Will we see the return of Darius Slay to Detroit?
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We got Darius Slade talk, mock draft Monday, and a Lions season ticket holder is no more. You are Locked On Lions, your daily Detroit Lions podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

Hey, it's a Monday edition, everybody. A Locked On Lions, Locked On podcast. Network your team every day. Matt Derry with you on a Monday, March 3rd into Tuesday, March 4th. Thanks for making us your first listen, checking us out wherever you get your podcasts. You want a combine recap? You will get it tomorrow.

Nolan Bianchi, Detroit Lions beat writer for the Detroit News, who was in Indianapolis last week, will join us tomorrow. We'll recap the combine, find out who he likes for the Lions, what he's feeling for the Lions at 28, all of that tomorrow on the podcast. A lot of news over the weekend about season ticket holders who have had their tickets stripped from them, revoked, taken away, gone.

One of those said season ticket holders, Tony Stevenson, is going to join us later on the show to tell us his story. This is not good, folks. And I know it's a business, and I know that rules might have been broken in the fine print and everything else, but some good longtime Lions season ticket holders were selling their tickets on the Lions resale website, on their own website, and now they've been gone, gone zoned.

We're going to talk to Tony coming up in a little bit. Also, Darius Slay been released by the Eagles. Mock Draft Monday. All of that coming up right here today on your favorite podcast. By the way, Locked on Lions today brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. We appreciate our everydayers that are out there that watch and listen to the podcast daily.

If you want to be on the show tomorrow with our call of the day, you can do that at speakpipe.com slash dairy podcast page. Leave a message. We'll play the best one tomorrow on the program. All right. So we're going to get to all the ticket stuff in a second.

News of the day, big play Slay. Darius Slay, 34 years of age, wants to play one more year in the NFL. And to no one's surprise today, the Philadelphia Eagles released the six-time Pro Bowl cornerback. Darius was making too much money. Slay is a guy that has not been the same player the last couple of years that he was in his end with Detroit when he was a Pro Bowler, when he got to Philly.

still a very serviceable and solid veteran and says he wants to play one more year. And I know he's been interviewed by a lot of different reporters. I think Dave Burkett caught up with him at the Super Bowl and he has said it. I think he was on the St. Brown's podcast and said it. He'd love to finish his career in Detroit. Well, today it was made official. One more year left on his deal, but the Eagles are cutting him for salary cap purposes. All eyes seem to be on the Lions.

And I am all for it. I'm raising my hand right now and saying, bring big play Slay back for one last go around. And why do I say that? Number one, do I want Darius Slay back in Detroit as their number one cornerback and their top guy covering the likes of Justin Jefferson? No, I don't.

But you can never have enough corners. You can never have enough veterans to teach some of the young guys like Terryon Arnold and Ennis Raikstraw and Khalil Dorsey and young cover guys like that that the Lions have. And to me, to me, re-signing Carlton Davis is huge. I know there's been a lot of smoke about Jacksonville and the Jaguars having interest in him. But the Lions need a couple of corners, whether it's one in the draft, one in free agency. You can never collect enough of these guys.

Nothing would make me happier than seeing Kendall Vildor out and Darius Slay in as somebody that is going to be a third, fourth or fifth cornerback. Get some reps, be out there. Look, Darius Slay may pick a team that he knows he will definitely start. To me next year, if you re-up Carlton Davis, you've got Davis and you've got Arnold and you've got Amik Robertson. Those are basically your main three corners to start games.

But Darius Slade to me would be a guy that I would bring back right here, right now. I don't care about the past. I don't care about what happened with Matt Patricia. Darius loves this area, loves it. Nobody was out in the community more during those dark years under Quinn Trisha than Darius Slade.

Guy was pulling up to U of D Jesuit high school games by himself and sitting with the students and cheering on the players. He was great around here. And Detroit is his second home. And he's still got a little juice left. Still got a little gas left in the tank. Guy just won a Super Bowl in Philly. Again, not a number one guy anymore, but still a quality veteran to have in the rotation.

