5 Good Questions With Pride Of Detroit

by Ted Glover on Sep 23, 2011 6:59 AM CDT in Five Good Questions

Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. The Motor City Kitties come to town to face the Vikings this week, only they're not the Motor City Kitties anymore. They're the Detroit Freaking Lions, and they're here to tell you the days of Jon Kitna, Joey Harrington, and Dan Orlovsky are OVAH. Their fans are breathing fire, and you know what, I can't say that I blame them. If there's any fan base in the NFL that deserves to be a little chippy, it's them.

The Lions have a talented core of young players, good coaching, and are favored to beat the Vikes at the Metrodome...something that's never happened. Favored to win or actually win in the Metrodome, just to be clear.

So what's been the cause of the turn around, and how are the Lions handling this newfound success? Well, to get those answers, we asked Sean Yuille of the fantastic Lions SB Nation blog Pride of Detroit, and he was kind enough to provide us with the answers.

Pride of Detroit has posted their questions to me on their site, and you can check them out right here.

DN: For almost my entire life, with the exception of a few years in the Wayne Fontes/Bobby Ross eras, Detroit has been the also ran of the NFC Central/North. You've had years and years of high round draft picks that never worked out, until the last few drafts. Who or what has been the key component that has turned around your talent evaluation process?

Pride of Detroit: Without a doubt it has been Martin Mayhew. He was named the interim general manager after Matt Millen was fired, and he permanently took over the job after the 0-16 season in 2008. Immediately he put together a plan to rebuild the coaching staff by hiring Jim Schwartz as the head coach, Scott Linehan as the offensive coordinator and Gunther Cunningham as the defensive coordinator. He also put together a plan to infuse the team with talent, and he has overhauled the roster in only three years by drafting very well, adding a few important free agents and acquiring a lot of talent via trades. He has been very creative, especially with the trades, and it appears his hard work is paying off.

DN: Matthew Stafford is one of the more talented young quarterbacks in the NFL, but has had past issues with injuries. Does that concern you moving forward, and could the Lions survive if he were to get bit by the injury bug again?

POD: I think it will always be a concern, even if he does make it through the season without any injuries. Perhaps at some point it won't be necessary for fans to hold their breath every time he is hit, but it's just an automatic reaction after watching him not get back up from hits several times in his first two seasons. The Lions have a good enough backup in Shaun Hill (and third-stringer in Drew Stanton) that they could survive if Stafford were to go down, but the reason fans hold their breath so much is because Stafford is becoming an elite quarterback. He is the difference between the Lions offense being great rather than just good. The Lions showed last year they can win games without Stafford, but for this team to compete in the NFC North and compete for a playoff spot, Stafford needs to stay healthy.

DN: Everyone knows about Megatron, Calvin Johnson, and the Lions are second in the NFL in scoring, averaging 37.5 points a game. Although Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game, Detroit's offense isn't a one man show. Can you give me a back or receiver on offense besides Johnson that the Vikings will need to focus on stopping?

POD: The best part about the Lions offense is that Stafford has so many options. There are weapons galore at receiver with Johnson, Nate Burleson and rookie Titus Young, and at running back you have a playmaker in Jahvid Best. The Lions also have two very talented tight ends in Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler. There is a lot of talent at the skill positions, and I think it will be important for Minnesota to focus on stopping Burleson, a former Viking. He leads the Lions in receiving with 12 caches for 153 yards and he has shown the ability to stretch the field as a receiver and make plays on reverses. With defenses focusing so much on Johnson, Burleson has seen his side of the field open up quite a bit, and so far this season he has made defenses pay for leaving him a little bit too open.

DN: Detroit looks like a young, talented and hungry team. With the lack of success the organization has experienced over the last decade, are you worried that the glare of the spotlight might be too much to handle when compared to the more experienced playoff teams in the NFC, like the Eagles and Packers?

POD: While the Lions are very young, they have a strong veteran presence with guys like Kyle Vanden Bosch, Jeff Backus, Dominic Raiola and Jason Hanson. These guys have been around for a number years and are leaders in the locker room. Obviously guys like Backus and Raiola haven't experienced a whole lot of success on the field (and Hanson hasn't since Barry Sanders retired), but I think they will make sure the younger players stay grounded, although I'm not sure that will be a problem anyway since guys like Stafford and Ndamukong Suh have quickly become leaders. They have handled the hype surrounding the Lions for the last few months very well, and although they haven't been in the league for long, they act like veterans.

