2014 Detroit Lions

[Thruster315]

Before you climb all over me, where did you think I was calling out the Lions for not being involved in the community??

No worries smoggy. I got your back on this one.

What I see here is Dbest completely missing your point of where sports should be in the Big Picture [[which you did mention). Sports, in particular- Lions football should not trump life's more important things. Somehow Dbest made the leap thinking that it was a knock against the Lions' charities. I'll shrug my shoulders at how he made that assumption based upon what I read and re-read.

The Lions do great work with those causes. No one is disputing any of that. Quite honestly here, no one has ever mentioned the charitable work that the Lions do. This is a thread to discuss what happens on the field. Maybe there needs to be a thread on that charitable stuff, but I'm not expecting our commissioner to go head that up. I didn't see anyone bashing them for it.

So, DBest... before you call our commissioner here, re-read smoggy's post and see what the hell he's talking about in its entirety and its context to sports, life and entertainment. There's nothing that knocks the Lions charities, their community or their causes in it at all. Smogboy's been championing this Lions' thread for a long ass time.

[gnome]

The NFL is a 501[[c)6 non-profit.

Yep.

not sure about the Lions.

However, if Smogboy's credibility is being questioned, I would take exceptional umbrage at such a charge.

[Dbest]

Smogboy, I re-read your post and couldn't figure out what I really took exception to and then I realized what happened. I meant to qoute the post by Hermod. Sorry for the confusion. I meant to call out HERMOD for his lack of knowledge. I enjoy this thread each year, its a nice change of pace for this site.

[smogboy]

Smogboy, I re-read your post and couldn't figure out what I really took exception to and then I realized what happened. I meant to qoute the post by Hermod. Sorry for the confusion. I meant to call out HERMOD for his lack of knowledge. I enjoy this thread each year, its a nice change of pace for this site.

Apology accepted. My suggestion would be to quote the person you want to debate. Have their words in front of you so you can challenge their points. It also helps others just stumbling onto the discussion too. We're all about agreeing and disagreeing here but we sincerely hope for some intelligent discourse, civility and mutual respect.

[smogboy]

A quick reminder for those of you still checking your bunions, reading your tea leaves, consulting turbans, counting rings on caterpillars, peering into crystal balls, or whatever method of predicting the future you use- the deadline to get into the DetroitYes Detroit Lions prediction circle ends this upcoming Thursday, September 4th at 8:00 EST.

All others chiming in after that will not count. To be eligible for the season end praise and adulation, your predictions must be in on time.

[Thruster315]

I know smogboy's tabulating all of the predictions for the over all record but let me be the first slappie to go on record to say that the Lions first game is going to be a blow-out. I think the Lions are just going to run rampant over the Giants. Eli Manning won't know what hit him.

I know on paper it looks like two 7-9 teams going at it but after taking a few more swigs out of the blue & silver Kool-Aid jug, I'll be as bold to go out and say the Lions will beat the Giants by 15 points even though Vegas only has us at a 5.5 points favorite.

[gnome]

15!? Against the GMen? GeeeeMan what are you thinking? That is a BoldAzzPrediction fer sho.

Shotgunning the KoolAid this early is dangerful.

[Thruster315]

15!? Against the GMen? GeeeeMan what are you thinking? That is a BoldAzzPrediction fer sho.

Shotgunning the KoolAid this early is dangerful.

I'm living life on the edge with this one. I'm so damn far out on the limb and twigs, not even the birds dare land here.

And if I'm off, I know damn well it won't be my first time.

[Downriviera]

I'll be as bold to go out and say the Lions will beat the Giants by 15 points

So what you're saying here Thruster is that midway through the 4th quarter Dandy Don Meredith will be singing, "Turn out the lights, The parties over."

[Oddz313]

Lions 35-24, I think they go 8-8 on the season

[smogboy]

Just a quick reminder- if anyone wants to chime in with their predictions or amend their previous predictions, tonight's the night I wrap things up at 8:00PM and tally them up. They'll be set and in about 16-17 more weeks from now- we'll compare notes to see who walks away from this fray with the best prediction for this 2014 Lions season.

Good luck to all and may our Lions exceed all of our expectations.

