With so much attention on Matthew Stafford and his 900 million injuries, no one really had time to consider the possibility that other Lions were getting hurt last season too. At least not me. I admit, I never focus much attention on who’s bruised and battered during the season, unless it means they’re going to miss a few games. Yeah, I’m selfish.

But if anyone knows injuries like Stafford, it’s Jahvid Best. Because apparently having a turf-toe injury means your “injury prone.” Granted, during his years at Cal, Best suffered myriad injuries. But, I wouldn’t be so quick to label him “injury prone” just yet.

Regardless, despite a productive and encouraging rookie season, the Lions running back suffered turf-toe injuries for much of the 2010 season — injuries Jim Schwartz admits slowed him down mid- to late-season. But, fear not, Schwartz isn’t even a little worried about Best and whether or not these injuries will slow him down again in the future.

“Whatever we need him to do, he can do it,” Schwartz said. “Obviously, his toes didn’t allow him to be able to do that for about eight or nine games in the middle of the season, and obviously he wasn’t the player that he can be and that he is.

“But I think it says a little bit about him. If you do some research on turf toes, you look around the league, there’s a lot of players that missed a month with a turf toe.”

Schwartz says if they were to have sat him for a month during the season, there would have been a chance he would re-injure his toes when he returned. So instead, the Lions were OK with playing him at half his ability. Makes total sense. Yeah, complete sense. I’d much rather see someone not playing to their full potential, than watch a healthy backup RB fill his shoes for a month. Can you sense my sarcasm yet?

“The way those work, you shut him down for three or four weeks and then all of a sudden, he comes back and tweaks it again and then you say, ‘Geez, we could have had a couple carries out of him or a couple plays for those other games,’ ” Schwartz said.

Or, I don’t know, you could have gotten those same carries — maybe better ones — from someone else.

Why on earth would you want to play someone if they aren’t 100 percent? It makes little to no sense to me. I bet with the right conditioning and stretching, turf-toe injuries can be pretty easily rehabilitated so it doesn’t occur again. But, I’m not a doctor.

“Jahvid could still do his job. He wasn’t as good as he can be, but could he still contribute to the team? Yeah, and I think that’s sort of what we tried to balance. Could we have gotten him back a little bit faster? Maybe. Would it have lasted just as long? Maybe.”

Look, I know turf toe is probably very common. And I’m sure this is the same philosophy for most coaches, but it just seems stupid to me. I don’t understand the reasoning behind playing injured players. Regardless of how good they play with an injury, or how much it helps the team at the time, I think it just creates more problems in the future. But, then again, I’m not a football coach either, so what the hell do I know?

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

So, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know everything about Twitter. I only just joined Twitterverse a little more than a month ago. But, seriously it’s addictive. And it makes me kind of hate Facebook.

I feel like Twitter serves a direct purpose. No, it doesn’t have to. But it does for most people. Facebook is just shameless, self-indulgence and it gets really old, really quick. Where am I going with this, you might ask? I have no idea. I like to ramble a lot.

The other reason I like Twitter? Because you actually feel like you are communicating with stars and athletes. And it’s a much faster way to get news and updates than Facebook — and even the media sometimes.

So, you’ll probably notice that I post on here a lot about Lions players and the latest important, stupid, or hilarious thing they said on Twitter. For me, it’s a nice break to otherwise very straightforward and newsy posts. For you, I hope they are fun to read.

So, I found out yesterday that Matthew Stafford and Tom Lewand recently joined Twitter. This makes me happy. Maybe because I can get a little insight into their worlds, or maybe because I’m a stalker. I haven’t figured that part out yet. But either way, it’s good times.

Stafford has been posting a lot about his rehab, and Lewand has been posting a lot about — well nothing yet. He hasn’t actually made a post. But I’m sure he’ll have something insightful to say at some point. Or not. Now who’s a stalker?

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

The Detroit Free Press reported today that the Lions did in fact appeal the tampering case involving the Kansas City Chiefs. I wrote an entry a few days ago about how quiet the Lions — and more specifically Tom Lewand — have been about the whole situation. I’m glad they finally decided to go forward with the appeal.

If the Lions win their appeal, their seventh-round choice would be reinstated, and they would have six picks in April’s draft.

I think the Lions took the right approach in staying quiet about the situation, while they were still deciding which route to take. It might not have been ideal to media and fans wanting to know what was going on, but in a lot of respects it was the “professional” thing to do.

