Lions' State of the Team Address Featuring Jim Schwartz
by Sean Yuille on Jun 2, 2009 1:31 PM EDT
in Detroit Lions News
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PrintA reader who works with the Lions via a sponsorship received a letter from the team and passed it along to me. It apparently is the Lions' 2009 "State of the Team" address, and it features Jim Schwartz. It sounds like it was also mailed out to season ticket holders based on the last two paragraphs.
Here is a text version of the letter:
Since becoming head coach of the Lions nearly four months ago, I have been extremely encouraged by what we've been able to accomplish so far this offseason.
For starters, we were able to put together an exceptional coaching staff, led by our two highly-respected coordinators--Scott Linehan and Gunther Cunningham.
I have also been extremely pleased by how our returning veteran players have responded to the offseason program, mini-camps, OTAs and our new coaching staff. At our first team meeting I told our players that we--both players and coaches--have to prove ourselves to each other. So far, our returning players have embraced both the challenge and opportunity to do just that.
We also improved our roster by adding quality veteran players like Julian Peterson, Philip Buchanan (sp), Bryant Johnson, Anthony Henry and Larry Foote. And our scouts and personnel department did a tremendous job preparing us for the 2009 draft; one I sincerely believe will provide huge dividends for years to come.
I've also been encouraged by you--our fans. Your passion for this football team is undeniable. I have seen it and lived it every day that I have been on the job. This type of passion and support tells me just how important the Lions are to this community, and it also underscores the obligation we have to produce a winner for our fans.
Please don't underestimate how vital you are to the success of our football team. You can help create the greatest home-field advantage in the NFL at Ford Field and that can be the difference between winning and losing.
So as we continue to work each day and build a football team that you can be proud of, I would personally like to thank each of you for your past support of the Lions and encourage you to be there again at Ford Field this season. Your support in the stands will undoubtedly help us be successful on the field.
Jim Schwartz
P.S. - I hope all of you like our new logo as much as I do. Our players love it!
And here is an actual image of it (click to enlarge):
The reader who sent this to me said he's never received a letter like this before, so it's nice to see that the team is actually reaching out to the fans. After last season, they need to do everything humanly possible to repair/maintain the relationship between the team and fans, and although winning is the ultimate solution to any problem that exists, a letter like the one above is a nice gesture in the mean time.
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Thanks to the reader that shared this with Sean.
And thank you Sean for posting it.
by Runnin' Rebel on Jun 2, 2009 1:46 PM EDT reply actions
Awesome!
+1.
Anyone who says this franchise is still the same one that slogged through the 70s and 80s thinking only of profitability is wrong.
Peace
Ty
http://thelionsinwinter.blogspot.com
by ty@thelionsinwinter on Jun 2, 2009 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
This guy seems to be twice the man Marinelli was….if he is as good as I think he will be, we are going to SHOCK the world. Maybe not this year or next, but soon. I never thought I would live to see the Lions win it all, but my gut says that it is going to happen soon.
is it just me, or is the text on that letter not well aligned to the page or the Lions logo (slanting slightly downward to the right)?
Interesting letter, in terms of the outreach…precious little of that for the fans in recent times…
i think it’s just you… looks fine to me.
Love the letter, Jimmy. Let’s finally turn this franchise around
by calvins got a job on Jun 2, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
It's probably a tad slanted because it was scanned
At least I assume it was.
Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog
if ti was slanted, I just figured it would be due to the transfer from the original doc to the png format….
wasn’t intending to cast doubt on the Lions ability to send out a professional looking letter…
in past years, maybe, but hey, there’s a slight bit of optimism blowing around these parts these days…. :)
slanted due to scanning.
I get documents slanted all the time when I scan them. Nothing to worry about.
I do like the direction Meyhew and Coach Schwartz is taking the Lions.
It's after 5pm in Lions Country
EVERYTHING looks slanted to me!!! The golden, crystalline stream of Beam is flowing nicely while I watch my tomato plants grow. Evaluating Schwartz and Mayhew is easy, but not without a look at recent (post Barry Sanders)history. I drank no Kool Aid when Morningwood was hired. I knew from the start that this was a farce. When the wind is blowing hard through my bedroom window, and I fart in bed, I can still smell the fart. Mmmmm. Warm ones. Don’t take the wind, Marty, unless it’s mine.
I DID drink the Blue Kool Aid when Mooch was hired, put together a decent staff, but was not allowed to really coach. Sorry for Millen, Coach. And then, when Sgt. Rod was hired, I let myself become excited again. Brought in Super Bowl winning players from the Tampa Who? systems, and a coaching staff that could only coach a ‘hot and ready’ through the drive through to keep his stuff warm while he drove home. Sip sip, choke choke. Blue stuff out of my nose.
