Ain’t Too Proud To Beg ……

Well the NFL training camps are almost upon us. And the expectations for some are higher than for others. In the case of the Detroit Lions , it’s all about redeeming themselves after last season’s disastrous escapade during the regular season.

Detroit Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz (center) alongside General Martin Mayhew (left) and Team President Tom Lewand (right). picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Carlos Osorio ...............

And after going (0-16) within the NFC North. One can allude to the fact that for the franchise now , the only way is up. And it has to be said that with the upheaval within the coaching regime, after the abrupt firing of Rod Marinelli . A fresh pair of eyes and mindset needs to be brought to the team. Newly established Head Coach , Jim Schwartz and General Manager Martin Mayhew have set about revamping the team’s roster and coaching staff.

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson seen here in full stride for the Lions. The players is viewed as the team's most ominous and potent offensive threat. And he's viewed as a great complement to the weapons that quarterback , Matthew Stafford will have in his arsenal. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Mike Schiff ......................

And in the draft they went about expeditiously and judiciously supplementing the roster with the players they best felt would be able to contribute and bring back the luster to the franchise. To state that the Lions’ franchise has been in the doldrums for the last decade. It’s not only stating the obvious but it also has signified almost how irrelevant the Lions had become in the NFL. Merely stating that on Thanksgiving Day , a Lions’ game was on television. It all but brought about tears to the most ardent of NFL fans. Especially those Lions’ fans who had to be subjected to their sheer ineptitude of their displays on the field.

Daunte Culpepper of the Detroit Lions. The veteran players is being viewed as Matthew Stafford's backup. However, there is the opinion that Culpepper will initially be the starter at the beginning of the regular season , in order that Stafford can get himself acclimatized. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Chris Nelson ..................

Why it is that the custom of having the Lions play a home game on Thanksgiving Day in-front of a network audience , has always been beyond my comprehension. Were it not for the fact that the hierarchy of the NFL still believes in customs , tradition and its importance to the game. I would’ve thought that they would’ve done away with the Lions being part of this customary scheduling. It’s bad enough having to digest the Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner and the numerous alcoholic beverages that one consumes on the day. Without then having to subject one’s self of the inane privilege of then having to watch the Lions play. I’m thick skinned but certainly not that much !

Mark Sanchez (left) and Matthew Stafford at the NFL Scouting combine. Both players were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Sanchez was taken by the New York Jets of the AFC East division. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Charles Mallet

In the always competitive NFC North the Lions will have to pick wits with the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers . And being welcomed into the fold of the division, will be Jay Cutler . Who’ll be the starting quarterback the Bears , having been traded to the team from the Denver Broncos . And it’s also envisioned that we’ll see the returning prodigal Brett Favre , who’ll be joining the Vikings. Once he’s made a final decision as to his status. Are we there yet, Brett ?

For the Detroit Lions the question one everyone’s lips is … how quickly will their number one draft pick, quarterback, Matthew Stafford acclimatize himself to the rigors and play of the National Football League ? Stafford, having been taken as the number one overall pick has the undue burden of expectation riding on his shoulders as to the fate of the franchise this upcoming season.

Defensively, last season we know that Lions were atrocious. And watching the team play , you’d have been under the impression that Schwartz’s predecessor Rod Marinelli knew nothing about the art of defense when it cames to the NFL . He cut his teeth in that bastion of defensive knowledge , under the tutelage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ , Monte Kiffin . Unfortunately, however , having the knowledge is one thing but to impart on players who can actually comprehend it is another. And such was the malais that the team found itself in.

On the offensive side of things, it certainly wasn’t that much better. And one of few bright spots on the team was their wide receiver Calvin Johnson . An athletic and gifted player, Johnson convinced many that he is the future of this franchise, given the right signal-caller to make the plays. And it’s viewed that whilst the veteran Daunte Culpepper is there to tutor the freshman , Stafford. It may well be Culpepper who’ll provide the initial plays at the start of the regular season . In order that Stafford can acclimatize himself to the nuances of the game. Though Schwartz hasn’t stated that the starting quarterback position is up for grabs. It could well be viewed that Culpepper is also being asked to audition for the position. Stafford for his part has let it be known that he’s ready , willing and able to lead this team with authority.

