What player from 1995 do you want now?

**KleShreen** · 01-05-2012, 12:59 AM

1995 was the last time the Lions won 10 games in a single season. From that team, what player, outside of Barry who would be the obvious pick, do you wish this year's Lions team had?

For me I think the 3 viable options would be Herman Moore, Lomas Brown or Bennie Blades. I think in the end I would say I wish this year's team had Bennie Blades.

**hail2mich** · 01-05-2012, 01:03 AM

Jason Hanson

To be serious, probably Spielman

**Gehringer_2** · 01-05-2012, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

1995 was the last time the Lions won 10 games in a single season. From that team, what player, outside of Barry who would be the obvious pick, do you wish this year's Lions team had?

For me I think the 3 viable options would be Herman Moore, Lomas Brown or Bennie Blades. I think in the end I would say I wish this year's team had Bennie Blades.

Lomas without a doubt. Just thinking about having Lomas on this team makes my football heart ache like a schoolboy with a crush on the girl next door.

**treyKemper** · 01-05-2012, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

1995 was the last time the Lions won 10 games in a single season. From that team, what player, outside of Barry who would be the obvious pick, do you wish this year's Lions team had?

For me I think the 3 viable options would be Herman Moore, Lomas Brown or Bennie Blades. I think in the end I would say I wish this year's team had Bennie Blades.

With only seeing the headline those were the first three I thought of!

**Hongbit** · 01-05-2012, 01:11 AM

Kevin Glover was a 4 time all-pro center. Everything about the OL would improve dramatically with him in place of Raiola. He's one of the most underrated players in Lions recent history.

**treyKemper** · 01-05-2012, 01:12 AM

I should add, I didn't even think of Barry! Only Lomas, Herman and Bennie, for some reason.

**Nastradamus** · 01-05-2012, 01:28 AM

Putting Herman opposite Calvin would be sweet, but I'd probably end up taking Blades. He can fill the gaps that guys like Spievey are prone to miss and help out in coverage too.

**EatEmUpTigers711** · 01-05-2012, 01:35 AM

With our current team, I'd probably go with either Lomas or Glover. Between those two, I think Lomas would help the team more, so he'd probably edge out Glover IMO.

**Motor City Sonics** · 01-05-2012, 01:36 AM

Kevin Glover for functionality, but could you imagine having Barry Sanders - even with that bad O-Line? WOW

**cruzer1** · 01-05-2012, 05:55 AM

Herman Moore. Lomas Brown would be right behind.

**RedRamage** · 01-05-2012, 09:13 AM

I'm glad you put the qualification that Barry be not included as that would make it way to easy. Otherwise, interesting topic.

I wasn't nearly the Lions fan then that I am now, so it's hard for me to remember everyone clearly. It would be very nice to have help in the secondary, but in the end I think I'd go with Glover. If that OL could be solidified and improve the run game, our offense would be virtually unstoppable.

**Motor City Sonics** · 01-05-2012, 09:26 AM

1. Kevin Glover - Dom could be his backup.
2. Bennie Blades - He put fear in receivers.
3. Lomas Brown - Lions tackles are actually decent, but Lomas was awesome
4. Chris Spielman - wasn't big, wasn't fast, but he just had a nose for the ball (probably like no one I have ever seen in a Lions uniform - late 70s til today).

**Porcelain God** · 01-05-2012, 01:11 PM

Tried to pick a CB but it looks like the Lions were built the same way in '95 as they are now (with the exception of Barry of course).

**JAYB** · 01-05-2012, 01:38 PM

**cruzer1** · 01-05-2012, 03:16 PM

Dom Raiola is better than Glover was.

**azzurri** · 01-05-2012, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by cruzer1

Dom Raiola is better than Glover was.

Glover was a 3x Pro Bowler

**John_Brian_K** · 01-05-2012, 03:45 PM

Henry Thomas

**cruzer1** · 01-05-2012, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by azzurri

Glover was a 3x Pro Bowler

So? Stafford didn't make the Pro Bowl this year. Raiola didn't have Barry Sanders running behind him.

