.”
Does he have any personal goals for the remainder of the season? “A hundred-yard game,” he said. “I’ve got to get that one taken care of. Also, just getting healthy.” By this point, the swirl and buzz of the event started to reach fever pitch, and I didn’t want to take up too much more of his time. “How awesome,” I said, “is it, getting to be on your own Pepsi Max can?” He immediately flashed a bright smile. “Oh, it’s ridiculous,” he said, “a great honor for me—and the product is great, too!” I thanked Jahvid for his time, shook his hand, and shook my head in wonder as another round of flashes popped.
I do thank Jahvid, and the Pepsi Max people, for the opportunity; it was an awesome event. I also want to thank my boy, the man you know as “commenter Matt,” who served as my wingman and photographer for the event. I got some great pictures . . .
. . . and I got a new perspective on being a fan—and being a player—in today’s NFL. Now, I underscore the modern, hyperconnected, multi-dimensional fan experience with calls to action: please, vote for Jahvid for Pepsi Rookie of the Week/Year! And also, if you’re a Facebook-type-person, Like Pepsi Max on Facebook! Finally, if you aren’t doing so already, follow me, Jahvid Best, and Pepsi Max on Twitter! Double-finally, feel free to discuss in the comments below.
Yesterday, I was asked an unanswerable question by Pride of Detroit contributor “simscity”, who does a great "On Paper" analysis feature there ( he Tweets as @lionssuhperfan). "if you had to choose one team to get the W this weekend," he asked me, "Lions or Spartans?"
Oh dear.
There's so much riding on today's game for the Lions: getting off this season's schneid, breaking yet another interminable road losing streak, making sure Jim Schwartz doesn't have the worst first two seasons of any coach in Lions history, and--of course--leaving Lambeau victorious for the first time since my eleventh birthday.
Then again, the Spartans might be on the verge of a truly special season. A victory over Wisconsin would mean that only Michigan stood between the Spartans and a chance for rose-trimmed glory--for the first time since my ninth birthday. A win over Wisconsin, with Coach Dantonio looking on from a hospital bed, would be huge step forward for the program--and another chapter in what's shaping up to be a truly epic season for Michigan State.
Now that it's happened . . . can I eat my cheese, and have it, too?
This post started with a momentus gameday Tweet from @jschwartzlions:
"If you are going, STAND UP and cheer. If you hadn’t planned on going, get yourself some tix. We NEED you, Lions nation. Be loud, be proud."
When I read that, I kind of got chills. I think it’s every fan’s delusion, every fan’s special comfort, to believe that somehow, some way, if they only cheer hard enough, they can will their team to victory. If they wear their lucky jersey, if they watch it on TV, if they don’t watch it on TV, if they go to the stadium in face paint and cheer their guts out, somehow they can help their team win. Here was the Lions’ head coach, in a message addressed to Lions fans everywhere, telling us to STAND UP and cheer. To be loud, and be proud. Incredibly, he said that the Lions need their fans behind them.
This concept has intrigued me since I chatted up Seahawks blogs and forums last year, and discovered that ‘Hawks fans really take their “12th Man” idea seriously. They really do believe that the noise they generate has a tangible on-field effect for their team. Yes, pure decibel levels of crowd noise can make it hard for opposing offenses to get their cadences out, but it’s more than that to them; they really believe that their cheering transfers spirit, mojo, power to their Seahawk players.
Back in the 90s, the Lions had a fairly predictable dynamic: generally win at home, and generally lose on the road. Some years it would be tipped towards “win,” and others towards “lose", but even in the leaner years, what wins there were seemed to always come at home. At least part of that, I’d like to think, came from the Lions’ home-field advantage at the Silverdome: a weird inflatable surface, resting underneath a cavernous dome, and yes—a large, raucous crowd that let both benches have it with impunity.
Ford Field, in my experience, is a beautiful shell, but often it’s lifeless. Sterile. Empty. The building itself has plenty of character, but it all seems hollow when the crowds don’t come—or worse, when the crowds come but sit silent, waiting for the inevitable release of failure.
I’ve said before that there’s a certain safety in futility; to give in, to cash out, and be cynical . . . it’s easy. It hurts, it sucks, but it’s also easy. If you’re a constant naysayer, you don’t bear any risk! If you’re right, you were right not to invest yourself, and if you’re wrong, then WHOO-HOO! But to allow yourself to hope again? That’s climbing onto a tightrope walker’s plaftorm. To allow yourself to feel again, to cheer again, to drape yourself in the Honolulu Blue and brand yourself with the Leaping Lion? That’s putting one foot out on that rope. To come to the games expecting victory instead of defeat? To stand up and exult when your team takes the field? That’s taking the second foot off the platform, and walking little more than faith.
I don’t think the half-full stadium made Jahvid Best run like that. Matthew Stafford has been as remarkable on the road as he was at home. Clearly, the defense wasn’t bolstered by whatever Lions fans brought to the table on Saturday. I don’t know if we fans really can affect what happens on the field, either directly or indirectly. But our coach says they need us. Our coach is directly appealing to us, the fans, to come and help them win.
