Subject: To: "Dario Mobley" Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 2:23 PM
Dario,
I watched a pretty good football game on Saturday. I watched a talented Michigan team that people thought was going to be a joke again this year, beat a talented Notre Dame team that was ranked 18th in the country. They were led by a stud freshman named Tate Forcier and an excellent coach named Rich Rod. He had his team prepared to play Saturday. They showed that the rest of the Big Ten better watch out. They will be 4-0 going up against MSU and the way they are playing, UM should win that one. UM will not face another QB and Receiver combination like that for the rest of the season. Are you ready to give RR and Michigan some credit? Or are you going to be like the other people who say that ND was overrated and that Michigan still hasn’t played anybody? I had Michigan going 7-5. I might be a win or two short. My Saturday was great because CMU beat MSU, and Ohio State lost AGAIN to a top team. Pryor can’t pass worth a hill of beans. I wanted him to go to Michigan really bad!!!! However, I am glad he went to OSU because we got a pretty good consolation prize. GO BLUE!! And Rich Rod!!
From: Dario Mobley Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 3:34 PM To: Dwyer, Jason Subject: Re:
Dwyer,
Yes, Notre Dame is overrated as they have been for a while. However, Forcier did show some poise. He is a keeper. Charlie Weis should have ran the ball though instead of throwing and they might have won the game. Still, I give MIchigan credit. You should worry about Oct 10 and Oct 21 and November 21 before you get too excited though.
From: Dwyer, Jason Subject: RE: To: "Dario Mobley" Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 2:39 PM
The only team I am worried about now is Penn State. MSU apparently isn’t as good as they thought they were. Iowa almost got beat by Northern Iowa. Ohio State can’t pass the ball very good and that seems to be Michigan’s weakness right now is the secondary. Mark it down:
Sent by Louis Ferrier aka "B-O-B" to Dario Mobley aka "The Realist" :
I know we started this argument in the preseason, but the season has started and the trend has continued into the season. Chris Johnson WILL NOT be the beast you think he is this year. He looked last night exactly has he has looked in the preseason. Plenty of runs of little to negative gain and couple of respectable runs. I am only doing this because you have insisted that he will be a beast again this year and I should even consider taking him in fantasy.
Preseason Game 1 Buf 6 carries 17 Yards Long carry of 16 yards w/o long carry 5 carries 1 yard Game 2 TB 7 carries 7 Yards Long carry of 5 yards w/o long carry 6 carries 2 yards Game 3 DAL 2 carries 3 Yards Long carry of 3 years w/o long carry 1 carry 0 yards Game 4 CLE 7 carries 27 Yards Long Carry of 8 Yards w/o long carry 6 carries 19 yards Game 5 GM 3 carries 23 yards Long Carry of 13 Yards w/o long carry 2 carries for 10 yards
Regular Season Game 1 Pit 15 carries 57 yards long carry of 32 w/o long carry 14 carries 25 yards
Breakdown of the last nights game. 1st Qtr 28-C.Johnson up the middle to TEN 2 for no gain 28-C.Johnson left end to TEN 4 for -2 yards 28-C.Johnson right end to TEN 43 for 32 yards Resulted in no points 28-C.Johnson left end to PIT 19 for 3 yards 28-C.Johnson up the middle to PIT 43 for 1 yard
2nd Qtr 28-C.Johnson left tackle to PIT 34 for -2 yards 28-C.Johnson up the middle to PIT 13 for -1 yards
3rd Qtr 28-C.Johnson right guard to TEN 28 for 7 yards Resulted in no points 28-C.Johnson right guard to TEN 45 for 17 yards Resulted in no points 28-C.Johnson left tackle to TEN 6 for 1 yard 28-C.Johnson left end to TEN 6 for no gain 28-C.Johnson right end to TEN 4 for -2 yards
4th Qtr 28-C.Johnson right end to PIT 49 for -1 yards 28-C.Johnson left tackle to PIT 32 for 2 yards 28-C.Johnson up the middle to TEN 6 for 2 yards
I am not a hater I am just have not been impressed with this dude and don't understand all the hype. He had a good season this year but I am talking about what he is going to do this year. 56 of his 57 yards came on three carries and none of those drives resulted in scores. I am not into taking away the big carries but:
12 carries for 1 Yard 3 carries for 56 Yards.
