OT - Hard Knocks Detroit Lions

I have such BPONE with the Lions after 40 years of fandom that even if they ever did win a Super Bowl, I would assume it was all fake, the end of the world was imminent, or I was dreaming.

Also, QB is the most important position in the NFL and the Lions are sorely lacking in that department.

I think they'll be better than last year but I see a best case scenario at 7-8 wins

I loved it and they seem like a really likeable team.  Campbell's energy is awesome.  Interesting to see that the coaching staff is all ex-players (many are fairly noteworthy ones).  Hopefully all of this translates to success on the football field, because that's the only thing that matters.  I like the pieces they're assembling but still feel like they're 2-3 years away from being a complete enough team that can make a playoff run.  Still, hopefully they show some improvement this year and play with heart...then I suppose anything can happen.  I'd guess a 6-win season, though.

Different? A lot more attention to the talk. Won't know if there are different until the games start happening. I am as ever hopeful but expectations are low for me. Not expecting to be in the playoff hunt this year. Can't wait to see Hutch against Rodgers and Fields though. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode.  Recent years have been pretty meh, but the personalities of the Lion coaching staff (Campbell, Staley, Glenn) make this very watchable.  I didn't realize the Lions have so many-ex NFL players on their staff.  

Of course as a UM fan, seeing the focus on Hutchinson makes it that much more enjoyable.  Others have noted his Billy Jean performance, but the other cool moment was Hutch in the cold tub next to a player (can't recall who it was) who attended Memphis.  Aidan was incredulous that this player attended Memphis considering he also had offers from Alabama, LSU and Michigan.

Also need to note, a brief appearance by Devin Gardner.  DG is working as a TV analyst for Lion preseason games this year.  

I’ve been a Lions fan my whole life. And other than a brief stretch of belief when Schwartz made the playoffs, I’ve never been optimistic about a regime in Detroit. This one feels different. I’m not saying Lions are going to be perennial contenders or anything like that, but I do believe things are headed in the right direction. 

Campbell reminds me of Goldberg

"I'm not a psychopath"

Says every psychopath. 

It finally seems like theyre actually building something for once 

Besides highlights noted here, I loved the Jamal Williams huddle speech.  They did edit out one good part of it though.  I highly recommend you watch the 21 minute feature on the Lions site.  Episode 5 of "In the Lions Den" (or whatever).  It focuses on behind the scenes of making Hard Knocks, with crew interviews, etc., and some footage not shown in the actual series first episode, like the full Jamal huddle speech (good audio, but most of the time you can't see him).  The part they cut out was him saying everyone has problems, that you can't let those stop you, and he uses as an example some kids fighting cancer who were invited to attend practice.

Who says pro football can’t be fun.  
 

Aiden singing or awesome 

Shouldn't be called "Hard Knocks" when it's about the Lions. "Hope Springs Eternal" would be a much better name.

Although I can't speak for all of the many BEARS fans that visit the blog I will say I for one would trade spots with where the Lions are in roster and development for the next few years.

However I will be cheering loudly in the unlikely event that it is once again the pride and joy of Illinois that keeps the lions out of the playoffs. 

Bears 20, Lions 17 (Nov. 24, 2002): Of all the Lions' heartbreaks, this arguably was the most absurd. This game featured another late Lions meltdown—they watched a 10-point fourth-quarter lead vanish, kicker Paul Edinger connected on a 54 yard field goal sending it to OT at the buzzer. 

Detroit won the toss to begin overtime and (soon-to-be-fired) coach Marty Mornhinweg, rather than take the ball, chose which side of the field he wanted to defend. His justification: the windy conditions at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium, the Bears' temporary home for 2002. Of course, Chicago marched into the wind for a game-winning score.

Dan Campbell's version of the Lions is slowly but surely pulling me back toward being a Lions follower.  Fan?  Not there yet.  But after the last couple of years, they are showing me some competence I can perhaps buy into.  From what I've witnessed, they are making progress toward legitimacy.  This year I'll start watching their games with more belief again.  Until they lose me again.  But the feeling I have is that this year, I don't think they will lose me again.  Go Blue!  and yep, once again, Go Lions. 

