Detroit Lions embrace Jim Caldwell’s attitude
By Cory Buck
The Detroit Lions have struggled to find an identity over the last five years. Despite a smattering of top end talent, they’d largely been their own worst enemy under former coach Jim Schwartz.
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Now with new coach Jim Caldwell leading the way, it appears the Lions may be poised to benefit from a change in direction and leadership that sharply contrasts its predecessors. Based on early interviews, Caldwell’s first impression seems to have stuck with Lions players.
“I love it. He’s obviously won two Super Bowls — he’s been to three — so you have to respect him and the mentality he brings to our team,” Reggie Bush said via The Detroit News. “He’s very laid back and chill, but the approach and mentality that he brings is all about championships,” Bush said. “Approaching the game, approaching practice, approaching studying film, whatever it is, just walking, talking, acting like champions and starting right now.”
At the very least, it was hard to properly evaluate Caldwell in his first year run to the 2009 Super Bowl when everyone knew those Colts were Peyton Manning’s team. Everything after that year got progressively worse, which makes things even murkier.
Still, with a team that clearly requires direction, it’s not unreasonable to think that Jim Caldwell can’t turn things around with a level-headed, respectful approach that maybe this group requires.