Lions = The Next Cincinnati Bengals?

Yep, the first two picks are Marinelli guys alright!  They have character, apparently not the right type of character.  First, Jordon Dizon is standing trial for DUI, and now Gosder Cherilus has been sentenced to 1 year probation for a brawl in Boston before the draft.

Great job, Millen and Marinelli.  Way to go in your “changing the face and character of the organization”!

Go pound the rock elsewhere, morons!

Another Millen Draft Blunder

Ah yes!  Another Millen Draft blunder.  Were you surprised?  This time, it could be proven a blunder WELL BEFORE the 2008 2nd round draft pick even hits the field in the fall.  As if it was already a blunder in question due to Dizon’s size.

Let’s take a look at the obvious blunders of the first 2 rounds of Millen’s draft resume:

1st Round
2002 Joey Harrington (BUST, has a great piano career)
2003 Charles Rogers (BUST)
2004 Roy Williams (Wants out after his contract is over)
2004 Kevin Jones (BUST, but might be great on another team [figures])
2005 Mike Williams (Worst draft pick EVER)
2006 Ernie Sims (So Far So Good)
2007 Calvin Johnson (So Far So Good, still unknown)
2008 Gosder Cherilus (Very Questionable at the spot he was picked)

2nd round
2002 Kalimba Edwards (GONE)
2003 Boss Bailey (GONE)
2004 Teddy Lehman (GONE)
2005 Shaun Cody (So far, a bust)
2006 Daniel Bullocks (So far, injury prone)
2007 Drew Stanton (Injury prone)
2007 Ikaika Alama-Francis (Not played much yet)
2007 Gerald Alexander (Has played much, taking Daniel Bullocks’s spot perhaps?)

And now we go to the 2nd round draft pick of 2008.  I admit, I felt that this draft was a draft that addressed NEEDS.  The questionability of whether or not certain players were drafted by the Lions higher than they should’ve been drafted is extremely legitimate.  But now, Jordon Dizon could be serving jail time.  Jordon Dizon’s DUI happened 6 DAYS BEFORE THE DRAFT…and Millen drafts him anyways!!!!! (Link to article on MLive: http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2008/06/report_lions_rookie_lb_dizon_c.html)  Dizon has been officially charged and will stand trial in October.

The one thing that is hopeful is his alchohol level was only .097,  which is .017 above the legal limit.  But who knows how lenient the Colorado judicial system is or isn’t.  Dizon is definitely not a “STAR”, so he won’t get the Hollywood treatment either.

We know how Rod Marinelli is about character.  Is this another “we must cut him because of his character” thing?  If this happens, this makes yet another 1st day draft blunder by Millen.

It’s getting old!!!!

Jonathan Goddard 1981-2008

A bit of sad news.  Jonathan Goddard has died as a result of a motorcycle accident in Jacksonville, Florida that happened early yesterday morning.  He was an All-American Defensive End for Marshall before being selected in the 6th round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.  He had a brief stint with the Colts and the AFL’s Colorado Crush.  Condolences and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.

More Charles Rogers Rumors…

According to a Saginaw Newspaper Charles Rogers, the Minnesota Viqueens are reportedly interested in bringing the 2003 Draft Bust to work out with their team.  Rogers was rumored to have entered a deal with the Alouettes of the CFL, but changed his mind.  Vikings, if you know what’s best for you, you’d stay away from this guy.  As soon as you write him a check he’s….wait…you’re a division rival….no go ahead.  Bust your salary cap on him.  He’s going to turn his life around and give you an incredible threat in your passing attack.  He’ll be great for you, really.

CHARLES ROGERS MAY HAVE A NEW JOB

Hey Draft Bust. Good luck with your new team, the Montreal Alouettes. But don’t get busted by the mounties when you’re lighting the tree up as you cross the Ambassador Bridge. Wait until a mile or two after you cross over. They have tasers.  By the way, the first question you need to learn in French when you get into Montreal is..

“Bonjour. Tu veux acheter de l’herbe?”

PFT: BUCS DEFENDER MIGHT WANT A TRADE

What are the odds Millen trades a draft pick for Defensive End Greg White? It’s inevitable. Greg White will be a Lion very soon.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/04/24/bucs-defender-might-want-a-trade/

Would you trade Roy Williams?

Ahh, the rumors just continue on and on about Roy Williams possibly being traded away. If you were Lions GM, would you trade Roy Williams?

Personally, I don’t care either way. He hasn’t stood out to me as a GREAT wide receiver (yet). He’s good, but not yet great. But he’s still very young and I still feel he shows a lot of promise. It’s all just a gamble, anyways, if you think about it. If you trade Roy away, you still have 2 serviceable wide receivers in Mike Furrey and Shawn McDonald, as well as a potential great in Calvin Johnson. But if you were to keep Roy, he is not only another threat to defenses all around the league, but a nice insurance policy in case (God forbid) one of the other three receivers become injured this upcoming season. And we know the Lions curse of the injury. Anything is possible.

The scenario is 1 first round pick at least. But we all know who gets to make that first round pick. The moustache himself: Matthew George Millen. So there’s already a 90-95% chance of failure right there. But what about that 5-10% chance he could make a good pick, thus filling a hole the Lions have?

Now, I know you can’t run a team and make moves based on chances and what-ifs. But again, we’re talking Matt Millen here. I guarantee the “What if Roy doesn’t want to re-sign after the end of the season?” thought is circling through his empty head. Would he dare to slap the Franchise tag on a player who’s possibly a bomb waiting to explode in the Lions locker room?

What would you do? Keep him? Trade him to get value for him? What about wait and trade him before the deadline during the upcoming season?

Calvin’s Back is Still Bothering Him

The Killer (Tom Kowalski) reported Calvin Johnson needed Vicodin to play last season, but Mike Martz pressured 81 to keep playing. Johnson says his back is still bothering him, but should be 100% by training camp.

I don’t know about you, but this injury scares me just a bit. Receivers fall on their back a LOT in the NFL…even some cases being tackled from behind by a secondary. Will this back injury from last year turn out to be a permanent problem for Calvin? I sure hope not. As much as we ridiculed the moustache for drafting a 4th receiver in the first round, this guy was a COULD NOT PASS guy. I sure hope this is nothing more than just a one season fluke injry, and this doesn’t hinder him throughout the rest of his career. The Lions, even though they made their own bed by drafting so many receivers, need a 2nd break. Roy Williams was their 1st break from the busts in Rogers and Mike Williams, but Calvin Johnson needs to be their other break for them as well. ESPECIALLY if you’re one of those who believe the Lions won’t be able to sign Roy Williams at the end of the season, or after a season of being Franchise tagged.

Change of Preseason Schedule

There’s been a change of preseason scheduling. The Lions will host the GIANTS instead of the COLTS the first preseason game.

Mendenhall not JUST Lions interest (obviously)…

Several mock drafts have him going to the Lions in the 15th pick…however, there’s a chance the BEARS could select him at #14.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting Mendenhall met with the Bengals, Jets, Cowboys and Panthers.  This story could be just a ploy to get Mendenhall some more exposure to the rest of the league to try to make him the 2nd runningback to be drafted after Darren McFadden, who’s likely a Top 10 grab.  In all likelihood, he will be, anyways.