Brian Billick: LION HOMER!

[gbpackfan]

I was sick to my stomach listening to Brian Billick today. The guy truly is a Lions' fan. Good Lord was he all over Stafford's stick. A few highlights:

1. Just brushing over the fact that GB was resting a bunch of starters.

2. Calling Stafford ELITE over and over and over and over and over. I mean, I get it already!

3. Calling Stafford MATTHEW. Matthew! Maybe that one is on Stafford. How come ii isnt Matthew Flynn? Pretentious and kinda gay.

4. Saying that Young's drop on the bomb was a "great catch." Yes, he said it was a great catch but he didnt hold onto the ball. THAT IS NOT A CATCH. IT WAS A DROP. Finley has 100 great catches then this season!

5. Claiming that Jordy muffed the fair catch but going on and on about Calvin Johnson's catch that MM challenged. I thought you had to have control of the ball all the way to the ground. I dont even know what a catch is anymore. But Jordy caught that ball and then shifted it over. If Calvin had possession, Jordy sure as hell did.

6. Flynn outplayed ELITE Stafford. Stafford threw a pick when the game was on the line, Flynn did not. Yet every time MATTHEW made a play, Billick gushed on and on. But Flynn got very little love compared to MATTHEW!

7. Stating that this was a game the Lions could BUILD off around the two minute warning. You were getting beat by half a Packers team! You couldn't build an out house with that foundation (not that our d was any better, it wasn't).

Please post your own observations. It just seemed so obvious that Billick wanted the Lions to win. He was slobbering all over MATTHEW's knob all game long.

[King Friday]

Who cares...scoreboard.

[pbmax]

Its tough to sell a game where some of the best players were on the bench. Networks love to hype the superstars. Eliminate them, and they will pick new ones.

I agree, that isn't a catch by Calvin Johnson.

[gbgary]

stafford isn't a superstar...yet. had one good year, hurt the rest of the time.

[ThunderDan]

When the Packer's WR were grabbed it was incidental to the play. When TWill turned his head on the underthrown ball, which if you then make contact with the WR is supposed to make it incidental and not PI, it was PI clear as day.

[Brandon494]

Who cares, hes doing his job. You really complaining about him calling Stafford Matthew and not Fylnn?

[gbpackfan]

Brandon,

That point obviously went over your head. Don't sweat it. And if you think Billick did his job well, you must be a closet Lions fan. He was carrying the Lions water all game long.

[MadtownPacker]

Who cares, hes doing his job. You really complaining about him calling Stafford Matthew and not Fylnn?
MFer you ever on the G&Gs side??? Fuck him just because but you think he would have harped on a bit about the GB 2nd team that was hanging tough with the lions.

[Brandon494]

Brandon,

That point obviously went over your head. Don't sweat it. And if you think Billick did his job well, you must be a closet Lions fan. He was carrying the Lions water all game long.

We are the SB champs and just finished the season at 15-1 while this is the Lions first time making the playoffs in over 10 years, who cares if they get a little love. I don't need Brian Billick blowing green and gold glitter up my ass during the game telling my how great the Packers are, just watching the game already shows me that.

[MadtownPacker]

We are the SB champs and just finished the season at 15-1 while this is the Lions first time making the playoffs in over 10 years, who cares if they get a little love. I don't need Brian Billick blowing green and gold glitter up my ass during the game telling my how great the Packers are, just watching the game already shows me that.
That's it, we're are lynching your Black azz for insubordination.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Billick is very good analyst. I didn't notice him dissing pack, but then again I'm not a sissy boy.

[gbgary]

That's it, we're are lynching your Black azz for insubordination.

lol

[Brandon494]

That's it, we're are lynching your Black azz for insubordination.

Keep talking shit before I call immigration on your ass.

[jdrats]

The superlatives were getting pretty thick on every Stafford pass--"Magnificent throw," "Stupendous," and on and on. It was more than a bit flowery. Someone should confiscate his thesaurus.

[Packers4Glory]

the lions might be the least likeable team in football.

