2011 Detroit Lions

[Thruster315]

Just heard the awful new, Leshoure is out for the season with a torn achilles.
This is going to hurt, he was being counted on to gives us a solid contribution in a area of weakness.
We better start looking around, we need to run and Best isnt the answer.

Dammit dammit dammit.

Talk about letting the air out of the balloon. This is such the effin' buzzkill this morning. I was all set on making fun of gnome's Miss Cleo turbin and now this? And not just out for a few games- it's the entire freakin' season. If someone had a cussbox nearby, I'd plop down enough to pay off their mortgage. This really really really blows.

[gnome]

Ricky Williams, tiki Barber ... Each could provide some veteran experience, but those bones are old and in a league where the average RB career is 4 years, those bones are Jurassic.

Kevin Smith knows the system, but I'm Thinking there is some tired blood between Schwartz and Smith. Not bad blood, just tired. Smith was left on the bench last yr when MoMo came in to jagerbomb the Linehan scheme. The page has turned on Smith, sad to say, but he deserves a fresh start somewhere else.

[GOAT]

Williams is signed and Barber? Really? how about asking Billy Sims or Barry Sanders back? He is too old.
I don't think they are going to do much. But I have to ask why the fuck are there so many damn injuries on this pussy team? I read a bunch of reports from other teams and they are not nearly as injured as Detroit. WTF?

[GOAT]

I'll add LeShoure will never play the same again. Not with that type of injury so I wonder now how he will be when he comes back at the starrt of 2012 [[yes you heard right. You can forget training camp next year and pre-season as well).

[Thruster315]

I'll add LeShoure will never play the same again. Not with that type of injury so I wonder now how he will be when he comes back at the starrt of 2012 [[yes you heard right. You can forget training camp next year and pre-season as well).

Are you sporting gnome's Miss Cleo turbin with this speculation? Reading tea leaves here or what?

I'm not going to be the bearer of doom and gloom as you are because quite honestly I can counter that there have been other athletes who've come back from achilles tendon ruptures to fine careers. Lawrence Taylor, Dan Marino, and Vinnie Testeverde are the big names in football that have recovered just fine. Basketball's Mehmet Okur [[ex-Piston/ current Utah Jazz), soccer's David Beckham's adn just recently Sammie Salo of the NHL came back just fine after surgery and rehab.

Now if you know for a fact that LeShoure can't come back, I'm all ears. What's the basis for this speculation? It's not like he was ever dinged up in college or had a history or this injury either.

[Thruster315]

Williams is signed and Barber? Really? how about asking Billy Sims or Barry Sanders back? He is too old.
I don't think they are going to do much. But I have to ask why the fuck are there so many damn injuries on this pussy team? I read a bunch of reports from other teams and they are not nearly as injured as Detroit. WTF?

Not that I have to speak on gnome's behalf here but I don't see him recommending Tiki Barber or Ricky WIlliams at all. Quite the opposite from what I see. And the Ricky Williams deal to the Ravens is just way too pricey for a back-up. I didn't recall gnome recommending anyone.

As far as injuries go, why couldn't it just be bad luck? Is there really a blame to be levied here? What's up with the finger pointing- like someone in the front office messed up drafting or some coach ran some inappropriate drill? I'll admit it's pretty damn lousy being a Lions' fan but hell if I'm about to slap blame on anyone on this one.

[gnome]

Jeeze ... I would take Barry or Billy over Tiki or Ricky any day of the week.

---

See guys, that Lions Butter is just going to grease the skids to another head shaker. At least Leshoure was on the field and not doing something risky like weed whacking, ala Andolsek.

I get the feeling around here not everyone remembers how snakebit we've been. How much we suffer from the fan version of PTSD. You think I'm kidding, that I'm slathering a little Gnomeness on things. Fuck no.

Hide all sharp objects from me, secret away the Ar15.

Le

[GOAT]

No finger pointing going on Thruster315. Just curious as to why the Lions are so banged up compared with other teams. While yes there are a few who are more banged up I find the Lions curse well at work here yet again.

I never said Gnome picked Barber or Williams to be back-up. I just think thosenames are so over-used as replacements. I wouldn't sign either one as stated above.

Other than LT, the other players in the NFL aren't runners. Marino couldn't run to save his life [[I think a 6 year old could run faster). Since LeShoure is a power back his achillles is much more important ot his career. Most types of these injuries have a hampering effect that last a long time.

While I am speculating on the severity [[I hope it isn't as bad as it may seem) I just don't think an RB is going to be able to do what he needs to do with an injury of that nature. Hopefully I'm wrong but....

[sirrealone]

Well as you probably know the Lions picked up both Jerome Harrison and Mike Bell. I remember those guys more from fantasy football because in each case [[more so Harrison) they came out of nowhere and became the creme of the crop for at least a short period.

I think it's a best case scenario under the circumstances. I mean, considering the fact that the last discussion run was based on Tiki Barber [[seriously?) or Ricky Williams, I'll gladly take a pair of 27 year olds who should be able to fit into a backup/rotational role just fine.