The Lions have maintained since the beginning that they weren’t guilty of any tampering issues, so hopefully the NFL and Roger Goodell make the same conclusion. We’ll see how this plays out.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Over the past several days, the Lions have hosted several players at their workout facilities. On Tuesday, Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara and Cal defensive end Cameron Jordan visited Detroit and on Wednesday North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter, Florida (cringe!) center Mike Pouncey, and Pittsburgh defensive end Greg Romes visited.

Now, as good as Pouncey is — and he’s a pretty damn good interior lineman — I have a strong, unhealthy hatred for the Florida Gators. The fewer of them there on the Lions (or anywhere), the better. I can, however, try to look past my differences if it was for the sake of the team. I know, that’s very big of me.

Now, keep in mind, these visits don’t always mean something, but the Lions are in serious need of a cornerback, and Amukamara is — in my opinion — their guy. That is, if he can last ’till the 13th pick in the draft. Here’s what he had to say:

As a defensive back, “I should be licking my chops to go out there,” Amukamara said, according to the site. “I played with Suh at Nebraska, and he made the games and life a lot easier for me.”

That’s because he’s awesome. And how do you get awesome? You eat a lot of chicken curry and ravioli at the same meal.

With a visit from Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith last week, the Lions have used six of their 30 available prospect visits.

General manager Martin Mayhew said last month at the NFL combine that the Lions typically save 10 visits for late in the draft process, to update physicals and assess late-rising prospects. They have at least one other visit lined up, with Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue next month, according to a tweet by Hogue’s agent, David Canter.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Ravioli with a side of curry chicken, anyone?

Things I already probably knew: Ndamukong Suh likes food. Things I learned today: Ndamukong Suh likes a lot of food. At the same time. And in many different varieties. Tonight he posted this on Twitter:

What shall I have for dinner tonight? Maybe some #omahasteaks, asparagus, curry chicken and ravioli.

Now, only a few of those things sound good by themselves. But together? All at once? Wow. I know the guy didn’t get to be 300 pounds eating salad, but seriously? How does one eat curry chicken and ravioli at the same meal?

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

I think so. But that’s just me. Unfortunately, it’s looking more and more likely that they either haven’t filed an appeal or they won’t. The Detroit Free Press reported a few days ago, that Lions president Tom Lewand has been especially quiet about the situation, saying they want to put it behind them.

Maybe it’s because they don’t think they have a fight, but after saying for so long that they were not guilty of tampering, why back down now? Is it possible that they just wanted to wait it out until a new CBA was decided upon? Maybe. But at this point,

Here’s what Lewand had to say:

“I don’t think we really need to get into that,” Lewand said in a teleconference with reporters to discuss the NFL lockout. “I think we’ve said what we needed to say on that. Both Martin (Mayhew) and Jim (Schwartz) addressed it down in Indianapolis and we’ll let the process play itself out with the league. And again no matter what happened, I said this when it was filed a long time ago, no matter what happens we’ll be prepared to move forward and we are.”

I understand things have been a little busy in NFL world. And certainly owners, players, and front office personnel are probably pretty focused on making sure there’s even a 2011 season to play, but we’re talking about a draft pick here. Why not fight for it? Last time I checked, you’re still the Detroit Lions, and despite a positive end to the 2010 season, you still need all the help you can get. And if they have filed an appeal, why stay mum about it?

Personally, any news that doesn’t involve the CBA death match is exciting to me. I imagine most fans feel the same way. If the Lions choose not to appeal, they forfeit a seventh-round draft pick and must swap places with the Chiefs in the fifth round. That leaves the Lions with just five draft picks, which is the lowest number they’ve had since 1996 and 1998, when they also had five.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Wow, was that too much alliteration? Sorry. These posts about the lockout are getting boring so I’ve got to find some way to spice it up a bit. So there’s that.

And here’s this: Lions president Tom Lewand sent a letter to season ticket holders yesterday addressing the lockout. Apparently, the Lions think only fans with season tickets get an explanation, but whatever. Regardless, here’s what it said (with a little bit of commentary from yours truly mixed in):

In the interest of communicating openly with our most valued customers, we wanted to write to keep you updated on how the expiration of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement may impact the 2011 season. (This bothers me. Many other teams wrote a letter to “fans.” Why are the Lions only concerned with season ticket holders. I’m seriously irritated by this.)