[MJZiggy]

the lions might be the least likeable team in football.

If this weren't so true, they'd have a whole lot of people rooting for them just because they've been down for so long. But you become assholes on the way up and everyone wants you back in the toilet where your attitude indicates you belong.

[jdrats]

If this weren't so true, they'd have a whole lot of people rooting for them just because they've been down for so long. But you become assholes on the way up and everyone wants you back in the toilet where your attitude indicates you belong.

And it starts with the coach. Did you see the clip of Schwartz celebrating when Lee bobbled the kick-off and ended up causing a safety? Schwartz was way over the top in celebrating a Packer mistake, that really wasn't any kind of exceptional play on the part of his players. The rant and time out on the endzone non-catch that he didn't have a challenge left for was obnoxious as well, particularly because you can see the ball move in the receivers arms anyway, so it shouldn't be a catch if I understand NFL rules defining a catch (which I'm no longer convinced anyone does, but you know).

[retailguy]

Keep talking shit before I call immigration on your ass.

I already did this. He's running the forum from Mazatlan.

[ThunderDan]

And it starts with the coach. Did you see the clip of Schwartz celebrating when Lee bobbled the kick-off and ended up causing a safety? Schwartz was way over the top in celebrating a Packer mistake, that really wasn't any kind of exceptional play on the part of his players. The rant and time out on the endzone non-catch that he didn't have a challenge left for was obnoxious as well, particularly because you can see the ball move in the receivers arms anyway, so it shouldn't be a catch if I understand NFL rules defining a catch (which I'm no longer convinced anyone does, but you know).

I was going to put this in my studs and duds post. I am glad someone else saw this.

[Pugger]

I think Billick is very good analyst. I didn't notice him dissing pack, but then again I'm not a sissy boy.

He didn't exactly diss the Pack but he was slobbering all over anything good the loins and especially Stafford did in this game.

[pbmax]

And it starts with the coach. Did you see the clip of Schwartz celebrating when Lee bobbled the kick-off and ended up causing a safety? Schwartz was way over the top in celebrating a Packer mistake, that really wasn't any kind of exceptional play on the part of his players. The rant and time out on the endzone non-catch that he didn't have a challenge left for was obnoxious as well, particularly because you can see the ball move in the receivers arms anyway, so it shouldn't be a catch if I understand NFL rules defining a catch (which I'm no longer convinced anyone does, but you know).


I was going to put this in my studs and duds post. I am glad someone else saw this.

Nice catch, I did not see that.

[pbmax]

Its a part of the modern broadcast playbook that they need to identify the stars and talk about the entire game through their perspective. When Rodgers, Matthews and Woodson were benched, it cut nearly half their programmed talking points out of the broadcast.

So its no surprise it was all Stafford. The Packers on the field looked like the 3rd quarter of a preseason game except for TWill, Wells, Sitton, Driver, Nelson, Jones and Kuhn.

[Upnorth]

So about ten minutes into the game my wife thanked me for muting it. She thought it was so she could concentrate on finishing the christmas cards finally. I am such a giving husband.

[Smidgeon]

Someone should confiscate his thesaurus.

:D

[Lurker64]

Its a part of the modern broadcast playbook that they need to identify the stars and talk about the entire game through their perspective. When Rodgers, Matthews and Woodson were benched, it cut nearly half their programmed talking points out of the broadcast.

So its no surprise it was all Stafford. The Packers on the field looked like the 3rd quarter of a preseason game except for TWill, Wells, Sitton, Driver, Nelson, Jones and Kuhn.

Also, at the time Fox might have had a Lions playoff game to sell to people. Billick has every reason to try to convince people to tune in and watch the Lions.

[jdrats]

Its a part of the modern broadcast playbook that they need to identify the stars and talk about the entire game through their perspective. When Rodgers, Matthews and Woodson were benched, it cut nearly half their programmed talking points out of the broadcast.

