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Thread: 2007 - Lions notes

  1. #1

    2007 - Lions notes

    WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
    Detroit Lions Training Camp has Arrived!
    The day has finally arrived!

    After a five-week break since the conclusion of the offseason program, players are reporting to the Detroit Lions Practice & Training Facility in Allen Park for training camp.

    It is the official beginning of Head Coach Rod Marinelli’s second season in Detroit, which brings with it high expectations and a level of understanding that began to develop with the conclusion of the 2006 season.

    Marinelli: “What meant so much to me last year is how we finished the last month. We didn’t win them all, but its how we practiced. The guys that finished were in pads and the guys went to Dallas at the end just fought. They could have laid over. They could have went Christmas shopping, and they didn’t.

    “That’s part of what you’re looking for. (You look for) that good feeling (and) when it hits a block – when it hits a loss – how do you respond? Where’s the mental toughness? So within that chemistry, hopefully, is that toughness and consistency that I want to stay with. We’ve got to take this approach right back into camp and now we start everything again right back from ground zero and rebuild it.”

    It will take knocking this team down to see if it has what it takes to bounce right back up, but Marinelli has not masked his confidence in the team he has watched practice over the past four months.

    The work he put in to finding players with the right character as well as molding the overall attitude of the team is beginning to pay off.

    Marinelli: “I believe so much in attitude. That bunched together (if) we’re willing to push forward as a bunch of men with a goal and a vision that (we) can accomplish a lot of things. I’ve just seen this group of men coming together.

    “It’s not (just) me (who sees this), it’s the staff and it’s the players themselves. All that chemistry starts with the fundamentals. I really believe that. You come down and get your fundamental work everyday, your footwork, and that’s where your motivation comes because you see yourself getting better. I think they believe in our staff and they believe in our systems, and that’s why I feel good.”

    Players will report to the Allen Park facility by 4 p.m. ET for physicals and a team meeting. Also at 4 p.m. ET, Head Coach Rod Marinelli will hold a press conference to preview training camp and talk about the state of the Detroit Lions.
    The cornbread is never hotter, butterier, and tastier than at the start of training camp. It will be interesting to see if Rod will be as much of a hardass going into his second year. He has weeded a lot of guys out, now it may be time to just coach.

    I really wish this thing was still at SVSU and open to the public. EHHH but why please the fans, we have proven we will eat the bread no matter how bitter.

  2. #2
    Glenn's Avatar
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    Bryson, Swancutt & Marcus Robinson are all done.

    Bryson
    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...126/SPORTS0101
    Shawn Bryson, a key backup at tailback and fullback, had his contract terminated because he failed his physical. Bryson sustained a knee injury early in the 2006 season and the injury had not healed sufficiently.
    Swancutt
    Quote Originally Posted by Mlive
    The Lions also announced that they pared their defensive line by cutting 2005 sixth-round pick Bill Swancutt.
    Robinson
    http://packers.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&c=661486
    In what may be viewed as a lesser blow, the Lions placed former Vikings wide receiver Marcus Robinson on injured reserve, meaning he will miss the entire 2007 season.
    Find a new slant.

  3. #3
    Marinelli's first presser
    Marinelli press conference notes
    by Philip Zaroo | MLive.comWednesday July 25, 2007, 10:39 PM



    Rod Marinelli: Cory Redding switched to a '3' technique during a contract year. That's an unselfish player. We think his best years are ahead of him.

    It's extremely important for us to get our depth development; the younger players on second and third team. That's one way you counteract injuries. Instead of complaining about them, you accept that they're just a part of the game. Guys need to have position flexibility, and we have to develop that talent.

    Two other areas: stamina. We lost a lot of close games last year in the fourth quarter, and it comes down to stamina. That comes from mental toughness. The second thing is the turnover ratio. We're focusing on it, and we need to get that on the "plus" side.

    Q: Have you signed Ikaika Alama-Francis?

    RM: Yes. The only two that didn't show up is Calvin Johnson and Gerald Alexander

    Q: Johnson's the only one who has not at least agreed to terms?

    RM: Yes, I don't want to say it's a sure thing, but from what I understand, Gerald will be signed, and he'll report to camp tomorrow.

    Q: Are those three-year deals?

    RM: I don't know.

    Q: What's Damien Woody's status? Is there any contract issue that has to be worked out?

    RM: He's ready to come in work. Everything is ready to go, as far as I know.