Now, after all the smart moves being made this year, as a Lions fan, I am still as parched as a horny toad with no blood left in his eyes. There’s a whole keg of icy cold Blue Kool Aid sitting right in front of me, and after the hirings of Coach and his staff, the draft, and FA signings, I’m in the mood to chug like a beer bonger. But for now, it’s ALL done on the field. I’ll stick to Beam and caffeine free Pepsi Zero. Try it sometime. Dinner is home made Coneys and Jullienne potatoes. Onions and cheese ALWAYS make me fart. NEVER go against the wind, especially if it’s mine.
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY!!!! GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Thanks
Thanks Dawg, for the compliment, but cr and you, read deeper guys. A little humor, a little history, and a lot of Lions optomism. My toungue isn’t blue again yet, but I am definitely looking forward to it. Try Beam and Coneys. Mmmm. Snifffff. Warm one. Don’t even tell me you guys don’t love to rip one from time to time. No one here will believe you. Millen gone, smell that. I LIKE IT!!!!!
You okay, dude? Some strange stuff here.
I think you like your “own brand” a little too much. That ain’t right.
+1
I think he’s trying to be funny, but I guess I just don’t get his humor.
Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog
Com'on Sean and Drew
Read my earlier post on this page. A little blend of sophisticated and sophmoric humor, and you Jethros don’t get it? Wow, you guys must be narrow minded and young.
Manuel
Pretty good pickup here:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-12-8/Manuel-is-the-Lions—latest-FA-target.html
Wow... didn't see this one
Man, Schwartz and Co. are really going at it. I feel it, boys. I don’t want to say it out loud yet… but I feel it changing. We might be in for some exciting years ahead.
I'm halfway there
The other half will come when I see some wins on the field. It’s great to see this sort of thing happening with our team.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
by Hyperion Ecta on Jun 3, 2009 2:49 AM EDT up reply actions
It's great to see the team reach out to the fans like this
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
the letter
hope springs eternal in these parts, especially with all of the bad football that has been crammed down our collective throats. i really hope that all the moves in the offseason and in the draft work, but as a long time lions fan, all ive ever wanted from this team is to be competitive and to show some heart.
the toughest part of being a lions fan has been having to hear excuses year after year as to why this team cannot do simple things that other professional teams can do, like tackle, cover, block, make crucial third down plays, stop crucial third down plays, and make adjustments when things go awry. why in the offseason do we continue to draft and bring in players that cant seem to get it done. why do we not hold on to good coaches, and keep bringing in coaches we end up having to fire in two to three years. how is it that teams that used to be awful (rams, bucs, colts, patriots, seahawks, and now the cardinals) have managed to turn their teams around to win or play in super bowls, while we continue to flounder.
but i think the toughest question of all is why do i continue to endure the ridicule that comes from supporting this team time and time again
jim, if you really want to do something for us, just give us something we haven’t had in this town for quite a while.
give us something to look forward to on sundays.
hook line & the proverbial sinker...
as if i wasn’t excited enough…now i see this…how to give a guy a shot of adrenaline…man i need me some football. all this has such a good feel to it with no “yeah but there’s ____ over there” strings attached kind of excitement.
thank you jim
thank you lewand & mayhew
thank you reader
thank you sean
i look forward to the pain i know is coming in our schedule…but i am excited
and while we're at it...
at this point why not go get greg ellis too. lets just cap off the best off season i can remember since barry the great was drafted.
That would be awesome
We need Greg Ellis….we could put him back at DE where he belongs and he could go back to sacking the QB like he was before they moved him to OLB.
seriously
it would top off this already great off season…put him on the left side & let peterson rush behind him?! wow. i know this seems greedy…but with all the moves they’ve already made…why not get one more from Dallas & see who has the better year…now i know that is getting cocky…but it is conceivable. Dallas d last year was avg at best. and the o w/ only roy as a reliable wr…lol. i’d love to see ellis & henry get their kicks out of the lions beating up on dallas.
I see Dallas...
crashing down in glorious flames this year. Romo will show he just can’t hack the pressure in Big D and I think you are right… it’s more than possible that Detroit could get a win or two more than Dallas. It would make my year….
Alright
Finally tired of madden 09 enough to get back here and talk some real football. Like to see this kind of thing coming from the coach. I’m keeping my optimism guarded but I’m sure that’s the consensus round these here parts.
I was kinda wondering what homefield advantage would mean this year cuz really…it’s been a joke for the past few years. Stuff like this is good to see.
and fyi. I got my lavender crushed velvet suit out of Halloween storage so I could pimp out and bring in some “un-official Lions cheerleaders” After game “autograph” sessions will be available for 200 an hour. My pimp hand is strong.
It was mailed to both current and former season ticket holders
my pops is a former and received that exact letter. if that clears up anything.
Ephraim Salaam on Wipeout
Unfortunately you have to listen to Ellen for a minute or so…but still pretty funny.
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