So its no surprise it was all Stafford. The Packers on the field looked like the 3rd quarter of a preseason game except for TWill, Wells, Sitton, Driver, Nelson, Jones and Kuhn.

They need to sell the game. Check out this article and watch the clip. Tirrico and even keep himself from laughing when Jaworski starts in on, "Call me crazy but I'm excited about Tyler Palko tonight..."

http://deadspin.com/ron-jaworski/

[Pugger]

Also, at the time Fox might have had a Lions playoff game to sell to people. Billick has every reason to try to convince people to tune in and watch the Lions.

But Fox should realize there are other folks besides loin fans watching. I've had FOX and those clowns calling NFC games up to here and hope/pray another network gets these games soon. :p

[CaliforniaCheez]

1) The pregame storyline was the Packers did not care, they were resting their starters and the Lions had everything for which to play.

2) Billick's buddy is Linehan is the OC of the Lions.

3) Billick has been talking up the Packers this season so he needed to compensate.

4) Sports drama is created when the underdog has a fighting chance. Without Rodgers, Woodson, Matthews, and Bulaga, the Lions had a fighting chance.

[Fritz]

PB is right; Billick's job - the job of any announcer these days - is not to do an in-depth analysis for fans, but to sell, sell, sell the product. The Lions are best sold via Matt Stafford right now. Part of the problem for the NFL is that on the one hand, the league did in fact sell the Lions via their mid-season bad-boy image - the league itself on its website marketed the bad-boy Lions. On the other hand, Roger Goodell has simultaneously tried to mute the violence and the celebrations - the "No Fun League" approach.

So the league has a kinda schizophrenic attitude about the Lions. On the one hand, the storyline of the Lions-as-renegades is appealing; on the other hand, the league has tried to whitewash that sort of thing, too. They're in a bit of a pickle, and on Sunday the resolution was to focus on the good-guy Stafford. Some mention was made by Billick about Suh's belt move after a sack - Billick did say he wished Suh would play with more class - but the emphasis was on Stafford and not the showboating or the eleven penalites (which did, however, get some attention).

[Zool]

This idiocy will continue until they give us the option to watch without announcers.

[Fritz]

Or to coordinate your favorite home-town announcers from the radio.

Or to give you two sets of announcers to choose from: one that does the ESPN bullcrap, all fluff and storyline, and one with real football analysis and announcers who know the rules and the players' names.

[Joemailman]

We are the SB champs and just finished the season at 15-1 while this is the Lions first time making the playoffs in over 10 years, who cares if they get a little love. I don't need Brian Billick blowing green and gold glitter up my ass during the game telling my how great the Packers are, just watching the game already shows me that.

QFT

[Ballboy]

Or to coordinate your favorite home-town announcers from the radio.

Or to give you two sets of announcers to choose from: one that does the ESPN bullcrap, all fluff and storyline, and one with real football analysis and announcers who know the rules and the players' names.


Many would be out of work, but for years I have been wondering why they wouldnt goto a three person booth. Keep your play by play guy, and then choose a visiting team color guy and home team color guy.......not only would we have "fair" coverage, but it could/would lead to some entertaining chatter between the color guys!!!

[woodbuck27]

We are the SB champs and just finished the season at 15-1 while this is the Lions first time making the playoffs in over 10 years, who cares if they get a little love. I don't need Brian Billick blowing green and gold glitter up my ass during the game telling my how great the Packers are, just watching the game already shows me that.

Way to bring out the hose. LOL Good rebuttal. Some Packer fans need reassuring.

[gbgary]

the lions might be the least likeable team in football.

phi and dal come to mind.

[woodbuck27]

phi and dal come to mind.

ahhh what did they win since 1999...something less than 30 games? Personally I was happy to see the Lions fans receive some reward. I know what it feels like to support a team that cannot do much more than lose.

Other Packer fans 1970's-90's might feel the same? Long cold dark Falls and early Winter years. Thank GOD for Hudson Bay blankets and the invention of the 'cryin' towel'.