    Q: As far as Kitna's prediction of 10+ wins, and other players supporting him, that doesn't bother you at all?

    RM: No, these guys are in the huddle; they've seen what we've brought in. They have to believe in themselves. You have to be secure in that mindset.

    Q: Shaun Rogers stayed more than three hours on a report day. Any reason for that?

    RM: No, he just came in and visited with everyone. Some guys came in and had a workout.

    Q: With a year under your belt, are you going to make any changes to the way you do things this year?

    RM: No, I just want to do them better.

    Q: Fans are going to be there tomorrow. Does that do anything to you?

    RM: No, I love it. I want them to be here. These fans are the best fans in the world. I just hope the weather holds up. But I love that. That's the way you build a relationship with the fans.

    Q: How important is it tomorrow to set the tone for the entire season?

    RM: It's really important tonight, not tomorrow. Because this is the first chance we've gotten to sit down for this season.

    Q: Can you talk a little bit about the AFC West schedule and how you deal with it?

    RM: They're good football teams; you deal with it by worrying about what we do. How we execute, how we block. You start focusing on what the other team is doing and you're done. We have to make sure we get what we're doing right.

    Q: Do you think that Calvin Johnson will get signed soon, or could this be an extended holdout?

    RM: I talked with (Chief Operating Officer) Tom Lewand today and he said he thinks this thing's got a chance to get done in the next two, three days. I hate to give it a number because you never know.

    Q: Does it hurt that he's not there each day?

    RM: It always hurts; you want him here. But he picked up things very well during the mini camps this summer. You want him here but the plus side is this guy picks things up fast.

    Q: Cory Redding said at the end of last season, he thought the team was starting to turn the corner. Did you feel that?

    RM: The key was how we prepared. Sometimes a team just puts it in cruise control when things aren't going well. And I didn't want to do that. I wanted to see who would finish. But I'm not going to do it. We stuck to the same schedule, and kept pushing. We lost some people, but that's OK. We didn't finish some games at the end, but we kept going, and we got a win (against Dallas) at the end. So I could see how he could feel that.

    Q: There seems to be some optimism from some people, including from you. What things have you done to improve this team?

    RM: I'm from the school of thought that if you can't learn how to practice correctly, to study correctly, to prepare correctly, you're not going to win. We learned that kind of stuff last year. And we could see it at the end of the season. In the off-season, we were able to make some big strides in picking up free agents and draft picks, guys who aren't just about talent, but are big character guys.

    But it's not just about talent. The most talented team doesn't win. The best "team" wins. It's about getting players who want to do what's best for the team.

    Q: In what ways do you think you're a better head coach than last year?

    RM: Consistency is a big strength of mine, and that's what I have to do. The same things I did last year, but just be better at them. Nothing new and genius coming up here.

    Q: Is there one area on this team that you think has more of a ways to go than other parts?

    RM: Yeah, the secondary. There are questions about how they'll do. But I really have to say I've liked what I've seen in the off-season. And when this system (Tampa 2) is working, those guys aren't left out there on islands. They're re-routing, tackling. Then the offensive line, we think we've really improved with George Foster, Manny Ramirez, and we've had Frank Davis.

    Q: What areas do you really like?

    RM: Receivers and quarterbacks, I think, have a chance to be special. And our defensive front. Their motors are developing. Not where I want. But they're getting there. They've got a chance, as a unit, to be pretty good.

    Q: Are you confident in the backup quarterbacks?

    RM: One of Mike Martz's many strengths is doing wonders with quarterbacks that nobody's ever heard of. He's going to have the opportunity to do that, and I'm confident in his ability to develop a number two and number three quarterback that we'll like.

    Q: How significant will it be if the defensive tackles you have live up to expectations that you have?

    RM: They system is dictated by the pressure you generate with that four-man rush. When this system is working, the worst thing you want to do is blitz because you have to blitz. The Tampa 2 starts with creating havoc up front, starting with the inside guys. We're very fortunate to have a third tackle like Shaun Cody.

    Once you have the pressure up front, then the ends have to come alive. The slides come, the chips come. Now all of a sudden, the running backs, instead of helping on the outside, have to help on the inside, and which will single up those ends. And they have to win.

    Q: so, theoretically, the ends should rarely see more than one guy?

    RM: They should.

    Q: There are some high expectations for DeWayne White. Do you think Kalimba Edwards is ready to step up?

