Earlier this year, Lions running back Kevin Smith raised eyebrows after vowing on his personal blog that the team that went 0-16 a year ago will qualify for the playoffs in 2009.
Smith posted another blurb on Monday that offers some of the specifics as to how that will come to fruition.
"I feel I have the mentality that I'm the lead dog and I'm going to set the tempo," Smith writes (via the Detroit News). "It's a mentality I like to take on and you can do it if you have the killer instinct. When you lead by example, there are always some guys who notice you and want to go in the same direction, which is great as long as it's a positive direction."
Smith also promises to get himself fully prepared for the season after a minicamp that opens today.
"I’m already in pretty good shape but I’m going to train and get on the right diet so I can get my legs strong and condition myself and perform at a high level all through training camp," Smith said. "Most guys know enough to show up in shape but there’s always a few who just aren’t ready.
"For me being in shape and ready to go is a must. It’s not even an issue. I feel I’m a tempo-setter, so I have to be in great shape and looking and feeling good for this training camp."
Appearing in every game in 2008 with 12 starts, Smith rushed for 926 yards on 238 carries, good for an average of 4.1 yards.
So a rare bright spot on a bad team a year ago could end up helping to lead a resurgence in 2009. Though we're still not ready to declare that the Lions will be roaring into January, who would have dreamed a year ago that the Dolphins would improve from 1-15 to 11-5 last season?
wow florio... is this a positive article about the lions.... I M impressed....
i'm really excited about smith, he is the only good thing to come out of the jackarse era... besides the no brainer...."Megatron"
The blind leading the blind.....
Wow Florio. This NBC thing has changed you. I've been following this site for a while and this might be the first optimistic article i've seen about my Lions.
Love this kid's enthusiasm. To be this positive coming off 0-16 says a lot about his character and drive.
Restore the Roar!!!
if it ain't broke don't fix it
Not gonna happen...
RestorDaRoar says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 am
Love this kid’s enthusiasm. To be this positive coming off 0-16 says a lot about his character and drive.
Restore the Roar!!!
*********
Jon Kitna - 2009 edition
I love Kevin Smiths attitude....he played hard the entire year, and not just for stats, but to prove he can play at the next level.....he has the tools to be a Terrell Davis or and Edgerinn James in his prime......no doubt in my mind....all you non Lions fans probably have no clue of the addittions we've made this offseason....we look NOTHING at all like the team from last year. Corners Philip Buchanon, Anthony Henry, Linebackers Julian Peterson-Larry Foote-Ernie Sims. Recieving corp Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, and Derrick Williams of Penn State and DJ Boldin(anquans brother).....added 3 lineman with starting experience....I'm not saying we're winning the division...but don't sleep on us, we're not that pathetic JV team that played last year, a team thats offense was led by an offensive line coach who coached the worst offensive line in the league, and our entire team isn't led by a defensive line coach whos biggest decision coaching was Hmmm should I start Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice.......??
"Restore the Roar"..ahaah
Thank god I don't live in Detroit and/or a Lions fan. That must be horrible to have that as your team's slogan. I'd rather have red hair and freckles.
Screw all you haters. I love this kid. He was a great 3rd round pick.
What do you want him to say? "Oh, I hope we can just win one game." BS. This kid is a competitor and I respect that.
May the Schwartz be with us!
I like his attitude, but the thing he has to realize is that a RB on a bad team can't "set the tempo". That crappy Detroit D will give up 17-24 points by halftime, forcing the Lions to throw-throw-throw.
Hope he doesn't turn into a cry baby after his empty predictions fall down around ears...
SirSuperSouthern: Hope he doesn’t turn into a cry baby after his empty predictions fall down around ears…
Huh? After his empty predictions fall down around ears? You mean... fall on deaf ears, which you seem to have?
Kevin Smith was a great backup/ flex on my fantasy football team this year, and I'll be considering him as a 2nd or 3rd running back for this season.
"Thank god I don’t live in Detroit and/or a Lions fan. That must be horrible to have that as your team’s slogan. I’d rather have red hair and freckles."
Yeah, it's probably a good thing then that that hasn't been the team's slogan for almost twenty years. And it's a good thing, too. I'd hate to have my team's 0-16 season saddled with a silly slogan. That would just be embarassing.
Peace
Ty @ The Lions in Winter
I am not a Lions fan, but I would love to see this team turn things around. After years of watching Barry Sanders run over the Vikings and everybody else during the 90s, it has been sad to see what has happened post Barry Sanders to this team. Making the playoffs may be a bit bold to predict, but I can see the Lions going at least 8 and 8.
1st time i've seen florio not say anything negative about my lions.
"Though we’re still not ready to declare that the Lions will be roaring into January, who would have dreamed a year ago that the Dolphins would improve from 1-15 to 11-5 last season?"
Answer: Bill Parcels
Seriously, the Dolphins payed the AFC and NFC Wests. That's 7wins right there, that's how an 11-5 team missed the playoffs: 4 teams get to play the two weakest divisions in the sport, so they're guaranteed 7-1. In your remaining 8games you need to be a .500 ballclub, and when 6/8 of the games for those four teams are against one another, if they all went .500 they'd all be 10-4 with two games to play.
Get off the AFC East, they played the easiest schedule possible. Not to mention the dolphins two strength of schedule games...since they went 1-15, they played the Rams and the Cardinals.
The NFC South had the same schedule...I'm interested in watching Matt Ryan and the Falcons perform against better competition this year...considering how poorly their playoffs went.
@ dra103168
"After years of watching Barry Sanders run over the Vikings and everybody else during the 90s, it has been sad to see what has happened post Barry Sanders to this team."
Running over people in the 90's??? From 1989-1998 when they had Sanders, the Lions went 82-94 overall....I wouldn't consider that running over everybody else.
yeah the fins pulled that off because they had Parcells. The Lions have Lewand. :(
i'm not going to lie, i'm pulling for the lions though. i really would like to see them do well. i'm just irritated that those two d-bags didn't share in the responsibility for what they had helped create over the last several years.
Here's to seeing the Lions succeed in 2009!
Kevin Smith is the real deal...
I want 60-70% of the fans in Detroit at the first home game to hold up BIG signs that say "May the Schwartz be with us!"