Lions' running back Kevin Smith evades the tackle of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Kevin Carter in a game played Ford Field , Detroit , Michigan. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Christian Petersen ........................

The Detroit Lions’ fans could be in for a treat this season. And if they’re able to get some semblance of teamwork and cohesion during training camp and the preseason schedule of games. Then there’s no reason to believe that they’re not going to be able to acquit themselves well, over the course of the regular season. But much of that’ll be predicated upon the mindset of this team and whether or not the message that Schwartz is imparting to the players will be acknowledged and acted upon.
If it is ,then so be it. If not, then the malaise of last season could well be revisited. And the Detroit Lions’ fans, I for one feel , will not at all be enamored with that particular scenario arising once again.

One can well remember the bravado and gumption of Matt Millen as the franchise’s GM prior to Martin Mayhew. His gusto in proclaiming that he was here to stay and to turn the franchise around . Well it was only matched by the sheer ineptitude shown under his auspices with regard to the personnel decisions made. It set back the franchise at least five years. But even more so, Millen wasn’t willing to accept that he’d failed the fans , the franchise and the Ford family as the owners of this once venerable franchise.
But then again the Ford family aren’t without blame , as they were naive enough to believe that Millen would be the ultimate savior of the franchise to begin with.

Matt Millen former GM of the Detroit Lions and then owner William Clay Ford Sr. Under Millen' reign the team posted an abysmal 31-84 record during his 8 year tenure as the team's GM. He would be fired by the Ford family at the culimation of a horrendous 2008 season where the team went 0-16 during regular NFL 16 game schedule . A first for the NFL under its present schedule. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Paul Stanton ............................

We’ve seen how the Fords have handled the family business . And it has to be said that the misfortunes there, seemed to found their way within the Detroit Lions’ franchise. Naivete’ and audacity is one thing but how can one explain their sheer stupidity to begin with ? The credentials that Millen brought to the table, was nothing more than being a passable NFL player in his pime and an above average analyst on television. Beyond that there just wasn’t much there to begin with !

Training Camps Are Here, And So Are The Storylines

The long NFL offseason is finally over. All of the minicamps, OTAs and voluntary practice sessions are over. It’s finally time for teams to step out onto the field and begin preparing for the 2009 season. The Cleveland Browns rookies became the first to begin camp when they got went onto the field this morning, which means the push towards the regular season has officially started. The grind of training camp will hit teams shortly, as two-a-day sessions are just around the corner. The sweltering summer heat will undoubtedly test the mental fortitude of all players, and that’s what training camp is all about. It’s where championship teams are built. New offensive and defensive schemes were implemented in after the draft. New plays and concepts were drawn up and practiced during OTAs and minicamps. Training camp is a time to build team chemistry and camaraderie. There’s a reason coaches love training camp — it’s where the strength of the team is crafted.

This is always a great time in the NFL, because each team’s city is optimistic that this is their year. Every time is undefeated right now, meaning everyone can dream of making a trip to Miami, the site of Super Bowl XLIV in February 2010. Each and every team that struggled last season can think of being this year’s Miami Dolphins or Arizona Cardinals.

With the start of training camps comes the endless storylines that NFL fans around the country will be debating day-after-day. The list of intriguing camp battles, coaching changes and players returning from injury will make every training camp exciting to follow. These are just some of the intriguing storylines as we head into camps:

>> The quarterback battles: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn will battle all of training camp to determine who will be the starting quarterback battle when the team opens up the season on September 13 against the Minnesota Vikings. This won’t be an easy competition by any stretch, as new head coach Eric Mangini is expected to work Anderson and Quinn vigorously. Who wins this competition is anyone’s guess. Anderson has the bigger arm by far and therefore is a better threat to bring the team’s vertical passing game back to its 2007 form, when Anderson routinely hooked up with wide receiver Braylon Edwards to make the Browns one of the best offenses in the league. Quinn, meanwhile, is more accurate and a much better game manager. This battle is likely to extend well into camp, as Mangini has indicated that he won’t make a decision until the third preseason game.