As you probably know, the Collective Bargaining Agreement —the contract between the league and the labor union representing the players — has expired. The NFL is working hard to reach a new agreement with the players, and we hope the negotiation process does not disrupt this football season. You should know that it is no way disrupting our preparation for a great 2011 season. (If “working hard” means being “uncooperative,” then yes, yes you are NFL. Good for you. You should get a raise. Wait … )

In the event any games are cancelled, be assured we will provide you with a full refund, with simple interest, for any cancelled preseason or regular-season home games. We will provide you with the details of the refund program at the appropriate time should it become necessary. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the refund policy, or any other matter, please contact your account representative or any sales representative at (313) 262-2011. (I sense fine print here. They won’t forfeit a season without taking at least some of their fans money for no reason. OK, now I just sound bitter.)

We are sorry the CBA expiration has created some uncertainty during this offseason. We understand and respect that what is most important to you and to all of our fans is that we play football in 2011. (Well, duh! Shouldn’t that be the most important thing for you you, too?)

We share your passion for NFL football and your excitement for the upcoming season. Our coaches and personnel department continue to work diligently to prepare for the NFL Draft in April and to be ready as soon as the teams and the players are able to come to a fair agreement for both sides. (So in other words, once the players can no longer stand to not get a paycheck.)

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We greatly appreciate your support of the Detroit Lions and will continue to keep you informed of our plans for the 2011 season. (I’m remarkably patient about the situation. Understanding? Yeah, not so much.)

Sincerely,

Tom Lewand

While I appreciate the letter, fans are smart enough to understand that this is public relations 101. Obligatory letters don’t make up for the fact that there may not be a football season in six months. And it doesn’t make up for the fact that the NFL and players are fighting about nickels and dimes — or should I say millions and billions. Still, I don’t doubt for a second that they do empathize with us a little. I just think we a football season for completely different reasons.

Here’s what some of the Lions players had to say via Twitter about the situation following decertification and the lockout:

Ndamukong Suh:

"Unfortunate" is just one of the more mild terms I could use to describe the lockout.

Bryant Johnson:

For all you non-12-year-old girls, "smh" means "shaking my head," or something to that effect.

Caleb Campbell:

This one made me giggle.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

I’ve taken the past few days to think. I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Get pissed off about something that maybe I have no right to get pissed off about. After all, I have no idea what’s actually going on between the players’ union and the NFL. So do I really have any right to judge them? As a fan of the game, and a big part of the reason they have money in their pockets to negotiate about it in the first place. Well, yes, I think I do. But, no, I don’t think I should.

By now, everyone knows that on Friday the union filed for decertification. Shortly after, on Saturday, the owners locked out the players. Today, the first work stoppage since 1987 is plaguing the NFL and its fans.

You want to know what I have to say about that? So what? Chalk it up to the fact that I was at a spring training game yesterday, which means I’ll have baseball to focus on until October. Or because March Madness will be starting in less than three days. Or because when grown men fight for any extended period time, it’s embarrassing more than concerning. I’m not 100 percent sure why I don’t care, I just don’t.

Christine Souza at Big Blue and Beyond summed it up best in my opinion. To put it bluntly, there’s much more important things happening in the world right now, then to get seriously upset about a silly sports game.

Anyway, maybe this is this best thing for the league. Maybe now, both sides will realize how selfish and immature they are acting. Do they really think people like you and I are going to sympathize with them? Like we would even — for a second — understand what it’s like to fight about millions of dollars.

I’ll tell you what. While you worry about how you’re going to pay your mortgage on your $7.2 million house. I’ll worry about how I’m going to pay for gas to get to work next week. While you try and convince us that the league is in some sort of financial peril. I’ll try to convince my boss that I deserve to keep my job.

I wish the fans could lockout the NFL and its players. I bet that would put things into perspective for them. It would be hard to play football if they didn’t have anyone to fill the stadiums and pay for concessions. Maybe then they wouldn’t expect us to pay damn near $100 just to to watch our favorite team play football.

Maybe I just wish this stupid CBA bullshit wasn’t so public. It’s enough just knowing how much money these guys make a year … but to have to watch them argue about why they deserve more, it’s utterly draining.

So, I don’t care. I don’t care if the players’ union stands its ground about the owners opening its books. And I don’t care if the owners never open them. And I really don’t care if both sides bleed each other financially dry. Maybe then they’ll understand what it’s really like to be in financial shambles. What it actually means to be thankful for what you have — no matter how much or how little it is.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

NFL refuses to air its dirty laundry.

With the CBA deadline closing in, there’s talk that the NFL owners and players’ association are still nowhere near a resolution. So, basically, it’s last Thursday again. The deadline has twice been extended already, and according to USA Today, a third extension is looking more and more likely.

That means the owners could lock out the players. The NFL Players Association might opt to file an injunction or decertify Friday. Another option: Extension of the deadline for a third time.

