It hasn’t taken long for the predictions and betting on the new NFL season to start, as fans of the Baltimore Ravens (and those who bet on them to win it) will still be celebrating their Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers. One of the most notable things about the odds for teams in the new NFL season is that the Ravens are not the favourites to repeat their triumph – which is unusual and marks NFL betting out as different from most other types of sports betting. Of course there are a number of reasons for this, including form and player issues, but it shows that betting on the NFL itself can be as unpredictable as playing an NFL slot at an online casino.

The 49ers have odds of 7/1 at many sites for the new season – compared to 12/1 for the Ravens. These odds make the side from San Francisco joint favourites along with the Broncos, and much of this is down to the presence of star quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Peyton Manning in these sides. However the spectacular form of the Broncos in the latter stages of last season is also a major factor, but it should be remembered that they were the hot favourites last time out – and failed to deliver. These sides are also amongst the favourites for the AFC and NFC divisions, obviously, but the likes of the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers are also considered contenders. Many will fancy a bet on the Ravens at 12/1 though, given how good they were in the Super Bowl.

Given the number of teams in the running, and the unpredictable form they often display, some will prefer to get their fix of NFL and betting from playing an NFL slots game at an online casino like www.iphonecasino.com.au. After all, a game like $5 Million Touchdown does provide genuine NFL related thrills – particularly with its Touchdown Bonus Game, where you have to pass the ball between players until you score a touchdown, However beyond this, the reel icons are NFL themed, including key elements like tackles, throws, kicks and footballs, making it both a great slots game and a fantastic game for NFL fans.

So where have I been? First off, my health is fine. Not gangbusters, I have chronic issues which will never go away, but I'm doing pretty darn good, considering. I'm not using that excuse. So, again, where have I been? Writing about baseball. My work at Bless You Boys have kept me extremely busy and will will continue to do so for the next month. If anything, my duties at BYB are going to ramp up considerably from here on out.

I also have to admit it's hard to get fired up over Lions exhibition football with scab referees when the Tigers are in midst of a pennant race.

Early Sunday morning, Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry was arrested on three charges of simple assault in his hometown of Harrisburg, PA. Word from the local police claimed Berry was brandishing a weapon. It was Berry's second arrest in less than a month, being he was busted on a DUI on June 23rd.

Monday morning, with training camp on the horizon, Berry was waived by the Lions. He becomes second casualty of what has been a ridiculous off season in Detroit. What was the first casualty? The Lions' reputation.

So what have we learned?

• Waving a gun like a lunatic will get you waived for “personal conduct which adversely affects the club.”
• Drunk/high driving will not. 
• Want to stay in the NFL? Don't point your handgun at a Dolphins blogger. 
• Telling fans to go back to being "broke and miserable" after a loss will come back to bite you in the ass, resulting in a great deal of schadenfreude.
• Nothing good ever happens after 2 AM. Nothing.
• There are no diversionary programs for gun brandishing, unlike those for substance abuse.
• 7 arrests in an off season is 1 too many. 
• Apparently Berry wasn't listening when the Lions brass read the riot act to the roster after the multiple arrests of Nick Fairley, Mikel Leshoure and Johnny Culbreath.
• The Lions go into camp without a player they were hoping would step up and take a starting spot  in the secondary.
• Being smart isn't a necessary qualification for being an NFL cornerback.
• The Lions are reached the point of zero-tolerance in regard to off field shenanigans. Knuckleheads will be cut, even if they are at the top of the depth chart.

Aaron Berry left the Lions no choice. He had to be cut, end of story. A message needed to be sent, an example made. Waiving Berry may hurt the Lions in the short term, but there was no way in Hell the Lions could keep him on the roster. Lions President Tom Lewand said as much in the press release announcing the move.

“We have repeatedly stressed to everyone in our organization that there will be appropriate consequences when an expected standard of behavior is not upheld.”

The only people who are happy with the turn of events are cornerbacks Jacob Lacey and Alphonso Smith, along with secondary rookies Bill Bentley, Chris Greenwood and Jonte Green. They have been given a golden oppportunity. Let's hope at least one of them is up to it.