San Francisco is another team with a QB competition about to start. Alex Smith(pictured, left), the No.1 pick of the 2005 draft, has recovered from injury and will look to win back the starting job. He will have to beat out Shaun Hill, who has performed surprisingly well over the last few seasons for the 49ers. Smith took a dramatically reduced salary to stay with the 49ers, because this is without question his best start to win a starting job. The coaching regime that drafted him is gone, but that doesn’t mean the team does not want to see him succeed. Those in the organization who were apart of the drafting process who love to see Smith do well. Ultimately it will come down to who gives the 49ers the best chance to win football games. Smith has had trouble staying healthy over his career, while Hill has seemed to have always played well when the team has called his number. Head coach Mike Singletary will have a tough decision to make this summer.

Another fierce competition will be taking place in Tampa Bay, where three QBs are likely to be involved in the competition for the Buccaneers. Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, and first-round draft pick Josh Freeman are the participants, but not one of them particularly stood out in the spring. There will undoubtedly be pressure on the organization to start Freeman, especially considering the team traded up two spots in the draft to select him. But Freeman is viewed by many as a project who will need 2-3 years to develop, meaning it is unlikely he will earn the starting job at the start of the season. Then, the battle is down to Leftwich and McCown. McCown has indicated that he think this is “his job to lose,” and he’s probably right. Leftwich, the No.7 overall pick by the Jaguars in 2003, hasn’t yet made his mark on the league. He has always had a slow delivery, which is a no-no in the NFL. Still, he’s a solid QB, as is McCown. The way this battle is shaping up, the player who immediately steps up will earn the starting job.

>> Coaching Changes: Like every offseason, 2009 featured a number of coaching changes throughout the league. Each new coach brings energy, enthusiasm and a different perspective to his new team. The coach with the toughest job this upcoming season will be Jim Schwartz (pictured, right) trying to rebuild the Detroit Lions, who last year became the first team to go 0-16 in a single season.  Steve Spagnuolo won’t have an easy job, either, as he will try to rebuild a Rams franchise that has won just 5 games over the last two seasons. Eric Mangini takes over in Cleveland, and questions about how effective his demanding coaching style is persist throughout the league. Rex Ryan, the fiery defensive coordinator from Baltimore, inherits a New York Jets team that was just one game away from reaching the playoffs last season. Josh McDanies tenure as coach of Denver Broncos hasn’t gotten off to a great start, as he traded away franchise QB Jay Cutler, making his job in 2009 much more difficult. Todd Haley steps in as new coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, and he had the good fortune of acquiring QB Matt Cassel from New England; unfortunately, most of the rest of the team is mediocre at best. Tom Cable stepped in as interim coach for the Oakland Raiders last season, and did a good enough job to shed off the interim tag, but QB questions, a mediocre receiver corp and a shaky defense won’t make his job easy. Rahim Moore takes over in Tampay Bay, and he did not get on the fans’ good side by dumping veterans such as Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn. Mike Singletary steps in for the 49ers, and it will be interesting to see how much his hard-nosed style will improve the team. Finally, Jim Mora is the new coach in Seattle, where the window to win with veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck is closing.

All are good coaches who could make a big impact on the league in 2009. Ryan may have the best chance of them all to make the playoffs, as he has a veteran group, with the exception of rookie QB Mark Sanchez, who is likely to start. Also, don’t count out Mora, who was with the team last year as the secondary coach. He knows the team well and is playing in a wide-open NFC West.

Two injured players make their return: Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers will be back on the field in 2009.

Brady tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 regular season game against the Chiefs. He has had a lot of time to recover, and all indications are that he will be ready to go at the beginning of the regular season. The Patriots traded away backup QB Matt Cassel, which should be a clear indication that they feel Brady is fully healthy and will have no trouble recovering. There has to be some level of consternation among the Patriots fans, though, as most QBs who tear their ACLs take two years to recover. Donovan McNabb and Carson Palmer ar good examples of what to expect in the first season back from a knee injury. Both didn’t play up their ability, as they were still in the recovering process. Working to Brady’s advantage, however, is the fact that the injury has had so much time to heal.  When he steps onto the field on September 14, the injury will have occured over a year ago. How he moves in training camp will be a good sign of how he is feeling.

