Links

You wouldn't be reading this without the help, support, encouragement, and linkage from my fellow Lions bloggers, so check them out (in no particular order):

• Mlive.com - The home of the late, great Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski, MLive.com stalwarts Phil Zaroo and Justin Rogers are working hard to maintain Killer's mix of news, informed analysis and fan interaction. I contribute every-other-weekday "Detroit Lions Links" posts that scour the best of the Lions-y Internets.
• Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report - Mike is a PFWA credentialed writer--but he's built up his audience through the grassroots, blogging about the Lions draft and the Lions while freelancing about the NFL. He's a very bright, ballsy guy, a happily committed family man, like me. He's worked his way up to NFL Associate Editor at B/R, where he edits the work of NFL Featured Columnists, like me.
• ESPN.com NFC North Blog - Kevin Seifert at  is technically an “NFC North” blogger. However, he not only has the regional knowledge of being a Vikings beat for years, has the sources and resources of the Worldwide Leader at his fingertips, he takes the time to do a genuinely awesome job with his Lions analysis. He also did me the amazing favor of writing about, and linking to, a TLIW post.  
• Pride of Detroit - Sean Yuille, along with some others, keep this excellent blog up-to-the-second with all the lastest news, and original analysis thereof. In my early days, I tried to keep pace with him on that stuff--it only took a couple of weeks before I realized I was just parroting him and knocked it off. More than that, though, I admire the way Sean has built a massive community; plenty of people write their own mini-blogs and one-shot posts under the umbrella of PoD.  Check out user "DrewsLions" while you're there.
• SideLion Report - Run by generally excellent dude Zac Snyder, and contributed to by several compatriots thereof, the SideLion Report is a very solid blog, with well-reasoned opinions and a frequent update schedule. SLR awesome maintans a page called "The Lion's Heart", with contact info for local Detroit charities and organizations. That's just awesome.  
• Armchair Linebacker is a team blog, with writers for many NFL squads--but the man who runs the joint is Neil: a Lions man to the bitter, profane end. Neil and I are two sides of the same coin: I soar through my blue-sky optimism on patched and tattered wings, while he trudges through the marshes of the river Styx, protecting his blue-flamed candle from the muck and the mire.
• Holy Schwartz! - This is the work of  Nate Washuta, a reader and commenter here who exploded into the Lions blogosphere this season with some incredible analysis work. Check it out.
• The Wayne Fontes Experience - Big Al Beaton, and his podcasting partner, journalist and blogger Greg Eno, put up some of the funniest, spot-on Lions analysis you'll see.  Their weekly Blog Talk Radio show/podcast, “The Knee Jerks”, is a whole lot of good talk, good interviews, and just plain good stuff on all the Detroit pro teams.  Big Al is a very smart, very funny guy who is unafraid to drop Star Trek, Life is Hell, Invader Zim, or The Three Stooges screenshots into his work—sometimes, all in the same post!  Greg's an outstanding freelance journalist who maintains several quality blogs, of sports and non-sports varieties. 
• Roar of the Lions - DetroitFan1979 started the way I did: with nothing but will and a Blogspot account. He’s knowledgeable and analytical—yet, he writes with personality and passion, much as I do. As a fellow young father of multiple kids, he and I both experienced the great joys of mixing family and fandom. DF79 and I share a love of coffee, and we’ve even been lucky enough to share Lions talk over lattes at our mutual favorite establishment.  DF79 also took over the Lions Congregation roundtable feature (to which I occasionally contribute), when The Church of Schwartz went offline.

I could go on and on; I know there are literally dozens of other Lions blogs out there.  These are some of the best and brightest, though--and they're all folks who've either been an inspiration, a direct help to me, or both.
 Beyond the blogs, of course, there are the forums--the Lions fan communities who help keep us all connected:

• The Den - Offical Lions forums of Scout.com, the Den is an extremely vibrant community with a ton of active members, and some really cool posters. EVERYTHING gets posted here, and dissected from every angle, within minutes.
• Lions Red Zone - Much less traffic than The Den, but the posters are rabid and outstanding. Lots of no-holds-barred fandom! One of my favorite communities.
• Lionbacker - Lionbacker has a nice community and a great signal/noise ratio.
•  The Lions Fanatics - An old favorite of mine, TLF is no more.  I'm leaving the link up here just for old times' sake.

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