Having written that I love to see DALLAS lose. Philly teams don't bother me it's the rapid Philly fans. Freddy Krueger, Daniel Robitaille (aka Candyman), Razor Charlie, Norman Bates, Chucky and Tiffany and Jack Torrance would make nicer neighbours.

[mraynrand]

It really should be The Hon. Matthew Flynn III. Anything less is sheer effrontery.

[gbgary]

ahhh what did they win since 1999...something less than 30 games? Personally I was happy to see the Lions fans receive some reward. I know what it feels like to support a team that cannot do much more than lose.

Other Packer fans 1970's-90's might feel the same? Long cold dark Falls and early Winter years. Thank GOD for Hudson Bay blankets and the invention of the 'cryin' towel'.

Having written that I love to see DALLAS lose. Philly teams don't bother me it's the rapid Philly fans. Freddy Krueger, Daniel Robitaille (aka Candyman), Razor Charlie, Norman Bates, Chucky and Tiffany and Jack Torrance would make nicer neighbours.

i was only talking about teams i know have a high hate-rating leaguewide.

[gbgary]

btw...billick has his new power rankings out...

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/playoff-power-rankings-new-orleans-saints-not-green-bay-packers-are-super-bowl-favorites-010312/

[Patler]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this already, but in the 4th qtr Brennaman referred to him several times as "Mr. Stafford". Once it was just for effect, by the third time I wondered! :lol:

If you really want to see where their hopes or expectations were, just listen again to the call of Shields' interception. No excitement at all in Brennaman's voice, just dejection, frustration, whatever. A monotone, quiet call of; "....and its intercepted..." followed by silence.

I doubt either one cared one way or the other, but the Packers kept proving them wrong all day, with how they played and what they did.

[denverYooper]

btw...billick has his new power rankings out...

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/playoff-power-rankings-new-orleans-saints-not-green-bay-packers-are-super-bowl-favorites-010312/

Meh. Lions are going to take the Saints out.

[gbgary]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this already, but in the 4th qtr Brennaman referred to him several times as "Mr. Stafford". Once it was just for effect, by the third time I wondered! :lol:

If you really want to see where their hopes or expectations were, just listen again to the call of Shields' interception. No excitement at all in Brennaman's voice, just dejection, frustration, whatever. A monotone, quiet call of; "....and its intercepted..." followed by silence.

I doubt either one cared one way or the other, but the Packers kept proving them wrong all day, with how they played and what they did.

the game's on nfl network right now...looking forward to this play.

[Pugger]

I just watched the replay of the loin game and Billick was ridiculous in his praise of Stafford. :razz:

[MadtownPacker]

If you really want to see where their hopes or expectations were, just listen again to the call of Shields' interception. No excitement at all in Brennaman's voice, just dejection, frustration, whatever. A monotone, quiet call of; "....and its intercepted..." followed by silence.I noticed this also. Caught my attention cuz he said it like he was talking about someone dying.

[Fritz]

I am surprised the Lions didn't come out playing harder, like a playoff game. They did seem to have something to play for. And I am happily surprised that the Packer offense did not treat the game as a joke to be gotten through.

I'm curious about the Packer defense. Yes, it sucked, as it has most of the time, but did Capers call a vanilla game? I wondered if he deliberately played some very straightforward, pre-seasonish packages. The announcers mentioned that in the first half the Packer offense was pretty vanilla, but what about the defense?

[denverYooper]

I am surprised the Lions didn't come out playing harder, like a playoff game. They did seem to have something to play for. And I am happily surprised that the Packer offense did not treat the game as a joke to be gotten through.

I'm curious about the Packer defense. Yes, it sucked, as it has most of the time, but did Capers call a vanilla game? I wondered if he deliberately played some very straightforward, pre-seasonish packages. The announcers mentioned that in the first half the Packer offense was pretty vanilla, but what about the defense?

It seemed like they were just trying to get a look at who could play well enough opposite Clay. I don't recall anything exotic, really, just kept seeing different guys lining up and rushing from the outside. They even let Bishop take a whack at it.