StooltimeCounseling's Blog

 Primary Logo for the Detroit Lions, 1952-1960. ©

(Taken from Wikipedia's History Of The Detroit Lions and being fairly used to make the following point):

Change can be good.

Lets not stop with the firing of Lions President/CEO/General Manager, Mr. Matt Millen, for doing a poor job. This front office move made a lot of fans happy, but at the end of the day, Millen wasn't on the field making plays. 

Lets not stop with the purging of the team's mental attitude on the sidelines, field and lockerroom that is probably a big part of a losing record. Where's the passion from the players during a game and during interviews with the media? Even frustrated people can show some passion!

In addition to those things (and others), lets change the logo back to when it represented championship caliber.

Lets go real deep with change, even if it's retrospective change, as the Detroit Lions get a face lift so they will once again be contenders in the NFL like they were during the 1950's.

Remember Detroit Lions fans, the lion is truly the monarch of the jungle!

Go Lions!

Jimmy Johnson, of Fox NFL Sunday, is so optimistic, one must question his credentials as a broadcaster. Aren't sportscasters supposed to be "critical" so that they can be viewed as "objective"? 

Given Jimmy's "hopeful" comment about the Lions during the 3rd game of the season, when the Lions lost to the 49'ers, 31-13, coupled with my pattern of finding something positive to say about the Lions each week, I felt compelled to bring in some reinforcements. This week, it's Jimmy Johnson.

Why would Jimmy Johnson make an attempt to be empathic with Lions fans, who keep waiting for the 2008 season to do a 180 degree turn rather than just be "good-time Charlie" fans?

All I know, when Jimmy Johnson said the Detroit Lions are "playing possum", it had Terry Bradshaw rolling his eyes during their half-time show on Sunday. Of course, we already know what Terry Bradshaw thinks about Detroit.

"Playing possum"  (taken from Wikipedia) :

"Playing possum" is a phrase which literally means "to pretend to be dead".

It comes from a characteristic of the Virginia opossum, which is famous for pretending to be dead when threatened. This instinct doesn't always pay off in the modern world; for example, opossums scavenging roadkill may use it in response to the threat posed by oncoming traffic, and subsequently end up as roadkill themselves.

"Playing possum" can also mean simply pretending to be injured, unconscious, or otherwise vulnerable, often to lure an opponent into a vulnerable position himself.

There are two weeks (next week is a bye-week) for Mr. Ford to do something different with the Lions organization if he doesn't want the possum to end up as road kill this year. Show Lions fans that the team is not really dead, and that it's just pretending.

It's your move Mr. Ford. Don't be the driver who runs over your own scavenging possum that's pretending to be dead, when it's really alive.

In addition to the team's win-loss record, one of the measures I'm going to use to decide if the team is becoming successful, is when I hear the team asking more questions than they are answering.

When people talk about religion or politics, the conversation can get very heated because both subjects evoke very personal thoughts and feelings. What happens when a conversation combines religion and sports?

We all have a cross to bear. The cross is a symbol for something that can weigh us down. The weight of a cross can be the burden that immobilizes us so we cannot move forward. What cross does the Detroit Lions bear? How can the Detroit Lions embrace their cross so they can move forward?

The Detroit Lions are a confused team. This, I believe, is their cross to bear. Should we run the ball or should we pass it? This can confuse even the smartest squirrel trying to cross the road as it goes back and forth, unable to make a decision. Take heart. Confusion is the first step to wisdom.

I challenge the Detroit Lions to use their confusion (cross to bear) as something positive. Embrace the confusion and learn from it. 

When someone is confused, the best case scenario is to start asking questions to get some answers on how to improve. Ask questions, get feedback and wise up!

Personally, I am embracing the Detroit Lions as my cross to bear. I have one request, though: Can my cross be made of balsa wood? I'm going to pray about it.

Lyrics to Gridiron Heroes
The Victory Song of the Detroit Lions

(Verse)
Hail the colors Blue and Silver let them wave.
Sing their song and cheer the Gridiron Heroes brave,
Fighting for fame, winning the game,
Dashing to victory as they go.

(Chorus)
Forward down the field,
A charging team that will not yield.
And when the Blue and Silver wave,
Stand and cheer the brave.
Rah, Rah, Rah.
Go hard, win the game.
With honor you will keep your fame.
Down the field and gain,
A Lion victory!

GO LIONS!

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Go Lions!!

Only one of these two lunch boxes will take the Tigers to post season. Which lunch box will the team take to work with them while there's still time to make a difference?

GO, TIGERS! 