    RM: He's got to. I'm riding him, and the pressure's on. So he needs to get it done. We need guys that can rush the quarterback. That might mean you get a group of guys who can just rush. But we need pressure on the quarterback on first and second downs. I want the challenge; let's go.

    Q: Bottom line is you're done waiting for a lot of guys?

    RM: Oh I'm pushing. And it's all on the coaches. We have to get these guys ready to be motivated. We've got to stimulate these men. You've got to go in there and teach'em and simplify things and get through to these men.

    Q: What do you think happened to Jon Kitna in the fourth quarters of games? He made some big mistakes.

    RM: There're a lot of other things that go into making mistakes besides just the quarterback's decisions. That's why I always want to watch the tape after the game before I comment. I've got to see everything that happens. It all falls back on him, as the quarterback, but he's got to have thick skin, and he's got to improve himself too. He knows that.

    Q: It's kind of strange that Redding got such a big contract with such little time spent at defensive tackle. Is it fair to say that he got rewarded for buying into your system and passing it on?

    RM: No. He started nine games inside and was extremely productive. He was in the top five in the league for tackles with losses. This is my area of expertise. You could see he knows how to play the position. The worst scenario is being in camp with him not being here. That's the worst thing that could've happened. There are a lot of things that go into the position, but the most important thing is a nonstop motor. And coaches around the league noticed it and would say something to me.

    Q: Talk about the help that T.J. Duckett brings to your backfield this year.

    RM: Yeah, you got him and Tatum Bell, Kevin Jones ... a good group of runners. It's great. We're in good shape there.

    Q: Are you going to be a little less physical this year in camp to get your team into the season healthier than last year?

    RM: I hate saying it that way. The number one thing is developing the skill. There's no reward unless earned. And if they earn it, I'll take the helmets off them for a day. Having helmets with no shoulder pads is worse, to me, than vice versa. A veteran team knows how to practice that way - that a day out of helmets is still all business, not a day of rest. That's what we're aiming for.

  4. #4
    I didn't see the presser, but I heard Millen was not there. That's BS. He should have been there answering the CJ contract questions.
    Phil Wenneck: The man purse. You actually gonna wear that or are you just fuckin' with me?
    Alan Garner: It's where I keep all my things. Get a lot of compliments on this. Plus it's not a purse, it's called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one.

  5. #5
    Glenn's Avatar
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    Chris,

    I thought you'd be more excited about Bryson being gone.

    You aren't a fan, right?
    Find a new slant.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn
    Chris,

    I thought you'd be more excited about Bryson being gone.

    You aren't a fan, right?
    Actually, I didn't have a problem with him. I had a problem with Mooch using him as a featured back just about. He's like Mike Curry was to me. Solid guy and does whatever you ask. The coach just used him for more than he should have. The 3rd down draw plays for 2 yards made me sick. but he's just running what mooch called.

    But I'd much rather have bell, duckett and calhoun than Bryson for sure. I'm happy with the cut but I didn't hate him as a player (as I do with Nefe).
    Phil Wenneck: The man purse. You actually gonna wear that or are you just fuckin' with me?
    Alan Garner: It's where I keep all my things. Get a lot of compliments on this. Plus it's not a purse, it's called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one.

  7. #7
    Blog: Impressions from the first day of camp
    by Tom KowalskiThursday July 26, 2007, 11:58 AM



    Impressions from the first day of training camp ...



    There are five players on the PUP list: Kevin Jones, Shaun Rogers, Shaun McDonald, Dan Campbell and Devale Ellis. Jones is expected to be on the list the longest and probably the only candidate to possibly miss the first six regular season games. Ellis could also be sidelined for awhile, but the other three could come back at any time.

    Brian Calhoun did not practice this morning, but is expected to work out this afternoon.

    There's no question Rogers looked overweight but, with apologizies to bishopdon, I don't think he looked terrible. Jones was also packing on a few extra pounds and, as I said a few days ago, that means he'll need a few extra weeks after his foot is completely healthy to get into football-playing shape.


    There were two roster moves: Marcus Robinson was placed on the injured reserve list and is lost of the year (I'm still trying to find out the exact reason). Also, Shawn Bryson was released because he failed the physical (knee).


    Damien Woody is back at the starting right guard position. He looks in pretty good shape and, in talking to him afterward, he's definitely serious aboute getting his reputation back.


    Casey FitzSimmons is playing a great deal at the fullback and flex positions


    With Dan Campbell sidelined, Eric Beverly is the starting tight end. Sean McHugh also got a lot of work in the two-tight end sets.


