DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE FOR TUESDAY

TODAY'S NEWS The Lions completed their sixth day of two-a-day practice sessions today at the team's practice facility. The morning session was a full-squad

TODAY'S NEWS

• The Lions completed their sixth day of two-a-day practice sessions today at the team's practice facility. The morning session was a full-squad practice and in the afternoon, the team held a special teams practice. Detroit worked out in full pads in the morning and in helmets and shorts in the afternoon.
• The team announced today that they have signed WR Taye Biddle to a one-year deal. Biddle entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent for Carolina in 2006 and spent six games on the Panthers' active roster as a rookie. He was released by Carolina at the end of the 2007 preseason and was soon signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad where he spent the entire season. The Buccaneers re-signed Biddle January 25, 2008 but waived him July 25. 
• In other roster moves, Detroit waived P/K Paul Ernster. Ernster signed with the Lions April 11 entering his third NFL season. He was originally selected by Denver in the seventh-round (239th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft out of Northern Arizona. Ernster opened his rookie season on the Broncos' active roster but was relegated to the practice squad and eventually placed on the practice squad reserve/injured list. In 2006, he completed his first full season and handled Denver's kickoff and punting duties ranking third in the NFL with 19 touchbacks on kickoffs and averaged 41.7 yards per punt. Ernster split time with both the Broncos and the Browns in 2007, playing in one game for each. 
• S Daniel Bullocks, TE Dan Campbell, WR Shaun McDonald and G Edwin Mulitalo all remain on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and did not participate in practice today.
• The 12th annual Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon presented by Tribute Restaurant and the Wisne Family and hosted by the Detroit Economic Club will be held on Wednesday, August 27, at Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. Lunch will begin at noon followed by the program that will feature Lions' head coach Rod Marinelli and the introduction of the 2008 Detroit Lions. The entire team annually attends the luncheon and awards from the 2007 season will be presented. Players receiving awards will include: Most Valuable Players Dominic Raiola (offense), Ernie Sims (defense) and Alex Lewis (special teams). Other awards will go to Gerald Alexander, Jared DeVries, Mike Furrey, Stephen Peterman, Cory Redding and Keith Smith. A portion of the proceeds from the luncheon will go to Detroit Lions Charities, the Lions' non-profit foundation that has donated more than $4.8 million to charities in Michigan. The primary recipient of Charities' proceeds from the luncheon will be Think Detroit PAL youth football, which includes approximately 3,000 Detroit children playing football in the nation's largest after-school tackle league. Tickets for the luncheon, which is open to the general public, are $60. To purchase tickets or for more information go online to www.econclub.org or www.detroitlions.com.

TRAINING CAMP ACCESS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC
Friday, August 1 will be the next 2008 Lions training camp practice sessions open to the general public. Practices begin at 8:35 AM and 3:30 PM (special teams only). Training camp practice viewing areas at the team's headquarters and training facility in Allen Park have been increased to accommodate approximately 700 fans on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking is available in designated lots on Republic Drive near the Lions Headquarters and Training Facility. Gates will open 30 minutes prior to the start of each practice session (ex: 8:05 a.m. for 8:35 a.m. practice). Re-entry is not permitted and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Personal belongings are subject to inspection upon entry and items not permitted into open practices include: professional cameras (lenses over five inches long and/or 50mm or above), any video camera, food, beverage, coolers, lawn chairs, blankets, umbrellas, backpacks or large bags. The fan viewing area features: bleacher seating areas, additional standing areas, a shaded tent area, The Roar & More team store, offering items such as official 2008 Training Camp and Sideline apparel, and concessions. Though autographs are not guaranteed, it is common for Lions' players and coaches to meet fans following practice sessions.

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
On meeting almost all of the fans viewing today's open practice: "I tried to. I tried to.

On what it means to have the fans watching practice: "I just think that's really neat. I mean these people, they can feel it, and you guys did a great job with them, too. I appreciate it. But, it's special. Some of these people can't get a ticket, maybe. There's a lot of dad's here who took a day off work, brought their sons here; it's awesome. It's what this whole (game), a big part of this, is about."