When Pudge got traded to the Yankees in late July, Detroit Tiger's manager, Jim Leyland, said something like this: 'Pudge won't be the reason we make it to the playoffs, neither will Inge. How our pitching staff does will determine if we make it to the post season'.

That assessment led to the re-acquisition of relief pitcher, Farnsworth, who pitched okay during his first two outings. I look forward to seeing more of Farnsworth doing his thing on the mound. It was nice to hear how he wants to help the team make it to the playoffs.

I don't know if the Tigers are receptive to hearing ideas on how to improve the team from the fans. Yes or no, here's one to help upset the applecart:

Since it has been decided that the pitching staff is the deciding factor to make it to the post season, try something different with them. Rather than begin each game with the starting pitchers, use the relief pitchers first. Start a game with Todd Jones (after he feels better) or Fernando Rodney or Kyle Farnsworth or Fossum (to name a few of the relief talent). Use starters like Verlander or Miner or Rogers or any other starting pitcher to pitch in the late innings. Lets see what happens. The current pitching rotation (who starts, who relieves) is not working.

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, 'Doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results, is insane'.

Last football season (2007), I blogged quite a bit about our Detroit Lions. The first 8 games really had us fans going, they were 6-2. Their record for the last 8 games was 1-7, rather dismal and disappointing. Take heart Lions fans! A new season is upon us.

Pre-season games start next month. The Lions are playing the 2008 season with a clean slate. I, for one, am looking forward to even a better year than last, despite Sporting News' prediction of only 3 wins. [Some people just don't know about learned optimism]. 

To help fuel my fire, to keep me emotionally invested in the season, I placed a $60.00 bet on the Lions to win the superbowl at 70:1 odds. I am in the city of Lost Wages, I mean, Las Vegas, right now. A guy really needs to know where to place a bet to get the best odds. The sports book at Fiesta Henderson has the Lions at 50:1 odds, but the Flamingo has them at 70:1.

I agree, the Lions are a long shot, but not as long as the Falcons, who are at 200:1. I also know that nobody can predict the future, crooked refs aside. We'll see what happens this year.

Well, as Huel Perkins would say, "Let It Rip", fellow sports fans and bloggers. Am I all wet or am I all wet? [No typo]. 

One of my jobs is at Easter Seals so I had the opportunity to volunteer to work the main gate at Warwick Hills on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 for the 50th anniversary of the Buick Open. Denise Durkee from Easter Seals helped coordinate some of the behind-the-scene jobs at the tournament. I invited my future father-in-law, Rob, to join me. We both had a blast mingling with Buick Open staff and many of the people who came to the event (23,000 pairings brochures were printed and distributed for round 4 on Sunday alone), despite Tiger Woods not showing because of a bum knee.

Congratulations to the winner, Kenny Perry (19 under par) and runners up, Woody Austin and Bubba Watson (both 18 under par).

Rob and I nicknamed the 18th hole the "voodoo" hole. It was either "voodoo" or that darn gopher from the movie, Caddy Shack, playing tricks with all the putts made by the golfers. We sat in the stands at the 18th hole after our morning shift of collecting tickets and checking bags at the main gate.  The 18th hole was not friendly to the golfers. Other than Scott Verplank, who shot a 40 foot, 6 inch putt, and somebody else who sank a 31 footer, other golfers found the hole very tricky.The 18th hole looked like a 2 or 3 putt hole for most of the golfers, and every extra putt meant less money for the pros who shot them. 

Sunday morning started out rainy, but as the day progressed, the sun began to show through the clouds making it a very nice day to play golf and watch it as the pros showed off their skills. I'd like to thank Easter Seals for giving me the opportunity to volunteer to work at the Buick Open, Rob for joining me and all the people who walked through the main gate while I worked. I realize it wasn't always pleasant to either check in your cell phone, cameras or other electronic equipment at the gate or walk them back to your car because they were not allowed on the course. We had to check the sleeves on all folding chairs, too. It wasn't always well received by the guests even though doing such things at public events is now a common practice, based on homeland security policy.

Sunday was an awesome day at the Buick Open, especially for the winner of the tournament, Kenny Perry.

I am asking this question in the midst of suffering extreme hockey withdrawals. The Detroit Tigers are who we have right now since hockey and basketball seasons are over, and football season doesn't start until September. My Tiger is Brandon Inge this year.

Brandon's job with the Tigers was in question at the outset of the season. He played anyway.

Brandon's ability to think positive was challenged by a team that wasn't sure if they wanted him. He continued to think positive anyway.

Brandon played stellar at third base last season. Now he's more like a utility player for the Tigers. He plays third base, centerfield, catcher and more. His batting average was difficult to compare to the big bats on the team last year, but he continued to play defense and offense anyway.

