The Shark is Working!

A very awesome morning/afternoon/evening to the ever faithful Detroit Lions fans! Let me start off my saying how sorry I am for not posting these past few weeks. Lots and lots going on but I should not have ignored my loyal readers. You’re probably wondering what the title of this blog has to do with the Detroit Lions. Well I am going to educate you.

Back in 1974 when the movie Jaws was being filmed, a mechanical shark was used for the shark effects. There was no CGI available like in the movie Deep Blue Sea. Anyways the movie was being filmed in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts which was the setting for the fictional town of Amity Island. During production there were so many problems with the mechanical shark that everywhere on the island you heard the film crews say on their radios “the shark isn’t working” or “the shark still isn’t working”.

It was a God ordained miracle that this movie was not cancelled because of the financial toll it was taking. Then all of a sudden the mechanical shark starts working and you heard the crews say “the shark is working” and were able to get production finished in time for it to be released in theatres and drive-ins. So my analogy is this. We have seen the production of the Detroit Lions falter time in and time out. The Lions franchise was not working under Matt Millen but now we have new directors and producers that will get this team headed in the right direction.

There is legitimate hope and I am not just drowning myself in kool-aid. There have been so many changes with personnel, coaches, staff and the general attitude that we are a beater team. I believe great things are coming. By the way that was your five cent trivia. Next time I am going to charge you. Just kidding! Well let me hand out some links from MLive like handing out candy at Halloween.

Here is an audio interview with Ernie Sims on the new defensive schemes. I am a huge Ernie Sims fan and I believe his production will be much better under the 4-3 defense that the Tampa 2.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/ernie_sims_on_wdfn_new_defensi.html

Here is an audio interview with Middle Linebacker Larry Foote. He is so awesome I am so ecstatic that he signed with us. He is the quarterback for the defense. The thing I like about him is his ability to look on the bright side. He said the Lions and the Patriots were in the exact same spot at the end of the season last year, neither made the playoffs and I feel that is a good point of view to have. You either go on to the playoffs or you go home and start the off-season.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/larry_foote_on_wdfn_lions_otas.html

Here are photo slide shows from the Lions OTA practices.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/photos_detroit_lions_ota_pract.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/photos_detroit_lions_ota_pract_1.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/photos_detroit_lions_ota_rooki.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/photos_detroit_lions_ota_pract_2.html

Here are some comments from Coach Schwartz about addressing multiple personnel needs in the off-season and what he sees from some of the players. I am so super stoked about your coach. I was indifferent to Coach Steve Mariucci and Coach Marinelli being hired and they were disasters although I think Coach Mariucci could have had success if Millen had gotten him the right players. I hope Coach Schwartz is our last new coach for an extremely long time as long as he is winning.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/jim_schwartz_lions_had_too_man.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/jim_schwartz_discusses_what_he.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/jim_schwartz_lions_will_explor.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/additional_quotes_from_head_co.html

Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to be winning over the locker room and so far he is night and day difference from Joey Harrington. The huge question for the Lions in the upcoming season is if Stafford or Culpepper starts? I just hope it is Coach Schwartz’s and Coach Linehan’s decision and no one else's. I would strongly suspect that it will be so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/quarterback_matthew_stafford_m.html

Here are some scouting reports on the OTAs from Lions beat writer Tom ‘Killer’ Kowalski.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_daunte_culpepp.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_calvin_johnson_2.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_ikaika_alamafr_1.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_maurice_morris.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_deandre_levy.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_dominic_raiola_1.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_jordon_dizon.html

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_aaron_brown.html

The latest on Quarterback Drew Stanton is he is the third string guy on the depth chart but so far he is showing enough in practice that he will end up squeaking by into the season and still remain on the team. So far the Lions have not brought in any other veteran quarterbacks into camp. However, once training camp opens that can change. If they do bring in another veteran QB, a possibility worth taking a look at could be Rex Grossman. I feel he is a serviceable back-up and would connect well with the other players.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/drew_stanton_fighting_for_rost.html

One of the better free-agent singings has been OT Jon Jansen the former Clawson, Michigan native and Wolverine stand-out. He was released from the Washington Redskins and like Middle Linebacker Larry Foote was excited to sign with the Lions and help build this team into something we can call be proud of. I suspect he plays back-up RT behind Gosder Cherilus or possibly play RG on the offensive line. Which ever position he plays it is a huge upgrade from George ‘False Start’ Foster who the Lions released once Jansen was signed.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/report_lions_agree_to_oneyear.html

Well that’s about it for now I will have another posting at the end of the week for sure this time because I want to be caught up with MLive’s Lions articles. Sweet dreams in Lions Land everyone and until next time kiddos, GO LIONS!