[smogboy]

I'll be as bold to go out and say the Lions will beat the Giants by 15 points

So what you're saying here Thruster is that midway through the 4th quarter Dandy Don Meredith will be singing, "Turn out the lights, The parties over."

If Dandy Don is singing that tune, he's having it accompanied with harp music from up high as he passed in 2010. He was an icon for Monday Night Football though.

Speaking of another legend that passed far too soon, it's hard to believe that Tom "Killer" Kowalski passed away on August 30, 2011 at the tender age of 51. He truly embodied what it was like to be a fan and to be a critical voice of the Lions. He would cheer for them when they did well and be stark with them when they bungled. His writing was straight forward. He helped many of his peers break into the business. His on air persona was funny and fact filled with insider knowledge. He bridged the gap from being a daily beat writer to being instantaneous with the immediacy in the digital age. He was astute and a professional.

To this day I miss the Tom Kowalski. I sincerely hope for those of us who read his columns, saw him on television, and heard him on the radio that we can somehow capture his passion, calm dignity and sincerity here on this thread.

[Thruster315]

Awwwww c'mon smoggy. You're gonna make a grown man cry here with your remembrance of the Killer. He was a good guy.

And while we're talking about remembering people, let's not forget that William Clay Ford passed this year too. Some people hated the man. Some adored him. I can't say that he didn't care for the team or us the fans, but for all of his folly with this team- he was the owner of our team. if anything, the old guy was too darn loyal. Why else would one hang onto Russ Thomas and Matt Millen for as long as he did? But it was also he who built us one helluva nice Ford Field and moved this franchise back to the heart of the city.

Some are glad he's gone and I think that's a little callous.

I know the Lions this year will fly the flag at half mast, sport a patch with his initials on it and I heard there will be some pre-game ceremony to honor the man too. God rest your soul, Mister Ford.

[smogboy]

The tabulating is in and here they are...

The Detroit News columnists:
•Josh Katzenstein 7-9
•Rod Beard 9-7
•John Niyo 9-7
•Bob Wojnowski 10-6

The Free Press had no predictions for this season yet.

BleacherReport.com columnist:
•Zach Kruse 9-7

PrideofDetroit.com columnist:
•Sean Yuille 8-8

The DetroitYes intelligencia:
•Danny 10-6
•rb336 11-5 [[+a playoff game!)
•Danny… again with a 9-6 call, but since you were short a game we’ll have to keep it with the original prediction of 10-6
•smirnoff 8-8
•Bong-Man 6-10 [[Stafford injury @ game #5)
•kenp 7-9 [[Stafford hurt too)
•thruster315 9-7
•Dbest 10-6 [[Bell 1200+ yards & Ebron 7 TDs
•Pickford-Bentler 8-8
•ABetterDetroit 8-8
•Lowell 12-4 [[first round playoff loss)
•gnome 10-6
•Oddz313 8-8
•smogboy 10-6

[Thruster315]

The tabulating is in and here they are...

The Detroit News columnists:
•Josh Katzenstein 7-9
•Rod Beard 9-7
•John Niyo 9-7
•Bob Wojnowski 10-6

The Free Press had no predictions for this season yet.

BleacherReport.com columnist:
•Zach Kruse 9-7

PrideofDetroit.com columnist:
•Sean Yuille 8-8

The DetroitYes intelligencia:
•Danny 10-6
•rb336 11-5 [[+a playoff game!)
•Danny… again with a 9-6 call, but since you were short a game we’ll have to keep it with the original prediction of 10-6
•smirnoff 8-8
•Bong-Man 6-10 [[Stafford injury @ game #5)
•kenp 7-9 [[Stafford hurt too)
•thruster315 9-7
•Dbest 10-6 [[Bell 1200+ yards & Ebron 7 TDs
•Pickford-Bentler 8-8
•ABetterDetroit 8-8
•Lowell 12-4 [[first round playoff loss)
•gnome 10-6
•Oddz313 8-8
•smogboy 10-6

Damn. We are an optimistic bunch! kenp is the only one of us that gave the Lions a sub .500 record. We might need a few more Gatorade buckets of the Kool-Aid. But football's an odd sport. Who knows- if the stars align right, crazier things can happen.

