Maybe new head coach Dan Campbell isn’t the man’s man, kneecap biting, blue-collar tough guy he portrayed himself to be last week during his introductory press conference with the Detroit Lions.
Campbell had the Lions getting punched in the face but smiling, knocked down and getting back up, biting kneecaps only to fall back down again after two more punches. Get back up, three more punches, fall back down, another kneecap gnaw and the Lions are on their way back up.
But during a recent episode of FOX Sports Radio’s Up On Game featuring LaVar Arrington, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Plaxico Burress, the former NFL stars seemed to think Campbell’s coachspeak was a little over the top.
“I used to beat the hell out of Dan Campbell,” Arrington said. “I used to bodyslam, suplex, headlock and DDT Dan Campbell’s little weak tail at tight end every time we played Dallas!”
Michigan State alum Plaxico Burress wasn’t sure Campbell offered an accurate description of Detroit’s identity.
“I don’t know anybody from Detroit, that you can walk up to and punch them in the teeth and they’re gonna smile.” Burress said. “You are not taking on the personality of the city getting punched in the teeth and smiling.”
Hopefully for Detroit, Campbell’s coachspeak resonated better with Lions players than it did Houshmandzadeh, Burress and Arrington.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
