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| Leon Halip - Dominic Raiola |
Allen Park — Titus Young sat on a stool in front of his locker wearing a black stocking cap and oversized dark sunglasses.
His message was clear. He wasn't about to reveal anything about his latest transgression, about being sent away from the practice facility for the second time this season or about getting back in good graces with the team.
Here was the entire interview:
Q. What can you tells us about your dismissal from the team this past week?
A. What happens in-house stays in-house.
Q. Are you disappointed that you've been dismissed twice in the last six months?
A. Well, I just made my comment on that whole situation.
Q. How do you feel like you have progressed this week?
A. Well …
Q. Do you expect to be in the plans on Sunday?
A. It's all in God's hands.
Q. Coach (Jim Schwartz) said you have to be more accountable and you have to grow up. Do you think what you are doing now is part of that?
A. You have to talk to coach about that.
Q. What would you say to Lions fans who wonder why they should trust
you won't do it again?
you won't do it again?A. Well, I am not here to talk about the past.
Q. Do you understand people's curiosity in what goes on with Titus Young and the Lions?
A. (No response.)
Q. Are you disappointed in yourself?
A. I am not here to comment about the past.
Anybody who expected contrition and a vow of better days ahead from Young came away disappointed. Even though Young has been back at practice the last three days, he still appears very much on an island.
It is doubtful he will be in the mix against Indianapolis Sunday, though Schwartz has not closed that door. And it is become more and more clear that his days with this franchise are numbered.
Center Dominic Raiola, one of the offensive leaders, expressed the team's exasperation with Young's antics.
"It's not a distraction because we have moved on from him," Raiola said. "If he wants to be an a------, let him be an a------. It's not my problem. What we can control is the guys who want to be here. I want people who want to be here and I think everybody else wants the same thing.
"If you don't want to be here, then leave."
Raiola and other players who were asked about Young don't fully understand what he's upset about. And Young obviously isn't sharing that information.
"I don't know; I have no idea," Raiola said. "He could have it made here."
Young has, since he was drafted in 2011, has chafed about his role on the team, even as a rookie. He hated being the third receiver and he apparently hasn't been any happier as the No. 2 receiver behind All-Pro Calvin Johnson.
He was benched late in the game against Green Bay for being a distraction. He was lining up in the wrong spots, apparently intentionally. He was running wrong routes, sulking and not running hard at times.
He was also being mouthy and petulant in the huddle and on the sideline.
For that he was sent home for a week and deactivated for the game Thursday against Houston.
"The more we think about it, the more we talk about it, that's what holds this team back," Raiola said. "We don't talk about it, we don't think about it, you know, we have a good group on offense. Don't be an a------. Don't be a jerk. Just go with the flow."
Raiola pointed toward Young's locker, which is located between Nate Burleson's and Johnson's.
"We've got the best player in the world over there (Johnson)," Raiola said. "He should look no further than that to know how to act. If you are going to act like that, you are done."
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121130/SPORTS0101/211300452#ixzz2Dk0edSB5
