Ryan Ermanni's Blog

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE DETROIT LIONS

BREAKING NEWS----SAME OLD LIONS!

I was watching Sunday's Lions/Falcons game with some of the biggest Lions fans that are still around.  The moments leading up to the game were that of excitement, feelings of optimism, and a thinking that the Lions were going to be good this year.  At 1:18pm, we turned the channel to watch Favre and the Jets.... these guys just couldn't take it anymore.  All the life in the room was sucked out not only 20 minutes into the season. 

It is impossible to be this bad for this long.  The NFL is not set up for teams to be as terrible has the Lions have been over the past 7+ years... The record speaks for itself, 31-82.  Are you kidding me!  

Rod Marinelli and his players can bite back at the media and play this "us against you" thing all they want, but keep in mind that the fans are fed up.. I know that Rod Marinelli has nothing to do with what happened with the lions previous to the year 2006.  But he and his players have to understand what this fan base has been through over the past half century.   It is pathetic! 

Stop talking!  Stop telling me about "run fits" and "pad level" and "gap responsiblity" and "angles to the football" and "gotta watch the tape" and "we're gonna fix this thing" and "keep working on fundamentals" and "we're gonna do it til it's done right" and "put it over here" and "move forward" STOP IT ALREADY.

Rod Marinelli says he wants to lead the league in "EFFORT." But you know what tackling is? It's EFFORT.  When your own players say that they didn't show up for the game... who's that supposed to reflect upon? 

Aside from Ernie Sims, can anyone name me one player that has gotten better over the last 2+plus seasons under Rod Marinelli... so much for "coaching 'em up."

I'm sick and tired of all the losing, I wish the Lions were as sick and tired of losing as all of their fans.  Because if they don't, their won't be any fans left!!!!!!!!!!!

This may be my Al Bundy moment but so what.  I was at the Grosse Pointe South-L'anse Cruise game on the opening night of high school football for the Fox 2 H.S. game of the week.  There is nothing like football.  When your done playing, your done.  There is no such thing as getting 22 of your friends together, suiting up and crushing each other so hard that snot fires out of your nose. 

I went to GP South and when I was watching, all I was doing was thinking how bad I wanted to put the pads on and get in one more solid hit on someone.  I've been out of high school for over a decade and still, I can't stop thinking of how awesome high school football is. 

I guess this post is directed for every h.s. football player out there..DON'T WASTE A PLAY! Every time you get tired or think that "so what I practiced like crap but I'll play hard in a game" think to yourself that you don't have that much time to waste.... it'll all be over soon faster than you think.......

For the 1st time in my television career, I watched a Michigan football practice on Monday.  And let me tell you, it was something else.  Lloyd Carr never let media watch practice but this is a new era in Michigan Football, Rich Rodriguez invited the media to practice and I'm not sure how many games they are gonna win this season, but they will be prepared. 

The pace was quick, everything was fast.  Players were moving around alot, coaches were directing players and everyone looked like they were on the same page.  The players looked like they were having fun and the entire team was in-shape.  When the players aren't winded everything looks so smooth and that's how the wolverines looked on Monday.

Mind you, It was the 1st day of practice and they weren't in pads but remember back when you played little league and you know if you were gonna win or lose the game even before it started just based on how "the infield" practice of the other team went? That's kind of what Monday's practice was.... I went in not knowing what to expect and perhaps I still don't but they looked crisp and fast... and when you add those two components together you'll get a lot wins......

This has absolutely nothing to do with sports but on Monday night I was anchoring the sportscast.  I was in the studio at 10:20 for the sports tease that precedes a comericial break.  After the commercial, there are two or three news stories and then we have a short sportscast.  After reading the sports tease, I took off my microphone and walked out of the studio, came back to my office and started working the phones for a story that we're trying to get to on Tuesday... In the middle of my phone conversation I hear on the PA system, an assertive call "RYAN TO THE STUDIO, RYAN TO THE STUDIO"  I totally lost my head and forgot that I had to do a sportscast after the commercial break... I have no idea what the heck I was thinking.... the call I was making wasn't that urgent where I had to leave the studio but I was so pre-occupied with getting tomorrow's story covered that I completely lost myself... Lone behold, I ran to the studio as fast as I could (which isn't that fast) and literally just made it in front of the camera in time to do the sportscast.  Mind you, I was so out of breath I could barely read, and I forgot to button my coat. 

It got me to thinking, do you have a simiiar story? Have you ever just lost all concept of what in the world you were doing? Let me know, I love to hear it!

On Monday night the Detroit Pistons agreed to terms with former number one overall pick, Kwame Brown.  Brown has  been an underacheiving big man ever since he came into the league out of high school in 2001.  He averages 7 points and 5 rebounds in his career.  This isn't the big splash that Pistons fans are hoping for in an attempt to shake up this roster, but they really have nothing to lose.  The contract is for 8 million bucks over 2-years, a very cheap price.  Brown made 9.1 million last year alone, he won't get that over the life of the deal in Detroit so it's kind of a win-win situation.  If he works out, then Joe Dumars once again caught lightning in a bottle... if he doesn't, so what! He came at a cheap price.  You just hope that after 7 years in the league, this 26-year old center has become mature and realize at least some of the potential that so many thought he would exhibit in the NBA...  