DN: I don't mean this to sound insulting, because I have nothing but admiration for Lions fans who have stuck by their team, and it looks like your patience is about to be rewarded...but what made you do it? I mean, Vikings fans know pain and agony, don't get me wrong, and you have as many Super Bowl wins as we do, but at least the Vikings fans can point to a lot of regular season success along with some thrilling playoff victories to go with the pain. The Vikings gave us hope, if nothing else, and for Detroit, there was very little of that for a long, long time. At some point, how did the losing and the Matt Millen drafts not just cause you to look for another team to cheer? What got you through it, and how much patience are you going to have for bandwagon fans?

POD: A number of fans over the years have decided to forget about the Lions and cheer for other teams, especially because Matt Millen managed to keep his job for as long as he did. I really can't fault those who jumped off the bandwagon, but I and many others never really considered it. Is it much easier to root for a franchise that wins on a regular basis? Of course it is. But even during the lowest of times when the Lions went 0-16 there was a belief that at some point things will get turned around. Now we are finally starting to see that happen, and if the Lions do in fact make a playoff run or at the very least put together a successful season, the payoff for all of the losing we watched will be very sweet.

This sort of reminds me of what the Detroit Tigers did in 2006. A number of people jumped off the bandwagon after the Tigers dealt with so many struggles, especially when they went 43-119 in 2003. The fans who stuck with their team were rewarded with a trip to the World Series in 2006, and it made all of the years of watching losing teams more than worth it since the joy of watching the Tigers win was so amazing.

After the Tigers had such a great season in 2006 the bandwagon certainly filled up, and I will admit that at times dealing with bandwagon fans can be quite frustrating. Already we are starting to see something similar with the Lions and all they have done is win two games to open the season. If they continue winning there's no doubt the bandwagon will fill up even more than it already has. At times it is tough to deal with bandwagon fans, but if the Lions do start making regular playoff appearances or perhaps even compete for Super Bowl titles, the fans who were there before the winning started will have the satisfaction of enjoying the success more than any bandwagoner. The true fans stuck around through it all, and now hopefully they are on the verge of being rewarded for their dedication to the Lions.

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1981, 3rd week of the season

Lions were favored over the Vikes in Minn…. however they lost 26-24.

http://twitter.com/#!/rumbulls

by CLF on Sep 23, 2011 7:17 AM CDT reply actions

He said at the Metrodome.

Which opened in 1982. We’ve never been favored there.

"You've got to respect your opponent, no matter who it is. You respect him best by going out there and beating him up." - Calvin Johnson

by Mavyrk on Sep 23, 2011 7:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Thought that opened in the late 70's... my bad.

Still a nice trivia fact.

http://twitter.com/#!/rumbulls

by CLF on Sep 23, 2011 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions

It broke ground in the late 70s.

But it didn’t open til 82.

Building stadiums is long, hard work. Particularly when you don’t have the engineering technology of today.

"You've got to respect your opponent, no matter who it is. You respect him best by going out there and beating him up." - Calvin Johnson

by Mavyrk on Sep 23, 2011 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions

We can’t even build one today!!!

The road to fulfillment in any line of endeavor is always marked by an initial breakthrough; however, that first taste of success needs to be replicated again and again in order for supremacy to be sustained. We are Vikings, and our breakthrough is now. We will get that first down, then get a touchdown. Then we'll kick your ass.

by Alittlemore_cowbell on Sep 23, 2011 9:03 AM CDT up reply actions

I need more Cowbell on this Friday morning

Skol!

by DM_Purp on Sep 23, 2011 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions

So your telling me it's a long process?

Would that mean that it has the potential to be a positive economic growth and put a bunch of people to work? Don’t let the MN politicians hear you say that!

14 halll of famers. Wait Cris Carter isn't in the Hall of Fame yet!? Wtf is wrong with these people!?

by Thor82 on Sep 23, 2011 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions

Love the last question

I am a Pirates fan and have been going through many years of suck. I cannot wait until they are relevant again and not a laughing stock. The Lions are proof that the process does sometimes work with the right management.

"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"

by CAGGS on Sep 23, 2011 7:52 AM CDT reply actions

I'll tell you one thing.

Being a Lions fan is much easier when you’ve got three other major sports teams that have been studs over the bad years. You have the Pistons dynasty and the Tigers carrying us through the rougher patches of the Millen years, plus the Red Wings who are just… well, the Red Wings.

If you have to be a fan of a perennial loser, you might as well do it in a city where the other teams are perennial (or close to it in the NBA/MLB case) winners. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a Bengals fan.

