9:33p    Closing out today’s blog due to hunger pangs and a desire to shower. I’m greatly looking forward to Valenti’s thoughts on the Lions on Monday. I’ll be shooting video for it for Ticket Tube. It may be the first time in recorded video history we watch a category 5 meltdown. If nothing else, I’ll post a new phatty of the day.

The stunned silence of the Lions pick at #20 from Karsch, Gator, Dan Miller and Brandy is something that will stick with me for a long time. Those guys did a great job today. Excellent observation by Gator about Tony Gonzales being traded to ATL for a 2nd round pick while the Lions pick a newbie in the first round. It seems out of everyone on the air today for The Ticket that Caputo was the most optimistic one. Imagine that.

I’m looking forward to Kiper vs McShay in the blogs and to seeing the meaningless draft grades. While it seemed Steve Young was hyper-critical of the Lions, the rest of the staff on the TV end just seemed to shrug off the Lions picks. Rachel Nichols and Matthew Stafford could be legally married in some states based on the amount of face time they showed of those two on the television coverage from pre-draft interviews.

It’s disconcerting as a Lions fan to hear the first words out of Stafford’s mouth on our station were praising his agent for his deal. Good for you, man. Good for you. Let’s hope the draft strategy of the Lions of building from the outside-in pays huge dividends.

8:19p   Our friend Drew Sharp isn’t a fan of how the Lions draft is going so far either.

I asked some of our hosts about a best-case scenario win total for the Lions for 2009. Here are the responses:

Gator: 5
Ortiz: 5
Caputo: 6
Fithian: 6 (max)
Riger: 4
Karsch: If they get 4 starters on D in draft, sky’s the limit

 7:39p    6 Receivers came off the boards in Round 1. Matt Millen is laughing somewhere.

The Lions pass on Brown and Maualuga at #33 and take Safety Delmas from Western Michigan. They must of really saw something they disliked in Laurinaitus, Maualuga and Brown. Who is going to play ILB for the Lions? Kiper really seems to like Delmas and claimed the Lions need talent all over the place while Steve Young seems perturbed the Lions ignored Maualuga completely. Fans aren’t going to like this but the Lions are seemingly playing a salary cap game with #20 and #33. It’ll be a lot cheaper to sign a TE and S with those picks than a DE or MLB.

7:00p     I’m still stunned the Lions didn’t even try to trade down from #20 for Pettigrew. I’m even more stunned they may still have a shot at Maualuga and Brown.

The Colts must have zero faith in Mike Hart coming back.

6:35p    Reaction to #20 pick from listeners: “2nd worst pick Lions have ever made outside of Matt Stafford”, “blown away”, “every shred of credibility Mayhew had evaporated with that pick”, “stunned”, “just like Matt Millen if not worse”.

Great Point by Gator. The greatest TE in pro football (Gonzales) was just traded for a 2nd round pick and the Lions just drafted a TE at #1.

6:20p   Eagles are getting slammed for moving up.

Lions put their pick way too early! I guess they weren’t even trying to trade down. Steve Young is begging for an OT.

Pettigrew?! Even Jim Brandstatter is having a tough time defending this pick.  Please keep all sharp objects away from Doug Karsch and Jason Muhme.

So far, our defensive genius head coach’s team has drafted a QB and a TE.  Our newly drafted QB doesn’t have a O-line to stand behind. We’ll see who is left at #33.

Sound off. 248-539-9797.

Eagles trade up for Maclin? Maybe they thought Millen was still here. Let’s see if the Lions can trade down.

6:11p Miller, Ortiz and Karsch think the Lions could move down from #20 with so many good D players available.

Browns trade down again! Eagles move ahead of Detroit!

6:01p Maualuga, Brown, Ayers or Jerry? Peoples choice is Rey Rey!

5:51p   Does the rest of the NFL know something about Rey Maualuga that we don’t? I can’t believe the Chargers didn’t take him. Obviously the Bolts are worried about Merriman with their Larry English pick.