Friday Walk-Thru: Optimistic Lions Keep Roaring About Their Chances

Jonathan Wade was a bust as a third-round draft pick in St. Louis. The former University of Tennessee standout started just six games in three seasons, including the first four of the 2009 season. The last was a 35-0 loss at San Francisco. He was benched for good.

So when Wade talks big -- like he did during the Detroit Lions' three-day mini-camp this week -- it's not like hearing from Champ Bailey or Darrelle Revis.

But that's OK with Lions coach Jim Schwartz.

"If you have a confidence problem and you're a corner, you're not going to be a corner very long," Schwartz told reporters in Allen Park, Mich. "You have to have a short memory and you have to be able to put bad plays and mistakes behind you. That's part of the mentality."

Clearly, Wade has no problem erasing the negative, regardless of whether he's been part of it. The guy experienced one victory with the Rams last season -- and a total of six in his three seasons -- and after being dispatched into the free-agency pool, signed with the Lions, who won a combined two games the previous two seasons.

Wade, though, became the latest in a line of outspoken and optimistic Lions -- joining veteran tackle Jon Jansen and blossoming second-year safety Louis Delmas -- to jump on the turnaround bandwagon and vow the club will make the playoffs in 2010.

"It's been said. I've heard it. I want you to write this down," Wade told The Detroit Free Press. "Jonathan Wade now says we're going to make the playoffs -- 9-7."

Sounds like cause for a random drug test.

OK, so it's June. The Lions wrapped up their offseason Friday with a brawl at the end of mandatory minicamp. Schwartz, in his second season, wasn't happy to see fists fly, especially in light of the NFL docking the team two organized team activities after complaints to the union about too much contact in previous OTA sessions.

Clearly, the Lions have a long way to go, but a some fight and feistiness appears to be challenging the frustration in the Motor City. What could possibly be wrong with that?

"There's a different group here," Wade said. "You'll see our intensity, you'll see our passion as to where it won't be, 'Aw, here they go again.'"

Of course, none of this will mean a thing if, come early October, the Lions are winless and the fans are saying, "Aw, here they go again." Detroit has gone longer than any NFC team without a playoff berth. Its last was in 1999. The Lions' last winning record was a 9-7 mark in 2000. In the nine seasons since, the Lions are a combined 33-111, for a .230 winning percentage that is the worst in the league and includes that infamous 0-16 season of 2008.

Cue Jim Mora.

Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs! Playoffs? You kiddin' me?

Wade's not.

"We're pissed," he said.

Psst. Here's a secret. They're also better.

The franchise quarterback, Matthew Stafford, is in place and a year older. His top target, Calvin Johnson, is one of the top game-breaking receivers in the league, and the trade for tight end Tony Scheffler will benefit both. Now, throw in tailback and first-round pick Jahvid Best, who could very well be a rookie of the year candidate. A better, more balanced offense will help a defense that was the NFL's worst in '09. The unit has been beefed up with tackle Ndamukong Suh, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, a trade for tackle Corey Willliams, plus the free agent acquisitions such as rush-end Kyle Vanden Bosch and cornerback Chris Houston.

"We still have a lot of questions that need to be answered," Schwartz said. "But I think we're closer to having answers to those questions."

Here's one that's probably not on the list: Are the Lions a playoff team?

Highly doubtful.

But here's another: Why discourage such talk?

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Give the folks at Top Pot Shop in suburban Seattle credit for seizing on the recent run-in with rookie wide receiver Golden Tate by kicking off a clever marketing strategy.

Tate, the second-round draft pick from Notre Dame, apparently was drunk when cited for trespassing earlier this month for wandering into the local pastry shop -- the door was still open after 3 a.m. closing, with workers cleaning up -- that is located in the same building Tate lives. After apologizing for the incident, Tate called the Top Pot fare "irresistible," adding, "if you ever want some maple bars, that's the place to go."

Top Pot now has a new ad campaign: "Irresistible ... but please wait until we're open."

Good stuff. The slogan and the maple bars, apparently.

QUICK SLANTS

• The one-year, $3.8 million contract Marc Bulger signed Thursday with Baltimore will pay the former St. Louis Rams quarterback more than Ravens starter Joe Flacco, who is set to earn $2.66 million in 2010. It's even more than the base salaries -- $2.78 million, then $3.11 million -- Flacco is due for the '11 and '12 seasons, respectively. Anyone else (besides Flacco and his agent) think those numbers aren't fair?

• Lovie Smith has plenty on his mind with his own Chicago team, but the Bears coach -- facing win-or-else circumstances in 2010 -- apparently isn't satisfied with just upgrading the Windy City's gridiron group. "I'm a die-hard Bulls fan, so, of course, I want LeBron here," Smith said. "We need another major franchise-type player like LeBron." King James, by the way, was a superstar wide receiver at his high school in Akron, Ohio. Bears could use one of those, too.

• Albert Haynesworth's ex-wife is suing him over failure to meet child-support payments. You wouldn't believe the accusations Stephanie Haynesworth is making, either. "He thinks he's above everything," she told the Associated Press. "He feels he's entitled. He's narcissistic. It's very frustrating to go to someone constantly and ask them repetitively to do things they're already supposed to do." Noooooo! It can't be! Not Fat Albert!

• The release of the annual Madden video game each August get players fired up -- something else to do during training camp. Here's what Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch, who wants a trade, told ESPN.com about his anticipation for Madden 11. "I'm excited to see what the Jets are going to do," Lynch said about the Bills' AFC rival. "Now, that's a team that I'm going to pick and play with on Madden. That's real talk." Real aggravating talk, if you're in Bills management.

• Mark Brunell was paid more than $50 million over the last 10 years, the bulk of that money coming from the contracts and bonuses shelled out by Jacksonville and Washington. This week, Brunell filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid lawsuits over failed real estate and business loans.

• Fans in Dallas are complaining that the pants in the Cowboys' uniforms, a mixture of blue, gray and silver, appear green on HDTV, according Bill Priakos, the club's vice president of merchandising. The Dallas Observer reported this week the Cowboys are considering "updating" the team's uniform and colors. Such tweaks are always good for sales, by the way. Not that that would be a factor for Jerry Jones.

• Former Philadelphia tailback Brian Westbrook remains unsigned. The NFL Network reported "more teams" joined Denver, St. Louis and Washington in seeking the services of a player who -- at least, two concussions ago -- may have been the best all-purpose back in the game.

• Arizona offensive guard Deuce Lutui reportedly weighs 396 pounds. Yes, even without the four more pounds, they're already calling him the "Double-Deuce" of the desert.