Oh come on, you're quoting the "roarreport"? Man, one thing I learned this season is that the Detroit message boards do not necessarily represent or accurately reflect the larger fanbase views and opinions . . . it's just internet. We respect the Saint's defense . . . Stafford threw for 400+ on you, but he only got the 1 TD, that's a problem for us. Only converting 2-11 on third down, that's a problem for us . . . nah, we're plenty concerned with your 'D' . . . we just think we fixed our discrepancies and can beat it now . . . ya'll lucky you got me to clear these things up for you . . .

go Lions.

Listen Slo, I don't want to be a buzz kill .... but that's how we felt last year right before the Seattle game.

I've been hanging out over at the DEN this week. The closer it gets to the game the chippier they get. Man, I thought we had a persecution complex! I hate to say it because I like that board but after the game we're going to hear a lot whining and accusations of dirty play and referee favoritism coming out of Detroit.

Boutte, I've been hanging out here all week and it kicks the **** out of any of the Detroit boards . . . ya'll make me wish I was a Saints' fan, but the Lions were given to me by my father, as they were given to him by his father and as I have passed them on to my son . . . I can only be what I am. I'm not a big fan of the Detroit boards. Before this season, I lurked around the boards, never really participating because some of what you're pointing out . . . I didn't feel they accurately represented the pulse of Lions' Nation . . . I still feel that way . . .

What have you cleared up since Sunday?

Matt Flynn 31/44 480 yds 6 TDs

" ... but you can't kill the buzz ..."



Like he said ... he's high.

Well man, if by that you mean that you are dealing with grouchy/negative/surly/sky-is-falling Lions fans, well we have been there before, and I know what you mean. It takes time to re-educate, to re-tool people's thinking, and turn a fan base around to see the light and embrace winning ways. We STILL have a few people who freak out about stuff that happened to the Saints years ago, expecting it to happen again. They think that at any moment the elegant 4-horse carriage with livery driver that is the New Orleans Saints, will turn back into a pumpkin and rats...not likely to happen...You just have to be calm, rational, and teach them that it's a process, a turnaround, an ongoing thing. It takes a long time to build a team. I still kinda have this grim feeling for you, that the Lions are going to run into a buzzsaw tomorrow evening, probably like you've never seen before, but you do seem to realize it's a building thing and putting pieces together....take that to your boards and preach the gospel! You can be the one who is ahead of the curve.