Shocker: Lions player optimistic, not insane



From sportsline.com:

Bell on where and when he found out he was traded: " I was working out in Arizona on my birthday – I got traded on my birthday – and my phone just started blowing up early in the morning like, 'Man, you got traded right now!" "You're in Detroit!" So I go turn on ESPN News and it was all they were talking about: me and George (Foster) for Dre Bly. I just knew Detroit's history – not winning – I didn't know anything about the coaches or anything. I was like, 'Man, I'm going to a sorry team!' But since I've been here the view of that has changed because I feel like we have the pieces now to make it happen; at least make a run for the playoffs. They brought in a whole lot of new players; different faces and hopefully things can get on the change."

Thank you, Tatum Bell. You saying "I feel like we have the pieces now to make it happen; at least make a run for the playoffs.", is the first season outlook statement by a Lion this year that is not completely insane. You are optimistic, but not foolish. It's time to lower that bar from great to upwardly average. When the Tigers were losing 100+ games per season, they didn't come into Spring training talking about how they were going to win the World Series. They were more concerned about making it to .500. Why can't the Lions players focus on the eight win mark? Eight, even seven, wins would be a tremendous leap forward that most Lions fans would be satisfied with and leave them excited for the next season. That is when you can talk about ten or eleven wins for the coming season without everyone looking at you like you're a complete loon.