Lions fans, including Tom White, center, of Warren and Douglas Price, right, of Hazel Park, chanted "Don't draft Stafford" during Monday's unveiling of the new logo. Most fans want the Lions to draft Aaron Curry. (John T. Greilick/The Detroit News)
Madison Heights
The Lions want to be meaner, leaner and, more importantly, move in a new direction.
That's what the Lions' new logo represents. I actually applaud the new logo. It looks better, and the uniform is cleaner and sharper, but it doesn't go far enough. The new Lions uniform is a slight upgrade from the older one, but does it really look that much different?
If this is the Lions' attempt at moving in a different direction, then I buy it. But slight changes show that the organization is not willing to go far enough.
The good thing is the new Lion doesn't look like a blob. He has muscles, fangs and eyes.
But it still doesn't go far enough. The Lions need a complete transformation mentally and with their uniforms.
Obey the people
In 1998 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed uniforms, got rid of Bucco Bruce, and began the transformation that eventually led to a Super Bowl championship. Can the same happen to the Lions?
That's what Lion fans are hoping.
But here's what everybody forgets. The Bucs were sold by the Culverhouse family to Malcolm Glazer , who changed the colors, culture and hired a great coach in Tony Dungy . The last time I checked, the Lions still are owned by the Ford family.
Has anything really changed? We'll find out this weekend if the Lions draft linebacker Aaron Curry instead of quarterback Matt Stafford .
Give people what they want.
In web polls, fan polls and man-in-the street interviews, Lions fans overwhelmingly want the team to draft Curry with the top pick Saturday. They don't want Stafford, and I can't blame them.
It was good to see fans steal the show on logo day and let the Lions know exactly how they felt by chanting Curry's name.
'It will make us better'
Curry is going to be a dominant player. He can become the Lions' Ray Lewis , who not only plays great but brings fear to opposing players. The Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV because of Lewis and his defensive teammates, not because of quarterback Trent Dilfer .
"It will make us better," linebacker Ernie Sims said of drafting Curry. "That's the way I see it. I really don't see a downside to it. You will have me, him and JulianPeterson . That would really make our linebacking corps great. It can't do anything but help."
Instead of drafting a quarterback the Lions need a defensive stopper. I don't know if anybody noticed, but the Lions defense finished last two years in a row. If the defense can't keep anybody off the field, what's the use of drafting a nice, shiny new quarterback to sit on the sideline?
The Lions talked about their logo being a sign of change. If they really want to change, they must change their mind-set. Ever since Bobby Layne left in the late 1950s they've been searching for a franchise quarterback.
The list includes Chuck Long , Greg Landry , Andre Ware , Scott Mitchell and Jon Kitna . Stafford is the next candidate unless the Lions truly are changing their old ways of being more interested in selling sell tickets and jerseys rather than trying to buy victories.
Curry is change because he represents what president Tom Lewand says the new logo represents: tough, mean, strong and angry. Curry has claws and will put this team on his back.
Lions, please give the people what they want.
terry.foster@detnews.com">terry.foster@detnews.com (313) 222-1494
Running back Kevin Smith, right, walks the runway as he models the Lions ...
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