Hope in the Lions is Legitimate After 2008

I remember it clearly.  After a 2007 season that ended poorly but started wonderfully, I had hope that perhaps the team was doing some things right.  I had hope that Jon Kitna was coming to his own, and that Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson were becoming a force to be reckoned with no matter who we played.  I had hope that our defensive minded coach was turning things around for a defense that had no identity before him.  7-9....just a few wins a way from a playoff stint.  After many seasons of hoping the Lions would turn things around and finding out that my hope was irrational and/or pointless, I found myself high on the Lions kool-aid once again coming into 2008.   DetroitLions.com was reporting all sorts of progress during the offseason.   Bloggers were fairly confident that it would be a tough season but that we could do some pretty neat things for once.  I felt like it was a good day to be a Lions fan....finally.

And then, as you all witnessed just as clearly as I have....the impossible happened in December 2008.

Now....just 9 months later....why do I have hope again?   Why would I allow myself to get sucked into the Lions hype that seems to get created every single year?  Where is my protective, emotional wall that would naturally block the seemingly-inevitable Mongolian-like onslaught that seems to attack my rationality behind being an avid Lions fan?  Why have I once again invested hope into the 2009 season after having only experienced ONE Lions win in more than 650 days?  Why............?  

Here's my reasons (and list the reasons you have hope below as well):

• Jim Schwartz - tough-minded, respectable, personable new coach who seems to be bringing a whole new mindset to the Lions organization through actions rather than words (Marinelli). 
  
• Scott Linehan - a hell of an O-C....period.   I think his tutelage automatically makes our players better, both physically but, most importantly, mentally as well.  
• Our New LB core - Ernie Sims must be breating a sigh of relief after the signings of Peterson and Foote.   I was even more impressed with the signing when I heard that Foote, a man who knows what it takes to win, was adament about coming home to Detroit to help fix the team.  We need that. 
  
• Kevin Smith and CJ - Calvin's importance to the team is obvious.  Kevin Smith's should be as well.  He rushed nearly 1000 yards, even with a bit of a slow start to his rookie season.   Not to mention, 8 TDs.   If he can up that number just a few, we're in excellent shape....especially if Maurice Morris can add a few or more as well.
• Maurice Morris - I loved this signing for one reason....experienced veteran.   He has won in the NFL....Kevin Smith has not yet.  He will fill any gap of confidence that may lay in Smith's lap from 2008.
• No Matt Millen - He's gone.   Even if he's on the NFL Network, he holds no more bearing on the decisions made by the Lions front office.   This is hard to believe still, after all this time.  It's what I can imagine being released from prison would feel like.  Just with him being gone, and judging by Mayhew's decisions thus far, we are doing better already. 
• Matthew Stafford - I will admit.  I wanted Aaron Curry initially.  Now that we have Foote and Peterson, I no longer feel that void.  If Stafford is who they say he is (and thus far, he seems to impress), I will be happy.   Thus far, Schwartz and Mayhew have not given me a reason not to believe.  Until they do, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.   He's good with the media for the most part, impresses scouts and coaches, and has Culpepper to learn from (which I believe is more beneficial than most people realize).   Stafford is a killer-instinct competitor at heart, something that has lacked at the QB position for a long time (sans, arguably, Kitna)....I can't say the same about the likes of Harrington...Batch...etc.  He's a Lion now...and I am behind him 100%. 

I don't want to list everything.   I think this is a good point to see what discussions come from this topic.  I have hope that the Lions will at least begin to restore the roar this year.  Will they make the playoffs?   Most likely not.  But I'm not counting it out.   And I know we're at least on the right path as of now. 

GO LIONS!!!!!!