Yes, we are all wound a bit too tightly, folks. It is just preseason. Whether the Packers fix their pitiful running attack, whether Graham Harrell can find his rhythm, whether the defense can find its mojo and just how long Desmond Bishop will be out – yes, those are important questions to consider.

But not today.

Today I thought i might be fun just to relax and take a look at something fun, something not related to football, something that will put a smile on my face and give me time to think about something less stressful … kinda like when Packers coach Mike McCarthy took his team skeet shooting.

Yes, there will be those of you out there who will scream and whine like Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz. You will say, “this is football season. We work hard here and we make every minute count. When I come to this website, I want to read about football, I want to have every ounce of football information crammed down my throat because that’s what we do!”

Relax.

We’ll get back to football. There’s plenty of football season ahead and yes, we’ll give you what you want.

But for today, here’s something a bit different.

Being a journalist, a man of words and fonts, I provide you this brief, humorous look at what fonts might sound like if they had a voice. You know you’ve done it with your pets. Well, today we do it with fonts.

Check it out. Then stop back later today and the rest of the football season for some Packers news …

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz argues a call against his team in a game at Lambeau Field in October 2010. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz took some shots earlier this spring by making fun of Packers head coach Mike McCarthy for taking his team skeet shooting instead of hitting the field for practice.

Many coaches across the league take days off to offer various activities for their players to bond and get away from the football field. It’s nothing new.

However, Schwartz, who many feel suffers from the small man syndrome and uses big words to prop up their stature, sounded off by mocking McCarthy’s strategy.

But McCarthy wasn’t about to make fun of Schwartz, though he no doubt was rolling his eyes behind the scenes when he first heard about the comments.

Here’s what Schwartz had to say at the time:

“We had no sporting clays today or no amusement parks or water parks. Work day of minicamp,” Schwartz said following the Lions’ final practice of minicamp last month. “We take a lot of pride in the fact that we play for a blue-collar town and we try to reflect that kind of work ethic, and we have very few opportunities to practice this off-season. . . . Every one was crucial and couldn’t afford to waste any.”

So, today McCarthy appeared on Green and Gold Today on ESPNMilwaukee radio, and had this to say:

“Their approach is really tailored to the way they go about their business, starting with their head coach,” McCarthy said. “I don’t know what the problem with skeet shooting is; I thought that was probably one of the best events we’ve ever had here. “Just the interaction with the policemen and the players was excellent. You were literally handed a gun, pulled the trigger and handed it back to the police officer. That part of it was in place for the safety,” McCarthy said. “But it was really a neat day. We’ve tried some different things, and by far it was our best group dynamic/team building event that we had. I actually got a chuckle out of hearing someone else worried about us taking our team skeet shooting.”

Instead of firing back something that was sarcastic, McCarthy simply explained the benefits of utilizing tactics like this with his team.

Clearly McCarthy wasn’t about to give the Lions any bulletin board material. He could have gone off about the character issues from which Schwartz’s team appear to suffer. He didn’t. He kept the ball in his court and took the high road.

That’s why I like McCarthy – He’s a smart guy.

His team reflects that attitude and the reason why they are coming off a 15-win season and a Super Bowl championship the past two seasons.

Schwartz can only wish he could match those accomplishments.

Here’s how the Packers linebacker explained it:

“It’s kind of been a running joke with some of my teammates. There was no anger or malice towards it.”

We wonder if Mike McCarthy will allow any more of those … Doubt it. Will Hawk be fined? Probably, but we hope not.

The second stranger, but true happenings involved the head coaches at the end of the 49ers win over the Lions.

As Jim Schwartz and Jim Harbaugh met at midfield, Harbaugh, admittedly fired up after beating the previosly unbeaten Lions on the road, gave Schwartz a rather hearty handshake and allegedly uttered an obscenity. Schwartz took offense and chased Harbaugh down to confront him. They bumped bodies, exchanged words and were separated (see video below) … The players then started a shouting scrum before finally being separated.