On there being no fans here in 2006 and whether he saw the need for it now: "Yes. I just think they are a part of this. Like I was telling you, we owe them one. I believe that. And it's great for the team, they love practicing, I mean, it just energizes things. But to me, the bridges got a chance to be built at Ford Field because they are great. I just like them here. Eventually this whole field is going to be a bowl here (laughter). But no, I just like that and that's me."

On C Dominic Raiola's ankle injury: "He came out, he was a little stiff. You know he got rolled on it yesterday."

On whether Raiola's injury is serious: "No, it's just he got it rolled. Then DT Langston (Moore) has a sprained shoulder. They'll go get him an MRI, make sure everything is right, and then he's battling for a job."

On meeting with team coordinator of athletic medicine Dean Kleinschmidt: "You got him at the next practice. He's sweating, and I want you to circle him. I want you to get around him, a circle around him." (laughter)

On the possibility LB Ernie Sims won't be able to play in the first preseason game: "Yeah, we're going to be smart. We've just got to see; his (injury) is just pain, as pain permits. I just want to get him right. The worst thing is to put him out there (in a game) without practicing football - just protecting yourself, hitting, and all those things - so I just want to be smart with him."

On being down five players with the recent injuries to Raiola, Sims and Moore: "Yeah, for today. This afternoon is kicking (practice), and they're going to get tonight off. And then we will come back with a nice, beautiful A practice again. Ooh, I can't wait to get up. And we will have another good practice. Really, it's one-a-days. You see us practice; we run in the afternoon and execute. I like the running because it keeps them in good shape and stuff. But really it's a one-hitter a day."

On signing WR Taye Biddle: "He's supposed to have excellent speed. Like I was saying, we're just constantly working on our bottom part of that roster right now - we really want to get that."

On him being a little hoarse today after yelling so much at practice: "(Just) a little hoarse? (Laughter) Oh yeah, we just got to - when these dog days hit us, I don't want them (to hit us). You have to execute when you don't feel like it. You've got to do it when everything's not right, when the conditions aren't perfect. You've got to be able to count on the run game when things are just haywire, and it's hot, wherever you're at, and it's raining, we've got to rely on that. We're going to make it go, we're just going to keep doing it. One thing today, Dom (Raiola) doesn't practice and we had six snap fumbles today. So we got to learn. Somebody goes down, the next guy has to step up and go; it can happen."

On whether G Corey Hulsey (who filled in for Raiola)has previous experience as a center in his career: "He's had some in his background."

On Hulsey having trouble with the exchange between the center and the quarterback: "No excuses, no. We've got to execute one of the simplest things. No excuses."

On the big hit laid by LB Buster Davis during practice: "I like him. He's got some energy to him. He is physical; he likes football; he really likes playing football. He's got that energy I like. So yeah, he's having a good camp."

On the desire to see back and forth battles between the backs and linebackers: "Oh, I hope so. Hopefully not jawing, but hopefully its pad-to-pad."

On if playing on the practice squad last year helped Davis improve for this year: "Not as much as you think it would because you're not practicing the system. You're practicing somebody else's defense. What you do, you get your fundamental work and all that. Then you listen in the meetings, but when you're not playing, sometimes that can fade. But he, I thought, the offseason, he has been a beast. He's been here every day, I mean every day. I asked him to lose weight and he lost weight. He's thinner, he's moving well and he's got real good awareness. Boy, he's physical now. He is a physical player."

On whether Davis is fitting the defensive system as expected: "If they're guys that hit and run (then) they fit.

On Davis' ability to cover the field: "Yes, he can do all that; (he's) very smooth. I just think he's got really good football awareness. That part of it comes easy to him - awareness, not assignments, but awareness."

On the possibility of Davis playing more than one linebacker position: "You know what, when you play that MIKE, you've just got to learn MIKE - it's just such a hard position to learn because of the keys in it. You start moving him around, and I just want to get him - let's see how far we can take this guy."

On not being able to keep three true middle linebackers: "No, but when you're competing right now, you want to make sure in one sense eventually somebody's got to have some position flexibility."