J. Paul Ghetto Esq.'s Blog

I just watched a clip that Bernie Smilovitz played showing ESPN's Stephen A. Smith ranting about Matt Millen.  Smith called the Lion's football organization "headless".  I had to wonder what Millen has on the Fords to be able to remain in their employ.

The Lions haven't drafted well,  haven't traded well or hired managers or coaches who can lead the team to victory.

When Mike Martz left I HOPED that he would be replaced by an offensive wizard.  Instead it's just been offensive.  I've been a fan of Lion's football, since the Joe Schmidt era but I am just disgusted these days. 

Thank Zeus the Spartan's are playing well!

This needs to be Millen's last year regardless of the outcome of the season.

 

When I was a kid it seems like every Sunday there was a Knickerbocker's, 76er's or Celtic's game on television, so when Boston spanked our Pistons and moved onto the Lakers, I could not help but root for them. 

This morning I heard a lot of criticism about Kobe Bryant.  He was blamed solely for the outcome of the series.  I don't blame him.  I blame his early advisors that convinced him to go to professional basketball directly form high school.

Had Kobe gone to college for 2-4 years, he would have learned about comradery becaue he would have been enrolled at a major University with hundreds of  other gifted athletes.  He would have developed team spirit at pep rallies.   He would have learned compassion and humility for those around him.  One cannot live in a dormitory without meeting people that are far more amazing than YOU. 

As a student athelete, he would have been mentored by the upperclassmen and advised to never purchase the services of the hotel staff during road trips. He would have met his fair share of eager coeds and townies, everywhere he went.  

Kobe would have learned the value of discretion and learned to never snitch on his friends because most college jocks just don't talk about each other like that.  And if they do and are discovered, they sometimes catch a beat down in the locker room.

College would have given him a few extra years to grow up before he was thrown into the predatory real world.

But alas, he did not have that experience.  I feel sorry for Kobe today or as much as I can feel sorry for a young multi-millionaire for I know that he was cheated.  Had he learned to be the consumate team player, he might have been able to Shaqattack the Celtics until they were bloody.  The wounded Celts probably would not have been able to re-emergre from the locker room and play better than they had before had their tired bodies been battered by an 8 foot 400 pound giant that desperately would have wanted to retire in peace at the end of the season.    

Michael Jordan knew the value of college and look where it got him.

I got an email today about the passing of Will Robinson.  The person that sent it to me had heard me speak glowingly of this man that I had the honor of participating in his athletic program at John J. Pershing High School. 

My first day at Pershing, I was walking around the main floor trying to orient myself to the place.  I was walking around like a rube in the big city when I was physically accosted by 5-6 guys just as tall as me.  They grabbed me by the shoulders as one of them stated:  "Coach want to see you" and gently led me to the first floor entrance to the gymnasium and up the stairs to main gym. 

Rob was sitting at a desk near the gym's entrance, writing on a pad.  His men stood me directly in front of him at the table.  He continued writing and looked up at me and pointed his pencil at me and informed me that I would be playing football. 

I cannot repeat his exact words in this blog.  I took the pencil from him and signed up for football class and said nothing.  Nobody beside my father had ever talked to me the way Rob did before or after but rest assured that I understood him succinctly and followed his instruction precisely. 

More often than not I tried to stay out of Rob's way.  He wore a whistle with a rawhide strap around his neck.  If you cut up in front of him or talked while he was speaking, he would invite you to stand before him and touch your toes and get a little "taste" of that strap.  I got a "taste" 2 times.  And I never again hungered for another taste.  When he had to instruct gym class, if one of the other coaches was not there, we all got to run a "miracle mile" and nobody wanted to be the last person across the finish line because you would get a taste of that strap.

No one was surprised when he left Pershing to go Illinois State.  We were just saddened because we lost the greatest jewel in Detroit PSL history to the world.

Back in the day, Pershing had about 3000 students and a national reputation because of it's athletic program.   Will Robinson, as Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach was the main reason Pershing was recognized as one of the best public programs in the country.  In 1967 and 1970, Pershing was the Class A State Basketball Champion.  As I stood on the floor of Jenison Field House, in March 1970, I decided at that moment that I would attend the great MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

I got about 18 months of exposure to Rob before he went on to be an even greater influence to other young men and women.  That exposure had an impact on my entire adult life. 

In the next few days, you will hear testimony after testimony about this GREAT MAN.     Will Robinson was a GIANT among men in every way.  Even in his longevity.

I never knew he was the first this and the first that but I did know that I had been exposed to greatness and every one he touched turned to GOLD. 

IT WAS AN HONOR TO HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PRESENCE WILL ROBINSON.

.   

Sunday, for the first half, I watched some of the best football the Lions have played in recent memory.  The bruised up team played in heroic fashion.  The offensive line opened holes that you could drive a small car through.  ALL of the backs played like they were Pro Bowl bound and the receivers made us forget that Roy Williams was standing on the sidelines in street clothes. 

Then came half time.

The momentum of the game changed.  DALLAS remembered that they were the number 1 team in the NFC and the Detroit Lions seemed to forget the promise that Kitna had made in the spring for the 5th game in a row.

And of course, Mike Martz got hyper and abandoned the running game which had served us so well in the opening minutes of the game. 

The defensive line got mugged on every play, throughout the game.  And except for Bluie the secondary seemed to want to avoid getting bruised up.