The Detroit Lions' parade player of stupidity continues unabated, with cornerback Aaron Berry taking his turn to lead the circus.

According to WXYT-TV, Berry was busy this past weekend, driving drunk and hitting parked cars.

Lions cornerback Aaron Berry was arrested early Saturday morning in Harrisburg, PA on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of causing accidental damage to an unattended vehicle or property and two counts of failure to stop and give information to law enforcement.

The only thing missing in the latest game of Detroit Lions Arrest Bingo is pot possession.

Berry released an apology on Facebook via (and likely written by) Paradigm Sports Management:

“I want to offer a sincere apology to the Lions organization, Lions fans, the coaches and all my teammates for my actions this past weekend. This is not the example I want to set for young people and it’s certainly not what my team and coaches expect from me. I promise to do everything in my power to make sure this never happens again. I understand these are just words and it will be my future actions that ultimately will speak for me.”

Berry was right in one way. These are just words. Considering he learned nothing from earlier arrests, I really have no reason to believe otherwise.

Player actions speak louder than words. Scream, actually. Not that it means much at this point, the Detroit Lions released more words a statement as well:

We are extremely disappointed in the reports involving Aaron Berry and the incident in Pennsylvania this past weekend.

This is not the standard of behavior we expect from any member of our organization. We have strongly and repeatedly emphasized the need to be accountable on and off the field, which makes this incident with Aaron all the more disappointing. We will have further comments regarding this situation when appropriate.

The Lions claim they have emphasized accountability. Too bad no one was listening.

As much as I'd like to believe the rash of arrests was nothing more than young knuckleheads being, well, young knuckleheads and not an institutional issue, arrest number 6 has me thinking otherwise.  Busted once, shame on you. Busted twice, shame on me. Busted 3, 4, 5 and 6 times? Shame on the Detroit Lions.

I've defended the Lions, head coach Jim Schwartz and general manager Martin Mayhew after the earlier incidents. No more. Apparently there is little to no accountability in the Lions' locker room. The organization deserves all the brickbats they'll soon be receiving from fans and media for this latest embarrassment. 

I don't mind players drinking, having fun, living life. But there are limits, a line you don't cross. These players have, and they will pay the price in public shame, along with fines and discipline from the NFL, along with a dirty look from Roger Goodell.

I suggest you bookmark the NFL Arrests Database. I'm sure the Lions' front office has, how else can they keep track of the numerous off season accomplishments of their players?

The scoreboard of shame:

Johnny Culbreath: Arrested for marijuana possession.

Mikel Leshoure: Booked on 2 separate charges of marijuana possession.

Nick Fairley: Busted twice, first for marijuana possession, the second being DUI with a chaser of eluding police.

Aaron Berry: Pending DUI.

The last Detroit Lion to break the law please shut out the lights while they're dragging you out of the locker room in handcuffs.

So what happens now? The same that happens with every NFL player. If the Lions can't find a corner better than Berry, he'll remain a member of the Detroit Lions. If they do, then it's "Have a nice life, here's your bus ticket."

In the NFL, teams care about 3 things. Talent, talent and talent. They're willing to put up with damn near anything short of murder if a player performs on the field. Arrested on Friday, but win on Sunday? A team will deal with it. But arrested on Friday, lose on Sunday? You're looking for a new employer.

I'm sure many fans (and especially newspaper columnists -- I'm sure Drew Sharp is in front of a keyboard right now, full of righteous indignation, as will Mitch Albom, once someone tells him who Berry is) will want their pound of flesh, a head on a pike, someone to be made an example, regardless of their own foibles and history with drugs and alcohol. (What glass house?) For all the gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands and calling these players public enemy number one, if the 2012 Lions play well, win games and make the playoffs, all will all be forgiven and forgotten.

For the most famous example in Lions' history, go back to Bobby Layne, who is canonized in Detroit lore. He was a raging alcoholic who wouldn't put down his drink until he put on his pads. But he won championships, so everyone wears blinders, saying Layne was just fun loving and a character.

Winning cures all ailments...and expunges arrest records from fan memory. 