"You've got to respect your opponent, no matter who it is. You respect him best by going out there and beating him up." - Calvin Johnson

by Mavyrk on Sep 23, 2011 8:46 AM CDT up reply actions

I almost throw up in my mouth everytime I see the word "Bengals"

Skol!

by DM_Purp on Sep 23, 2011 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions

I am assuming...

you are talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hate to burst your bubble, but the Pirates will never be relevant unless three things happen: 1. Change of ownership that has the ability to spend, 2. MLB gets a salary cap/floor implemented and 3) MLB gets a real revenue sharing similar to the NFL. Otherwise it will always be a handful of teams that win it all. Oh sure, occasionally a dark horse comes out of nowhere. And the the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox buy there players. Pittsburgh is a glorified farm team for these higher revenue organizations.

by eyeguy81 on Sep 23, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

I’m a Pirates fan, too. I have no idea to this day how I’ve survived being a fan of both the Vikings and Pirates as they routinely rip my heart out. I’m sure you feel the same way.

"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
-Roberto

by blackjackfishtaco on Sep 23, 2011 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Vikings AND Pirates? Ouch.

You are a brave soul.

Proud contributor to Daily Norseman and SB Nation Minnesota.
Follow @eric_j_thompson

by Eric J. Thompson on Sep 23, 2011 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Ha dealing with fair weather fans is fun

We had our share in 2009 who jumped on with Favre swore they were Vikes fans forever then promptly disappeared about a year later. What are you to do, just be happy that at least once in their lives the found the one true path.. :D

I'm like the Dali Lama of kicking ass

by Grime on Sep 23, 2011 7:55 AM CDT reply actions

Favre's not around anymore?

See you guys around… ; )

by Alittlemore_cowbell on Sep 23, 2011 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions

good riddance to bad rubbish!

Now I will have the best sig once again!

I'm like the Dali Lama of kicking ass

by Grime on Sep 23, 2011 8:54 AM CDT up reply actions

Either that or they just get banned

Skol!

by DM_Purp on Sep 23, 2011 9:09 AM CDT up reply actions

Not sure who you are thinking of, but I am still here.

by puddnhead on Sep 23, 2011 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions

actually, you can’t be referring to me, because I never once “swore they were Vikes fans forever.” but for whatever reason, i’m still around.

by puddnhead on Sep 23, 2011 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks POD for the insights

I’ll have to stop over at your place to see how Ted ~~embarassed the shit out of us~~ excellently represented our team. I’m curious to where his optimism lies.

Skol!

by DM_Purp on Sep 23, 2011 9:11 AM CDT reply actions

Oh, and F*ck bandwagoners

EVERY time! I can’t stand that. And when the Vikings finally punch through and win a SB, I’m raisin’ my banner high and lettin’ her fly because I’ve been here since day 1. Even with the disappointments, I still say Vikes win this weekend: 31-17. Suck it detroit. Back to the cellar where you belong.

Skol!

by DM_Purp on Sep 23, 2011 9:15 AM CDT reply actions

Ha.

Even if you win, you’ll still be at the cellar.

"I'm glad they made Flintstone's vitamins because I used to watch The Flintstones and go, "Man I bet you if I ate that dude, I would be healthy."

Obligatory statement about being a huge Lions fan.

I also review movies: Read Here

And have a twitter: Follow Me

Hello everyone and fuck Mark Sanchez count: 32

by Bighaircut on Sep 23, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions

Good stuff Ted (and POD)

If the Lions do finally win in the Metrodome on Sunday, they damn sure better knock the Bears and/or the Pack out of the playoffs.

Proud contributor to Daily Norseman and SB Nation Minnesota.
Follow @eric_j_thompson

by Eric J. Thompson on Sep 23, 2011 9:55 AM CDT reply actions

^^^This

"I'm crazy? Cyril, you're the one who killed a perfectly good hooker!"--Sterling Archer

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by Ted Glover on Sep 23, 2011 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions

If it weren't for the really BAD need I feel for a Vikings W....

I would not feel bad for a Detroit W….

Just not this week….

The Detroit fans have been through some pain (understatement)….As we have, similar yet not, as pointed out (MORE understatement)…

So i am glad they seem to have turned the corner….They are stringing together some impressive games…

Just not this week!

I hope……and believe….and will it…..that first W for the Vikes…

This week!

: )

I would rather be IN the Arena than watching from the stands...That is my life!
* Read Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you need further explanation...

by vikingfanfrom afar on Sep 23, 2011 10:22 AM CDT reply actions

+1

agreed.

Vikings Valhalla .com

by Admiral BigGun on Sep 23, 2011 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions

We...are..underdogs...to..the Detroit...Lions

The King is dead…long live the king.

by Jepp The Viking on Sep 23, 2011 11:13 AM CDT reply actions

Even when the Lions were at their 0-16 worst...

They still played the Vikings hard—it wasn’t a gimme. With the Lions on the rise and playing dominant football, Sunday we’re going to see a really interesting game. Well, we’ll see at least 30 minutes of interesting if the pattern holds :-/

Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin

The Daily Norseman

by Skol Girl on Sep 23, 2011 8:24 PM CDT reply actions