As far as why this rash of injuries is happening: I'd chalk it up to bad luck and nothing more. If you think it's a sign of bad players, bad coaching, or a bad training staff, I think you're reading far too much into it. I think part of it is that the lockout has consolidated what the players are able to do in camp. As such, they're probably more amped up than they'd be in a normal year, plus the fact that a lot of these injuries are happening to rookies sort of proves my point, as they're probably running extra hard trying to show the veterans what they can do, where a veteran team is going to be more relaxed. These guys that the Lions are drafting are going to grow into solid veterans. This team is getting better.

[GOAT]

Sirrealone, Yeah I don't mind the pick up of Harrison and I really do hope he kicks some ass on the field as he did in the past. I also agree this team is getting much, much better in fact.

I kind of feel sorry for Kevin Smith though. His heart and mindset was great. Too bad injuries destroyed his career.

[gnome]

Alright guys, the RabbitHole is getting stranger:

Just heard that Lions have just signed Rudy Nitswanger [[sp), the player rep and starting center for KC. The guy is a load at 6'5" 300+ and played under the current Leos line coach, Yaro, Vano er, ah ... Shit, can't remember the guy.

Anyway bottom line ... They're bringing in a very large, somewhat youngish [[28), man-mountain to play somewhere. I can't see replacing Dom. He's small but tough and knows all the line calls. Guard? Nitswanger has played that position before, but what we need are tackles.

[sirrealone]

Cool. I saw this on MLive a couple of days ago. My guess is that Niswanger would be in the rotation for the two backup spots mentioned at the end of the paragraph. Seems both he and Gandy could rotate at guard and center with the starters. If they can have depth that allows for fresh legs as well as specialists that could be used for run vs. pass situtations, that can only help in the end.

The Lions will likely keep nine offensive linemen on the 53-man squad: four tackles and five interior players. Assuming there isn't some significant setback with the injuries that would require a trip to the injured reserve list, the tackles will likely be Backus, Cherilus, Fox and Hilliard. The starting interior spots will be Dominic Raiola, Stephen Peterman and Rob Sims. The top candidates for the two backup positions are Dylan Gandy, Donald Thomas and Dan Gerberry. Rookie seventh-round pick Johnny Culbreath appears, at the moment, to be destined for the practice squad.

[ejames01]

I would not be surprised if Raola [[2.4mil) or Peterman [[2.9 mil) get cut. The Lions are now at the point where they have enough talent to have to cut people for financial reasons. I haven't seen this guy play but KC has a dominant rushing attack. Hopefully he has run blocking talent.

[Thruster315]

I would not be surprised if Raola [[2.4mil) or Peterman [[2.9 mil) get cut. The Lions are now at the point where they have enough talent to have to cut people for financial reasons. I haven't seen this guy play but KC has a dominant rushing attack. Hopefully he has run blocking talent.

I can see them keeping Raiola around for a little longer just because he can still call a helluva game from down within the trenches. Peterman on the other hand has been injured a few too many times for my liking. It never hurts to have too much depth at the offensive line but I think what's actually worked well the last few years is that a lot of those guys are starting to come together and can help one another along. Damn lousy time for them to come together as a unit but we'll take them for now until we can start squeezing in some more fresh bodies.

Run block...

That's almost mythical here in this town. I think if there's one thing that the offense lacked it was that. I was really hoping that LeShoure was going to come in here and keep some of the other team's defense honest. Great, so we have one great aerial attack and we can stretch the filed but it sure as hell doesn't do us any good with killing the clock. We're still built for shooting it out on offense, which isn't a bad thing but it sure would've been a lot nicer to round things out.

[Thruster315]

This team is getting better.

One could argue that after Matt Millen, we couldn't get any worse.

Didja guys see that we're letting his son-in-law in for a try-out? Dear Lord, PLEASE PLEASE do not let Millen ever darken our stoop again. If he wants to see how his son-in-law is doing, can someone just Skype him or just send him text messages? I never want to see his stupid ass anywhere near Ford Field ever again. That man elicits a churning feeling in my gut and makes me want to projectile vomit the sliders I had for dinner last night.

[gnome]

My, what a charming image to wake up to ...

I did see that son-in-law thing; I figure it was a Martin Mayhew "thank you" bone to Millen for giving him his job. IIRC Mayhew was not on the fast-track for executive sports management when Millen plucked him for the position of assistant GM. In fact, I thought it was another of Millen's mistakes to hire a guy without experience for a position that required top front office experience. However, in contrast to almost every other Millen hunch, this one turned out to be pretty good.

So I think Mayhew is doing a solid for a guy who opened the door for him.

That being said, I would love to see sonny join the Leos, and not because I know anything about the guy, but because it would torture Millen. Let me explain. Millen knows he is unliked here, but the depth of that dislike hasn't been fully probed by his family. Now usually I prefer to keep families out of such matters but Millen deserves an exception. I could see the entire stadium pour invectives down on this daughter to the point where she would fully understand what an asshole her father is.

That would torture Matt Millen, especially because he knows he could never set foot in the stadium without risking personal injury. So, in a weird double twist of karmic catastrophe, I'd love to see the impossible possible.

But that's just me. Your millage may differ.