2nd year wide receiver Titus Young was absent from Detroit Lions OTA's last week, reportedly as punishment for sucker punching safety Louis Delmas, though the team wouldn't give details. There are also reports Young was "apathetic" during workouts not involving the coaching staff, upsetting Lions' veterans.

Young has finally responded, confirming his absence last week was for not living up to team standards. Keep in mind Young's being apathetic and throwing sucker punches are somewhat higher standards than than those of defensive lineman Nick Fairley, who likes to drive 100 MPH while drunk.

Young released a statement through DetroitLions.com, apologizing for his actions.

“My recent actions have not always been up to the standards the Lions expect or the standards that I expect from myself. I am truly sorry for those times when I didn’t meet those standards.

“My absence from the practice facility and the OTAs last week was necessary for both myself and the team.

“The time away from the team afforded me the opportunity to reflect and come to the realization that by putting those incidents behind me I will be able to focus on becoming the best teammate and player that I can be.”

Young is taking part in today's OTA (as is public enemy number 1 Fairley), so the public apology must have been the final piece of his discipline.

One controversy down, several more to go.

Updated 4:30 PM: The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett has more on Nick Fairley's arrest:

Speeding in triple digits while drunk, with an open container of booze while driving with suspended license 7 weeks after a pot bust? Absolutely unaccptable (and moronic) behavior. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will have a field day with Fairley's punishment. If Fairley doesn't get a suspension of less than 4 games, I'll be shocked.

At the very least, the cops kept Fairley from becoming the next Reggie Rogers.

Original post: Reports out of Alabama have Nick Fairley making the Detroit Lions' ridiculously awful off season much, much worse.

Smile for the camera, Nick.
Say, "Cheese I'm an idiot!"

FOX 10 TV:

Nick Fairley, a local football star and NFL player, was arrested early Sunday morning for driving under the influence and attempting to elude police.

Alabama State Troopers say Fairley was arrested shortly after 1:00 a.m. Sunday on I-10 near the intersection of Highway 90 in Tillman’s Corner.

He was charged with DUI and attempting to elude police, but troopers also said Fairley was ticketed for reckless driving, no proof of insurance and having an open container.

In response, the Lions have released a terse, one sentence statement: 

"We are aware of the reports and are in the process of gathering more information."

I honestly have to wonder what the Hell Fairley was thinking...Oh, yeah. He wasn't.  Apparently, you can't teach a Lion new tricks.

What's really has me wondering about Fairley's IQ is he was clueless enough to pull something so idiotic coming off his marijuana possession bust in early April, putting him on the NFL's substance abuse radar. If the DUI and eluding police charges are true, and I have no reason to assume otherwise considering his track record (and stupid happy mug shot), a suspension is in the offing from the NFL. And if the NFL doesn't lower the hammer, the Lions should come down on him with the all wrath of what is going to be one pissed off fan base.

What was looking to be season where this team was to take the next step, actually winning in the playoffs, could become a wasted year before they even take foot on the field.  This sort of irresponsible behavior imust be dealt with in the appropriate manner.

The way I'm feeling at the moment, the appropriate manner = throw the God damn book at Fairley.

This franchise has to get their house in order. Lions' brass have to remove their blinders, and take a hard look at themselves and the roster. Their young players have developed a reputation for stupidity and recklessness, both on and off the field. Fairley's actions reflect on the entire franchise, reinforcing the notion the Lions are a team of reckless reprobates and mental midgets.

I just didn't want to see more proof of it.

The cover is nice, and...and...well, the cover is nice.

1. The first thing anyone brings up when discussing the Madden gaming franchise is the so-called "Madden Curse." Sorry, folks. The curse is just so much BS happily kept alive by EA and the media, taken as gospel by dumb fans. If you believe in things like the Madden curse, I'm thinking you also believe voodoo is real, the "Paranormal Activity" films are documentaries, ghost hunting shows are honest, Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers and Mike Williams got a raw deal, and ESPN is all about journalism. To shut the door completely on this ridiculousness, the guys over at SideLion Report did actual research, and called out the Madden curse for what it is...a silly myth. 

