DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE

TODAY'S NEWS

The Lions had two full-squad practices today on the outdoor fields at the team's headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park. The team wore pads during the morning workout and practiced in helmets and shorts for the afternoon session.
The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association announced today that they have awarded DT Shaun Cody their Detroit Lions Rookie of the Year Award for 2005 and FB Cory Schlesinger their Detroit Lions media "Good Guy" award for 2005. Both awards are given annually based on the recommendation of the DSBA congregation. DSBA officers will present the awards to Cody and Schlesinger following practice Tuesday, August 22.
TE Dan Campbell, LB Teddy Lehman and WR Scottie Vines remain on the PUP list and did not practice today.
TE Casey FitzSimmons, DT Shaun Rogers, RT Barry Stokes, RT Rex Tucker and RG Damien Woody missed both practices today.
The Detroit Lions will open the road portion of their 2006 preseason at Cleveland Browns Stadium Friday, August 18 at 7:30 p.m.Â This week's game marks the 38th time the two teams have faced each other in the preseason, in what has become known as the Great Lakes Classic. The Lions will enter the game trying to build off their preseason opening 20-13 victory against the Broncos. Cleveland will host Detroit after falling to the Eagles 20-7 at Philadelphia in their first exhibition game.
Friday's game will be televised live in Metro Detroit on WKBD-TV UPN Channel 50 with Frank Beckmann handling play-by-play, former Lions DT Kelvin Pritchett adding color commentary and local sportscaster Steve Courtney reporting from the sideline. The games can also be viewed throughout the state of Michigan and portions of northwest Ohio on: WBKB-TV CBS Ch. 11 (Alpena); WFQX-TV FOX Ch. 33 (Cadillac/Traverse City); WJMN-TV CBS Ch. 3 (Escanaba); WXMI-TV FOX Ch. 17 (Grand Rapids); WSYM-TV FOX Ch. 47 (Lansing); WNEM-TV CBS Ch. 5 (Saginaw/Flint/Bay City) and WNWO NBC Ch. 24 (Toledo, Ohio).
The Lions preseason game at Cleveland is scheduled to be re-aired Saturday, August 19 at noon on WKBD-TV UPN 50. Viewers, especially those outside the Metro Detroit area, will also have the opportunity to see Friday's game replayed on the NFL Network August 19 at 4 p.m.

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
Opening Statement: "We just had another good day of work. It's all still fundamental work just like I said yesterday. I told you yesterday was fundamental, and I told you we were going to work on it again today - full day, the issue is us. We're not worried about the opponent we're going to play yet. It's still tackling, blocking, run drill, blitz pickup - all those things. Ross Verba today woke up sore; his ankle was sore. It was cautionary so we kept him out the rest of this morning. Charles' (Rogers) knee was sore - kept him out. Boss Bailey feels it a little bit, probably could have kept going, but we're just being smart with him and took him out. He's better right now in short-spaced areas; the long movement just seems to bother him a little bit more. That's where we're at."

On what he's looking for in the next preseason game: "Exactly what I did in the first: I want to win each snap. That will stay consistent with the entire preseason. Whoever's in there, I want them to win the snap. I want to put tremendous pressure on them to perform that snap, the fundamentals, the speed and execution; that's all. When you try to get 10,000 things, you get nothing. So I keep it real clean - what I want; then obviously the execution of the system. But what is good? You go in and your system is playing a different system now. You may go from a four man front to a three man front - those things. That part is great teaching for us in preparation. We don't want to get too hung up on that. It's still about us and how we're doing."

On his approach about taking the team on the road: "Very important because it shouldn't be any different. If we're doing this stuff correctly, nothing matters. Nothing should matter except for the snap that you're in. When we figure that out, we're going to be in pretty good shape. I love this part of it. I love going on the road and just seeing if we can match the intensity, or better it. We tried to set a bar, hopefully last week, of a bar of effort and fundamentals. A bar we can't go under - we must keep elevating our bar. No matter where we're at, I don't care."

On the depth of the offensive line: "I think it's been good. When we get all the guys back - when we get (Damien) Woody back and Tuck (Rex Tucker) back and all the guys - we'll have some good guys. It's a battle for those nine or 10 spots. Good battle; good veterans."

On treating every player the same: "It's something I believe; Its how I've been brought up - by accountability and you treat everybody the same. If you start having different standards for other people, your message is wrong. That's very difficult. I've got to be consistent in what I'm asking and what I'm doing. I've been consistent with you (the reporters); from the first day I got here, this is what I told you I wanted it to look like and what I'm trying to do and the pad work, the fundamentals and the run game. I've got to be consistent with my message, and I've got to enforce it every day."