That was way out of line by Schwartz … No doubt he was sore from the loss, but Harbaugh had every right to be excited.

Think there will be a fine for this behavior.

For Schwartz, we hope so.

Games are won when players make plays in big situations. The Lions still face a bit of a talent gap compared to the rest of the league and it hurts their ability in fourth quarter situations and closing out games. It takes money players in money situations and the Lions are still a dollar short.

2.  Ndkamukong Suh had a great hit on Cutler last Sunday, it appeared to everyone that it was a good hit after the replay, yet he still get’s fined $15,000 how does a player or a team for that matter get over such a bad call and now a fine?

I’m sure a lot of other organizations and their fans would be able to brush it off as a one time occurrence, unfortunately this seems to be the new norm for the Lions. A lot of fans are upset that Jim Schwartz and ownership hasn’t made a scene. People are starting to feel that the Lions won’t catch a break until they start standing up for themselves. I’m not sure I agree that the league is out to keep the Lions down and use them as their whipping boy but I can understand the feeling that we’re just being piled on at this point. Suh and his teammates can’t worry about the calls or the fines and just need to play football. It sounds like that is how they are handling it but you have to wonder if they are reaching their breaking point.

3. Speaking of Suh, I have to admit, he makes me worry about the health of my QB.  How do the Packers o-line contain him?

With a double team on every play. That will contain him for the most part but that doesn’t mean the Packers have solved the problem. Cliff Avril is coming off his best game as a professional and is starting to play at a very high level and Corey Williams and Sammie Hill have played well at the other defensive tackle spot. The Lions depth and talent across the front of their defenses makes opposing offenses pick their poison. The best way to neutralize them is the kind of quick passing game that the Bears used successfully last week. (more…)

Chicago Bears
The Bears brought in a franchise quarterback during the offseason in Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos in a massive trade.  The Bears now have a face to the franchise on offense to go with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs on defense.  Although I said that Bears receivers are bad a few posts ago (a statement I still stand behind), Cutler makes them a bit better, while the presence of Cutler takes the pressure of Matt Forte and the running game.  So would you throw Vick in this mix?

The Bears already have one gimmick player on offense in Devin Hester.  Hester is the main decoy on many plays and the Bears love to use his vertical speed to stretch the defense and give the coordinators headaches.  Adding Vick would give the Bears two potentially explosive players on offense at the same time.  Putting Vick into the offense without a full offseason and training camp to get everything to work between him and Hester would be a burden for Cutler, who’s learning a new system, and the offense in general.

Also, owner Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith are classy guys.  While I think Vick should be allowed back in the league as soon as commissioner Roger Goodell can approve of him and I don’t think he’s a threat to society, Angelo and Smith would want to avoid any backlash.  Vick could really work in Chicago, but I feel that Angelo and Smith wouldn’t run the risk of the backlash and something going wrong.

Detroit Lions
It doesn’t seem like things can get any worse for the Detroit Lions.  With last year’s debacle, there is really nowhere for the Lions to go but up.  With Matthew Stafford and revamped linebacking corps, there is hope in Detroit for a few wins here or there.  But would Vick be a fit in Detroit?

The first thing you have to look at his playmakers.  Who are the Lions playmakers?  Stafford isn’t even the starter yet, as he’s behind Daunte Culpepper.  Kevin Smith guaranteed the playoffs this year for Detroit and he does give them a steady option at running back, but he’s nothing too special yet.  Calvin Johnson is the closest thing the Lions have to a star player.  After Johnson, there’s a mess with Keary Colbert, Ronald Curry, Bryant Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, and rookie Derrick Williams.  Those guys are all going for the spots behind Calvin Johnson.  Is there room for Vick in here?  I’d say yes.

The Lions could definitely use Vick’s playmaking ability.  However, Stafford is the quarterback of the future and coach Jim Schwartz wants to use Culpepper as the stop gap.  Vick would be relegated to a Wildcat role and basically be a gimmick player.

