Lions Notes: Cliff Avril Set To Sign Tendered Offer?

by Sean Yuille on Aug 4, 2011 2:12 AM EDT in Detroit Lions Notes

Cliff Avril says he will be in Allen Park for Lions practice on Thursday, indicating that he will sign his one-year tendered offer. There is a report that the players and owners have reached an agreement on the final CBA, meaning that Avril (if he signs) and the other one-time free agents now under contract will finally be able to practice.
One reason Avril may have waited until now to decide to sign his tender is because he became a father on Wednesday. By not being under contract, he was able to focus squarely on that situation.
DeAndre Levy says that the linebackers will "shuffle guys out" and "see what the best match is in all three spots" to determine where everybody should play.
Calvin Johnson is rated 93 overall in Madden 12.
Adam Schefter reports that the Lions are actually $8 million over the salary cap. It looks like the front office will be busy restructuring contracts on Thursday.
Zack Follett posted a video thanking fans for their support over the last couple years.
Chris Houston said "it felt good" to re-sign with the Lions.
The Free Press has a recap of Kyle Vanden Bosch's interview on Jim Rome.
Speaking of Houston, the Twitter account with his name on it that popped up over the weekend is legitimate.
The Hilton has set the over/under for wins by the Lions next season at eight.
Joey Harrington was released from the hospital on Wednesday.

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looks like CJ snubbed again.

I am not surprised. Until he does what he. Is capable of say 15 tds and 1500 yards he always will. Kinda irritating to me tho

I have a 9" personality

by Waitingfortheroar on Aug 4, 2011 2:55 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Maybe they reworked the ratings AGAIN.

That’s the only way I can see him as a legit 93. Only 2 maybe 3 WR COULD be rated higher. Andre Johnson and Fitz. Nobody else should be.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Aug 4, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

I understand what you are saying Quez

But how could Fitz be higher than Calvin? Fitz only produced with Warner and Calvin produces with 3 different QB’s every year. If Fitz was better than Megatron wouldn’t he also keep his numbers up no matter who was tossing him the ball.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Aug 4, 2011 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I see what you are saying but..

Fitz numbers didn’t drop dramatically but they did indeed drop.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Aug 4, 2011 9:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya really can't argue the top 3 heck I'll even throw in Wayne.

Anyone of those 4 you can’t go wrong with. I just like both the Johnson’s ahead of all the rest. I think it’s the homerism in me coming out again.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Aug 4, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

woop

Cliff Avril is the Man!!! I hope he has a 16 game season this year so he can finally get that big time sack total that he needs to finally make the pro bowl or gain some recognition.

by Ryan Hart on Aug 4, 2011 3:13 AM EDT reply actions

As for Calvin Johnson...

C’mon Madden…Calvin Johnson needs to be ranked like….312 or something haha

by Ryan Hart on Aug 4, 2011 3:14 AM EDT reply actions

OK, I officially and publicly apologize to Cliff Avril

I thought he was being a jerk about his contract. Now that I know it was really about his family I can completely understand that. Cliff, I am sorry for doubting you. Congratulation on the birth of your son. May God bless and keep all of you safe, healthy, and prosperous.

by TuffLynx on Aug 4, 2011 4:30 AM EDT reply actions

LOL....Time to throw the mat away....

by CLF on Aug 4, 2011 7:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, at least I am man wnough to say when I screw up and apologize.

I see you are still trying to goad me though.

by TuffLynx on Aug 4, 2011 7:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes.....

But this was a situation where there was NO WAY to know what was going to happen until Avril said something directly or the 4th came and he wasn’t in camp. And I am the king of speculation. But you do get mad props for opening admitting you were wrong. That takes guts.

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Its all random... I treat everyone the same

by CLF on Aug 4, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL....oh yeah

.Does your momma have a Big Ass like your head?

by delusional on Aug 4, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

by CLF on Aug 4, 2011 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

:-) to you CLF. . .

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Aug 4, 2011 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

We only get such a small bite of information from the media

We never really know what’s going on in their personal lives, and when we do hear about it it’s almost always the negative parts.

by Chandra on Aug 4, 2011 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice call Tuff

You know LoJack reads this stuff, and he will tell Cliff that you apologized.. Thanks LoJack

All men are created equal. Its just that some men are more equal than others....

by CapitolLions on Aug 4, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Disrespect, it is a way of life for the Detroit Lions (Calvin's Madden, and the whole Lions team Madden, Ratings)

I sit there and watch NFL Network when they have the team cams up and see how they spend hours and hours on the Vikings, who finished below us BTW and have lesser season ticket sales and I just go wow, WTF!

But then I remember how Mayhew and Schwartz are and the fact is that a lot of the disrespect is their fault. Because they continually snub the media, the media either A) Has nothing to report, or B) snubs them back.

As much as I love Mayhew and Schwartz, and don’t get me wrong I do love both of them and think that they are absolutely the right men for the job. In fact I think they are one of the best GM / Coach tandems in the NFL. And when you get into our OC / DC / and ST coordinator I think they are hands down the best in the league, and will prove it once we have the talent to support them. In fact I would love to see a 5 year contract extension for both Mayhew and Schwartz before this season is out, at least 3 if nothing else.