---

In things that may happen: what ate the chances the lions will be on TV Friday night? Home game. Pre-season. I wouldn't think there would be a run on tickets, but maybe the stupid black-out rule doesn't apply to preseason games.

Anyone know?

[sirrealone]

In things that may happen: what ate the chances the lions will be on TV Friday night? Home game. Pre-season. I wouldn't think there would be a run on tickets, but maybe the stupid black-out rule doesn't apply to preseason games.

Anyone know?

No chance of a sellout. WXYZ is showing the game at 9:30 which is delayed due to blackout rules. So you can listen to the radio / follow online and catch up with highlights, or go into media blackout for a couple hours and pretend it's live.

[sirrealone]

I figure it was a Martin Mayhew "thank you" bone to Millen for giving him his job.

Not sure about this. I think Mayhew looks at one thing when deciding to bring a player in: Can this player help our football team?

If the talent is there, if the locker room fit is there, if the ability to fit into their scheme is there, if the comfort level with off-the-field issues is there, then he's going to do it, period. He doesn't seem the type to waste the team's time bringing in a guy because of his pedigree just as I don't see that he would blackball a guy that could help their team. He's made it clear that his focus is to improve the talent level of the team. Period.

Personally, I think the guy has very little hope of actually making the roster, but either way it does make for entertaining news stories by the media.

[gnome]

If you are going to take a flyer, why waste your time on a guy who's been out of ball for two years and even then from a sub-par football program? Why this guy and not Kevin Smith? At least he knows the system; I know what I said before about Smith, but that was before they decided to waste their time on a loooooong shot.

I'm sure we'll never know the truth, and maybe I've been reading too many Gannon Conspiracies, but I'm just trying to see the logic here.

Oh, thx for the viewing news. 9:30 Friday is a little late, but maybe worth a first quarter look see.

[sirrealone]

Almost every Super Bowl team has that one guy that came out of nowhere to be that missing piece of the puzzle. The guy drafted in the 7th round or the rookie free agent or the guy that used to work in the grocery store.

Let's face it, Kevin Smith is not going to be that guy. Yes, he knows the system, but on the flip side, the Lions know what he has. And, assuming he doesn't get re-signed by someone else, if they need him they can go get him at any point.

But, while they have the spots available, by all means they should bring in the long-shot type guys to see if they can find that unpolished gem. Finding that guy is always a longshot, but they certainly won't find him if they fill all their spots with the Kevin Smiths of the world.

[gnome]

If that is the case, I'm gonna stay close to the phone just in case Mr. Mayhew calls.

Don't worry I'll hook you up with some fine tickets in the Family Fun Zone.

[ejames01]

Kevin Smith is done. He can't stay healthy and his career was basically ruined by rushing the ball a billion times in college. They should have even drafted him.

Not sure about this. I think Mayhew looks at one thing when deciding to bring a player in: Can this player help our football team?

If the talent is there, if the locker room fit is there, if the ability to fit into their scheme is there, if the comfort level with off-the-field issues is there, then he's going to do it, period. He doesn't seem the type to waste the team's time bringing in a guy because of his pedigree just as I don't see that he would blackball a guy that could help their team. He's made it clear that his focus is to improve the talent level of the team. Period.

Personally, I think the guy has very little hope of actually making the roster, but either way it does make for entertaining news stories by the media.

[gnome]

Good news, Mayhew called. I'll be kicking on Friday, look for an old, bald white guy.

[Thruster315]

Good news, Mayhew called. I'll be kicking on Friday, look for an old, bald white guy.

The only problem was that it was Peter Mayhew, the guy who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies- and not Martin Mayhew. He wants you to help pilot the Millennium Falcon out of the parking deck. The only thing you might be kicking is landing gear!

[Thruster315]

That being said, I would love to see sonny join the Leos, and not because I know anything about the guy, but because it would torture Millen. Let me explain. Millen knows he is unliked here, but the depth of that dislike hasn't been fully probed by his family. Now usually I prefer to keep families out of such matters but Millen deserves an exception. I could see the entire stadium pour invectives down on this daughter to the point where she would fully understand what an asshole her father is.

That would torture Matt Millen, especially because he knows he could never set foot in the stadium without risking personal injury. So, in a weird double twist of karmic catastrophe, I'd love to see the impossible possible.

But that's just me. Your millage may differ.

Nope. It's not just you. There are still plenty of Lions fans that would love to see more ill come Millen's way. More the merrier I say. I think what got the majority of us was his smugness and arrogance during his entire reign of terror here. We thought he was one of us blue collar, lunchbucket sort of guys only to find out he's a total incompetent dope who couldn't admit his mistakes and then would keep repeating them. And when pressed, he'd mildly offer up a piss poor apology that was hardly genuine. Hell, when caught with your proverbial pants down around your ankles- at least admit to taking a dump in our bed.

For that, Millen can twist and rot for all we care. Why he's even considered any sort of football authority beyond pop warner is beyond me. The fact that he even came to town [[Ann Arbor) to call a college football game last year was too close for my tastes. I've even made repeated phone calls into ESPN to complain about having that ass on the television.

And besides the only kind of ass I want on my TV comes in the form of Baywatch reruns.