Although Detroit Lions tickets have not been a hot item in Detroit in recent years due to the team's struggles and the success of the other area professional teams, the Lions appear to be headed for a renaissance. The team made several moves over the past offseason that will most likely pay dividends in the years to come, and we'll examine each of them below.



A New Head Coach

The Lions have been known in recent years as a team that's basically soft. A team's on-field identity starts with its coach, and the two most recent non-interim coaches, Marty Morningweg and Steve Mariucci, were known as "players" coaches who were rumored to have created a "country club" atmosphere for the team. Considering the fact that this has been a young team on average, that's not a good environment for learning how to win.

That all changed with the hiring of Rod Marinelli, late of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Marinelli is known as a detail-oriented disciplinarian, and that approach has already had a profound effect on the team. It's always a good sign when players grumble after the first few practices, and that's exactly what happened in Detroit during training camp. This team needed to be whipped into shape, and the players who grew accustomed to the laid-back approach and didn't want to adjust are no longer around. Marinelli's team is going to play hard, and they're going to play physical, tough football.

Trimming the Fat

The maligned Matt Millen has been filling the roster with "name" players in the draft over the past few years, and these players tended to get the star treatment upon their arrival. When Marinelli arrived, he immediately began to clean house, and underachievers such as Charles Rogers and Joey Harrington were sent packing almost immediately.

This not only rid the team of malcontents who had worn out their welcome with management and the fans, but sent a strong message that those types of antics would no longer be tolerated. Harrington and Rogers were replaced with known worker-bees such as Jon Kitna and Scotty Vines, and although they may not have as much pure physical talent as their predecessors, their diligence and discipline appears to be rubbing off on most of the other players who remain. The message is clear - work hard or work somewhere else. Accountability appears to be back in style in Motown, and that'll please long-suffering Detroit Lions tickets holders as much as any victory.

New Tactical Approaches

Marinelli also hired well as he filled out his staff. On defense, he brought in Defensive Coordinator Donnie Henderson to teach the disciplined, physical "Tampa Bay" defense, which puts an emphasis on proper positioning, speed and vicious hitting. The read-and-react defense of the past is history, and the Lions have athletes all over the field to make sure this style punishes teams every week.

On offense, Marinelli brought in "Mad Scientist" Mike Martz, late of the Rams. Martz is known not only for scoring a lot of points with his offensive attacks, but he's also molded several quarterbacks into top-level players. Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger are just the latest examples, and Kitna stands to gain quite a bit by learning from Martz. Kevin Jones has the skills to be a Marshall Faulk-type RB, and the Lions figure to scare opposing defenses for the first time in years.

All in all, the Lions appear to finally be headed in the right direction after years of appearing to have no direction at all. Therefore, get your Detroit Lions tickets now, as they're going to be hard to find after the team starts to win with regularity.