I know that with all the misplaced faith, and all the wasted emotion, and all the unwearable jerseys hanging in our closets, that’s a big ask. It’s like Jerry Maguire telling Rod Tidwell, “Help me . . . help you.”
Jim Schwartz isn’t hanging by a thread; his job is more than secure. But this season starts with a gauntlet of divisional road games and vicious home games, and if the Lions start 2010 going 1-5, they might as well pack it in and wait for 2011. This young Lions team needs confidence, swagger, momentum, and for that they’ll need all the light and heat the blue bonfire can provide. I have to say . . . I dig that about them.
When Kyle Vanden Bosch was signed, we heard a lot about how his nonstop motor, both on- and off-field, would set the tempo for the Lions’ young defensive linemen. We heard a lot about how his intense play, intense practice tempo, and intense personality would teach the youngsters how to do it the right way—and, almost regardless of Vanden Bosch’s own production, would make the defensive line better.
When Nate Burleson signed, most of the talk centered around his production and his compensation—we heard almost nothing about his intangibles. Well, if you’ve read Tom Kowalski’s latest piece on Mlive.com, then you know that Burleson’s arrival has catalyzed the transformation of the wide receiver corps. What was once a frustrated Calvin Johnson surrounded by underperforming castoffs has become a lively, competitive group that sees themselves among the best units in the league.
One of the fun things about Twitter is following athletes, and seeing what they say to each other—and by following @Nate13Burleson, @bigplaycj, @1BryantJohnson, and @DWheelz12, I’ve seen the off-field esprit de wide receiver corps building all offseason long. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that the wideouts are taking that same camaraderie between the sidelines, as well. Handshakes, TD celebrations, friendly competitions, are all a part of building confidence, building unity, building excitement, and fostering a winning attitude—finally, changing the “losing culture” we’ve heard so much about over the past decade(s).
There were whispers last year that Megatron was becoming “Lionized” last year, losing motivation and focus because of the crushing futility of trying to win in Detroit. Well, maybe being Lionized can have a different meaning now: attitude, confidence, fun, swagger. Yeah, I said swagger.
Tonight, on ESPN2 (and Univision), the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) will be taking on Brazil. This’ll be the first time we get to see our national team in action since the World Cup, and I’m interested to see what the national excitement level for this match is. Of course, the old home of the Lions, the Silverdome, recently hosted a match between two elite international pro teams, AC Milan and Panathinaikos FC, billed the “Match of the Titans.” Announced attendance was over 30,000, proving that there’s a significant fan base in Michigan. The Silverdome ownership group is hoping to lure the MLS to Detroit with a radical makeover of the building, and I, for one, hope they pull it off.
I’m sitting here holding a registration form for Parks & Rec soccer for my eldest, & I’m about to go turn it in. I never played soccer myself, and know very little about the game—but something about the international flavor of the sport has lured me and my kids in. With the Tigers an annual exercise in hope and heartbreak, it’d be awesome to have another Detroit team to cheer on during the interminable wait for the NFL. So, watch the USMNT tonight at 8:00 on ESPN2. Go check out MotorCitySupporters.com. Add @MCSDetroit to your Twitter feed, and join the grassroots effort to bring MLS to Detroit.
Late last night, word finally broke on Twitter—sorry, hundreds at the same time, no idea who was first—that the Lions and Ndamukong Suh had agreed to the terms of his first Lions contract (see what I did there?). During last Sunday’s Fireside Chat, I’d noted, with growing distaste, how quickly Lions fans were beginning to turn on Suh. Never before had the Lions’ fanbase been so united in their desire for a given player to be the Lions’ first draft pick—and yet, a few days’ worth of not being in camp had people jumping on Twitter and cussing out Ndamukong, and his sister Ngum.
Then again, the most likely explanation is that Ndamukong Suh is a dude in his early twenties who is going to spend the next decade of his life (if he's lucky) getting the utter shit kicked out of him, being beaten and broken, his body ripped apart and ravaged so that by the time he's 40 he'll barely be able to walk and won't be able to read any of the street signs thanks to all of the concussions. He'll then spend the next thirty or so years of his life (again, if he's lucky) dealing with the hellacious trauma of his chosen career, with mounting medical bills and aches and pains that most of us can't even fathom. Be honest, if someone told you that you were going to be finished at 35 and then were going to spend the rest of your life taking a half hour getting out of bed in the morning because the pain was just too damn much and trying to remember your kids' names and wondering if you would need a wheelchair before your fiftieth birthday, you'd probably press for as much money as you could too. And that's all assuming you'd even be good enough to play for a decade and not for three or four years. These dudes need to get paid and need to get paid quickly.
This is absolutely right: most quality players only get to sign two—or if they’re lucky, a few—of these big, guarantee-laden contracts. Many never even get past one. I wonder what Charles Rogers would do now to pocket one more million of that upfront money?