It doesn't look like Jimmy Howard will ever get his chance to see what he can do in a Red Wings uniform.  A couple of weeks ago the Wings spent their 1st round draft choice on a goaltender and today, just as the free agency period began, Detroit inked Ty Conklin.  Conklin was one of the most solid back-up goalies in the league last year for Pittsburgh.  He's 32 years old and played great with the Pens in 2007-08 posting an 18-8-5 record with a goals against average of 2.51.  Chances are, Ken Holland didn't sign him to go play for Grand Rapids.

To me, this was kind of surprising.  I thought the Wings were sold on Howard's ability to at least be a serviceable backup goalie.  If nothing else, I thought they would give him a chance during the 1st half of the season before making a move at the trade deadline if they needed to.  Apparently, I was wrong.  You don't make this signing or draft a goalie with your top pick if you are certain that the guy you have wainting in the wings (no pun intended) can produce for you. 

This much I know, Ken Holland will forget more about hockey than I will ever know in my life and I think he has earned the title of "the best g-m in hockey" so I nor anyone else should really challenge him on this move.  I'm pretty sure as far as Wings fans go, it's "IN HOLLAND WE TRUST" and I cannot dispute that.

On Monday night at the Fireworks, I had a chance to interview Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and let me just tell you that the man has so much charisma it's not even funny.  I'm not old enough to know what it was like to be in a crowd when the Beatles were around but I have to say when Kwame walked in to the party were I was on Monday, the scene must have been similar.

People just wanted to get close to him, touch him, take their picture with him, and/or get an autograph.  If I had a dollar for everytime I heard "WE LOVE YOU KWAME" I would be able to retire right now at the ripe old age of 29.  To be honest with you, I was stunned at the reception he got.  Regardless of what my personal opinion of the man is, I'm just here to report the facts.  And the facts are that people in the City of Detroit embraced that man like I have never seen a man be embraced before. 

As far as the interview went, I thought is was pretty good.  Let's be honest, I'm sure he granted me an interview because I am a SPORTS reporter, and usually I have nothing to do with NEWS.  He probably figured it was going to be a cupcake interview and for the most part it was on the lighter side of questioning that someone else may have given him.  But you have to account for the scene in which it took place.  I wasn't there covering a Detrroit City Council meeting, I was there at a charity event watching the fireworks.  There is a time and a place for everything and that wasn't the time nor the place to ask him about Beatty or Strawberry or Perjury.  I thought the Interview was fair and topical.  I would love to know what you think.

Ramblings from my Pittsburgh hotel room.  Well Red Wings fans there is good news and bad news about the Wings loss in Game 3.  Let's start with the good news: Now Detroit can win the cup at the Joe and have a party like no other.  After all, it's always better to win the cup on your home ice.  The bad news, Pittsburgh looked completely re-energized and there is no guarantee that Detroit will win Game 4.  
Being in that building and watching that game first hand, it just seemed like the Wings were a step slow, their passes were never on the tape and the Pens simply took it to them.  Also, if I can just get on my soap box and beg for Mike Babcock to sit Lilja and get Chelios back in the lineup, I would appreciate that a great deal.   You are not going to convince me that Lilja is a better option for this team instead of Cheli, especially on the road in a building where the home team hasn't lost since February.
What do I expect for game 4?  I'm not sure but my best guess is that the Red Wings are just too good.  They are much better, much more experienced and much more capable of winning a game on the road than are the Pens.  Not to worry just yet, the Red Wings will win this series, now it's just a matter of how many games it will take.

Hello everyone, I just wanted to write a little something before I head out to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  So I was in the Strip District today in Pittsburgh and came across Wholey's Market, it's something like Eastern Market in Detroit.  I had heard earlier in the week that Wholey's would not be selling octopi to customer's from Michigan.  They would check your driver's license at the checkout point.  So I figured, what the heck, let's see if we could go get ourselves an octopus.  When you walk in the door, BAM.... right in front for customer's to see is a table filled with octopi, and a huge sign saying that if your from Detroit there is no way your getting these out the door (or something to that effect anyway).  
I picked up the slimy, smelly, eight-legged creature and continued up to the counter to buy it.  The story was true!!!! I was asked for identification to make sure I wasn't from Detroit and they would not let me leave the market with the octopus in my hand.  I spoke with the manager and he was fantastic, he said I could have anything in the market I wanted except for the octopus.  I thought the idea was great.  Now that's how you support a team.  This city is crazy for their Penguins and they are trying to do anything they can to ensure a strong home ice advantage.  And if that means no octopi for Red Wings fans, so be it.  
The people at Wholey's were great for having some fun with us and if anyone ever comes to the Steel City for anything, check it out.  But leave your out of state identification in the car.  
My prediction for Game 3: Red Wings 3 Penguins 2

When Isiah Thomas was in town a few weeks ago to celebrate the Pistons All-time team he got a chance to speak with some of the guys on the current roster and left a lasting message with them: "BEAT THE CELTICS."  He was of course figuring that Boston and Detroit would battle in the Eastern Conference Finals, and he was right. 