Is he hating?
Response By The Realist:
I not only think but I know that you are hating because you think by saying that he is not that good somehow makes Reggie Bush look better. You don't talk sports with your mind. You talk with your heart and then you conjure up statistics to support your bias opinion.
Yes, Johnson had 15 carries for 57 yards with a 3.8 YPC but he had 16 carries for 69 yards with a 4.3 YPC against Pittsburgh last year. Why is that?
Well, do you think that it was because Pittsburgh had the number one rush defense and overall defense in the league last year?
They did not give up a single 100 yard rusher and they only gave up 5 total team 100 yard games. They held 3 of the top ten rushing teams last year (NYG, WAS, NE) to less than 100 yards. Also, the 2 out of the five teams that had 100 yards rushing were held significantly under their average:
Tennessee average- 130.9 against Pit - 117 Baltimore average - 148.5 against Pit - 103 & 112 New England average - 142.4 against Pit - 122
Cleveland was the other team that had 100 yards as a team. They were not in the top ten in rushing last year though.
Secondly, Chris Johnson rushed for 1228 yards with a 4.9 YPC and 9 touchdowns and his season should have been better from a touchdown perspective. It is only fair to look at it that way since that is what you seem to stress about Reggie Bush.
Lendale White had 773 yards with a 3.9 YPC with 15 rushing touchdowns and 14 of them were under 10 yards.(1,1,2,1,1,80,6,2,1,1,2,6,2,3,1) Chris Johnson had 9 rushing touchdowns and only 4 of them were under 10 yards.(1,6,66,16,3,6,58,25,21) Chris Johnson is the primary back because he had the most carries so let's just say that Chris Johnson gets 7 of White's 1 yard touchdowns. That puts Chris Johnson at 16 rushing touchdowns for the year which would have been third behind Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams who both had more carries than Johnson. We used that argument for Reggie Bush so we should do the same for Chris Johnson.
Thirdly, speaking of DeAngelo Williams, he was the only person with more than 250 carries that had a higher YPC than Chris Johnson. Additionally, Johnson had the fourth highest YPC out of everyone in the league behind Derrick Ward, D. Williams and Brandon Jacobs.
Just for your information, your beloved Matt Forte who is again loved by your heart and not your mind averaged 3.3 YPC.
Now, if you had any concrete or even close to logical evidence why Johnson is not and will not be good, I may think about it and take your opinion into consideration but you seem to think Adrian Peterson is not good so excuse me if I take your opinions with a grain of salt.
Let’s look at Tennessee a little further so I can fully prove my point. They did not lose one starter on the offensive line and they have effectively added Nate Washington and Kenny Britt to stretch the field so that will somewhat prevent defenses from stacking the box against Tennessee. Also, you saw Bo Scaife last night and Kerry Collins (you said it yourself) is much more stable of a quarterback (not better though) and can make all the throws so that is more evidence that Johnson will continue to flourish. I don’t see where you have anything that makes sense that will cause Chris Johnson to sink into obscurity.
Part of your argument is that I should take out his long runs and then I will see that he is not that good. Okay, let's take Bo Jackson's (who is one of your favorite running backs) 38 yard run against Seattle on December 17,1989 and he only has 11 carries for 31 yards for a 2.8 YPC. We should also probably take out Barry Sanders' (who is probably your favorite) 37 yard run against The Giants on October 19, 1997 and he only has 23 carries for 68 yards with a 2.9 YPC.
It sounds pretty ludicrous with you look at it like that. A guy with a high YPC has to have his long runs taken out to prove.....Well, I don't know what you are proving but I guess it sounds good to you and sounds good for Reggie Bush.
Oh, and by the way, Chris Johnson was the primary weapon last year for Tennessee so don’t try to use the excuse that he has more weapons around him and that is why he is flourishing because he did it last year without those weapons. Additionally, if weapons transalate into success, Reggie Bush would come close to your 2100 total yards prediction. Right?