2. EA was voted the worst company in America by readers of The Comsumerist. The attention the Madden cover competition received was ill-deserved PR for a company that has gone over the top in finding ways to remove money from the wallets of gamers. For example:

EA, meanwhile, has made a habit of sniffing out some of the best smaller video game companies, which are then acquired for their intellectual properties or to remove a competitor from the marketplace. Mass consolidation in any industry rarely works out to the benefit of the consumer, but the gaming business is one that regulators, the courts and the mainstream media have by and large ignored.

EA is among the industry leaders in pushing for more and more "microtransactions" in users' gaming experience. For its major titles it seems to be creating exclusive and add-on content, not with the game in mind, but with the sole intention of milking consumers who may not realize how quickly those small purchases add up.

And unlike the fee-happy discount airlines that use the "everything is a la carte" model to keep base prices low, a new EA game will run you $60 for the most basic version available, making it easily the most expensive form of home entertainment.

Many of EA's sports titles — especially its Madden NFL franchise — are bestsellers with annual releases and exclusivity deals with the corresponding leagues. This means that no one else can enter the market to compete with a lower-price NFL game, effectively allowing EA to set the price for new releases.

EA should be reviled, not celebrated. Screw 'em, because EA will screw us over quicker than you can say downloadable content.

3. With all the attention the cover generates, we're only encouraging EA to keep putting out crap ass product. The Madden franchise is amazingly inconsistent when it comes to quality. Sure, some years there will be reason for buying Madden other than having updated rosters. But far too many other years you are paying $60...for updated rosters, and little else. There is no legitimate reason EA couldn't update rosters/uniforms/you name it annually via DLC (one of the few legit uses of it, instead of a way to unlock what should have already been unlocked, bending gamers over in the process), and go 2-3 years between game upgrades, making the purchase of a new version at least semi-justified...if you are a fan of the series, that is.

4. Between you, me and some guy at Mlive who still believes the Lions should have drafted Aaron Curry over Matthew Stafford, I honestly don't remember who was on the cover of Madden '12. Or '11, '10, '09 and so on. The cover is ultimately much ado about nothing. Being on the cover of Madden is an ephemeral "honor," at best.

5. A fanbase making such a big, honking deal over the cover of a video game reeks of desperation. Orr at least reeks of, "Our team has been an afterthought for YEARS, you HAVE to play attention to us NOOOOW!"

6. I stopped playing Madden years ago. It's too expensive, online play is a PITA (What fun is it to have an 11 year old with the online handle BigBoobs69 calling me GAAAAAAY, or a 35 year old with the online handle IronicHipsterKitty calling me GAAAAAAY?) and too expensive (it's bad enough we have 2 teens with Xbox Live Gold accounts, I don't need one too), and I don't care if I have updated rosters down to the 4th string guard on the Panthers. Now if Megatron made the cover of NFL 2K5 or the NES Tecmo Super Bowl, then that is something I could get behind.

Now those were great video games, GODDAMMIT. I'll go to my grave believing NFL 2K5 for the PS2 is the bestest sports video game of all time, and if you try to convince me otherwise, you'll be the one in the wrong. Before I forget...get off my lawn.

With the Detroit Lions badly in need of running back depth and veteran Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant currently a free agent, both parties are mulling if there is a match. The Lions believe so, as they have reportedly made Grant a contract offer.

ESPN Milwaukee:

The Green Bay Packers did not pick a running back during the 2012 NFL Draft, and if they want to keep veteran Ryan Grant in their backfield rotation, they’re probably going to have to make a decision soon on the unrestricted free agent.

Grant, who visited the New England Patriots on April 20 and is thought to have received an offer from them, is now considering an offer from the Packers’ NFC North division rival Detroit Lions, agent Alan Herman said Thursday.

A couple things to keep in mind before anyone even thinks of getting excited. There's a few caveats in regard to Grant.

1. NFL running backs rarely age well. Grant is 29 years old, turning 30 in the final month of the 2012 season. 

2. After heavy use in 2008 and 2009, with 312 and 282 carries respectively, Grant broke down. He suffered a season ending ankle injury in the  Packers' opener in 2010, and bruised a kidney (and other assorted knicks) in 2011. If Grant returned to the Packers in 2012, he would be behind James Starks and quite likely Alex Green on the Packers' depth chart. 