Brandon is one of the most tenacious, professional, positive thinking and versatile players on the team. For these reasons, he is my Tiger. If the team ever decided to elect a captain, he'd be my choice.

Who's your Tiger and why?

I could be wrong, but  wasn't catcher, Brad Ausmus, the last Detroit Tiger team captain? That would go back a few years. Will someone from the current 2008 team step-up and become the captain? It could make all the difference between winning and losing as the season unfolds.

For the life of me, I've been trying to figure out the winning and losing ways of the team this year, and what could make the Detroit Tigers better.

The Tigers have the talent from an elite pool of professional baseball players. Our skipper, Jim Leyland, is second only to Sparky (my opinion, based on everything being equal, Sparky had the PR skills). A loyal fan base has been developed and achieved, based on the scouts doing their jobs, Mr. Illitch building a new dynasty and the team playing exceptionally well for the past few years. What is the missing link? My answer: The team needs a captain, a leader of men.

Here are some prerequisites to becoming the team captain for our Detroit Tigers:

1. Veteran player.
2. Someone who leads by example.
3. Has the ability to view conflict and confrontation as opportunities for professional and personal growth rather than barriers to winning.
4. Knows how to collaborate, teaching everybody how to work together as a team from the dugout to the lockerroom, on the diamond to the stands and in the front office.

For anybody on the team who might be interested in stepping-up, if you need an example of a role model, here is your homework assignment: Study the attitude, professionalism and behavior of Captain Nick Lidstrom from the Detroit Red Wings!

There you go. I said it. The Detroit Tigers need a team captain. Will somebody please step-up! 

Has anybody else noticed how the Red Wings are winning games? If there is any physicality, it is clean, nothing dirty. No retaliation. Frustration levels are being managed on a professional level.

When the Wings finish off Dallas and move on to play either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia to win the Stanley Cup, they can hold their heads up high because they're doing it in a professional manner. They are excellent role models for our youth, who desperately need to be reminded that you can win or lose AND be a good sport about it. Thus far, the team has kept their composure very well.

Thank you, Mike Babcock, for teaching the team nothing less. 

On another note, some commentators, including Don Cherry, who later retracted his comments, have stated that the seats at the Joe are not filled because the fans want the Wings to show more brute force to make the game more exciting. I disagree. All home play-off games are sold out. The reason some of the seats are empty during a game is because fans do need to leave their seats to use the bathroom. Anybody who has used the bathroom at the Joe during a Red Wings game knows the lines are anything but short.

Go, fans. Go, Wings!

As of this writing, 4-13-08, the Detroit Tigers are 2-10. Wow! What a dismal start for a team that is expected to win the world series in 2008 because Mr. Ilitch and Mr. Dombrowski paid some big bucks for some big names. You'd think both of them would've learned a lesson from George Steinbrenner's pattern of trying to buy a world series.

Woody used the phrase, "Fat Cat Comfort" to describe a Detroit Tigers team whose players have been paid big money and have security. I, too, have a take on the pitfalls of trying to buy a world series the way the Yankees have historically tried to do, and apparently now, the Tigers.

http://stooltimecounseling.blogspot.com/2007/02/mon
ey-manure-and-professional-athletes.html

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Where's Sean "The Mayor" Casey when you need him? He was traded to Boston, where he is utilizing his baseball and "Mayor" skills. Maybe that's what the Tigers are lacking this year: Honest mayoral skills in the lockerroom and dugout. 

I believe the Tigers have lost sight of themselves in their quest to be the best in MLB, and that has contributed to their failure thus far. I suggest the Tigers need to "Fail Forward" by listening to the words of Henry Ford, who said, "Failure is the only opportunity to begin again more intelligently". With 150 games left in the 2008 season, "Fail Forward", Detroit Tigers!

As a fan, I am struck at Jim Leyland's response to a reporter's question after Sunday's 11-0 loss to the White Sox. Leyland was asked, "What do you tell the guys in the lockerroom after a loss like this"? Leyland responded, "It's none of your business"! Not only does the response sound defensive, it shows me Leyland's inability to view failure thus far as an opportunity to do better, at least during the heat of the moment. I'm not saying I can do better, but come on. To me, nobody deserves what the team has done to date. The Tigers organization is better than that!

FAIL FORWARD, DETROIT TIGERS!

Adult Tiger fans going to Comerica Park to enjoy watching the boys play baseball can no longer buy beer at the park. The Tigers lost the opener on March 31st, 2008!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS1DS80NTHg&feature=
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