Is Chris Johnson a rookie? Yes. Does he still have a lot to prove? Yes. However, with his fastest time ever at the combine for a running back, crazy agility and his YPC last year, all the signs point to him being a very good back.
Also, if he is overrated, what is Reggie Bush? Who has the most commercials and is in the public eye all the time? I believe overrated is getting unjust exposure when you are not producing on the court or field. Matt Leinart, Danica Patrick, Ann Kournikova, Michelle Wie and Rick Fox come to mind when I think of overrated, overexposed and marginal at their respective sports. Let’s hope Reggie does not follow their lead.
The Realist was actually created by you back in 2006 and you have to know I will come back with statistics and facts to clear up any confusion.
When I was younger, I had a friend named Louis Ferrier aka B-O-B that I always used to tell that Emmitt Smith is a better running than Barry Sanders and I did not believe and I used to do that to him to aggravate him.Even though I don't believe Emmitt Smith is the best running back ever, I told a friend of mine that you can't hate on him because he was durable and productive so he at least deserved a picture. NO VIDEO TRIBUTE THOUGH!!!!!
Emmitt Smith 1st - Rank 18,535 - Yards, 4.2- Yards Per Carry 81.2 - Yards Per Game, 226 - Total Games
Walter Payton 2nd - Rank 16,726 - Yards, 4.4 - YPC ,88.0 - YPG, 190 Games
Barry Sanders 3rd - Rank 15,269 - Yards , 5.0 YPC 99.8 YPG, 153 Games
Curtis Martin 4th- Rank 14,101 - Yards, 4.0 YPC, 83.9 YPG 168 Games
Marcus Allen 10th - Rank - 12,243 Yards, 4.1 YPC 55.1 YPG 222 Games
Notables: Edgerrin James 11th, L. Tomlinson 14th , Fred Taylor 16th, Warrick Dunn 19th
Jim Brown (5.2 YPC, 104.3 YPG,118 games), Barry Sanders (5.0 YPC, 99.8 YAG, 153 games)YPC and YPG are the two telling statistics for me. Jim Brown and Barry Sanders are #1 and #2 in those two stats. Also, Jim Brown never missed a game in his career
Michigan has to get back to the point when they were feared by all college football teams on the field and in recruiting. On the field, they went 3-9, which was the worst season in Michigan Wolverines history. They lost to Utah, Notre Dame, Illinois, Toledo, Penn State, Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern and Ohio State. Illinois finish 5-7, Notre Dame 7-6, Toledo 3-9, and Purdue 4-8.Are you kidding me? The year before they lost to Appalachian State. WHAT? Appalchian WHO?
THEY HAVE TO BEAT Western Michigan this weekend or that will be three years in a row that Michigan has lost to a non-bcs team to start the season. Where is the outrage? I don't understand why people are sitting around on their couches when the pride of Michigan is burning from within. Look, I am not from Michigan but I am ticked off. You can't let the team with the most wins in the history of college football become content with being mediocre. I feel it and I feel the expectations lowering and the fans are just saying, "We will be fine. It was only one year. We will be okay". That is just the type of pride and bravado that will allow Michigan to end up like Florida State, Miami and Notre Dame. It is getting harder to recruit these days and any lapse in winning or respectability will cause recruits to routinely look elsewhere to play. According to rivals.com, in 2010, Michigan had the 11th highest recruiting class with only one five star recruit. They did have the 4th highest in 2009 but two really good players backed out of their commitments at the last minute. Dequinta Jones went to Arkansas and Pearlie Graves went to Texas Tech. Texas Tech and Arkansas? Arkansas and Texas Tech? When have you ever heard of Michigan losing out to teams like that? If they would have kept one or both of those guys, they would have been a lot higher. Roy did not seem bothered but he should be and the whole state of Michigan should be unless playing in the Capitol One Bowl is your ultimate goal every year. Everyone should be screaming and yelling to get this dominant program back to where it is suppose to be.
Above is a picture of Julian Peterson ripping the jersey off of Alex Smith. He is still a good linebacker that can wreak havoc in the right system. The first reason the Lions defense can change is that they got rid of Matt Millen. Now, the management can evaluate players and bring in talent that will impact winning and losing unlike the Charles Rogers', Joey Harrington's and Mike Williams. They already have a piece already there in Ernie Sims and he can use his speed and the lack of attention because of the newer linebackers to make plays.