Image-wise, the Lions can’t really get that much lower after the 0-16 season.  Getting Vick would show that they are serious about making an attempt to get better.  But then again, they might look as a risk for getting their reputation dumbed down even more.  They could use his talent, but will stay hands off, as there is enough work to do on that team already.

Green Bay Packers
First off, I don’t see Vick in a Green Bay Packer uniform.  Sure, if he was more of a traditional quarterback, I could definitely see Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy run the risk and sign him to back up Aaron Rodgers if Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn can’t improve.  But the fact that Vick is all over the place with his play, I don’t see it happening.  Vick could also serve the purpose of a Wildcat in the Packers offense, but the team has been prolific enough the last few years that they should (and will) stay with what works.

Also, I can’t see Vick meshing too well in Green Bay.  He’s done his time and deserves to be back in, but Green Bay doesn’t seem to be the town to take him.  This is a big year for the Packers, so anything to upset the balance could gain the ire of the stockholders, which the team does not want.

Minnesota Vikings
Finally, the Minnesota Vikings.  There are three reasons why I think the Vikings are the least likely to land Vick in the division: 1) Brett Favre; 2) Percy Harvin; 3) Tarvaris Jackson.

Favre.  Right now, the Vikings are waiting for Favre to notify Brad Childress and the team whether or not he will be returning to football and joining the Vikings on July 30 (or sooner).  If the Vikings get Favre, it can give them a quarterback that can hand off to Adrian Peterson and get the ball down the field and make plays if necessary.  No need for Vick there.

Harvin.  Harvin fills the role of Minnesota’s Wildcat.  He can run with the ball, he can catch the ball, and the Vikings have had him throwing in practice.  If he can do all that, why do they need Vick?  Plus, they’re waiting on Favre; why wait on Vick too?

Jackson.  The Vikings have been dealing with the mobile quarterback with shoddy decision making over the past few years with T-Jack.  Vick is an exponentially better version of Tarvaris, but do the Vikings and their fans really want to go through this ordeal all over again?  I don’t think so.  Small chance of Vick in Viking purple.

Lions, Bears, Packers, Vikings.  That’s the order (from most likely to least likely) of teams in the NFC North going after one Michael Vick.

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“He has the necessary belief in his team to make bold changes and make them pay off. Last year, he dumped Brett Favre for Aaron Rodgers. This season, he moves his defense to a 3-4 scheme. He always is looking for ways to make the team better.”

If the Packers had not finished 6-10 last year, McCarthy would be a top 10 coach.  The team would also not be switching to a 3-4 defense, but that is a moot point.  Fact is, McCarthy is a much better coach than the 6-10 record and the 16th ranking indicate.  He gets the best out of his players in games and he handled the Favre saga extremely well for a young head coach.  Granted, the Packers did struggle last year which is the main reason for his low ranking, but he is much better than that ranking indicates.

The only NFC North coach ranked above McCarthy was the Minnesota Vikings Brad Childress at No. 11:

“The team has gotten better every year under his watch, and last season he got the Vikings to the playoffs without a viable quarterback.”

Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears was ranked at No. 20 while new Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was ranked at No. 27.  New England‘s Bill Belichick was first overall.

The Buccaneers blog, Buc ‘Em, has selected:

***Percy Harvin, WR, Flordia***

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves with a number of question marks entering the season. Will the new coaching staff succeed? Why couldn’t more be done with all that cap space? Are there too many holes in the roster? When it comes to the draft, the Bucs could go in a number of directions, but with this pick, they’re going with the best available athlete.

Even during the Super Bowl Championship year, the Bucs offense wasn’t explosive. Tampa Bay has had it’s moments, but never had an offense that struck fear into the hearts of opponents. By selecting Percy Harvin, they hope that can change. Harvin is a hybrid sort of player, but will most likely fit in as more of a traditional receiver. Sure he’ll get the occasional handoff or reverse, but don’t think his touches will be split as much as they were at the University of Florida.