Never watched it before, thought I'd give it a try.  Not really my thing, just a big fluff piece.  I'd prefer to see more inside info on how guys are progressing from a football standpoint,  more practice footage, less human interest stories.  I'm probably not their average viewer though.

I dabble in NFL with fantasy. As soon Hutch was drafted, it became clear, I’m now going to be a Lions fan. What better way to be indoctrinated in with Hard Knocks. Looking forward to HK and the season. 

Football fans fall easy and hard for all that rah rah and machismo schtick from coaches. 

Success in the NFL especially has zero to do with that. We've had all personality types you can speak of in the last 4 decades running that team. Including Marinelli who was the original Campbell.

If you have players (top quarterback a must) and nowadays an offensive innovator coaching them, you can win it all.

The other stuff is window dressing. 

Caldwell and Holmes regime has made my Lions season ticket purchases more pallet-able.  Towards the end of the Quintricia era it was difficult to go to some games. As alway I will continue to walk into a rake and buy the tickets. It’s just a softer rake now haha.

The Lions are still the Lions until proven otherwise, but they’ve got a couple things going for them that they didn’t seem to have under the previous regime.

1) They seem to have a sense of direction in knowing what they want to be. Knowing their identity.

2) They have a coach who the players actually respect and want to play for, and are going to give their all for that guy.

That by itself doesn’t get you anywhere remotely close to the playoffs, let alone a championship. But it’s a good place to start. If the Lions can continue to show some signs of progress this year, continue to compete in every game, maybe steal a game or two they otherwise shouldn’t win, draft well this upcoming offseason, they may start being able to actually play for something besides their pride in 2023.

I read your post earlier today but hadn't seen the show yet. I just finished it. God damn did it make me hyped. I've never seen the other seasons but I guess it's pretty similar. But I just don't care. I'm fully on board. 

And yes, I've been a Lions fan my entire life. 51 years. I know. I know. I send a text to my son every year during Game 1 and tell him this is the year we're winning the Super Bowl. It's become a thing. It's a lesson to learn to enjoy life and enjoy the process. It's also a lesson that it's easy to believe what you want to believe, regardless if it's true or not. It's always the same lesson real Lions fans learn every year...

And after my first text, I send him a second text which says something along the line of "I know this is a joke and all, but this year it might be true."

But god damn it, this Hard Knocks has me believing again in the way every Lions fan knows not to believe. I just can't help myself. This staff seems so unique, HC, OC, DC, position staff. All former player glue guys. I've never seen a staff like this. This is how you change a culture. And they have a lot of players that have that Hutch drive quality, just like their coaches. 

I can't wait to see what unfolds in the next five years. I'd bet a lot of money that we'll win more playoff games than I've witnessed my entire half century.

Alas, when this staff falls apart, like we know they will, like every other Detroit Lions team has crashed and burned before them - this one will hurt the most. Because I actually believe this time. 

nearly 40 years of watching a mostly pathetic product on the field makes it hard to get excited for a 7 maybe 8 win team.  I hope DC can break the curse and doesn’t become the next headstone in my coaches graveyard in a future Halloween.  sorry for the pessimism-realism, hope they prove me wrong .  Leo’s fans deserve better.

Great Question: my top 3 moments of HK ep1?

1. Hutch vs Penei 

2. Jamals breakdown speech

3. Thinking about Michigans upcoming season

Last year's team impressed with how they never gave up. They played full speed with heart for the entire season, even when there was no hope of winning anything. There were a few "big" names (is Jared Goff still considered a big name?), but most times the roster churn was so bad that I needed a roster just to see who the players were. Now some of those no names from last year are starting to become big names. Throw Hutch into the mix and there are finally players you can root for who will have sticking power.

I said it before the draft and I believe it even more so now: this team will make the playoffs this season.

They should make a new show called the Hard Luck Lions Fans. I think there will be improvement but we are still looking at a sub .500 record. Probably in the next couple of years the Lions will make the playoffs. Campbell seems like a players coach, much like Fontes was. 

It felt like this episode was a letdown from previous years. I felt like half the episode was over the top speeches that just felt so forced.

I am still excited for this season and looking forward to more, however. Hopefully it picks up after this week's intro.

I am also cracking up at the fact that almost half of Goff's training camps have been on Hard Knocks (2016, 2020, 2022).