Leelanau Sports Guy at sportspig.com

Here’s a take on the NFL Lockout from Funny or Die…

A couple of more updates from Draft Sharks…

Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew has dropped about 10 pounds this offseason. He’s back down to the 255 he played at in college. “I like the 255, being able to move,” Pettigrew said. “Strength thrills, but speed kills, and I still think I can get it done in the blocking game as well.” After his yards-per-catch average dropped to 10.2 this past year, look for that to jump back up towards the 11.4 mark he posted in his rookie season.

Lions WR Nate Burleson recently underwent elbow surgery to have fluid drained and a bursa sac removed. He injured the elbow last November and was hoping it’d heal on its own. It’s continued to swell though, so Burleson will undergo what the Detroit Free Press calls a “minor” procedure. It sounds like Burleson will be fine for the start of training camp, but we’ll continue to monitor his progress.

My View: I’d love to see Pettigrew pick up that yard-per-catch and in particular that yard-after-catch. He’s a big target for Stafford and can continue to develop into a Pro Bowl caliber tight end in my option. Burleson’s surgery sounds minor, so that’s a good thing. The Lions finely found a receiver who could take some pressure off of Calvin Johnson. Big things could be coming from the Lions receiving corps with the addition of rookie Titus Young in the slot.

Draft Sharks (one of my favorite fantasy football sites) reports that Detroit Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz has settled on a role for rookie running back Mikel Leshoure…

Lions HC Jim Schwartz confirmed that rookie RB Mikel Leshoure will handle the team’s short-yardage duties. “Jahvid Best, when healthy, proved that he can be an explosive playmaker,” Schwartz explained. “But he isn’t built to be a short-yardage back when there’s three minutes left in the game and you’re protecting a seven-point lead, but Leshoure is.” We figured the bull-dozing Leshoure would fill this role for Detroit. The real question is how much action he’ll see between the 20s. We should get a better idea throughout this summer.

My View: You don’t draft a guy that high and sit him on the bench. This makes perfect sense and if it can help keep Best healthy as well, then you might have a nice backfield duo to provide the “Thunder and Lightning” that gives defenses fits.

Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Co-Founder sent me a link to his review of Wuerfel Park, home of the Traverse City Beach Bums. I’ve always enjoyed myself when attending a game and agree with much of what he says here. I wasn’t thrilled when they went to the turf, and it’s definitely a negative in Paul’s eyes. Share your thoughts in the comments.

Stadium Journey is…

a brand-new web venture. Our goal is to become a world-class community resource for sports fans, built around optimizing the experience of traveling to and attending live sporting events. We provide top-notch editorial content and reviews of sports stadiums. We rely on fans to provide tips and information about their favorite home stadium, or a first time impression. By sharing our knowledge, we can make every trip to the ballpark, stadium, or arena the very best it can be. Enjoy the journey!

I also found some other reviews of stadiums in our great state of Michigan, give them a read if you’re thinking of heading to a game!

Comerica Park – Detroit Tigers (My View: I love Comerica Park, but miss the closeness of old Tiger Stadium. You’re so far away from the action, but that’s how stadiums are built today.)

The Palace of Auburn Hills – Detroit Pistons (My View: I’ve had many great memories from games and concerts. Grant Hill vs. Michael Jordan was one of my favorites!)

Ford Field – Detroit Lions (My View: It looks great from the outside!)

Joe Louis Arena – Detroit Red Wings (I’ll always remember my first game at Joe Louis Arena. We were sitting in a suite of a friend’s uncle and we had a blast! Bob Probert had some monster hits and the Wings defeated the hated Chicago Blackhawks. I don’t remember the score, can’t find the ticket stub right now, but I know I didn’t leave the arena hungry!)

Photo courtesy of Stadium Journey

Cover story features interviews with Olympic Gold Medalist Roberto Luongo and Silver Medalist Brian Rafalski. Plus article on the infamous Tail of the Tiger Golf Balls, The Hanson Brothers and a whole lot more! Detroit’s ONLY sports magazine is In Play!

DIRECT LINK

Most Lions fans I now are pretty excited about the changes taking place in the post-Millen era, and count me in as well. I’ve liked the hiring of Jim Schwartz since day one. He’s a real professional, organized, and comes from a winning franchise. DetroitLions.com takes a look inside the minds of head coach Schwartz and his assistants as we gear up for Detroit Lions Football 2009!

Read What to Expect? at DetroitLions.com

One of my favorite fantasy football sites is DraftSharks and they have some interesting news about Lions WR Calvin Johnson and RB Kevin Smith. It’s never too early for fantasy football!

Lions WR Calvin Johnson may only have scratched the surface of his ability last season. The Detroit Free Press reports that Megatron had some nice things to say about the team’s new rookie QB. “Offense is looking good,” the young stud said. “[QB Matthew] Stafford’s doing a good job early… He throws a nice, tight spiral. Throws a hard ball. He has a big arm, so it’s nice to see that.” After seeing 5 different QBs in ’08, Calvin will look forward to some consistency at QB. He scored in 7 straight games with Dan Olrovsky at QB. Imagine what he’ll do with a better QB.