Here is a list of players brought in and their predicted impact posted on Balls Hype:
The Impact of the Offseason Part 3: Defensive Additions Posted by Anthony Kuehn on August 5th, 2009
Linebacker Julian Peterson: Peterson gives the Lions something they haven’t had since the days of Pat Swilling, a playmaking outside linebacker. Peterson is strong against the run, solid in coverage, a very good blitzer and most importantly has a knack for forcing turnovers. Peterson may not be as explosive as he was a few years ago, but he still gives the Lions a playmaking presence that they have sorely lacked.
Impact: A- I expect one of the biggest impacts from Peterson because of his versatility and the flexibility he gives the Lions defense in the pass rush. Peterson can line up at defensive end and rush the QB, he can rush from the linebacker position, and he can line up at defensive end and drop into coverage on the zone blitz.
2009 NFL Draft Delmas was considered by some to be a top-10 prospect at his position in the 2009 NFL Draft.[2] Prior to the draft, ESPN′s Todd McShay said Delmas had a chance to get drafted in the first three rounds.[3] Delmas was drafted 1st in the second round by the Detroit Lions (33rd overall).
Pre-draft measureables Ht 5-11 Wt 202 40-yard dash 4.50 20 ss - 4.17 3-cone - 6.67 Vert - 37 in. Broad- 10'6" BP -12 Wonderlic - 12
08/23/09 - S Louis Delmas, the first pick of the second round in the NFL draft this year, had experienced only two fully padded practices before starting in an exhibition at Cleveland. The first one came on the fourth day of training camp, and afterward, his left knee swelled up in a meeting. That kept him out for more than a week. The second one came just three days before the Browns game, and in the middle of it, he smoked fellow rookie Aaron Brown with a hard hit. Brown ran to his left to catch a swing pass. Delmas smacked him and separated him from the ball. Coach Jim Schwartz immediately approached Delmas. He told him the hit was unnecessary and crossed the line. But he didn't seem too upset, and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham couldn't hide his true feelings. "You shouldn't do that in practice, but I turned around and smiled," Cunningham said. "I loved every second of it. Boy, he blew him up. That's the kind of tackling we hope to get out of him." Brown wasn't upset. "To be honest, the hit didn't even hurt," Brown said. "It was just surprising that I was laid out like this -- and boom. When I got up, the only thing that was really bothering me was my face mask was kind of twisted." Delmas seemed ready to start against the Browns. At the end of offseason workouts, Schwartz said Delmas had mastered the extensive defensive system maybe as quickly as he had ever seen a young defensive back do it.
Safety Louis Delmas: There might be more pressure on Louis Delmas this season than Matthew Stafford. Coaches have been raving about him, writers have been raving about him and scouts were raving about him before he was even drafted. He has great speed, great coverage ability and he is a ferocious tackler. That last part scares me because he is not a large player and players are bigger and stronger in the NFL than the MAC. Bob Sanders is a fantastic playmaking safety that can’t stay on the field because of his physical style; I hope Delmasdoesn’t suffer the same fate.
Impact: B+ The Lions haven’t had an impact player at safety since the days of Bennie Blades, “Big Play” Willie Clay and Mark Carrier. Coaches will tell you that if you have poor play from your safeties it shows up as long runs and passes surrendered. Although it’s a lot to ask of a rookie, the Lions need Delmas to solidify the secondary this season. I think he’s capable
Defensive Tackle Grady Jackson: When the Lions signed Grady this spring, I thought we were getting an over-the-hill type of stopgap we got in the Millen Era (I should actually start referring to it as the Millen Error.) Remember the Todd Lyght’s, Eric Davis’ and Brock Marion’s? Then I did a little research and found that his performance hasn’t dropped off as I expected. Last season with the Falcons, he had 28 total tackles and 2 sacks; in his best season with Green Bay, he had 54 total tackles and 1 sack. The biggest difference was he played one fewer game and took part in significantly fewer snaps. Jackson isn’t an every down player anymore, but he is an impact player when he’s in the game. He stuffs the run with the best of them and can be a disruptive force if he stays fresh.
