This is the time of year that hope springs eternal in the hearts and minds of Lions fans around the nation.
And though I’ll be the first to recognize that the size of the “national fanbase” is somewhat depleted due to an unprecedented string of football futility, I would also argue that when you’re talking to a Lions fan, you can be pretty sure that you’re talking to a LIONS FAN, not some team-hopping, trash-talking, know-nothing, glory hound bent on bolstering their own pathetic existence with an undeserved and completely vicarious thrill.
So now you know how I feel about team hopping (there’s dirtier words for it).
Lions fans understand the long haul, and believe me it’s been a loooooooooooooooooooong haul, and for better or worse, we’re not going anywhere.
Honestly, the day I have to contend with the free-lancers, I suppose I’ll be a happy man, because it’ll mean that the Lions are winning for once.
What does this have to do with the Lions being undefeated? Well, I guess not too much, only that I don’t see many bandwagoner’s jumping on the Lions' express due to some nifty play in the preseason.
But let me tell you something...they should be.
Now, some might call me foolish for getting my hopes up a little too high, but let them scoff, I’ve got this all figured out. And though I understand that preseason games are essentially meaningless, there are a couple things that could be gleaned from the few snaps that our first team took while on the field.
The defensive line looks solid.
Though much has been made of the loss of “Big Baby” Shaun Rogers (if there was ever a more appropriate nickname, I haven’t heard it) to the Cleveland Browns, anybody that’s followed the Lions over the past few years knows differently.
In one game a year, “Big Baby” would show up as the most dominant force on the planet (early in the season), only to somehow get more out of shape, get injured, get lazy, get entitled, get 50 Big Mac’s, get limited to 10 plays a game, get steroids, get suspended, and in the final analysis, get traded.
20 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Dustin McDaniel 10 months ago
The Lions will score points without question. If they can run the ball a little more effectively, and the defense can finally stop someone, they could win eight or nine games.
The Lions remind me of the Arizona Cardinals every season is going to be their year and then something happens. I still wonder why Detriot doesn't have cheerleaders, lol
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
They DO have cheerleaders. High School cheerleaders. LOL. If ever there was an indictment of a terrible franchise....
And yes, the Cards and Lions have much in common. Talented wide-outs and miserable front offices.
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Matt Gilmartin 10 months ago
Your prediction about the Falcons game should be right on target. Don't know about the final score prediction, but the Falcons will be lucky to win two or three games this season.
I'm not sure about the Packers, either. It's a winnable game for both teams, and you make it sound like you guys can't lose.
Otherwise good article. You've convinced me halfway that the Lions will be good, but including statistics would be nice.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
HaHa! Obviously it's fools play to be predicting final scores, but for some reason, everybody does it. Nobody ever gets it right. So let's not take those at face value. The point generally, is that the Lions have four very winnable games to open up the season. As for stats, I probably should've provided a few, but they were just so BAD for the second half of last year. Lions fans always prefer to turn the page. Until, that is, we find a page worth obsessing over (the Barry Sanders page).
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Derek Coffelt 10 months ago
As much as I hate the chances of the Falcons making a meaningful season in 2008, I have to slightly disagree with how badly they're being rated.
Matt Ryan has quickly molded himself into the role of being an NFL quarterback and this has been confirmed by several analysts. They say he just "looks" like he's comfortable with the role. With the addition of Michael Turner as their running back, it has many questions. On one hand he could explode onto the scene like a Brandon Jacobs or could tank like a Chris Brown. Roddy White still managed to get a 1,200 yard receiving year last year despite the Atlanta offense notoriously underachieving.
Atlanta has many questions, namely the defense. However, I still think they are going to surprise.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
I don't completely disagree with you Matt. But I do think it's going to take some time for Atlanta to find itself this season. Thus, I'm thinking the first game of the season might find them in a bit of disarray.
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Matt Gilmartin 10 months ago
Yes, predicting final scores is useless. As you said, no one ever gets the scores right, so why try? It's impossible to predict exactly what will happen -- there are too many intangibles in a game where you can so easily be affected by so many uncontrollable things.
I agree, the Lions do have four very winnable games to start the season. Just be grateful you don't have to play the Chargers in San Diego for your first game of the season. Your performance in a game like that could really put your mentality and confidence to the test.
And after I posted the first comment, I was thinking you probably didn't include stats because they were so bad they would completely contradict your points.
That comment about the Barry Sanders page was pretty funny. But as you know, Sanders is long gone and he ain't comin' back.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Does that mean I should dismantle the shrine in my closet?
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Matt Gilmartin 10 months ago
Hahahahaha. No, keep it and remember the good old days when the Lions go 4-12 this year haha no I'm just kidding.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Why do you think I still have it around? That's a rhetorical question. I may be optimistic, but I'm not an idiot.
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Don Clevenger 10 months ago
As a Lions fan, I believe that we should try to convince Kevin Smith to change his name - I mean if Chad 8-5 can do it, why not? But in this case, we should change the first name - to something like Brian or Brad or Beowolf - so he has the right initials to be a great Lions running back. We need another BS - to follow in the tradition of Billy Sims and Barry Sanders. It might not work, since he did not play his college ball in the state of Oklahoma, but I say it is worth a shot. You know what I mean?
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Absolutely,
We might as well slap the ol" 2-0 on his back while we're at it! And maybe some plastic surgery. It might just be the kick the kid needs (or the unwanted pressure). Then again, if he's half the back Billy or Barry were, I think I'd take it at this point. The Tatum Bell experiment was miserable, as he just proved that he can only run when fleeing with people's bags from the locker room. That's for the read Don!
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Drew Barton 10 months ago
Hey, don't drop the shrine! Some of us are fringe Lions fans just because of the best smurf to ever play in the NFL. Oh, the memories of driving to the family Thanksgiving and listening to him rip off run after run after run for what...256 yards or some such ridiculous thing? Having a player like Sanders keeps those with long memories smiling for years.
Good luck this year, hoping you score a boatload of points and give up just a few.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
No doubts Drew. Thanksgiving was pretty cool when Barry was around. It's been rather dismal lately, though there's something prescient about family being knitted together by a common misery!
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jim Faulkner 10 months ago
Now you got me reading about NFL. lol. We rarely see NFL in Oz, its all Rugby, cricket and AFL, but, if i ever notice the Lions playing i will watch them and go for the underdogs.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Thata boy Jim! Always willing to spread the Lions gospel. Amen brother.
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Dale Decker 10 months ago
I guess I've been a Lions fan too long, as I like your picks, but in the back of my mind I keep wondering 'what will go wrong this time?' That feeling seems to be with me from the draft in april to the last game of whatever season they are in.
I was upset, but not surprised when they cut Jones, but overjoyed when they got Rudi Johnson and lost the highly overratted Bell. I don't expect Smith to be the next Barry, but he has the talent do do alot better than what they have received in past years.
Frankly, I figured 8 - 8, which for me would be heaven.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Yes Dale, you wouldn't be a life-long Lions fan if you didn't experience the ever present feeling of Doom hanging over every moment of your fandom. I wrote another article expressing this sentiment a bit more precisely. Check it out if you're interested: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/29791-open-mic-the-detroit-lions-are-sports-ultimate-disappointment
But what the hell, I honestly think the Lions have a shot at the 9 game plateau this year, which is more hope than I can usually muster. GO LIONS!
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mel gibson 10 months ago
The lions is the team you hate to love, but i life and die lions fooball. Are luck is gonna change and the years of being a deticated will pay off.
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Daniel Muth 10 months ago
Damn right Mel! Those will be happy days.
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