At receiver, the Bucs already have their #1 guy – Antonio Bryant – and the player they hope can be their #2 – Michael Clayton. Harvin fits the role of game changer. He might not be an every down guy, but will create matchup problems for the defense and could be used as the motion receiver a lot.

Despite injury problems in college, Harvin was never truly seriously hurt. He didn’t miss significant amounts of time and given the fact that he will be used in more of a complimentary role in the NFL, he could be a great pickup at this point in the first round. Based on talent alone, Harvin is one of the top players in this year’s draft.

The Bucs offense needs someone that can take it the distance. And that is something Harvin can provide. With a power running game, a clear cut #1 receiver, and a young, but improving offensive line, Harvin will be a welcome change of pace that could keep opponents guessing.

Who knows if this is the route the Bucs will go on Draft Day, we had the opportunity to select QB Mark Sanchez, QB Josh Freeman, or DT Peria Jerry, but we stayed true to our word and went with the Buc ‘Em Community collective choice.

With the 20th pick of the 2009 Draft, the Detroit Lions (via the Dallas Cowboys) select:

Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State University

Though offensive tackle could be addressed at the 20 spot, at this point of the draft, the Lions absolutely have to draft for the defensive side of the ball (Plus there has been a run on OT’s in this mock). To be blunt, they could draft a player at 20 who plays ANY defensive position, and it would fill a Detroit need. The Lions’ defense was truly that bad in 2008. Legendarily, shockingly, regime killing bad.

Middle linebacker is a HUGE need, so tOSU’s James Laurientus was heavily considered with this pick. But he could very likely be available with the first pick of the 2nd round, as Laurientus has been dropping on draft boards and mock drafts all across the NFL. I was hoping USC LB Rey Maualuga would be available at 20, but he surprisingly went in the top 5 of this mock.

The Lions also have big time needs on the defensive line, and I was even more surprised to see Aaron Maybin, the DE out of Penn State, still on the board.  The Lions desperately need a pass rush, and Maybin is a pure speed rusher, though a bit raw. But he scouts out as a breakout type talent, the best player off the snap in this draft and the best pass rusher available, period. 

The Lions have lacked a big time pass rushing end for over 2 decades (Finding an end “Who could block out the sun” was Wayne Fontes‘ obsession, his white whale, so to speak). The last Lions defensive end to honestly put fear in the the eyes of opposition quarterbacks was Al “Bubba” Baker back in the early-mid 80′s. Yes, it’s been that long…

Maybin is the sort of talent the Lions can build around.  He could be head coach Jim Schwartz‘s Detroit version of “The Freak”, Javon Kearse, whom terrorized offenses from defensive end during Schwartz’s first 3 seasons as defensive coordinator (2001-03) in Tennessee. Maybin would also bookend nicely with one of the Lions’ few legitimate NFL defenders, end Dewayne White. Add Cliff Averil to the mix, who showed signs of being a solid contributor in his rookie season with 5 sacks, and the Lions would actually have a defensive position which could be considered a strength.

Maybin may have the biggest upside (I know, it’s a cliche, but true in his case) of any defensive player in this draft. My only concern is size, as Maybin is on the smallish side, and Schwartz is on record saying he wants a bigger and stronger defense under his watch.  But Maybin’s a born pass rusher, and is the sort of player who could be a true impact defender in a few years. Impact players have been far and few between in Detroit for quite some time. 

The Lions would be THRILLED if a player with Maybin’s natural talent is available with the 20th pick.

The Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock.

With the 21st pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Say what now?  A cornerback?  And one with character issues to boot?

Yes.  Yes, indeed.

Davis is the perfect Andy Reid draft choice:

He plays a high-value position in which first-round athleticism makes a huge difference.

No one sees the pick coming.