Impact: B (if healthy) C (if his knee keeps acting up) Jackson hasn’t taken the field in any of the offseason activities and hasn’t suited up in training camp yet. He is rehabbing a knee injury that could be a chronic injury he will have to deal with all year. If his knee never gets close to 100% his impact will be greatly reduced. He derives most of his power from his legs, and if he is hampered, he’ll just become a really big guy that is tough to move instead of a disruptive player.
Defensive Tackle Sammie Hill: When I was doing my draft preparations, I kept coming back to Hill as an intriguing prospect. He is massive, but very athletic and came from a small school where he didn’t receive the caliber coaching he’d get at a bigger school. These players tend to be high-risk high-reward types of players, but he was worth the roll of the dice in the 4th round. The trap these types of players fall into is they get by on talent for 3-4 years and then they get to the pros and try to do the same.
Impact: C+ I have really high expectations for Hill because not too long ago the Lions new defensive line coach, Bob Karmelowicz, coached a player that got by on talent and turned him into a Pro Bowler. Mario Williams was extremely talented, but his technique was not anywhere near NFL level. It took a season for “Coach Karm” to coach him up, but defensive ends tend to take longer to develop. If Hill has the work ethic and attitude to respond to the coaching, he could end up being a very good player.
Defensive Tackle Orien Harris: Harris was acquired in a trade with the Rams a few weeks ago for Ronald Curry. On the surface the trade looks like the Lions and Rams traded training camp fodder, however when taking a closer look, the Lions may have gotten a good deal. Harris has good size and athleticism, but hasn’t really been able to stick with a team, but there are some interesting circumstances for that. The Steelers drafted him and they tried to convert him to a defensive end in the 3-4 defense. He didn’t make big enough strides to make the active roster, so they signed him to the practice squad. Later that season the Browns signed him off the Steelers practice squad and added him to their active roster. The Browns cut him the following season because he wasn’t really making the conversion to defensive end smoothly. The Bills signed him to their practice squad as a developmental player. The Saints signed him off of the Bills squad and placed him on their active roster. He played well for the Saints in the preseason, but couldn’t make the active roster due to first rounder Sedrick Ellis and third rounder DeMarioPressley. The Saints waived him so they could put him on their practice squad, but the Bengals claimed him. He played 14 games for the Bengals in 2008. He was traded to the Rams because the Bengals desperately needed a backup running back. After a couple months, the Rams traded him to Detroit because of a dire need for receivers.
Impact: C+ Harris has potential but he hasn’t been in one place long enough to learn to harness it. If Harris can harness his potential, the Lions may have made chicken salad out of chicken s…feathers. By trading Gerald Alexander (who was going to be cut) to the Jaguars for Dennis Northcutt, the Lions were able to send Ronald Curry to the receiver starved Rams for a solid young defensive tackle.
Linebacker Larry Foote: The Lions got a steal when Larry Foote was granted his release from the Steelers. Foote made no bones about the fact he wanted to play for the Lions, and the Lions got the starting middle linebacker they were looking for. Foote is a fantastic run stuffer, great leader and surprisingly effective blitzer on occasion. He has experience on a winning roster and can help bring that attitude and work ethic to a young linebacking corps.
Impact: B+Foote will most likely be a two-down linebacker, but he is a sound tackler, reads and diagnoses plays very well and can take on and shed blockers very well due to his experience in the 3-4. That experience is an added bonus as I expect the Lions will play some 3-4 this season.
Linebacker DeAndre Levy: I have seen almost every game of his collegiate career and one thing is for certain, he knows how to hit. His transition to middle linebacker should be easier than people assume due to the way the Badgers lined up their 4-3. The Badgers had/have smaller, faster linebackers, so they lined them up inside of the defensive ends to keep blockers off them and allow them to run to the ball. Levy lined up in between the defensive end and the defensive tackle as an outside linebacker, so he has a lot of experience playing the responsibilities of maintaining those gaps. His play in the preseason could go a long way towards determining how much 3-4 the Lions play. If he plays well, the Lions will find a way to get him on the field.