Lions RB Kevin Smith will have plenty of opportunity to have a big year. Mlive.com is reporting that the Lions have installed more power running plays for Smith under new OC Scott Linehan. The Lion offense was an inconsistent mess last year. Having a plan for Smith is a step in the right direction. A few of our writers are very high on this kid.

I for one am very excited about Kevin Smith in 2009, and it’s not just because my team is named “Kevin Smith Fan Club”. I think in a real offensive system, he can be a dominant back and really help take the pressure off whoever the starting quarterback is.

Saw this over on MLive.com and Lions GM Martin Mayhew definitely knows how to play poker!

Read Martin Mayhew says Lions ‘have a pretty good idea’ of who they’re taking No. 1 at MLive.com

I have to say, I’m very happy with the almost first week of free agency and the job done by the Detroit Lions. Some very quality players have been added to the Lions roster and another trade with the Cowboys has given us another solid cornerback. Here’s my take on the players so far…

CB Philip Buchanon – Brings athletic ability and some experience to the secondary. Had two interceptions last season and should win one of the starting spots.

DT Grady Jackson - A bit long in the tooth, but still a solid player in the middle against the run. If we can keep him fresh, he’ll make a big difference in the middle.

WR Bryant Johnson – He’s big and has some speed and could have a big year with Calvin drawing all the attention. Johnson & Johnson, I love it!

CB Eric King – So far the only Tennessee Titan to follow Jim Schwartz to Detroit and could provide solid nickel and dime coverage as well as contribute on special teams. Wouldn’t count him out of earning a starting spot either.

RB Maurice Morris – I’ve always liked him and just wanted him to get more carries. Has good speed and can return kicks (yeah!) and should be an explosive backup for Kevin Smith.

CB Anthony Henry (in Jon Kitna trade from Cowboys) – Spent the last 4 years as the Cowboys starting right cornerback, so will likely challenge for a spot here. Might play some safety or possibly be moved to safety with his size. The Cowboys were rumored to be thinking of moving him to safety this upcoming season.

So all in all, I like where these signings are going. Not breaking the bank, but adding some solid depth to the roster. If anything we’ll at least have some legitimate cornerbacks that might be able to pick off more than one pass all season!

Just received my Detroit Lions e-newsletter and free agency is upon us! Follow the Lions offseason moves with the 2009 Free Agent Tracker.

You can also read a nice article about GM Martin Mayhew and his thoughts on the combine and the Lions free agent needs.

Read Sorting Out Prospects at DetroitLions.com

Man, I named 31, forgot about the Rams, so not too bad. Anyway, give this quiz a try and see if you can beat the clock!

Play How many NFL football teams can you name in 3 minutes? at JetPunk.com

Yahoo! Sports Dan Wetzel has a plan to help the Detroit Lions. It involves the commissioner and it goes like this…

It’s time for the league’s image protecting commissioner, Roger Goodell, to get as tough with an increasingly incompetent owner as he would with a misbehaving player. If the hard line approach is about protecting the NFL, then what’s worse for the league right now than the chaos and carnage of the winless, hopeless, helpless Detroit Lions?

That would be great, as would either of these scenarios…

The best case would be to get Ford Sr. to transfer power to his son, William Clay Ford Jr., who at least had the wherewithal to push for the firing of Millen earlier this season.

If that’s not possible, then do what NBA commissioner David Stern did with the New York Knicks. He took self-destructive owner James Dolan (like Ford Sr. little more than a bumbling trust fund) and all but forced him to hire respected basketball executive Donnie Walsh. Half a season later the franchise has been stabilized.

It doesn’t really sound that hard does it? Please get to work on this Commissioner Goodell!

Read Detroit debacle must be stopped at Yahoo! Sports

I don’t believe in curses, but there sure are alot of crazy things that have happened to the Lions since the day they traded quarterback Bobby Layne. The Detroit News Bob Wojnowski takes a look at the last 50 years of Lions football futility and provides some evidence to support the curse. Just my two cents, I wouldn’t play Drew Stanton until after Monday, October 6th. Hey it couldn’t hurt to wait, right?

Read The curse of Bobby Layne on the Lions in the Detroit News

As fans are still celebrating the firing of Matt Millen, we can start to speculate on his future replacement. For now it’s being covered by Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew, but one prominent former GM has spoken. Free Press sports writer George Sipple spoke with former Tennessee Titans GM Floyd Reece. Here’s what I like to hear…

Sounds like you. Are you interested?

A:“If I had Williams Clay Ford’s number, you’d be hearing a dial tone right now. I’m in a unique situation. I’ve been in the league 32 years. … I could be in Detroit tomorrow.

“One of the real uncut gems in the NFL is Detroit. It has a great owner. He’s got a lot of money. He wants to win very badly, and he’s not one of those guys that’s on the sidelines. He just wants to find someone that can help him win.”

I would have no problem with someone like Floyd Reece coming in and overseeing the overhaul of the franchise. He helped build Tennessee into a solid team who is competitive every year. They even made it to a Super Bowl. At this point, if someone wants to come to Detroit, I would definitely call them up!

Read Former Titans GM interested in Lions’ job: ‘I could be in Detroit tomorrow’ in the Freep

Also here’s an article from the Free Press that has information about the leading candidates…

Read The watch list: 18 names for the president/GM job opening in the Freep