So I am all for Darius Slay being a part of this team next year. Absolutely. I think it'd be great. And I think it might happen. I really do. We like to do this each and every Monday during draft season before or after the Super Bowl and before the draft. We've got a few more weeks or a month and a half until the draft. It is time for Mock Draft Monday, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we take you to Yahoo Sports.

mock draft this is the mock draft 6.0 post combine update written by nate tice and charles mcdonald the yahoo sports draft gurus we always give you the top five before we get to the lions they've got tennessee taking cam ward the quarterback from miami all the talk seems to be that ward is going to go first before shador sanders and may just go number one to tennessee

Number two, Browns, Abdul Carter, the edge from Penn State. Number three, Giants, Travis Hunter from Colorado. Raiders moving up to four in this mock and making a deal with New England to go get Shadur Sanders, the quarterback from Colorado. And then Jacksonville at five would get Mason Graham, the defensive lineman from Michigan. Mike Green, by the way, who I love for the Lions, would be gone in this mock draft at number 11 to San Francisco.

Shamar Stewart would be gone at number 16 to Arizona. If we're looking at edge rushers and everything else for the Lions. But Detroit at number 28 in this mock draft would be taking the edge rusher from Ohio State. No, not that edge rusher, but the other one, JT Tua Molo Au.

You all know number 44, JT from Ohio State. This kid was flying around the field the last couple of years. They write, quote, there's something about the pairing of JT and Aiden Hutchinson that I like. He is a strong pocket pusher who is effective against the run and pass. He isn't always the sexiest player, but his strength combined with Hutchinson's quickness and Lee McNeil on the inside would be a nightmare in the pocket for quarterbacks to navigate, end quote.

I'm looking in this mock draft and I don't see JT's former teammate going here, Jack Sawyer. So you'd be taking Tuamolo Au over Sawyer in this mock draft. Interesting. Both guys can really rush the passer. Both guys can get around the edge. Sawyer's a little bit better against the run.

But this is where the Lions are going in this mock draft. Look, we've talked about it. It seems like we do this every Monday when we do the mock draft Monday. Yes, indeed. This team needs edge rushing help. This team needs to get to the quarterback.

There's a lot of good players that are gone before 28. Kenneth grants of the world, a defensive lineman. I'd love for the lions to get more of an interior guy. Jihad Campbell, who some people think can do everything at linebacker for Alabama play outside, play inside. Um, JT 44, as I like to call him from Ohio state. Um, great motor, unbelievable motor at OSU. Like I said before, a little bit undersized, but a guy that, uh,

can definitely get to the quarterback. So interesting choice for this mock draft for Detroit, not Jack Sawyer, but JT instead from Ohio State Sawyer's teammate. All right, coming up next, Tony Stevenson, 26 years as a Lions season ticket holder. He sold a lot of his tickets this year because he lives in Oregon on the Lions website into the marketplace. And they sent him an email in February and told him you're done.

They didn't like his ticket activity, and they're revoking his season tickets after 26 years. We will talk to him about this coming up next.

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As promised, folks, I wanted to touch on this subject, which came to light over the weekend. If you saw the report on Channel 7 as well, Tony Stevenson is our guest. 26-year Lions season ticket holder. No more. The team has taken away his tickets. He's out in Oregon. Did not get a chance to come back for a lot of games this year. Did some reselling of his tickets. And now they've written him a letter or an email and told him it's done. Tony joins us now. How are you, brother? I'm good, Matt. Thank you for having me.

So the email read, quote, to protect the integrity of our tickets and to do our best to serve our fans, the Detroit Lions conduct an annual review of our Lions loyal member accounts. Our internal review of your account activity indicates a level of resales and or transfer activity inconsistent with personal use or

of your Detroit Lions game tickets. And we have made the decision not to renew your season ticket membership for the 2025 season. Detroit Lions season ticket memberships are a revocable license subject to the Detroit Lions ticketing policies. End quote. What was your reaction when you got this email?

Well, oddly, I received the email on the 18th, and then the following Monday, a friend called me. They'd already taken a couple payments for this season. And a friend called and was like, hey, did you lose your season tickets? I'm like, no. No, they've already taken payments. So as we're talking about other things, how we're doing and such, I was checking my email. I'm like, oh, no. Oh, no, there's an email there telling me I lost them. So wait, so you got this email on February 18th?

On February 18th, yes. Okay. And so... Everybody got it on that day. I think everybody who lost them, anyway. So your friend lost them, too? My friend and a lot of other season ticket holders lost them. Anybody else who was, I guess, had the same common denominator. Wow. Okay. So, I mean, obviously, Channel 7 highlighted a couple of people. So...