Impact: C Levy will play special teams and back up the middle and perhaps the strong side linebacker spots, so best case scenario Lions fans only see him on special teams this season. He will get to learn from a couple of seasoned veterans, and if he is forced into playing he will have two vets on either side of him to help him get acclimated.
Linebacker Cody Spencer: Spencer has some familiarity with the new coaching staff and has been a solid special teamer for several seasons. He has never started a game in his five-year career and has played very few defensive snaps. If he makes the team, his contributions will most likely be on special teams.
Impact: D Spencer has to hold off Zack Follett and Curtis Gatewood to make the team. He should be a solid special teamer if he does.
Linebacker Curtis Gatewood: Gatewood is in a similar situation as Spencer, except with less experience. He has played in six games, only on special teams and he’ll have to show that he is able to contribute on defense as well as special teams.
Impact: D- I think Gatewood is a long shot to make the team, but included him on here just in case…
Linebacker Zack Follett: Follett was a decorated and record setting linebacker that played all three linebacker positions at Cal. He tied the Pac-10 record for fumbles forced and recorded 23.5 sacks. He has the proper mentality for a special teamer and his versatility gives him an edge.
Impact: C- Follett will be a player to watch in the preseason. He’s one of those players that looks too small and too slow until he gets on the field. Then he looks like the Tasmanian Devil. Follett is the type of player you want to see succeed, and hopefully he can in Detroit.
Cornerback Phillip Buchanon: There are three moves the Lions made that I really disliked this offseason. The first was letting Dan Orlovsky go, the second was retaining DaunteCulpepper and the third was replacing Leigh Bodden with Buchanon. Leigh Bodden is one of the best man-to-man cover corners in the league. He had a down season because he had to play zone most of the time, but the Lions let him go to dump his salary and replaced him with the chronically underachieving Buchanon. Phillip Buchanon has all the talent in the world, but he ended up the low man on the totem pole in Oakland when NnamdiAsomugha, Stanford Routt and Fabian Washington outplayed him. He was traded to Houston where he was abysmal, but bounced back the last two and a half years in Tampa Bay. Bodden was big and physical, while Buchanon is smaller and more athletic. Buchanon is a weapon with the ball in his hands and has experience returning kicks, but he isn’t known as a ball hawk.
Impact: C+ I think the Lions took a step back by signing Buchanon as a replacement for Bodden. Had they signed him to pair with Bodden, I would have been thrilled. I don’t think he has the type of ability to lock down a number one receiver consistently. He is 29 years old vs. Bodden’s 27, so the Lions swapped a younger more consistent player that could have been a long-term fixture for an older player that has battled inconsistency throughout his career. I hope I am wrong about him, because he is the best option the Lions have at cornerback right now.
Cornerback Anthony Henry: If the Lions would have gotten four jockstraps and a tin of eye black for Jon Kitna I would have been ecstatic, to get a player of Henry’s caliber was excellent. Henry isn’t a long-tern answer at corner, but he is big, physical and can move to safety if the Lions find a better option at cornerback. Henry has always been an overachiever that led the NFL with 10 interceptions as a rookie. He has experience blitzing off the corner and is a sound tackler, the biggest downside is he doesn’t have elite speed and without a strong pass rush that can be exploited.
Impact: B- Buchanon has more talent than Henry, but Henry’s physical style is better suited for the receivers he will face in the division. I hope that he gives them a solid year at cornerback, unlike last year’s veteran pickup Brian Kelly.
Cornerback Eric King: King is in a similar situation as Daniel Loper, he is a solid player that didn’t get a lot of playing time because there were some really good players ahead of him on the depth chart. Courtland Finnegan was a Pro Bowler last season and Nick Harper is a proven veteran that started at cornerback for the Colts when they won the Super Bowl in 2006. King doesn’t have great size or speed, but he has good quickness and technique. There is some concern about his durability since he finished the last two seasons on injured reserve.
Impact: C+ King could end up starting opposite Phillip Buchanon with a strong training camp and preseason, although he seems a better fit at nickel back where his lack of elite speed won’t be so easily exploited.
