Lake Ready to Get to Work

On the defensive side of the ball, Jimmy Lake has quietly entered the role of defensive backs coach.

This may be a more significant move than fans realize as Lake has spent the past two seasons in Tampa Bay as the assistant defensive backs coach. Lake brings something to the staff in much the same way Joe Barry did in 2007. He has a vast knowledge and passion for the Tampa 2 system and is looking forward to getting his new crop of players on the field.

“The first thing you will see – especially on the practice field – is he brings energy,” said Barry. “He’s a ball of fire. I’d say that’s the first thing he brings. The second thing he brings is knowledge in the system. I think those two things are invaluable, especially when you teach and preach and believe in a system.

“I think this guy is a future star in this league as a coach. He’ll be a great position coach (and) he’ll be a coordinator down the road.”

Since Marinelli’s hiring in 2006, the Lions’ secondary – particularly the cornerbacks – has been openly ridiculed as not having enough talent to help this team to a playoff berth. Fans have scoffed at the idea of “non-talented issues” as the local media has screamed for more “raw talent.”

A lot of time it’s technique and that’s what we’re really going to focus on in the offseason,” said Lake of his new crop of players in Detroit. (Photo by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

But Lake believes that he can garner increasingly better performances out of the players the Lions currently have on their roster without adding any additional talent.

Full Story: Fine-Tuning with Technique - [DetroitLions.com]

Tomlin Benefits from Experience

Almost two months removed from his first season as an NFL head coach, Mike Tomlin looked refreshed. Read more

Hernando Throws Bash for Dockery

Hernando celebrated a favorite son Saturday with “Kevin Dockery Day” as hundreds of residents young and old turned out to cheer the cornerback of the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants at a parade and reception. Read more

2008 Draft Training

Goal Line’s 2008 draft class training at Velocity Sports Performance. Read more

The House Loses on the Super Bowl

The New York Giants’ surprise Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots cost Nevada bookmakers a record $2.6 million, the first time the books lost money on the National Football League championship game since 1995. Read more

Dockery hopes to help Giants at Super Bowl

Former Mississippi State player Kevin Dockery is trying to do his best not to let this opportunity pass.

The defensive back for the New York Giants has been recovering from a hip flexor injury he suffered during the season and was aggravated against Tampa Bay in the playoffs.

In the meantime, his teammates have enjoyed an incredible run that has led them right into Super Bowl XLII Sunday against the New England Patriots. Kickoff is set for 5:17 p.m. in Glendale, Arizona.

Dockery has been working to get back in shape so he can play in the Super Bowl.

“I’ve just been rehabbing day-to-day the last couple of weeks and trying to get back on the field,” Dockery said by phone from Glendale.

Dockery did not want to discuss much of the details surrounding the injury, but declared he will be ready to play and won’t be rusty if the coaches call upon him.

“Yeah, I’ll be good,” Dockery said. “I’ll definitely be ready.”

Full Story: Dockery hopes to help Giants at Super Bowl - [Commercial Dispatch]

Related: Mistake to count Dockery out of it - [Clarion Ledger]

Is There a Draft in Here…

The NFL Draft is a little over two months away. Here are some of the players of Goal Line’s to keep an eye on come draft day. Read more

Jenkins tries to put injuries behind him

Nobody was looking forward to the Green Bay Packers’ first-round playoff bye more than defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. And when you get a load of the laundry list of injuries he’s been playing with all season, you understand why.

“I’ve had that ankle from last year that still bothers me,” Jenkins said, preparing to give the rundown before the players began their four-day postseason break, with practice resuming Friday. “Then I sprained both ankles. Both knees. Pulled a muscle in my side. Messed up both wrists. Oh yeah, my shoulder. Actually, I did both shoulders. I stung my neck on one side.”

Then, he forced a smile. “And on top of that,” he said, “little nicks and bruises and stuff like that.”

But more painful than any of his injuries to the uber-conscientious Jenkins is the fact he hasn’t lived up to the four-year, $16 million extension he received as a restricted free agent this offseason.

Having entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and lived a paycheck-to-paycheck — when he was actually receiving one and wasn’t unemployed, working as a landscaper, that is — NFL existence his first three years as a pro, he desperately wanted to prove he was worth the money after becoming a starter late last season and recording a career-high 6½ sacks despite missing two games with the aforementioned ankle injury.

Full Story: Jenkins tries to put injuries behind him - [Chippewa.com]