I spoke with Chauncey Billups at practice on Sunday Night and he said he remembers how emphatic Isiah was when talking about the Celtics.  Billups said Isiah hated the Celtics. 

This current group hasn't yet garnered that same hatred for the Celtics, right now, they are just focusing on getting back to the NBA Finals.  A place they haven't been since 2005.  Rasheed Wallace told the media Sunday Night that this group knows their window of opportunity is closing and Detroit will be ready to go.

If you pinned me down I'm going with the Pistons In 5.... They will win this series with relative ease. 

All day long I have heard about the goal that was disallowed last night in game 4 and have heard all this conspiracy junk.  There is no conspiracy and I'm tired of hearing about it.  If the NHL had their way, the Red Wings will play the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals and guess what..... the Stanley Cup Finals will have the Wings and Pens.  Not because of a conspiracy, but because those are the two best teams in hockey. 

So when the referee did not allow the Datsyuk goal to stand in game 4.  It wasn't because the league is trying to screw the Wings.  Enough Already.

As I drove into work today I heard a lot of callers on sports talk radio sort of bang on the red wings for not going after Mike Ribeiro.  My friends, there's a time and a place for everything.  That time was not in Game 3 and that night is not in Game 4.  The night to go after him is the first time these two teams hook up in the regular season next year. 

The Red Wings have much more things to worry about, like winning one more game to get to their 23rd stanley cup finals appearance and first since 2002.  Calm down wings fans, these guys are focused and nothing, i mean absolutely nothing will derail these guys from achieving their ultimate goal to return Stanley back to Detroit.

Once again the NHL got it wrong!  Once again Gary Bettman got it wrong!  How in the world wasn't Mike Ribeiro suspended for his cheap two-handed swat at Chris Osgood.  I think the precident that was set wasn't a good one.  I know Osgood stuck the butt end of his goalie stick out but that's just gamesmanship.  Every goalie in the league does that.  Tomas Holmstrom gets whacked in the head and every other orphus of his body a million times a game and you don't see him retaliate.  You have to keep your head in instances like that. 

Was Osgood embellishing a bit? Perhaps.  After all, the guy does take a puck travelling over 100 mph to the chest and that doesn't seem to hurt like the swat did.  I think it just caught him off guard. 

If it were up to me, I thought Ribeiro not only should've been suspended for the rest of the playoffs, he should've been suspended into next season.  You cannot use your goalie stick as a weapon and intend to injure someone.  Imagine if Ribeiro's stick didn't hit Ozzie in the chest and it hit him in the throat.... What would Bettman and the NHL have done then?

For the past few years the pistons motto has been "if it aint rough, it aint right." That slogan has got to be removed from their vocabulary and despite losing game one, I think it has.   The game one loss to Philly was a wake-up call.  The Pistons haven't played a meaningful game in over a month as they have been locked into the number two seed for some time.  Yes they were up 16 against the sixers and yes they blew it but don't be surprised if the Pistons win the next 4 games and still win this series in 5 games.

Detroit shot 39% from the field and 29% from the field in the 2nd half when they scored just 35 points.  Trust me, that will never happen again. 

And for everyone who wants to blame Flip Saunders for the loss, save it.  I don't want to hear it.  Like he said, he isn't the one missing layups, free throws and wide open jump shots... You watched the game, you saw all the open looks these guys were missing.  I guarantee you that if the Pistons get that many open looks again in the series they will make more shots than they miss. 

But I also have to mention, the question was asked, who is better: the isiah thomas led Pistons or the Chauncey Billups led Pistons.... I think that's an easy question.  An Isiah Thomas led team would have never lost the 1st game of an opening round playoff series. 

Now don't say that I'm contradicting myself, I still think that the Pistons are going to win the 2008 NBA Championship in 6 games over the Los Angeles Lakers but I still would take the Isiah team any day of the week.

 

With the 15th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select......

This is our Super Bowl, this is our playoff game, this is our meaningful game in December.  The April Draft is one of the biggest day's of the year.  And this year is no different.  With the lions picking 15th, it just means their are more scenario's that you can dream up to get the guy you want.  Let's face it, no one knows who the Lions will pick... and no matter the selection, fans will not be happy.  If they take a running back, Millen should've taken a offensive lineman; if they take and offensive lineman, Millen should've taken a linebacker and so on. 

If your reading this blog, you know all the potential names that the Lions are interested in: Mendenhall, Stewart, Clady, Harvey, and Mayo.

But if there's one thing I've learned from playing and watching football, it's that DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!! (let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's revise that statement with: DEFENSE WINS GAMES!!!!!) So it is my belief the Lions bolster their linebacking core and select Jerod Mayo.  Can you imagine having a Linebacking core with this beast teammed up with Ernie Sims.  Finally the Lions would have some sort of identity as to what they are and how they want to build this thing.