Stafford, Bodden. The Boss get Reader Hits
Ask Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 02.9.2009/2:48PM
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From Egeiger:
“Why is Stafford the MUST pick at #1? If I was GM (I should be after wasting my $ for 11 years on this high school team) I would take Smith or Monroe at 1 because the talent will drop off at OT by the 20th. Laurinaitis, Cushing or the best available LB at 20, and either Freeman from K-State or one of the many talented D-Lineman at 33! What do you think? Should we throw a lot of money to Haynesworth and draft LBs and DBs? I don’t see Stafford as our future with Backus, aka Mr. False Start, protecting the blind side and our horrific defense who couldn’t tackle a one-legged man!”
A: I’m not saying they should draft Stafford No. 1. They should start with him at the top of the board, then see if anybody ranks higher. But if he’s that good, take him. They need a QB for the present and future, and they might as well start now. I’m not sold on Laurinaitis. I don’t like his movement. You’re right about LBs and DBs, but you’re too hard on Backus. He’s a steady, average player who’s there every game.
From Tom:
“I used to be in your business, but am now a special ed teacher. Just discovered your blog. A couple quick things. I thought linebacker Ryan Nece came from Tampa Bay and contributed all right. Does he have a chance to come back? Second, I remember reading last year you love the “Rockford Files” Me, too. I found it on WADL. I remember reading you lamenting you could not find it after it went off WGN.”
A: Thanks for the Rockford Files tip. I saw it cruising the channels one day and couldn’t remember where. Nece is strictly a fifth or sixth linebacker. They can find better.
From James (who noticed a typo in my rant on Michael Phelps):
“Phelps was his how smokesperson.“ Other than your editor (ie; you), missing ‘own’ with ‘how’, that was the funniest line I’ve heard in a very long time, and the point that Phelps is held to a much different standard than any of our non-athletic heroes is well taken, although I was personally outraged to learn that Keith Richards once smoked something that contained only tobacco.”
A: I can’t fire the copy editor, can I? I remember years ago, a young swimmer’s trunks slid off in a meet, and George Van wrote he was in “the Moon River lane.” It never made the paper – but stuck in my memory. If Phelps is being paid to act and live like a role model, then he has to live up to the standard he projects – or tries to.”
From Jruemen:
“Do they award 4 points for a field goal at the end of a Super Bowl game? That minute and nineteen seconds lost with the penalty you referenced in your article, still would have been a big help to try a score a touchdown.”
A: You’re right about the points differential, but my points was the time lost because of Adrian Wilson’s penalty for roughing the holder. It cost the Cardinals time, not points.
From Mike:
“Thank you Mike! I was born in ‘54 and my generation has idolized Bruce Springsteen for reasons I could never quite fathom. I never got the chants of “B-R U-U-U-C-E!“. The guy is overrated in the extreme and isn’t worthy of carrying Bob Seger or John Cougar Mellencamp’s guitar strap. Maybe it’s the legendary 3-4 hour shows. Quantity over quality, I guess.”
A: We’re in the minority, Mike, but I don’t mind. I once went to a Springsteen concert with a friend and her pre-teen daughter. The kid fell asleep. I envied her.
From Paul, on Leigh Bodden:
“The thing that gets me about these players is that they usually feel that they were, 1: Not appreciated; 2. Not used properly. I have to ask a few obvious questions. Your paycheck should be a show of appreciation, should it not? How are you not used properly? Do what you’re supposed to do. I mean, we’ve had teams PAY for personal trainers for their players.
Shouldn’t it be the players’ responsibility to be in shape? I know you’re “retired” but would the Detroit News pay to have an instructor to show you how to write better?”
A: You make some good points. Pro athletes have everything at their disposal to perform at a high level – coaching, facilities, equipment, medical and training staff, nutrition, support. You name it. Especially for Bodden, there was no excuse, and he had no complaints for the way he was used.
Comments [9] |
Draft, Millen, Mayhew and My 9-7 Prediction (Super Bowl Pick Follows)
Ask Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 01.31.2009/12:27PM
Contact Mike O’Hara at
Neither snow nor sleet nor hail nor tangled e-mail keeps me from answering your e-mails. Most of you want to know about the draft. Here we go from the latest batch:
From Wil:
Everyone is wondering who the Lions will pick at #1.
Who do you think the likely pick could be? And should be?
A: “I’ll have more on this later – and a longer explanation, but at this moment the Lions’ No. 1 pick should be Matthew Stafford, the quarterback form Georgia. A quarterback will fill an immediate and long-term need. But there’s a catch. The Lions should put Stafford at the top of the board, then look to see two things: if Stafford really is a franchise quarterback, and if he’s the best player in the draft.”
From Barney:
Any chance the Lions could obtain the rights to Michael Vick? The only team in the league who would be allowed to touch him immediately is probably the Lions, based on 0-16. Give Atlanta a low draft pick (say 5th round); sign him to a contract and include $500,000 to be donated to the Humane Society of Michigan and he does some promo work for them. The Lions get a proven commodity at QB. Vick gets to begin his climb back. and we didn’t waste another high draft pick on unknown QB. Your thoughts?
A: “Not a bad idea, Barney. I wouldn’t dismiss Vick as an option. He’s a great athlete, and still young enough (he turns 29 in June) to have some good years left. There is still the issue of whether he’ll be suspended by Commissioner Goodell. If he’s available, in shape and will play for an affordable contract, I say do it.”
From Gary:
It’s great to “rediscover” you, and good to see you’re still pounding out the words. I stumbled onto the blog after someone at the message board I haunt mentioned we hadn’t heard much from you since you picked the Lions to go 9-7. I’m not ragging you on that, because a lot of people thought they’d improve on 2007, including me. The real question is—what didn’t all of us see? What did we miss that made the difference between a mediocre team and an historically terrible one?
A: “I had to cut you short for space, but you made some great points. I’m not in hiding. I took retirement in mid-August and free-lanced for The News for a good part of the season. I think I’ve been exhumed, not “rediscovered.” Everything went wrong with that team. Some of it was talent, but some of it was with the staff and players who didn’t perform. If you read the comments from former Lions (Roy Williams, Fernando Bryant, Mike Furrey), they loved playing for Rod Marinelli but said his staff let him down. I could not agree more.”
From Rick K: Mike, I am from Detroit, left town many years ago for the Air Force and now am in the DC area. I am so glad that Detroit sports fans
still have access to your writing on the Web, and check your site
almost daily. Two questions:
With regards to the Mike Lombardi post about Matt Millen having had
“help” in creating the Lion’s disaster in 2008, do you know who or what
he is referring to? I have followed the Lions since the disappointment
of the great 1962 team—which unfortunately was not as great as 1962
Packers—and hope the latest front office structure is not yet another
William Clay Ford ban-aid on a critical wound.
In the last two weeks, a columnist from your former newspaper wrote
that Martin Mayhew was clearly in charge of the Lions, at least for
football operations, while another from the Free Press said that Tom
Lewand fancies himself a football expert and is the one in charge. Do
you have any idea which column was more accurate and an idea of what is
the real scoop?
A: “Everyone says that Mayhew is in charge of football operations and makes the decisions, and I believe that. Lewand, as president, runs the business side and oversees the franchise in general. I have no doubt that he has some ideas about personnel but will give Mayhew the lead. He has to. Any sign of interference would seriously jeopardize the credibility of the front-office set up and be a road block to improvement. My opinion, which I’ve said and written before: Mayhew will be outstanding in his job. He’s smart, focused and tough-minded, and he has done his homework.”
Comments [27] |