First of all, like no phone call, no nothing. Like were you stunned? Well, I wasn't taken totally off guard. This has been information. They sent something out to us many, many years ago. And it was back when, well, we weren't sold out on season tickets and stuff. And I'm like, well, all right. I'm in Detroit. So I just sort of went right past it at that time. So I was aware it could happen.

But once they took my payments, I'm like, well, I guess it's not happening. Right. And then then it did this last year. I just didn't have enough time to get back to Detroit. And part of my bucket list is to hit every away stadium. And I and I still got about I had about 12 to go. So I had to I did go to a few road games this last year.

Tony Stevenson is with us. So you are in Oregon. You've been out there for three years, right? Lake Orion native. And so you kept your season tickets. Take me through that story of your thinking of keeping the tickets and how many games have you been to the last couple of years? In 2022, I went to three games. Last year, I also, I'm sorry, 2023, I also went to three games, including a playoff game. And then just this very last year, I only went to one game.

At Ford Field? At Ford Field, yeah. So what were you doing with the tickets? I was, I gave a few of the games away and I sold the rest. Okay. And where were you selling them? Right through the Lions site, which is ticket-gaming. Through the Lions site? Yeah. So...

So I wasn't particularly hiding it. Right. Right. I wasn't going out on trying to sell them for cash or anything like that. Okay. So you're selling them on the Lions website, the resale site. Yes. And, but, okay. And you have a ticket wrap, I'm assuming? No, no. When you have season tickets, you can log in and then just sell and it takes you over to Ticketmaster or a sub account of Ticketmaster. Then you lay the price out and

away they go. Right. But I'm saying, have you had a ticket rep in the past that has called and said, Hey Tony, there, do you want to buy some extra playoff tickets or, Hey Tony, how you doing? Just to check in with you. Somebody that is your, your contact. A lot of these teams in all sports have, have the reps. You don't have anybody that you deal with directly with the team. Yeah. I have my own assigned rep. Yeah. Okay. And you hadn't, you did not hear from that person throughout this process at all. No, I touched base with him on, um,

late in the year, not relative to any of this, just relative to something else. Gotcha. Now, you know what I'm going to ask you next? The fine print, Tony Wright says in your season ticket agreement, I'm assuming that you're not supposed to do this, correct? Is that why they're...

oh i don't i don't read the fine print but i did i didn't know that if i if i sold more than half i could be subject to this event could be so it didn't when he called me it didn't floor me you know and again when i was waiting to see if they took a payment out because i i knew i'd sold more than i had in the past haven't gone to three games the previous two years and they said nothing um

I knew I pushed it past that number. I just couldn't make it back. But I did give a couple of games away. Gotcha. Tony, you just said someone called you. Did you talk to somebody live? Since this happened? Yes. Or at all? Yes. I've talked to my ticket rep since I found out. Gotcha. So you get the email on the 18th, you call the rep, and what was said in that conversation?

It was pretty basic conversation that I sort of explained to my case. I said, you know, I've been a ticket for an awful lot of years. None of these things ever came up when you couldn't give tickets away and you're putting out a bad product. But, you know, this year I pushed it past the line and I don't, I don't get, I was just looking for some consideration for the amount of years I put in. And I've got, I don't intend to stay in Oregon. I didn't intend to be here this long. So I, my wife and I wanted to hang on to them. So I,

When we moved back to Detroit, I didn't have to get back in the front of the line or back behind everyone else. So when I talked to him, I tried to express that, that I don't intend on being here forever, nor am I a broker or anything along those lines, which is kind of how that note read, in my opinion. So then he said he would take everything I have into account and run it up, but it really didn't look good. And you haven't heard from him since? No, he said it might be a week.

I don't expect them to come back. And I'm almost at a point where I don't really care what he comes back with because I've sort of got resolute to the fact. Well, I think this is completely unfair. I saw your story, like I said, on Seven. Appreciate it. I reached out to you. You got right back to me. You said you listen and you've seen the show, which we appreciate. But it just...

It makes no sense that if they don't like your activity and you've been there 26 years and you moved out of state for a couple of years, not like you've been in Oregon for 10 years, you've been there for three years, that you're right. A little bit of a warning of, hey, Tony, you got to cut this out, I think would have been a nice gesture. Do you agree? I agree. I agree. Could have been a little more hands-on. Yeah. I mean...