3. Grant's 4.2 YPC in 2011 was the second lowest of his career. He looks to be on the decline, due to a combination of age, wear and tear. At 29 years of age, that's not exactly a surprise.

Would I take a flier on Grant? Sure. He's not going to command an expensive, long-term contract and the Lions might catch lightning in a bottle if Grant can hold off Father Time for a season. It's not likely, but it could happen.

Grant has a solid track record, and if healthy, could take over the role Maurice Morris had with the Lions the past couple of seasons. That of a veteran back who knows how to play the game and can step into in the lineup without missing a beat. That kind of depth is always nice to have around.

But if Grant does come to an agreement with the Lions, I suggest keeping expectations in check. He is not the same back who had 16 touchdowns and 2769 yards from scrimmage in 2008-2009, and won't ever be again. But Grant could have enough left in the tank to be a serviceable veteran backup for the Lions.

This is a screen cap from the front page of DetNews.com Wednesday night:

I want to sue the News for the 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back.

Really? The Detroit News is talking up a mock of a draft to be held 11 months and 3 weeks from now? WHY?

Marcus Lattimore might be a perfect pick for the Lions next year.  Might be, but probably not. Regardless of current fit (which could change by this time next year, or even next month), the odds Lattimore is playing for the Lions a year and a half from from now are zero, because it's too damn soon to even venture a reasonable and educated guess...unless you work for those click whores at ESPN, and your job as a draftnik is to make unreasonable and ridiculous guesses.

I've said it loudly and often. I am not a fan of mock drafts. I find the vast majority of them to be a waste of everyone's time, especially mine.

But a mock draft done a year in advance? I hate those with the fury of a million burning Ford Pintos. 

2013 NOCK DRAFT IN MAY 2012 = EXPLODING PINTO + HATE X 1,000,000

The 2012 NFL draft is over, thank God. It's time for Todd McShay, Mel Kiper and the rest of their ilk to crawl back under their rocks for the next...Well, I'd be happy if I they didn't spew any nonsense until April of 2013.

Won't happen, but a man can dream.

As of Sunday, the Detroit Lions had added 13 undrafted free agents to their roster. Well, things change. The Lions announced the signing of 7 more undrafted college free agents to contracts, bringing the number of new signees to -- counts fingers, takes off shoes -- 20!

When it comes to players of note from the 7, there's 2.

The Lions inked a local player, Wayne State WR Troy Burrell, who had quite the career at WSU:

Wide receiver Troy Burrell (Detroit Lions) had a reception in 47 of 49 career games played and concluded his career with a 38-game reception streak.  He recorded 12 100-yard receiving games and set the WSU career mark for receptions (187), while finishing second in career receiving yards (3,132) and touchdowns (27).  Burrell is fifth in average yards per reception (minimum 40 catches) at 16.75 ypc, eighth in career touchdowns (28), ninth in all-purpose yards (3,299) and 10th in scoring (168 points)

Troy Burrell's 2010 highlight reel:

The Lions also signed a RB, Penn State's Stephfon Green, who has a history of injury and discipline issues. The most recent problem was a bust for buying alcohol for minors, which almost ended Green's PSU career before his senior season. Only by vote of the PSU players was Green allowed to play for the Nittany Lions in 2011. Green never lived up to the promise shown his freshman season, when he averaged 5.5 YPC, rushing for 578 yards and adding another 278 receiving. As a senior, Green only rushed for 266 yards, but did have 6 TD's.

Stephfon Green showing off his unrealized potential, taking a screen pass 80 yards for a TD against Michigan in 2008:

Here's the latest batch of 7 Lions signees, make of it what you will:

Pat Boyle, G: Temple
Troy Burrell, WR:  Wayne State
Michael Cosgrove, DT: Idaho
Stephfon Green, RB: Penn State
Alonzo Lawrence, CB: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Edmon McClam, DE: Old Dominion
Austin Wells, TE: Northern Iowa