Honestly, I’ve reached a whole new level of frustration. I have nothing substantial to say anymore, because I feel like it’s already been said — twice. The deadline is set for Friday at 11:59 p.m., but I’m not anticipating that a resolution will be met. Union members didn’t meet with the nine committee owners available Thursday. Seriously, if I were a union member, I would be pissed.

What followed was hours of noncommunication between the two sides. And the union is obviously frustrated by the lack of negotiating that took place Thursday. Not only did they not speak with the owners, but:

Players sat at union headquarters, waiting to be called back for negotiations, while the N.F.L conducted a conference call with owners of all 32 teams, before finally going home at about 6 p.m.

To make it worse, the NFL’s lead negotiator, Jeff Pash had this low-blow comment to say:

“We really do believe in the value of collective bargaining,” Pash said. “We really do believe in our relationship with the players association. And I’ve said it many times, if both sides have an equal commitment to getting this deal done, it will get done. I don’t know if both have an equal commitment.”

All this AFTER the players waited for nothing for negotiations to commence. After hearing this on the radio, union leader, DeMaurice Smith went back to the mediator’s office to respond with this:

“We’re committed to this process,” Smith said. “We have been committed to this process. But for anyone to stand and turn to the American people and say that they question that. I understand that there’s probably some things that Jeff Pash has to say. But this is the truth.”

This apparently made way for a Twitter war between the two sides. Nothing like taking your battles to social media. Real mature, guys, real mature.

Like I said before, I have little faith that at this time tomorrow, the two sides will have reached any sort of agreement. If they can’t even handle their business in a professional manner face-to-face, how in the world are they going to make important, big boy decisions in 24 hours. Short answer: they can’t … and they won’t. The players’ union has been pretty clear as to what they want since the beginning, and the NFL simply refuses to give it to them.

My question: Why are they so afraid to show the union their books? Because they know if they did, they would lose this battle. I’m sorry, but if you don’t want your dirty laundry to be aired, then don’t make it dirty to begin with.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

By David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons

As most of you probably know by now, Tiki Barber has decided to “make a comeback.” You might ask, what exactly does this have to do with the Detroit Lions? Well, I’ll tell you. Absolutely nothing.

Except, there’s always that possibility — however small it may be — that Barber will end up in Detroit. The Giants still retain full rights to Barber as of now. But once a new CBA is decided upon, the Giants have indicated that they plan to release Barber. And I sincerely — with every bone in my body — hope he doesn’t land in Detroit.

Here’s a few reasons why:

• He’s old. Barber turns 36 in less than a month. He hasn’t played a football game since 2006. ‘Nuff said.

• The Lions don’t need him. I’m more than happy with Jahvid Best at running back now and for as long as the Lions’ organization wants to keep him around. I firmly believe that Best is who the Lions want and who they believe can help this team become more than just the laughing stock of the NFL.

• I don’t like terrible people. It’s true that if someone is talented on the field, maybe I shouldn’t really care about the kind of person they are off the field, but I do. I’m a girl. I let emotions rule my life, and unfortunately sports is no different. And Tiki Barber is kind of a terrible human being. It’s one thing to make mistakes and apologize for it (i.e. Michael Vick), it’s quite another to be a horrible person and make no apologies for it (i.e. Ben Roethlisberger, Brett Favre, etc.). Barber is thought to have left his wife — who was 8-months pregnant at the time — for a 23-year-old intern he’d been having an affair with. Not cool, Tiki, not cool. Not to mention, he just seems like an arrogant, fake — shall I said it — douchebag.

• He’d be returning for selfish reasons. It’s not like a lot of football players don’t play the game for the money, I get it. The thing is, his timing for this is just a little too convenient. He’s getting a divorce, he’s reportedly “broke,” and he more than likely finally realized he’s not actually that good at the whole broadcasting thing. Triple whammy. Plain and simple, if he didn’t need the money, he wouldn’t be doing this. I don’t find anything endearing about that.

• Not even Giants fans want him back. And after the way he treated Eli Manning and coach Tom Coughlin, who can blame them? Nobody wants a player whose selfish, destructive words and actions hinder a team’s progress and chemistry. Terrell Owens, anyone?

I’m pretty sure I could make this list really, really long if I wanted to, but I think you get the idea. Not only is Tiki Barber the last thing the Lions need, I’m fairly confident there isn’t a single team in the league who could find a good reason to have Barber wear their jersey.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/TheCornerBlog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BarrySandersMemorialBlog.