That being said though, just the nature of how they do business tends to stifle a lot of the buzz, hype, and enthusiasm that the fans have about the Lions because we just do not get the media coverage to match the fan interest in the team.

I am not sure if it would be any better if they ran a looser ship and in the end I think it is ultimately moot as the games are what really matters. So I tend to lean towards supporting them because ultimately I would rather watch the Lions winning in the playoffs than see their training camp on Hard Knocks.

So be it the tight lipped policies of the front office or just the media being extremely stupid and off the mark by pandering to some arbitrary, subjective view of what the best teams are to cover, either way, we simply just do not get the love that the fan support, hype, and buzz of our team merits.

It is good to be the underdog though, because then you have to earn your respect by socking someone in the mouth, and damn if that don’t feel effin wonderful when it comes about to be.

Or maybe the folks at Madden just realize that the Lions Madden players have had to compete on the internetz with such crap teams for so long that they have developed leet gaming skills. Therefore they must nerf the Lions or no other teams in Madden Online leagues and games would ever win crap. :P

Ndamukong Suh - Bringing 50's football back to Motown!

by Evilsmurf on Aug 4, 2011 6:28 AM EDT reply actions

I think it has more to do with

The fact that the lions have gone 8-24 under Mayhew / Schwartz, and haven’t proven anything yet. I fully believe that after this year that will change.

by letelenny on Aug 4, 2011 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I just disagree

I think there’s a lot of hype and media attention around this team. ESPN has Suh on SportsCenter all day just a couple weeks ago. As much as I hate him Peter King over at SI is constantly talking about how we’re going to be a good team.

I live in New York now, and the only teams that get talked about more are the Jets, Giants, and Eagles.

I think for whatever reason a lot of Lions fans want to have this, no respect attitude, which is fine, but it doesn’t entirely fit reality.

by JWurm on Aug 4, 2011 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

if it weren’t for Philly landing Nmandi and the crew….we would be getting a HUGE amount of publicity for having the Best off season. I have been watching a ton of NFL net and ESPN for the first time and they are all over us. The like the Patriots too and Bellicheck gives them nothing. So honestly I just disagree evilsmurt with the thesis behind your point. If anything it is ANTI DETROIT Bias which is everywhere. This year will fix things. Calvin being a 93 is an ABSOLUTE MOCKERY

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

CJ will get a ratings bump in an update.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Aug 4, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Sure he will....

But he shouldn’t have too. A 95 is the BARE minimum he should have. And I bet they made him a 93 by keeping his awareness down cause what isn’t a95-99. Speed? Hands? Routes? Press? Jumping? Lol. That proves they are full of it.

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Love calvin

But its just a video game..I mean i dont see him gettin too beat up about it nor should we.We know the real megatron and if he see’s it as being a problem he’ll go beast mode on their asses and reak havoc upon the creators of such a flawed rating system.

by Michael21 on Aug 4, 2011 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

I don't really matter to me.

He still gets open and catches everything with blazing speed and breaks tackles.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Aug 4, 2011 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

And people wonder why I don't play that trash.

Doesn’t matter anyway, it’s not like our team is gonna get recognition from our players having high ratings. I heard most people outside of Michigan just trade for him on their franchise so he doesn’t have the indignity of playing for the LIONS.

by fiendishdr.wu on Aug 4, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

That I can believe.

I like to make the Lions win it all in the first year. Shouldn’t be too hard this year.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Aug 4, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

funny thing is, how do we get voted twice to be the most demanded on Hard Knocks???

and yet NFLN nor ESPN hardly give us any exposure??? The fans clearly would respond if they’d stopping giving us the shaft!

The Dis-Assembly Line - The unofficial, official name for the next best D-line in football.

by rames on Aug 4, 2011 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Again...

We have been gettting huge exposure. The two things that overshadowed us where the 2 HUGE moves. 81 and fatboy to the pats………and the Eagles spending spree. If we would have signed Tulloch the first night like everyone wanted to except Drew Douchebag….we would have caught the imagination of the FA week early on and became the talking peace. Its how these things work in media. A lot of these dudes work a ton and don’t have the energy left to create a new narrative.

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Ochouno?

It's turkey, Lions and Macy's. Any other combination is just ludicrous.

"Only a real man quotes himself in the 3rd person" - Nate D. circa 2011

"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy." - Charlie McCarthy

by Leonuro on Aug 4, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

well, I've mainly listend to ESPN radio a lot lately

and we’re hardly mentioned ever…

The Dis-Assembly Line - The unofficial, official name for the next best D-line in football.

by rames on Aug 4, 2011 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Nick Fairley (and the Lions by extension)

Was a topic of discussion two days in a row on First Take, and Mike&Mike mentioned us yesterday. We’re getting a lot more buzz than some people on POD seem to think.

by Mavyrk on Aug 4, 2011 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I think all the guys that have shows

Are just too scared to mention us because of all the years of failure. I’m surprised “Stink” does not talk more about the Lions since he is so focused on Detroit with his son being a tiger. Stink is Mark Schlereth, for those that don’t know.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Aug 4, 2011 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Rames. . .

