People think I’m negative about the Detroit Lions. They’re right. Here’s why

Detroit Free Press

I’m so negative.

Especially when it comes to our dear old Detroit Lions. I’ve been called a hater and a troll. Sometimes worse. Let’s face it: I’m just a big, old meanie.

But why?

You see, when almost everyone else tends to be overly optimistic, my criticism — any criticism — can seem harsh by comparison. It’s like when a drill sergeant asks his platoon for a volunteer and all but one guy takes a steps back. The guy who stood still sticks out and looks like he’s taken a big leap forward and volunteered.

LIONS DL COACH: Top draft pick Aidan Hutchinson ‘a better athlete than I thought’

When I wrote a recent column titled “Judging by minicamp, Detroit Lions are in for a long, rough training camp,” I got an earful from readers on my negativity.

“How did an Internet troll get a full-time gig writing for the Sports section of a majour North American newspaper,” Free Press subscriber David P. posted in the comments.

Going by his creative spelling of “majour,” I assume David is trying to trick me into thinking he’s Canadian or British, which means he’s trying to get me to write about curling and marmite. Not happening.

“Carlos, how do you deal with the harsh criticism that is thrown your way after almost all of your articles?” Free Press subscriber John B. wrote in the comments. “It must be the universal prestige and unimaginable wealth that journalists enjoy in today’s America.”

How do I deal with it, John? I’ll let you know as soon as I disembark from my superyacht, “The Flying Wasp II,” and drive my Ferrari to Matthew Stafford’s old house, where I keep my miniature pet giraffe.

(In case you didn’t notice, subscribing to the Free Press has its benefits. Come on, only $1 for three months!)

But, really, I’m not down on the Lions at all. After watching them practice and listening to players and coaches this offseason, the only thing I or any other journalist can say with absolute certainty is that the team has made changes. New offensive coordinator, new defensive scheme, new players.

[ Antwaan Randle El: Jameson Williams, DJ Chark make Lions WRs ‘much more competitive’ ]

But whether any of that will pan out, no one has any idea, because it’s impossible to predict the success of strategies or players. Right, Chip Kelly, Ryan Leaf and Tom Brady?

So back to my negativity and how I stick out for standing still while everyone else takes a step back. What I’m about to tell you involves a little bit of how the sausage is made in journalism and it might irk some of my fellow writers.

But they aren’t my readers. You are, and you deserve the truth. And that’s what I’m about. Truth, justice and the American way. I can also leap tall buildings … oh, er, forget that part.

Coaches and players aren’t challenged enough by reporters. It’s a human instinct to avoid confrontation and acrimony, which is exactly what you get when you disagree with a coach or a player. Lions reporters got a good taste of that during the Matt Patricia era, and even a little bit during the Jim Caldwell era.

Now it’s the Dan Campbell era. A gentler, kinder era. The lighter feeling is palpable during Campbell’s news conferences.

It’s really hard not to like Campbell, who could teach Dale Carnegie how to win friends and influence people. And it’s not just Campbell. His whole staff is personable. One young reporter said, after a recent news conference, he had never heard so many one-liners from coaches. And “Hard Knocks” hasn’t even begun filming.

Campbell’s approach has been a grand slam. True to the unofficial NFL hiring rule that states a team’s new coach must be the opposite of the old coach, Campbell has been the opposite of Patricia. He has killed everyone with kindness, understanding and humor.

I like Campbell, and I get along with him. But I also liked Patricia and got along with him, too. It’s never been an either/or proposition for me. But for some people, it is. You can still hear griping about Patricia in the press room.

[ The Lions aren’t even hiding it, they’re genuinely excited about Jared Goff ]

The unfortunate aspect of this Campbell lovefest is that it leads people to give him and his team the benefit of the doubt. It’s human nature to favor someone you like. But that doesn’t mean it’s right.

I try to distance myself from that emotion. As much as I like Campbell and his staff, I don’t see the team making big strides this year. It’s only the second year of the rebuild, with key expected contributors such as Jeff Okudah, Romeo Okwara and Jameson Williams returning from serious injuries. This season should tell us more about where the Lions are headed, but don’t expect them to get there so fast.

And, for the most part, I’ve liked what the Lions have done this offseason. I gave them a B for the draft and I predicted six wins, twice as many as they had last year.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope the Lions are better — much better — this year. It would be fun to cover a winning team for a change, and I won’t even say the “P” word.

But let’s not forget the wisdom of Jim Schwartz, another Lions coach people considered a big, old meanie. He liked to remind us that hope is not a strategy. He was right. But if Dan Campbell mentions me on “Hard Knocks,” maybe I’ll up my win prediction to seven games.

Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.

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