No one expected us to give Dallas a good game except those diehards like me that understand that the Lions have historically been giant killers.  What I could never anticipate however is that Jason ALLTIMELEADINGSCORERINLIONSHISTORY Hanson would miss a field goal and the refs would not manage to throw the flag when Cowboy players interfered with Lions receivers.

Terry Bradshaw and the gang questioned MM's longevity here in Detroit.  I do too mainly because he can't seem to properly utilize Tico Duckett one of the best backs in football.  

The Lions were playing better at the end of last season but then their pride was on the line.  

I always try to end these pieces on an optimistic note but I can't do that today.  I just hope that the Fords make some changes in the front office and the coaches draft some players that don't mind taking a few Tylenol on Mondays after the games. 

 

  

 

It seems to be feast or famine with the Lion's running game.  The offensive coordinator runs the ball at the start of games but by halftime seems to have forgotten that he has 4 good backs. 

He also forgets the tight end who has Pro Bowl potential.

When things are going well with the offense we are superb. But when we fall down we just can't seem to get back up.   Other teams spend a lot of time reviewing our games and know what to expect from our offensive scheme.  When the second half comes, where are the adjustments to the offensive scheme? 

We don't yet seem to have a team identity that is ready to dominate both sides of the ball from week to week..

And somebody get Jon Kitna a pair of sunglasses.  Even Tony Saragusa could tell who he was going to throw the ball to! 

I pray that the A Team Lions show up Thursday and that Martz remembers Jones and Duckett are some of the best in football.

Ever since the passing of the great Bo Schembechler, I have made an effort to be more sympathetic to Wolverines at the end of the Big Ten season yet I have been mildly disappointed 2 years in a row.  The Buckeyes have spanked that behind like it was mandatory and the Michigan seniors will have to live with being 0-4 against Ohio State FOREVER. 

I received some solace today because my beloved MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS are headed to a bowl game and we won against the Nitany Lions @ home!

I need to have a complete weekend.  Lions, I'm counting on you to make me proud all next week.

Sunday the Lions played some of the best football I ever remember seeing them play.  They executed very efficiently on both sides of the ball.  Kitna spread the ball around and the backs gained yardage each time they got the ball.

Shaun Rogers, Shaun Rogers, Shaun Rogers!  This man is the finest defensive tackle that I have watched play professional football.  He gets off the line so fast,  he ends up taking the handoff from the quarterback!

As I was watching the game yesterday I thought to myself that I hoped to one day have the opportunity to meet him and thank him for coming to Detroit.  Today I popped into  Meijers at 12 mile and Telegraph in Southfield.  Shaun was at the store signing autographs!  Shaun Rogers is something special in more than one way.  He is humble.  He is a scholar and he is a gentleman.  

We are a bonifide Sports Town.  The Lions were the last to come around but the talent and the personalities that they bring to table are the best Detroit Sports teams have to offer.   

I have always hoped that my beloved Spartans would develop a football program that everyone in Michigan could be proud of.  I think we're on our way.

Someone needs to explain to me what has been happening in West Ypsilanti, the past 2 weekends!  I took no pleasure in watching the Wolverines get beat up on both sides of the ball, yesterday.  I used to hate Michigan because of their on field bravura.  Today, I feel sorry for them.

Momentum has shifted in the Football Universe.  Michigan State will be the Big Ten Champion and The Detroit Lions will Rule the NFC North!

As it is written, so it shall be!

I watched Michael Vick's press conference today.  To me, having to admit that he was wrong was the most humbling experience in his career as an athlete.  But there is more to follow.  In 105 days, his life will change forever. 

I was impressed by his humility, at the new conference.  Except for his claim of new found religion, I found him to be genuine and contrite.   I'm sure that he is devastated by these recent events in his life which has been inexorably changed.  Michael Vick will never be the same.  He has fallen from Grace. 

It's impossible to feel sorry for him.  He's a grown man and makes his own decisions.  He made this bed now he must lay down upon it.

I feel very badly about his cruelty to animals.  I resent his stupidity for letting the people who look up to him down.  I am angered by his hubris.  I mourn for professional sports and athletes in general. 

Athletes are role models more so than any other individuals in our society.  When they fall our society suffers.   Tonight and for many days to follow, parent and friends will try to explain the actions of Michael Vick to millions of children that just won't understand why he did what he did.  Judging from what I've seen and read those explanations will not be pretty.  There are a lot of people ready to castigate Vick for his actions.  I will not.  At the end of the day he and he alone will have to answer for his actions. 

Rather than bad mouth a fallen idol we need to learn from this American tragedy and attempt to dispel the mythology of machismo that led to these unfortunate events in the life of a man that stood to be one of the greatest athletes our culture has produced.  

If we don't take the high road on this travesty it is bound to be repeated.  Our children are watching.  Bad mouthing Michael Vick will not change what has happened but having some and showing some compassion might prevent someone else from falling down.  

Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova to win the 2007 Australian Open in two sets, 6-1 6-2.

Serena entered the tournament overweight, out of shape and unseeded. She was not expected to survive the first round. Instead, she proved her skeptics wrong.

The first set was almost flawless. Serena won the first five games before number 1 ranked Sharapova was able to gain her composure. Serena hit 7 aces including two aces back to back in the last game. She set a tournament record by serving 64 aces.

It took only 63 minutes for Serena to destroy Sharapova. The moment she stepped onto the court the expression on her face said that she was all about business.

This was Serena's third win of the Australian Open. The win moves her from 81st to 14th seed in the world.

It's been 2 years, since Serena won a title. It's been too long but well worth the wait. In my estimation, Serena played the best tennis of her career.