On its face, the pick is completely inexplicable.

But what about offensive line (you ask).  Or tight end?  Or running back?  Or all the other places the Eagles have actual needs?  Not cornerback, where we have a Pro Bowler, a solid starter, a very wealthy nickel man and a “first-round talent” prospect coming off a knee injury.

Let me explain.  First of all, as a cornerback, Davis is very, very good.  He’s also — for a cornerback — very, very big.  The brother of Vernon Davis is a physical freak.  You don’t find many 6-0, 200-pound guys who can turn and run with most wide receivers.  Can I get a “Plaxico Burress” anyone?

Secondly, everyone remembers the story of how the Eagles drafted Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown even though they already had Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor locked in as starters.  What most people don’t realize is that Sheldon Brown is now older than Taylor was when his replacement was drafted (and only one year younger that Vincent was at the same time.) 

Cornerbacks don’t age well.  You can never have enough guys around to keep pushing them.

Now, with that said, the other intriguing thing about Davis is that he may actually project to FS at the next level.  He’s a born hitter, loves contact, and his “tremendous athleticism” at the cornerback position would translate to “Hall of Fame caliber athleticism” at the safety position. 

New SS Sean Jones is a one-year stopgap, we still don’t know for sure what we have in Quintin Demps, and Quintin Mikell turns 29 later this year.  Another safety prospect would not be a bad thing to have around.

The final interesting note is that Davis’ Pro Day is today at Illinois.  Depending on the numbers he puts up then, the idea that he’ll be around at #20 is quite possibly a pipe dream.  But I’ll take him for now.

The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock.

With the 22nd Pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select:

Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Going into this mock draft, I expected to have to justify why I chose not to draft Josh Freeman, who is generally considered the third best quarterback available.  By my count, there were about 9 teams that could reasonably take Mark Sanchez due to the age of their “franchise” QB or due to their lack of a franchise QB (Detroit, St. Louis, Seattle, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Denver, New York Jets, Chicago, Tampa Bay) before the Vikings picked.  Instead, it looks like I’m going to have decide whether Mark Sanchez is the answer to the Vikings’ long standing quarterback issue (or is juicy enough to tempt the Broncos to trade Jay Cutler for him) or whether the Vikings should address their needs at cornerback or offensive line.  And after thinking back to the last two years, the answer is clear—if Mark Sanchez is available, the Vikings should draft him.

First off, it’s quite clear that the Vikings need a real franchise quarterback.  Tarvaris Jackson is never going to be that good and Sage Rosenfels is already 31 years old.  Secondly, I believe that Mark Sanchez is the best quarterback available in the draft because he’s got enough arm strength for the pros, he’s more accurate than Matt Stafford and he’s shown the ability to read coverages that Freeman never had to in Kansas State’s spread offense.

Sanchez has the arm strength and the accuracy to succeed in the NFL and he has the background in a Pro-Style offense that will allow him to quickly adapt to the pros.  He completed 64.27% of his passes in his 16 games at USC, more than any other first round quarterback.  He can throw the ball deep accurately (forcing defenses to only put eight in the box to stop Adrian Peterson) and he has the touch needed for the short throws as well, a necessity in Brad Childress’ West Coast Offense.  Also, Sanchez has all the intangibles you’d want in your quarterback, which he showed by getting elected captain last year and when he stuck it out at USC despite getting beat out by John David Booty for the starting position in 2006.

I know there are some doubts about Sanchez due to his lack of starting experience, the talent surrounding him, his height and the fact he was somewhat turnover prone, throwing ten interceptions and fumbling seven times.  The doubts are enough for me to hope that he’s taken before the Vikings’ pick, but they aren’t enough to let me pass on him for another player (especially with 5 offensive tackles already off the board).  So the Vikings’ finally have their franchise quarterback.  Hopefully.

The New England Patriots are on the clock.

There we go folks.  Getting into the nitty-gritty with this draft now.