Roy Williams: An Optimist, Not A Clown

When he says things like, "We left 40 points on the field," he's derided. When he speaks with unbridled enthusiasm that borders on dementia about the football team for which he plays, people chuckle and roll their eyes. When he insists that the winning will come, and come soon, he's practically disregarded. But Roy Williams, the Lions' premier wide receiver -- at least until a kid named Calvin Johnson unseats him -- should start to be recognized as something else . He's the face of the team, the spokesperson, the leader even. And the Lions haven't had one of those in .... quite some time. Think about it. Who's the last Lions player whose words you looked forward to hearing, if only because they teetered on outrageous? Who was the last Lion to have a smile that lights up the entire locker room. Who was the last Lion to do something silly on the field, like Williams does with his enthusiastic "first down" dealio? And, most importantly,...