    MLB Paris Lenon made an excellent play during team drills when he knocked away a pass from RB Tatum Bell who was coming out of the backfield and then tried to cut across the middle.


    There wasn't a great deal of hitting on the first day, but WLB Ernie Sims delivered a pretty good pop to WR Edell Shepherd.


    Dan Orlovsky took the No. 2 snaps at quarterback but Drew Stanton got some work, too. In an hour or two, I'll have more on Stanton's first day -- I thought it was pretty interesting.


    Stanley Wilson and Fernando Bryant lined up as the starting cornerbacks and Bryant made several good plays in coverage.


    Jon Kitna looked extremely sharp and accurate for the first day of camp. He was very decisive in his reads, got rid of the ball quickly and was usually on target.


    Apparently, offensive coordinator Mike Martz doesn't believe in easing into the first day of camp. The offense was running a ton of different plays utilizing an assortment of formations, shifts and motions. I couldn't see that anything was scaled back. More will be added as camp continues, but the players have already been hit with a full load.


    The starting linebackers are Sims, Lenon and Boss Bailey and all three of them made some plays, especially in the passing game. Bailey made a very good instinctive and athletic play when he made a nice outside pass drop and then leaped high in the air to bat away a pass on a deeper "out'' route.

    The backups are Anthony Cannon (WLB), Teddy Lehman (MLB) and Alex Lewis (SLB). Cannon jumped out on a few plays and you can clearly see his development from a year ago.


    Backup tackle Shaun Cody, who played the nose in Rogers' absence today, has changed his hairstyle again. He was shaved bald as a rookie, had a full mop of hair last year and then had a mohawk during this off-season. Now, his short-styled haircut has been dyed blonde.


    The Lions are expected to bring in former Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball, who will get a shot to land a job as a receiver.


    By the way, with Woody back in the fold and Stephen Peterman moved to backup guard, the Lions are now using Rex Tucker as a backup right tackle.


    T.J. Duckett is still running with the ball high and tight, a la former Giants RB Tiki Barber. Duckett looks very good, very solid. He's going to be a load in the Lions short-yardage and goal-line rushing attack.

    mmmmm....buttery

  8. #8
    Blog: Stanton's first day is cause for encouragement
    by Tom KowalskiThursday July 26, 2007, 3:22 PM



    First things first -- the kid still has a long way to go. Having said that, rookie quarterback Drew Stanton's performance in the first workout of training camp was better than anything I had seen in the off-season practices.


    Stanton looked a lot more relaxed in the pocket and appeared more sure of himself under center. Remember, from the very beginning, coordinator Mike Martz tore apart just about all of his mechanics, including his grip on the ball and his delivery. Not to mention the change in his dropback steps -- Martz has several different dropbacks depending on the play.

    "There are a lot of different reasons,'' Stanton said, explaining his improved play. "Just trying to understand everything and it's easier to digest everything that's going on. It's getting used to taking those drops. I haven't been under center very long, except for the OTAs. It's a chance to work on that and progress with that and I've got a better comfort level being in there.''

    Stanton said that he isn't trying to be the perfect quarterback in one day, but is taking it in small steps.

    "It's one of those things that I'm just trying to progress and perfect one little thing at a time. I'm still working on my mechanics and making sure I focus in on those things and perfect that and then move on to the next thing and then the next thing,'' he said. "That's the best way to learn. I'm asking questions. Even asking Jon (Kitna) and Dan (Orlovsky) the different things they might do within their mechanics that Coach Martz is looking for that will ultimately make me a better football player. Those are the things I've been working on.''

    While most of the players were gone in early July on vacations, Stanton kept working out at Allen Park with a couple of other hopefuls.

    "Throwing with Troy Walters and lifting and running and getting acclimated to the heat a little bit. It was definitely quiet and it was nice because I could come in here and get my work done,'' Stanton said. "I got a chance to get in and watch game films from last year and different (film) cutups of different protections and blitzes. It's all here for you, it's just a matter of getting out there and utilizing it.''

    Stanton knows he needed the extra work because he's required to know all of the protection schemes. He said at Michigan State, the Spartans had "six or seven, maybe eight. Here, I don't even know how many there are. Probably 30 or 35.''

  9. #9
    HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

  10. #10
    CLEVELAND'S FINEST Zekyl's Avatar
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    Duckett carrying the ball like Tiki? Wow, that's a comparison I really want to hear.....
    Tiki was a good back, but didn't he have fumble problems?

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