[rb336]

I was utterly unimpressed with Green Bay last night, but they may have exposed a weakness in the Seahawk D

[nain rouge]

God, I'm so nervous about the Lions secondary. Ihedigbo isn't playing this week. On top of that, Rashean Mathis is a crazy dice roll. If he lost even a half-step, he's done. The rest of the CBs have sucked so far. That leaves Glover Quin back there as the only dependable guy, a solid starter, but hardly an anchor.

We might just reboot Eli's career.

[Thruster315]

I originally thought 9-7, then I decided Chicago is THE most over-rated team in the NFL and the Lions would sweep. Then I decided the Cardinals were the SECOND most over-rated team, so I hit 11-5

Da Bears lived up to your prediction. They choked one away at home against the lowly Buffalo Bills. But this is one effed up first week. I'm in a Pick 'Em league and tanking badly because of all the upsets. Seriously whoda thunk that teams like...

Atlanta would beat the Saints
Vikings beating the Bradford-less Rams
Bills over Bears
Washington beating the lowly Texans
-and the biggest shocker, the 'Fins beating the Pats

and Jacksonville nearly had the Eagles with their 17-0 halftime lead.

It's been upsets galore! What a way to start the new season. Let's just hope the fave Lions stay the favorite and beat the G-Men easily.

[Downriviera]

It seems my prediction of a meager 7-9 [[post #173) has been censored and not listed? My rational is that every time I have a good prediction they do poorly so maybe reverse psychology will do the trick. I'm sure just an oversight by Commissioner Smogboy.

[Thruster315]

It seems my prediction of a meager 7-9 [[post #173) has been censored and not listed? My rational is that every time I have a good prediction they do poorly so maybe reverse psychology will do the trick. I'm sure just an oversight by Commissioner Smogboy.

I noticed that this year's predictions came up all over the place. I'm sure smoggy wouldn't leave ya in the lurch like that. Surely it's an oversight seeing as how you're damn near like Norm at Cheers- you're always here.

[smogboy]

It seems my prediction of a meager 7-9 [[post #173) has been censored and not listed? My rational is that every time I have a good prediction they do poorly so maybe reverse psychology will do the trick. I'm sure just an oversight by Commissioner Smogboy.

My sincere apologies, Downriviera. I have no idea how I missed your prediction. So consider THIS post to be the official results now:

The tabulating is in and here they are...

The Detroit News columnists:
•Josh Katzenstein 7-9
•Rod Beard 9-7
•John Niyo 9-7
•Bob Wojnowski 10-6

The Free Press had no predictions for this season yet.

BleacherReport.com columnist:
•Zach Kruse 9-7

PrideofDetroit.com columnist:
•Sean Yuille 8-8

The DetroitYes intelligencia:
•Danny 10-6
•rb336 11-5 [[+a playoff game!)
•Danny… again with a 9-6 call, but since you were short a game we’ll have to keep it with the original prediction of 10-6
•smirnoff 8-8
•Bong-Man 6-10 [[Stafford injury @ game #5)
•kenp 7-9 [[Stafford hurt too)
•thruster315 9-7
•Dbest 10-6 [[Bell 1200+ yards & Ebron 7 TDs)
•Pickford-Bentler 8-8
•ABetterDetroit 8-8
•Lowell 12-4 [[first round playoff loss)
•gnome 10-6
•Oddz313 8-8
•Downriviera 7-9
•smogboy 10-6

[Thruster315]

I knew you wouldn't let us down smoggy. You're better than Roger Goodell! We wish you were paid like Goodell but alas this gig only has you dealing with armchair Bermans and Monday morning ESPN sports desk wannabes like me here.

[stasu1213]

I wonder if this Lions emblem will be dislayed on the giant LED screen on top of the G.M. building whicg had never been displayed before

[innercitydoc]

I wonder if this Lions emblem will be dislayed on the giant LED screen on top of the G.M. building whicg had never been displayed before

This was discussed before. It won't be done because of the Lions exclusive relationship with Ford

[Bham1982]

7-9 sounds like a reasonable prediction, IMO. The team is no better than last year.