Well after watching the first two preseason games, the Detroit Lions are a much improved team.  The defensive line looks like the real deal.  After watching my favorite professional team for years, this Lions team looks different.  Watch out for the Lions next season. They may be a potential playoff contender.  It’s just the preseason, but wow, they look like an actual football team. That’s something that the entire state of Michigan has been lacking for over 10 years.

As the season approaches, the expectations for the Detroit Pistons should be held relatively low.  Having one of the NBA’s worst records last season, the Pistons might have THE WORST record this season.  Expect the Pistons to win anywhere from 20-25 games this year.  For those of you who may say that I’m a Piston basher or they had a lottery pick this year, the Pistons rebuilding effort should have began after the 2006 season.  This may sound ridiculous or may be easy to say now, but, had the Pistons done so, the rebuilding effort may have been complete for this season.  However, they waited and waited, and now Piston fans will have to endure at least another two to three years of arguably the worst basketball ever played at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

What Changes should have been made?  After 2006, the Pistons should have unloaded.  Trading away Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince for future picks or young rising talent.  This would have made for an ideal scenario.  Both players were at the end of their prime and still had value.  These players would have been great pieces for playoff contenders.  Most of you will say, “the Pistons were in the playoffs, and they were contending, and they just won a Championship a couple years prior.”  Well, in the history of the NBA, I bet you can only name maybe, three or four teams that won an NBA Championship without a superstar.  Guess which team falls into that category?  The 2004 Detroit Pistons.  They didn’t “Wow” you with talent or offense, but they played astonishing defense and had a deep core of bench players.

Move number two:  Trading Chauncey Billups.  Yes the Pistons traded Chauncey, but they did so a couple years late.  Billups would have been a huge pick up for any team.  For Detroit, this would have cleared cap space and maybe sent some draft picks in return.

Move number three:  No extended contracts.  If the Pistons were in full rebuilding mode, long term contracts and contract extensions should have been thrown out the window.  But instead, they resigned several players from their 2004 Championship run, and paid them liberal deals that they are still paying today.  i.e. Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Jason Maxiell.

The Pistons made no incredible move in the off-season due to terrible contracts and poor planning on a rebuilding effort.  The “No-Show” Pistons should prove again to have a lottery pick in next years draft, where it’s been proven that Joe Dumars cannot draft talent.  Examples: Darko Milicic, Rodney White, Mateen Cleaves, D.J. White, Will Blalock, Jason Maxiell, Alex Acker, Amir Johnson, and Rickey Paulding, just to name a few.  We still must wait on players: Rodney Stuckey, Austin Daye, Greg Monroe, DaJaun Summers, and Terrico White.  Who knows how they will turn out?

As a new season approaches, it’s time to give a prediction on how the 2010 Detroit Lions will look.  As we all know, the Lions have only won two games in their previous two seasons, (both wins coming last year).  I’m not going to sit here and tell you the Lions are going to win nine games and get a wildcard spot in the playoffs, that’s the most absurd thing I have ever heard.  Simply put, the Lions are winning five games in this upcoming season.  For those of you who think that I’m a clown for saying five games, lets see what I’m talking about.

The Lions won two games last year.  They beat Washington, and the Cleveland Browns.  This season they start their year at Soldier Field in Chicago, Loss.  This game will show how weak the Lions secondary really is,  although it’s much improved over last season, they only have Louis Delmas who showed big play ability, a career nickel corner in Chris Houston, an unproven rookie in Amari Spievey, and a bunch of question marks.

Week 2:  Home versus the Philadelphia Eagles, Loss. This game may be closer than you may think.  However, Philly will win due to the passing game against Detroit’s weak corners.

Week 3: Away against Minnesota Vikings, Loss.  Brett Favre will choose his targets at will against…….Detroit’s weak secondary, (This may be a reaccuring theme for the whole season.)

Week 4: Away against Green Bay, Loss.  Simply put: Detroit hasn’t won at Lambeau Field since 1991,  the trend will continue.

Week 5: Home versus St.Louis, Win.  This game should be Detroit’s first victory of the season.  St.Louis is arguably the leagues worst team.  Expect Sam Bradford to struggle against the Lions pass rush.

Week 6: Away against New York Giants, Loss.  The Giants bruising running game should overpower Detroit’s weak  linebacking core.

Week 7: Bye

Week 8: Home versus Washington Redskins, Win.  Although Washington picked up Donovan McNabb, he has few targets to throw the ball to.  Look for the Lions to beat Washington two years in a row.

Week 9: Home versus New York Jets, Loss.  The Jets have the leagues best defense, Matthew Stafford will have his hands filled with this one.  Darelle Revis will shine picking Stafford off three times.

Week 10: Away against Buffalo Bills, Win.  Buffalo has few bright spots.  One of which is rookie running back C.J. Spiller, but with no O-line to open holes for him, look for Detroit to capitalize on Buffalo’s terrible offense.

Week 11: Away against Dallas Cowboys, Loss. Dallas is a potential Super Bowl contender, this should be an easy victory for the Cowboys.

Week 12: Home versus New England Patriots, Loss.  Tom Brady will exploit Detroit’s Defense.  Easy victory for the Pats.

Week 13: Home versus Chicago, Win.  Although Detroit lost to Chicago in week one, look for the Lions to shape up.  Detroit’s D-Line  needs to be spectacular to pull-off this win.

Week 14:  Home versus Green Bay, Loss.  Playing against another Super Bowl contender, Detroit will lose against Aaron Rodgers’ aireal attack.

Week 15: Away against Tampa Bay, Win.  Having played both teams that surrounded them in the draft, Detroit looks like they will have the last laugh and beat both teams.  With Tampa’s no-show offense, Detroit’s defense will show-up in this one.  This will also be Detroit’s last victory of the season.

Week 16:  Away against Miami Dolphins, Loss.  This will be a suprisingly close game, however, Miami comes out on top.

Week 17 : Home versus Minnesota Vikings, Loss.  Although most of their players will be resting due to their playoff push, Minnesota takes care of Detroit during the first two quarters to hold off Detroit in the second half of the game.

Detroit still needs some talent om both sides of the ball.  Look for Detroit to be the suprising team in the next two to three years.  Next year Detroit may be hovering around .500.  The following year maybe a playoff push, the year after that, who knows?