And the lions are, it's their own site. They're, they're inviting fans on their own website to sell the tickets. I'm not saying I know what the fine print says and they don't want you doing that, but they're in bed with the ticket brokers too. And you're not one of them. You're just a fan that is out of state right now. I,

I just, I think it's unacceptable. I feel for you, man. I really do. Well, thanks, man. That's kind of my angst too. I mean, I don't see these tickets going to someone in line. I see them going to someone who's demanding more tickets, being a broker or sponsor or something like that. I just, they had to make a clearing in my, it's just only my opinion. Yeah. And through conversations that I've had with various people that it's not just to get someone else in line. I mean, in reality, I,

And then I start to look at it like, hey, I take the risk when I buy these tickets. I give you my, in this case, $4,600 and you're whole. Lion's your whole. You got what you wanted for those tickets and you're whole. Now, God forbid, Goff breaks his leg and the Lions take into a tailspin.

The bandwagon is going to, it's not going to be as full as it was granted. I think the team's really good and they got a lot, they can hold on a lot of things, but you know, as well as I, if they stop losing the apathy is going to just, it's, it's going to be again, I'm just saying it's, that's my risk.

Are you, so are you done with this organization? Are you still going to loot? What, what, how are you feeling about the lions right now? Cause it's obviously not the play. Jameer Gibbs, Jared Goff, and Amon Ross St. Brown are taking your tickets away, but still I could see how hurt you might be. I'm just a little miffed at the organization. I just, you know, even though as good as you're doing, you still find a way to let me down a little bit. I was really mad for a minute. I look, I look applying stuff every day, see where the team's going. And,

I'm listening to their podcasts, try to try to get down all granule. I went a whole week. I'm just like, I have no interest in this right now. I'm just kind of angry. But I know I've been a fan since I can remember way back when I was 15 and started going to games there. So I'm sure I'll still be. I don't think I won't be a fan. I'm just a little I was a little bitter and I'm getting a little better.

They always get you back, Matt. Well, I hope, Tony, that somehow your phone rings and...

They give you your tickets back. You've had them for 26 years. You made a mistake, I guess. You did make a mistake because that's what the rules said. But again, nobody reads the fine print and you're out of the state. You're living in Oregon. It's not like you're in Indiana or Ohio and you can drive up. What's the closest airport to you? Where are you? Berrien, Oregon? Or no, Berrien's the name of the company. Where in Oregon are you? I'm just south of Portland.

Okay. All right. So, but you're, it's not like you can just drive back. My parents still are still alive and I do get back to see them, you know, all scores of friends. I grew up my whole life there until I moved out here. So one thing too, you know, if I could go just a little bit further, please have an ownership of the tickets. You know, you, I have family members and friends who have wanted them, right. So they knew I move out. Hey, if you don't want to get rid of them, let me know.

And then they'll just, I can transfer them into their name or whatever. And it's not to make a profit on that. It's just like, okay, you want good seats. You don't want to start off in the third level here or with poor seats. But I didn't, if they'd give me that warning and I talked, told my ticket guy, I'm like, you know, maybe we've had that conversation. I might've tried to work them out, but I don't have ownership of them anymore. So it's like, well, kind of failed on that one too, I guess.

Well, Tony, like I said, I hope somehow your phone rings and there's some reconsideration or like you said, maybe an opportunity for you to say, hey, listen, we're still taking them from you, but we're going to let you give them to your parents or your family or somebody. But thanks for taking the time, my friend, and we're rooting for you and everybody else that maybe kind of got hosed on this. Yeah. Thanks a lot, Matt. I really enjoy your work.

Thank you, brother. There is Tony Stevenson with us live and direct from Oregon. I want to react to this coming up next. All right. Thank you. It's starting to sound like spring, but it's not official till you've lit up the grill with Kingsford Original Charcoal. This time of year, as we break in the backyard with friends and family, everything tastes better cooked with authentic wood-fired barbecue flavor. Thanks to Kingsford.