A big Lions fan on Twitter, @AKDW90, asked me “What difference would it be if he gets $40M or $50M?” and I answered “About ten million dollars.” Frankly, ten million dollars is a lot of dollars, no matter how many dollars you already have. Moreover, consider this: Ndamukong worked like crazy for five years at Nebraska, through two coaches, and trained like a madman to thoroughly dominate the NFL combine. Why did he do that? To be the best he could be—and to get drafted as highly as possible. He earned his #2 overall draft slot through years and years of his own hard work; why should he throw any of that away and sign for less than he can get? So he can make a handful of August practices?
Just as I was mentally composing my own "Settle Down" piece, Neil wrote a sequel. It’s a little more firm in its critique. As I like to keep it family here on this blog, there’s very little of it I can quote to you—yet, this one sentence might be the most salient:
Look, you know things have gotten out of hand when I am the one trying to be the voice of reason and preaching civility.
Commenter TimT—who I have the utmost respect for—objected to all of this Gonzo fan-on-fan aggression, but I found it cathartic and satisfying. There’s no room around the the blue bonfire for people who will get on Twitter and viciously flame Ndamukong Suh’s little sister because the big man was four days slow on signing his contract. Please, people, perspective. This guy’s going to be the anchor of the Lions’ defense for years to come; is this what you want him to think of Lions fans?
Speaking of the blue bonfire, if there was an antidote to the nastiness of the Lions fans on Twitter, it was the awesomeness of the fans of the rest of the NFL on Twitter. Raider homer @rnstrong immediately fired off a Tweet for the ages:
SUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I instantly became a Lions fan the moment they drafted him
You see? It’s already beginning, people. Ndamukong Suh is going to be everything I thought Aaron Curry would be: a once-in-a-generation combination of size, speed, ability, and intelligence. A humble, honest, hardworking young man blessed with a philanthropic spirit. The savior of the worst defense the NFL has ever seen, and avatar of renaissance for both the Lions, and the City of Detroit. Today, as Ndamukong Suh practices with his teammates for the first time, the blue bonfire burns as brightly as it has in years. As the Honolulu Blue flames reach for the August sky, people from all over are rushing to to see the source. Join us.
Last spring, I experimented with a video-podcasting-like-thing, which I termed a "Fireside Chat." I did a modified version of the same format for my phone interview with Matthew Stafford. And Tuesday, I broadcasted (but didn't record) a technical dry run for my soon-to-be-weekly Ustream show. I'm afraid only those who were paying RAPT attention to my Twitter feed, @lionsinwinter, got to hear it (probably for the best).
Wait, what? Yes, you read right, The Lions in Winter: Fireside Chat will be coming to you on Ustream every week from here through the rest of the season. The current plan is that I'll broadcast every night there's a game, and you folks will be encouraged to jump in on the "social stream" to keep it lively. Thanks to an unfortunate encounter involving my video camera and the laundry, it'll be audio-only at first; with your help it should be no less entertaining.
Those who have been following me on Twitter, @lionsinwinter, know that I have jury duty this week. Those of you who’ve been reading know that I take justice very seriously. however, those of you who’ve served your civic duty before (I have not) know what I’ve discovered: a lot of jury duty is waiting. So, either I’m going to get no writing done at all, or I might get a lot of writing done. Either way, my update schedule will be affected. I either appreciate your patience, or encourage you to check back often, respectively.
It took me longer than I meant to to get my draft plans figured out, but it’s now settled: I’ll be attending the creatively-named Draft Night Event at Ford Field. I’ll be seeing the sights and talking to people beforehand, and recording video live from the event. I’ll be trying to upload them and link to them as the night goes on. Hit me up on Twitter if you’re there—and if you aren’t camera shy, you might even get to be “famous”!
And by "famous", I mean you will get to be on the Internet. Which like, you probably already are. But you know, more on the Internet.
Also, if my laptop isn’t confiscated and the WiFi holds up, I’ll be part of the Mlive.com NFL Draft Live Blog, along with Phil, Killer, Schottey, and the rest of the gang. I’ll be posting up the video links there, too, so if you’re following along, you won’t miss out. Failing that, I will of course be Tweeting the everlovin’ love out of it @lionsinwinter.
The fourth round of my quasi-mock will be up before the afternoon is out, but I’m not going to do the seventh. Besides being a massive effort, with so many selections and too many players to scout, there’s nearly zero chance that the Lions stand pat throughout the fifth and six rounds while they have four seventh-rounders burning a hole in their pocket. I anticipate that those picks will be used as trade lubricant, and the draft board will start changing rapidly come Saturday.
I love making the pilgrimage to the stadium, there's really nothing like it. Connecting with the fans, hearing the cheers, feeling the excitement, spotting jersey fails, and spotting jersey wins—like the old guy in an authenic Lem Barney throwback I saw last year. Paying like $13 for a Labatt and a Kowalski, soaking in the tepid rays of the Detroit sun, even indoors . . . it’s awesome. I can’t wait to capture the moment when they draft Ndamukong Suh on video—and I can’t wait to share it all with you!
Late last night, word finally broke on Twitter—sorry, hundreds at the same time, no idea who was first—that the 
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