Merriman, meanwhile, tore multiple ligaments in knee during last year’s training camp. He was able to play in the season opener against the Panthers but was forced to sit out the rest of the season, as it was clear that he simply wasn’t himself. Merriman is one of the best linebackers in the league and his absence was certainly felt by the Chargers. The defense’s production declined without Merriman, proving just how valuable he is to the team. The is a crucial year for Merriman, as his contract expires after this season. Absent a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, he will only be a restricted free agent next offseason. According to league rules, only players with at least six years of service can become unrestricted free agents when there is no salary cap due to the lack of a CBA. Therefore, Merriman will need to performn extremely well and prove to the Chargers that he deserves a new contract. If he doesn’t, the Chargers will have the ability to offer him a low-ball contract offer because of the fact that he will be restricted.

Rookie holdouts: Teams will have rookies report to training camp over the next week, but how many of the actually show up is in question. Only two first-rounders — Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez — are under contract with their respective teams. Teams are going to work hard over the next few days to try and get their first-round picks under contract, but it’s not going to be easy. Negotiations usually depend on other signings. For example, Cincinatti OT Andre Smith was the sixth overall pick in the draft. His agent, Alvin Keels, will look at the contract given to last year’s sixth pick, Jets LB Vernon Gholston, as well as the contract of Sanchez — taken directly ahead of Smith — and Oakland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey — taken directly behind him. There are multiple problems with that strategy, however. First off, Sanchez’s $50.5 million deal with $28 million guaranteed has to be looked at differently considering QBs always make the most money. Second, Heyward-Bey has not yet been signed by the Raiders, so Keels does not have the ability to ask for something in between the 5 and 7 draft slots.

More disconcerting is the lack of second-round selections that have signed. As of this post, only seven second-rounders have signed contracts. A flurry of deals should be signed sometime soon, but teams are going to have to work extra hard to make sure that these rookies get to camp in a timely fashion. It is imperative that the rookies get to camp on time, because they all have a lot to learn. Showing up late can hamper a rookie’s progress — just ask Raiders QB JaMarcus Russel, who held in ‘07 and played in only four games that season.

Quarterback Fridays: Vick is back

Hello, and welcome to he first edition of Quarterback Friday.

And, although the picture tells of Brett Favre, today I’m on the topic of Michael Vick.

So, for anyone who didn’t know, Vick met with Goodell just yesterday. Discussing reinstatement, obviously. And guess what? Reinstatement exactly what went down. Vick is back.(I have a feeling I’ve already said that).

Vick fans rejoice, Vick haters just keep on hating. We all have different opinions on him as a person. But no matter what your opinion is, you have t admit th guy was on heck of ’a player. Still, he’s loss some talent – there’s no way he couldn’t have. But hey, maybe he can gt his mojo back. And hopefully get a better reputation.

Now, about 3 months ago, made a post on the perfect place for Vick – New England. Say though, I made the mistake of deleting that blog. I regret it, because I feel that was on of my best early post. I say early because that’ when I started blogging.

Back topic, I want to know what you think about Vick being back. Just leave a little comment. If you don’t know how to do that, just click HERE.

But before you do that, I’m gonna’ leave my opinion:

Now, understand I don’t hate or love Michael Vick. What he did was cruel and horribly wrong. I love dogs, had one in all my 14 years. Still, he deserves a second chance. Everyone does. And if he dose pull off this comeback – think of how what inspiring story this will be. To me, it’d say: You can always turn your life around. And if he doesn’t pull it off…this was another sad waste of talent.

Not to mention, I’d like to see Vick play again. He’s the most exciting player that I’ve ever seen.

Anyway, if you want the facts, Vick can sign with any team and can play all preseason games. But, he has to sit out the first 4 games of the regular season. Not that it would matter, Vick isn’t starting right off the back – suspension or not.