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You were made to be rechargeable. We were made to package flights and hotels and hammocks for less Expedia made to travel. All right. There he was Tony Stevenson with us right here on locked on lions. Look, I'm not going to sit here and spend every day on this. I'm not going to sit here and do the two, two, two dance and tell you how bad Rodwood is and the organization. But I will say this, the lions messed this up and they,

This is a bad look. All right. What is your business model? Boys and girls, what are we doing down there? What's your business model? You're posting on your own website. Hey, you can resell. You can, there's a resale area. There's a resale, resale, whatever you want to call it. There's an area here to get tickets. There's an area here to sell the tickets right here on our site. You don't think the lions don't have some stake in that. You don't think the lions get a little bit of juice from that squeeze.

When a season ticket holder goes, oh, I'm taking the family over Christmas break. We can't go to week 18 against Minnesota or week 16 against, did they play week 16? Buffalo. That was week 15, right? I'll just go to the Lions site or log into my own account. Tony said he has his own account where they invite him to sell them. And now after 26 years, he gone, what a bunch of BS, man. What are we doing? Go to the Lions.

This guy left the state for his job three years ago in Oregon. He just said it. My wife and I didn't think we'd be out of this long. He's eventually going to come back. He gave some of them away and he sold some of them. How about the ticket rep in November or December calling him up? Hey, Tony, we don't love your activity right now. We're seeing what you're doing. Remember the fine print. Remember the rules. We want you. No. And Tony was interesting in there kind of saying, well, I think I know where my tickets are going.

And they're not going to the next people in line. They're going to those brokers who are going to jack the prices beyond belief. And guess who's going to cash in on some of that scratch? You know.

That sucks. It sucks. I don't understand the business model. Now the Lions are ramming the fine print language down people's throats. Now they're doing that? Anybody see what the prices were like for the Washington game? And even on the secondary market for the NFC Championship game, if the Lions would have beaten the Commanders, they were the highest prices of any tickets in any sport, anywhere.

And yes, the Lions are an unbelievable product. They won 15 games. They're playing great ball. They're fun. They're a fun team and they're really good. And Ford Field and the franchise do an excellent job of game presentation. I was at the Thursday night game last year against Green Bay. I had a great time. My wife had a blast. She didn't even like football. All right. So the Lions are doing so many things right. But to sit here and send out little sneaky emails to your longstanding fans

Lions loyal members. He was a Lions loyal member. He was loyal to them. They weren't loyal to him. They're pushing him right out and probably going to bring some broker in who they'll give the season tickets to. And that 4,600 will become a lot more money and extra money in their pockets. Too bad.

Very, it's sad. I hope they reconsider a 26-year season ticket holder and give Tony a little grace and tell him, hey, look, we're going to slap you on the wrist. We don't like what we're seeing. They took some of his payments already. They better pay. I mean, he's going to get his money back, right? He has to. I'll keep checking in with Tony, but I'm well aware of what my YouTube comments are going to look like after today's show. But hey, look,

We're going to get back to football talk tomorrow. I promise. Talk about the draft. Talk about the combine and all that stuff. We got free agency a week away on this show. A week from today, we're going to be talking about free agents and who's signing with the Lions and all that. It's going to be great. But I also believe at times I am the voice of you, the fan. And we had to put Tony on today. Saw this report on WXYZ7. Props Channel 7 did a great job with it. We contacted Tony and he came on.

I think it sucks. All right. Nolan Bianchi tomorrow from the Detroit News will join us to talk about the combine. We will do that tomorrow right here on Locked on Lions. Have a great night, everybody. When the game tips off, the NBA action is just beginning on FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, because FanDuel is your home for NBA live betting. So even if you missed the first few minutes of the game or want to bet on a fourth quarter comeback, you can make your picks from the first whistle automatically.

Until the final buzzer. Now's the perfect time to join. New FanDuel customers get started with $150 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 bet. That's FanDuel.com for your shot at $150 in bonus bets. Make every moment more with FanDuel, official sports betting partner of the NBA.

Life is full of personal wins. Whether it's cleaning your house, getting that dream car, or checking off your to-do list, winning at life is a great feeling. And with the State Farm Personal Price Plan, you can keep winning when you create an affordable price just for you by bundling home and auto. So give yourself a round of applause. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can bundle and save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state.

It's starting to sound like spring, but it's not official till you've lit up the grill with Kingsford Original Charcoal. This time of year, as we break in the backyard with friends and family, everything tastes better cooked with authentic wood-fired barbecue flavor. Thanks to Kingsford. Welcome, spring. Visit kingsford.com for charcoal and more from America's grilling expert.