Safety Marquand Manuel: Manuel is an interesting player because he’s a journeyman that has a lot of starts under his belt. He’s the type of player that’s good enough to plug a hole in the roster for a year, but never distinguishes himself enough to be considered a long-term answer. This mostly arises from his poor ball skills. Manuel is a solid tackler, but he doesn’t break up many passes and intercepts far fewer. In 107 games, he has only two interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
Impact: C- Manuel is the type of player the Lions have come to rely on due to the poor drafting during the Millen Error. He’s a stopgap type of player that is signed as a free agent rather than having a young player to plug in. Personally, I think that Daniel Bullocks will win the starting position next to Delmas, which puts Manuel in a backup and special teams role, which is the only place I am comfortable with him in.
REASON 2: Coaching
The second reason the defense will be better is because the Lions got rid of Rod Marinelli. He was a guy that was in Tampa Bay forever and failed to become a head coach before Lovie Smith, and Herman Edwards. He was a product of a great defense in Tampa Bay whose masterminds were Monte Kiffin and Tony Dungy. He got the job because his long service in the NFL and he was not fit to be a head coach. He never succeeded in bringing the Tampa 2 scheme to Detroit and the team suffered because of that. Now they bring in Gunther Cunningham who fielded some of the fiercest defenses in Kansas who always were ranked high and always got pressure on the quarterback. Also Jim Schartz is the head coach who was tutored under Jim Fisher and Bill Belichick who are both great coaches. Lastly, unlike Marinelli, Schartz has hired a real defensive coach to take the play calling duties out of his hand so he can concentrate on his team as a whole. Schartz did not hire his son in law.
ALLEN PARK -- There are a lot of words that could be used to describe Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. Tact is not one of them. Cunningham, 63, has coached in the NFL for 28 years, and while he loves his players, it's tough love.
"He's going to challenge you,'' said Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who coached with Cunningham for several years with the Tennessee Titans. "If you're used to a coach that sort of turns the other way when you make a bad play and then high-fives you when you make a good play, that's not going to happen.
"If you're used to somebody who calls it the way they see it, who will be aggressive and not afraid to holler, then you're going to be comfortable with Gun." Cunningham's bluntness sometimes can catch new players off guard, but Schwartz said it's not a long learning process.
"I think you adjust pretty quickly," Schwartz said. "It's like jumping in the pool. You're not easing into that one, you're not splashing a little water and putting a toe in. You're diving full in to Gunther and, like I said, you usually get used to it pretty quick."
After Thursday's training camp workout, Cunningham stepped to the podium to be interviewed, but not all the television cameramen were ready. "C'mon, you TV guys, you're as slow as our blitzers," said Cunningham, enjoying the crack on two groups with one insult.
The Lions' defense didn't perform well during the blitz period at practice, and that was first on Cunningham's mind.
"I'm not used to guys coming slow," he said. "And when we send them, they're going to get there. We have to have a little attitude adjustment meeting after this practice, so they're going to hear it loud and clear."
Here are a few more examples of Cunningham's inability to beat around the bush. On the difference of practicing with pads and without:
"When you put pads on, you find the real men. There are a lot of frauds around and, you know, the coaches are, too. They talk a good game, and you watch them coach and they don't do it. Players do that same thing. And sometimes, the guys that you don't expect to be real tough guys, they show up and you go, 'My God, was I wrong with this guy.'
About Detroit's defensive line and their coach, Bob Karmelowicz:
"Well, they're all working really hard and they're showing a lot more toughness than I saw on tape (from last year). They've got the crotchiest old man coaching them. I think Bob Karmelowicz is probably the most miserable guy I've ever coached with, but he's probably the smartest and most consistent coach.
"(Assistant defensive line coach) Kris Kocurek is hardcore tough -- he was raised under Jim Washburn, the Titans coach who's flat nuts, but he's a good friend of mine."
On Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and the scouting of free agents: "The thing I love about Martin Mayhew and Jim is that we have great communication going every day. Martin's trying to get me to look at players, and I'm trying to get the practice scripts done.
"Last night, he had me look at 75 plays of a (free agent) player and he asked me, 'How'd you like him?' and I said, 'Eh, I've seen a lot better and you just wasted a lot of my time.' But that's my job, you know. You've got to look, and you've got to keep looking."