They are too busy kissing McNabbs ass to give us any props.At least NFLN is. Crist they must have some stock in Chunkie Soup or something cause all I see is how great he is going to be in Minnesota, Not saying he can’t but it’s highly improbable. Losing 2 of the top 3 WR’s changing the O-line, new system for everyone no OTA’s that’s a lot to ask for a guy who is going to be on his 3rd team in 3 years no matter what age he is.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Aug 4, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

The one thing you are correct about.....

Is that the UNDISCLOSED contract situations, where we STILL don’t know what Durant is making…..did hurt us with the media. Seemed they were less interested in talking about things that didn’t have contracts. What were they going to say?……this is a GREAT/HORRIBLE deal depending on the money?

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice Cliff...you son shares my bday!! Congrats!!!

by akadwriter on Aug 4, 2011 7:33 AM EDT reply actions

happy belated b day to you!

I like Wins, Cheese and I also Like Cookies. If you don't. Wow. :P
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"It’s modern-day slavery, you know?" Adrian Peterson (AKA, The $11 million dollar slave)
Help Stop real slavery!

by joshsun on Aug 4, 2011 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions

why do it in the first place?

We are into the season for like a week and on twitter people were giving him some crazy shit for not being at camp. If it is something like Vincent Jackson I can understand being that it went into the season but it was like five days. They need to chill

by James Scarbrough on Aug 4, 2011 8:00 AM EDT reply actions

comment was for TuffLynx

by James Scarbrough on Aug 4, 2011 8:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Couldn't agree more....

PoD faithful should have taken there focus off of bashing me and defended Cliff.

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions

We can multitask

It's turkey, Lions and Macy's. Any other combination is just ludicrous.

"Only a real man quotes himself in the 3rd person" - Nate D. circa 2011

"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy." - Charlie McCarthy

by Leonuro on Aug 4, 2011 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Nope.

Bashing you is much more fun.

"I'm glad they made Flintstone's vitamins because I used to watch The Flintstones and go, "Man I bet you if I ate that dude, I would be healthy."

"I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too."

We'll miss you, Pain Train.

by Bighaircut on Aug 4, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Congrats on the baby boy Cliff

by Stones1981 on Aug 4, 2011 8:06 AM EDT reply actions

Stop Crying and wait..................

John Madden 12, a season doesn’t make. It’s just a game……….

The real season is what the Lions are all about.

Gain respect one game at a time. Go LIONS !!!!!!!!!!!

by JohnnieZ on Aug 4, 2011 8:14 AM EDT reply actions

No one is crying....

It is a matter of defending the players we ROOT for and identify with. Its like family. If you don’t get that than what are you doing here?

Malek

by Matthew Malek on Aug 4, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Chill, bro.

You get your panties up in a bunch quite a bit.

"I'm glad they made Flintstone's vitamins because I used to watch The Flintstones and go, "Man I bet you if I ate that dude, I would be healthy."

"I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too."

We'll miss you, Pain Train.

by Bighaircut on Aug 4, 2011 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions

who cares

These players will be gone sooner than later.

I will still be a lions fan.

by joshsun on Aug 4, 2011 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I can see Andre and Fitzgerald above CJ, and even Roddy White with regards to him having a better season than Calvin last year...

But how in the hell is Reggie Wayne rated higher than CJ?

He who laughs last didn't get it.

by ZWC11 on Aug 4, 2011 10:12 AM EDT reply actions

Over inflated stats from having Peyton Manning throwing him the ball?

"On the field, I basically know when he's going to come my way. We give each other a look in the huddle sometimes. Just playing together for so long, now it's just natural for us to know what were thinking out there. Practicing and playing together for two years, you learn each other's mentality."
-Megatron

by canadianlionsfan on Aug 4, 2011 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions

If Calvin was on the Colts

Holy shit.

All men are created equal. Its just that some men are more equal than others....

by CapitolLions on Aug 4, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

nobody wants to think about stuff like that!

by redwingxviii on Aug 4, 2011 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Or on the Patriots

Can you imagine what Brady & Belichek would do with CJ to throw to? They broke records with unmotivated “take a play off” Randy Moss. Has CJ ever been unmotivated? I’m sure we’d be talking about 25 TD’s, and 3000 yards receiving easy.

Dear Mr. Mayhew, Mr. Lewand, Mr. Ford-
Please lock Calvin up on a long term contract- 10 years at least- to keep him as a Lion for life. The league cannot afford to have his elite athleticism unleashed in New England, Philadelphia, or Indianapolis. For the sake of the NFL and the fans of the Detroit Lions, please make this happen.

Highest Regards-
DetroitFanTC

by Detroitfantc on Aug 4, 2011 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions