Month: February 2009 (Page 41 of 57)

      Offseason Blueprint: Detroit Lions

      February 9, 2009 /

      Notable Free Agents: Dan Orlovsky, QB, Rudi Johnson, RB; Jason Hanson, K; Shaun Cody, DT; Paris Lenon, LB.

      Projected 2009 Cap Space: $26,000,000

      Draft Order: 1

      Top Needs: A team doesn’t go 0-16 by accident. The Lions have major holes to fill at every position although offensive line, linebacker, quarterback and secondary are arguably their biggest needs.

      Offseason Outlook: Where do I start? This team is such an utter mess that it’s going to take new GM Martin Mayhew at least 2-3 years to rebuild the roster. And that’s assuming most of his moves pan out.

      Even though it would be a long, slow process, Mayhew’s best approach would be to blow up the entire roster and start over. The two biggest problems with the Matt Millen era is that it lacked direction and he couldn’t spot talent if it fell from the sky and dropped in his lap. What Mayhew needs to do is build from the inside out and it all starts with the offensive line.

      Many will argue that the Lions need a franchise starting quarterback first and foremost, but without an offensive line it won’t matter who they have under center. That’s why drafting Virginia’s Eugene Monroe with the first overall pick might be Detroit’s best move. Monroe is the type of player that could anchor the Lions’ offensive line for years to come and considering the team has a decent amount of cap space, Detroit could get a piece or two in free agency to help rebuild the offensive line as well. (Although the top available linemen – Matt Birk, Mike Goff, Mark Tauscher – are all over the age of 30.)

      Even though it would pain most Lion fans to watch either Daunte Culpepper or Drew Stanton take another snap under center, the fact is that the other options aren’t that great either. The Patriots seem content to hang onto Matt Cassel and even if they weren’t, it would take multiple draft picks (multiple draft picks the Lions need to help rebuild the roster) and mucho dinero to acquire him from New England. And unless Jeff Garcia (already a failed experiment in Detroit), Rex Grossman or Kyle Boller gets your motor running, the unrestricted free agent market isn’t too promising either. In fact, the Lions’ best option at quarterback next year might still be on the roster in Jon Kitna. He was too happy with the way the team placed him on IR with a back injury midway through the season last year, but the coaching regime that made that decision isn’t in Detroit anymore. He could essentially be a solid stopgap at quarterback so the Lions could address the offensive line and defense this offseason.

      Of course, the Lions could draft Georgia’s Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick, but again, if they have no line to protect him, he could wind up being another Joey Harrington. It all comes down to what Mayhew and the Detroit scouting team thinks about Stafford. If they believe he’s a franchise-type quarterback, then he’ll be in Honolulu blue next year. But if he’s not very high on their boards, then they need to address other areas and maybe Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy or another quarterback prospect will be available next year.

      In terms of addressing their defense, the Lions could go any direction they want. They could throw big money at any one of the top free agents (Julius Peppers, Terrell Suggs, Nnamdi Asomugha, Karlos Dansby, etc.) and then draft the best available in April. Or they could choose to rebuild the roster with bargain-type free agents that fit into new head coach Jim Schwartz and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham’s scheme. Either way, there are a plethora of solid defensive players in both free agency and the draft, so there should be no excuse for Mayhew not to address that side of the ball this offseason. (Of course, he still has to convince free agents to come to Detroit, which won’t be any small task.)

      Lions fans have every reason not to be optimistic that good things are on the horizon. But the good thing is that the Matt Millen era is over and now Mayhew will have an opportunity to implode the roster and start over. And despite the overall lack of talent, Mayhew does have a franchise player in Calvin Johnson to build the offense around. Hopefully he can build off his first move (wisely dumping receiver Roy Williams for multiple draft picks) as Lions’ GM and right a sinking ship.

      NFL, NFL Draft, Rumors & Gossip

      Stoudemire speaks out about trade rumors

      February 9, 2009 /

      Amare Stoudemire has never been shy about voicing his opinion, and nothing has changed now that he’s on the trading block.

      Amare Stoudemire knows he’s on the trading block, and he knows we know. While most athletes would dodge questions about rumors with trite cliches, Stoudemire was refreshingly honest following Sunday’s win in Detroit.

      “I know about the rumors. I know what teams are looking. I know what teams want me,” Stoudemire said. “I pretty much know everything — I know what’s going on. I’m definitely in the loop on what’s happening.”

      For outside observers, what’s happening is very confusing. The Suns have clearly taken a step back, but if shaking up the roster is the solution as opposed to riding things out, shouldn’t moving the 26-year-old franchise cornerstone be the absolute last resort?

      You’d think so, but as Stoudemire sees it, the Suns are motivated as much by their bottom-line as they are putting the best team on the floor. “I think it’s all about what they want to do and what they’re trying to do financially,” he said. “I think their main focus is their financial intake.”

      “I heard Avery Johnson say one time I was a bad locker room guy or whatever,” Stoudemire said. “That stuff’s totally B.S. — we get along so well inside the locker room, we hang out with each other probably more than any team in the league as far as camaraderie, as far as hanging out together. We try to enjoy ourselves.”

