Detroit Lions: Good Luck This Season

Way back when I was a major contributor to FireMillen.com in 2006, while we did have Lions supporters, no one really reached out to wish the Lions good luck.

The saying, "You make your own luck" is attributed to the great Ernest Hemingway. He was speaking to his son Gregory at the time. The whole quote gives the saying better context: "You make your own luck, Gig.  You know what makes a good loser? Practice."

Certainly up until the greatest day in Lion history, September 22, 2008, the day William Clay Ford, Sr. opened his eyes and fired Matt Millen, the Lions would have been considered the best practice team in the NFL. 

Not since the days of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the 1970's has a team suffered such humiliation. Even worse, we didn't have the wry humor of then head coach of the Bucs, John McKay. My favorite quote of his was when he was asked what he thought of his team's execution and he said, "I'm all for it."

The new era of Martin Mayhew was ushered in and, while he endured the rest of the 2008 season, he wasted little time in starting the project of rebuilding the Detroit Lions.

On October 14, 2008, Mayhew traded mercurial wide receiver Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for three 2009 draft picks: first, third, and sixth round picks which resulted in TE Brandon Pettigrew, LB DeAndre Levey, and RB Aaron Brown, all of which remain on the team with Pettigrew and Levey as starters and Brown contributing on special teams.

That trade signaled to the Lions fan base that things were going to be different. And despite the opinions of many on who they should have drafted with the first pick of 2009, they made the right pick in taking QB Matthew Stafford.

All good or great teams start and end with the quarterback and Mayhew wasn't about to attempt to go against tradition in that respect.

Another shrewd move that signaled a change for the better was the hiring of Tenessee Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz as head coach of the Detroit Lions. About a week later, defensive guru Gunther Cunningham was hired as defensive coordinator and in January of 2009 Scott Linehan came aboard as offensive coordinator, giving the Lions perhaps the best coaching staff they've ever had.

However, the talent level of the players was, for lack of a better word, mediocre. Matt Millen's draft selections and free agent signings were terrible and everyone knew, from William Clay Ford, Sr. to the die-hard Lions fans, that there was going to be a rough road ahead.

While 2009 did not bring much improvement over 2008 with a 2-14 season, many Lions fans saw significant improvement in the team. Their attitude and consistency reflected what Schwartz was preaching to his players. The upside of the season was they were going to get the second pick of the 2010 draft.

After the 2009 season ended, the Lions roster went through many changes. The most notable changes were the drafting of NT Ndamukong Suh, the signing of veteran DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, the trade for another veteran player, DT Corey Williams, and, perhaps the most significant change, the signing of WR Nate Burleson.

There are many other moves that Mayhew made and we all know what they are. Sure, some have not entirely worked out, but then again, what GM has a perfect record in that regard? No one can say that Mayhew hasn't vastly improved this team in two years.

So with all of this hard work and, on the eve of the Lions opening game against the Chicago Bears, let me be the first to wish them good luck.

Good luck to Matthew Stafford. May you make good decisions and give your team the best chance to win.

Good luck to Nadamukong Suh. May you keep up the unselfish play to allow your teammates to succeed.

Good luck to Kyle Vanden Bosch. May you regain the form you had in 2007, recording 12 sacks and 24 quarterback pressures.

Good luck to Jahvid Best, perhaps the steal of the 2010 draft. May you give the Lions fans something to cheer about for the first time since the days of Barry Sanders.

Good luck to Nate Burelson and Calvin Johnson. May you become the best WR tandem in the NFC, if not the NFL.

Good luck to Brandon Pettigrew. May this be the season where you show the many doubters that you are the real deal.

Good luck to Louis Delmas. May you continue to show the level of play you had last year and become one of the leaders of the Lions defense.

Good luck to Jim Schwartz, Gunther Cunningham, Scott Linehan, and the rest of the Lions coaching staff. May you finally have the level of talent you require to succeed.

Good luck to Martin Mayhew. May you continue your tireless effort to find players to make the Detroit Lions better.

And finally, good luck to the Detroit Lions fan base. May you finally cheer for your team instead of jeering it.