On the challenge of resisting temptation of reputation: "The challenge is what's best for this team. That's what's right for Lions football. Each man is held accountable - each coach, myself, to a certain extent and then we've just got to work the standard every day."

On if he's ever been on a staff where that standard failed: "Yeah, I've seen it and I don't like it. There's certain guys that come out and chop wood all day, and then somebody may not. It just sends a bad message. It's hard; it's a hard league. Those things are very difficult. You set that standard, and you say it, and I hold myself to that standard, No. 1 and then I've got to do it. I've just got to do it. I enjoy it."

On whether he agrees with Martz who said they have three starting caliber quarterbacks: "No question. They're some good players who keep getting better and better. Two of them (Jon Kitna and Josh McCown) have started in this league, and Dan (Orlovsky) is a young guy that we see some good upside to him and I'm excited about that. We quietly go about our way, not a lot to say, just a lot to prove."

On if it's a big surprise that Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz is saying that QB Dan Orlovsky can start right now: "(That's) no bigger surprise than watching Marcus Bell at the nose tackle. Don't forget my grunt guys. I'm just telling you, I'm not going to just talk about one position; I'm going to talk about the nose, the center, the right tackle, an outside 'backer - that all is important to me. Not just that position. There are other positions that are just as important (as quarterback.)."

On if he has a coaching mentor: "I've worked with Tony Dungy, who turned around a program; John Robinson - I was with him, and I know what he does; being around and watching different men work. A great college coach I worked under was Bruce Snyder and then (Jon) Gruden. I've seen all different type of guys. I just see how they do business, and which one matches similar things that I want to do. You learn from the men you work for."

On getting Joe Theismann's positive statement about Marinelli, the coordinators and the Lions during Monday Night Football's broadcast last night: "It's nice to get noticed. It's nice for our coordinators to get noticed because I think they're great - they're outstanding coordinators, they're the best. Mike (Martz) is a head coach - (he's) been in a Super Bowl and all those things - and Donnie (Henderson) will be one fast. I'm very proud when they speak of them. That's the good part - we're Lions football. It's not about me."

On if LB Boss Bailey's out for the Cleveland game: "Yes, I'm keeping him out."

On if he's gotten what he's wanted out of camp up this point: "Oh yeah, and it's not just what you guys see on the practice field. It's our meetings. It's a long day - I use every inch of this day from wakeup to 10:15 at night or whatever it is. It's more than just fundamentals on the field, it's how we walkthrough - we've had some great walkthroughs. I wish you could see some of them, they're really pretty. Or the intensity of our meetings or our foundation that we're trying to put together. So yeah, I do. It's everything I saw, visually, in what I wanted to get done. I'm just laying the groundwork right now."

On whether he has any concerns about their health and conditioning: "I don't worry about health - I just move on; but their conditioning - it's still never good enough. They came out the last couple of days and they flew; they ran. That's after a game. That means that their legs are strong; their hips are strong. The thing about conditioning: I really don't care about their wind, I care about their legs. Those legs are nice, strong and healthy. They'll be miserable, that's okay, but run fast, run long and run hard. That's what I like."

On what he likes so far about his defense: "What really has jumped out that I really like is our fundamentals. We didn't do much this last game, but against that offense, you don't want to do a lot. You've got to go match it up, bone-on-bone upfront. I think fundamentally, they're doing solid. I really like how we ran to the ball; and we tackled extremely well, not great, but we tackled with authority. They are coming along as a unit, and I think the front (the big men) has a spirit here. It starts upfront for us. We'll see where we're at right now. They're working and hustling, tackling and doing the things we're asking them to do"

On the last play of the morning which involved linebacker LB Ernie Sims putting a hit on G Frank Davis: "All you hear is, 'he's so small.' He's powerful. He's got hips; just look at him from the waist down - that's what I like: the hips and the legs and the explosion. Oh, he runs so fast."

On if Sims has exceeded his draft expectations: "I couldn't say that. I just think he's what we wanted. It's not just the athleticism. It's the hitting; he loves football, he's coachable, he's attentive, he's into it and he loves football. He absolutely adores this game.

"The No. 1 thing that I wanted was football character. That's the thing we're all pursuingÂ is football character, in each of those guys - Daniel's (Bullocks) is the same way. The more men that you get that just have a passion to play this game, they will make money, but I want the passion and the energy and the practice. I want them to be the best that they can be."

Courtesy of the Detroit Lions