**azzurri** · 01-05-2012, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by cruzer1

So? Stafford didn't make the Pro Bowl this year. Raiola didn't have Barry Sanders running behind him.

Yeah, but Glover averaged 8.5 wins per year while a starter for the Lions and Raiola averaged 3.9. That should count for something too. I'm not a Raiola-hater, but I remember Glover to be a pretty good player, and the coaches and opposing players put him in the Pro Bowl three straight times.

**Nastradamus** · 01-05-2012, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by azzurri

Yeah, but Glover averaged 8.5 wins per year while a starter for the Lions and Raiola averaged 3.9. That should count for something too. I'm not a Raiola-hater, but I remember Glover to be a pretty good player, and the coaches and opposing players put him in the Pro Bowl three straight times.

I don't know if Dom is better, but the reality is they are a lot closer than perception. Glover is probably over loved and Raiola under loved. He's not great, but he's right there with the Jeff Saturday, Dan Koppen types, who also can't move NTs off the ball in huge chunks(which most can't), but do all the other things a C needs to do very well. Make calls, get people lined up, get into the 2nd level, snap well, avoid missing assignments etc.

**Big Frame** · 01-05-2012, 10:33 PM

I wouldn't mind the Big Buck on the sideline. How many Lion coach's won a playoff game?

Was Mel Gray on the 95 team? Not that we need a different KR/PR guy, but an upgrade is great.

TJ · 01-05-2012, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I don't know if Dom is better, but the reality is they are a lot closer than perception. Glover is probably over loved and Raiola under loved. He's not great, but he's right there with the Jeff Saturday, Dan Koppen types, who also can't move NTs off the ball in huge chunks(which most can't), but do all the other things a C needs to do very well. Make calls, get people lined up, get into the 2nd level, snap well, avoid missing assignments etc.

Raiola constantly gets crushed/thrown around like a rag doll by opposing NTs/DTs. The biggest reason for the Lions' feeble running game is the interior of the line (i.e. Raiola and Peterman) getting steamrollled on every play. The middle of the line gets blown up before Stafford can even get hold of the snap, forcing the few running plays that actually get called to usually be deep-drop draws where the RB gets the ball 5-7 yards deep in the backfield.

Raiola is an unfortunate holdover from the days of Moronwheg/Martz and the ideal of a smurf OL stocked with 265-pounders.

So as far as who would I take from 1995 (besides Barry)?

The temptation would be to say Herman Moore, but I dunno if you can really make full use of two All-Pro level wide receivers and maximize both their value at the same time.

So I guess I would probably say Lomas Brown and then Blades, in that order. Beefing up the OL and defensive secondary is an absolute must so I guess I would attack those two areas first.

**Nastradamus** · 01-05-2012, 11:24 PM

We were 13th in YPA, the perils of our run game are greatly overstated. Best was very boom or bust and had a lot of negligible carries, but Smith and Morris, hardly pro bowlers, were able to get about 4.5 ypc behind that OL.

**jonjd** · 01-06-2012, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by cruzer1

Dom Raiola is better than Glover was.

I find this hilarious. Your statement is incorrect and you would find 99% of Lions fans who would agree with me. You have to realize that you're the only one who thinks Raiola is good on any level. I won't even bother spending time arguing this. I'm actually sitting with 3 season ticket holders now, and one of them was a former Lion who played in the mid 90's and he is floored that someone believes that Raiola is being considered in this light. His exact quote is: "Some people just don't get it and will never get it."

Also, I'm just curious: I see guys like Lee and Bill who have the "writer" tag next to their name... They write great blogs and are respected by the community for their work and analysis. Do you have a site or have you published work that is deserving of the label that this site has bestowed on you? If not, maybe the label should be removed or the whole label should be removed in general. There's a lot of intelligent writers on this site that write but haven't been considered for those particular credentials.