      As one reporter pointed out, several of the Suns have described Stoudemire as being one of the most social players on the team. “That’s my thing, that’s why I don’t understand what Avery Johnson was saying or Tim Legler on NBA Shootaround when they said I was a bad locker room guy. That’s not me. That’s not me.”

      “I take pride in really keeping everybody’s spirits up in the locker room, just being that guy that keeps everybody happy and smiling and having a good time,” he continued. “Shaq [is] that way, as well. So with our personalities, we just enjoy ourselves. And even though we went through a bad losing streak there for a minute earlier in the season, we still stayed together, we still kept our motivation, we still had fun. We knew one day [if] we’d stay together it’d turn around.”

      Most players field such questions with cliches or gruff non-answers, so it’s refreshing to see Stoudemire talk about it so honestly. He addressed the concerns over his presence in the locker room and is generally upbeat about all the trade talk. I’d like to see someone ask him about the criticism about his defense, but I think much of that is Phoenix trying to justify trading him in the first place.

      I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — you just don’t trade a 6’10”, 1st Team All-NBA talent who is just entering his prime. It’s highly unlikely that the Suns are going to get equal value — just look at last year’s Pau Gasol trade. They’ll probably get a young star, but not someone that’s on Stoudemire’s level.

      The funny thing is that Suns fans have turned on Amare, and with this news out in the open, I think something will happen prior to the Feb. 19 deadline. I think it has to. With this many teams competing for his services, someone will offer the Suns something they want.

      If he still hasn’t been traded by Thursday, I’m going to offer up 29 trade scenarios for Amare — one for each team.

      Fantasy Basketball, Rumors & Gossip

      Andrew Magee opens mouth, inserts foot

      February 9, 2009 /

      Devil Ball Golf has the story of golf announcer Andrew Magee and his…um…unfortunate decision last weekend.

      Now, the FBR Open is, as we discussed in this space a week or so ago, an insane booze party frequently interrupted with golf. And at such parties, it’s likely that someone may choose to wear a t-shirt that’s perhaps a little inappropriate. But repeating what that shirt says … not such a bright idea.

      Magee, wandering the course for The Golf Channel, told fellow analyst Gary McCord that he’d just seen a guy wearing a t-shirt that said, “I got kicked out of the Boy Scouts for eating a Brownie.” I sincerely hope we don’t need to explain to you why some people might find that offensive. (Aside: why do we assume it’s a sexually suggestive remark? Could be about cannibalism, not that that’s any better.)

      Anyway, McCord wisely kept his mouth shut, and several agonizing seconds of dead air followed Magee’s remark, during which Magee surely wished he could disappear into his own navel. Magee has been “disciplined” but apparently not suspended.

      D’oh!

      Golf, Humor, Television

      Let the A-Rod bashing begin

      February 9, 2009 /

      Alex RodriguezNational sports writers rejoice to hammer A-Rod in the wake of SI.com’s report that he tested positive for steroids in 2003:

      Jayson Stark says that Rodriguez has destroyed the game’s history. (ESPN.com)

      Bruce Jenkins writes that even tarnished stars like A-Rod will shine in the Hall of Fame. (San Francisco Chronicle)

      Bill Madden says the Yankees should cut Rodriguez loose no matter the cost. (New York Daily News)

      Tom Verducci breaks down how the steroid report will affect A-Rod, the Yankees and Major League Baseball. (Sports Illustrated.com)

      Todd Jones plays devil’s advocate in this situation and tells fans to think about some things before condemning Rodriguez into steroid/baseball hell. (Sporting News)

      So much for Rodriguez legitimizing the home run record writes Tim Cowlishaw. (Dallas Morning News)

      Bob Klapisch writes that Derek Jeter better not fail us, too. (The Record)

      Drew Sharp goes as far as to say that we can’t even call baseball a sport anymore. (Detroit Free Press)

      Tim Marchman notes that nobody like A-Rod before the report and nobody likes him now. (Slate)

      MLB

      Lions getting rid of everything that reminds them of Millen

      February 9, 2009 /

      Just like a guy trying to burn the remains of anything pertaining to an ex-girlfriend, the Lions are cleansing themselves of anything having to do with the Matt Millen area – including the uniforms.

      Matt MillenPresident Tom Lewand has confirmed that the Detroit Lions have discarded their black uniforms.

      Under the league’s “third uniform program,” the Lions will go back to using their throwbacks as their third uniform (home and road uniforms account for the first two).

      “I love our throwbacks,” Lewand said.

      The black uniforms were introduced by former Lions president Matt Millen in 2005. Because last season was part of Detroit’s 75th anniversary, the team was allowed to substitute their throwbacks for their black uniforms in two games. That switch is now official and permanent.

      It’s possible that minor changes could come to the team’s standard jerseys as well as the team’s logo, but Lewand refused to comment. No changes are expected to be made for the 2009 season.

      Ah, I like the throwbacks better anyway.

      NFL

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