**jonjd** · 01-06-2012, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

but do all the other things a C needs to do very well. Make calls, get people lined up, get into the 2nd level, snap well, avoid missing assignments etc.

So like every other high school center? Don't compare Dom Raiola to every center in high school's role model, Jeff Saturday. It's unfair.

**treyKemper** · 01-06-2012, 01:16 AM

How about Cory Schlesinger? He was a rookie that year and could open some holes for the running game. AAAAND, he could actually catch a pass for a fullback!

**New_Age_X** · 01-06-2012, 01:16 AM

Man I don't know that's a hard pick. I guess if I really had to dig deep though I would go with Moore. Who needs an OL when you would have CJ and Moore to throw to. Close 2nd would have been Barry.

**RedRamage** · 01-06-2012, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by jonjd

I find this hilarious. Your statement is incorrect and you would find 99% of Lions fans who would agree with me. You have to realize that you're the only one who thinks Raiola is good on any level.

I disagree that he isn't good on any level. I've heard at various times announcers or other team mates compliment Raiola. I believe that he's an intelligent guy who knows the game well. As just one for instance... I remember a play against SD where an DL went over the line and Raiola hiked the ball immediately before the player could get back on his side of the line. That's a heads up, smart play by the center. I also think he brings some level of leadership to the team. He was the one after all who was tell hims team mates to grow up and stop acting out on the field and getting dumb penalties after the NO game.

Having said that, Raiola also have a lot of deficiencies. While I do think he is a smart player, I don't think he's a physically dominating player. He does get pushed around too much. I've read where guard have to constantly assist him because he can't hold his own against d-linemen. And while he was calling out his team mates for stupid on the field stuff, he also has his own maturity and control issues. Flipping off fans... the little scuffle in the tunnel before the SD game. How stupid is that?

Also, I'm just curious: I see guys like Lee and Bill who have the "writer" tag next to their name... They write great blogs and are respected by the community for their work and analysis. Do you have a site or have you published work that is deserving of the label that this site has bestowed on you? If not, maybe the label should be removed or the whole label should be removed in general. There's a lot of intelligent writers on this site that write but haven't been considered for those particular credentials.

This is neither the time nor place for a discussion like this jonjd. This would be a conversation that should be had with moderators, not in a public arena. You wanna bring it up with me or another moderator privately, I'll be happy to address it. But don't do in here.

**mr0zip0** · 01-06-2012, 08:26 PM

December 30th, 1995 - I was 10 months 22 days old.

nuff said.

**mr0zip0** · 01-06-2012, 08:30 PM

In regards to Raiola...

Raiola is like Scrappy Doo...He is small, he is annoying, no one likes him, no one wants him, no one understands why he is here.

But he is.

**Vonlenska** · 01-06-2012, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by mr0zip0

In regards to Raiola...

Raiola is like Scrappy Doo...He is small, he is annoying, no one likes him, no one wants him, no one understands why he is here.

But he is.

**cruzer1** · 01-06-2012, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by mr0zip0

In regards to Raiola...

Raiola is like Scrappy Doo...He is small, he is annoying, no one likes him, no one wants him, no one understands why he is here.

But he is.

Glover is smaller.

**Cylander** · 01-06-2012, 09:51 PM

Barry Sanders was not a run between the tackles runner. He was an edge rusher so it didn't matter as much if the interior line opened up running lanes like it does with the Lions other backs. Raiola gets a lot more hate than he deserves. It's hard to say Raiola shouldn't be involved with the other team in the tunnel when his head coach chases an opposing coach into the tunnel because he didn't like his handshake.

If it's assumed Sanders is on the team, I would take either Herman Moore or Robert Porcher. Benny Blades was a big hitter and into today's NFL, he would be drawing a lot of personal fouls which is something the Lions don't need. Moore and Johnson would just be nasty, especially in the red zone. Although some people feel Porcher is overrated, I feel he is still a better pass rusher than Vanden Bosch.