Macik raising eyes in Detroit

Ex-Penn star onEx-Penn star ondisplay at NFLEx-Penn star ondisplay at NFLtraining camp Last Friday, a major Detroit newspaper ran a feature on a Detroit Lions wide receiver. From a team with a stellar corps of wide-outs the man spotlighted was an undrafted free agent from a Division I-AA program -- Miles Macik. There are two natural conclusions to be drawn from this. First, it's very early in the preseason and, second, this 1996 Penn grad is opening some eyes, including those of Head Coach Wayne Fontes. "Miles Macik -- what a great name for a player," Fontes told the Detroit News on Thursday. "A movie star, maybe. I'm impressed with the way he's catching the ball. He's definitely caught my eye." The Lions training camp, which is being held just outside the Pontiac Silverdome in order to keep the participants off of artificial turf, begins early each day. The players wake up at the team hotel, where Macik shares a room with a free agent kicker, around 6:30. The prospective pros and veterans are fed, and then bused to camp for the morning session. The players put in a few hours under the watchful eyes of Receivers Coach Charlie Sanders and Offensive Co-ordinator Tom Moore before breaking for lunch. They then return to finish drills and play intra-squad scrimmages. Macik's play on the field over the past several weeks has vaulted him into serious contention for a roster spot. As a result of injuries and holdouts, Macik has seen some action with the Lions first team, heady company for any player, and is a regular on the second team, where he teams with veteran Glyn Milburn and former Florida St. star Kez McCorvey. "Things are working out well for me as far as reps," Macik said. Macik has also been well-received by the Lions many star receivers. He recalls a recent practice Johnny Morton was sitting out. Observing the rookie run drills, Morton took the time to warn him that he was "telegraphing", or giving away, some of his routes early, allowing a good defensive back to step in and break up the play. That acceptance has given the two-time All-American the confidence he needs to compete with the other NFL hopefuls. "I think I'm a lot more comfortable and that's the way that you're going to play your best," Macik said. Macik's first chance to actually compete in Blue and Silver will be tomorrow night at the Silverdome when the New Orleans Saints come to town for Detroit's exhibition opener. Many of the nightly team meetings over the past few days have been dedicated to looking through Detroit's extensive film archives in preparation for the Saints. The early plan is for Macik to be the first rookie to enter the exhibition game. It's a tribute to his ability to display the strengths that made him Penn's all-time leading receiver with 200 catches. In a league where receivers get ever faster, Macik is a fundamental, unflashy receiver, who claims only "good" speed. The Lions' staff has also been happy with Macik's ability to utilize all of his 6-foot-4 frame. In addition to his usual wide-out duties, the ex-Quaker may see action on the kick-off teams. Although he will likely not be called upon, Macik is a back-up field goal holder, a duty he performed in college. When the Lions take the field tomorrow, Macik will do so without the No. 2 shirt he wore at Penn. Another rookie got it ahead of him, leaving Macik with No. 17. "The weird thing about the NFL, there's a lot of 80s [the traditional wide receivers number] not taken, but they're all retired," Macik said. Uniforms aside, Macik seems to have taken to his professional football surroundings. The work is grueling and competition fierce, but only a select few players ever get a chance to show themselves off to an NFL team, a fact not lost on the 22-year-old Ivy League standout. "Everything is taken care of," Macik said. "The thing about the NFL, the food is great, everything is top-notch." With things so good now, what will he say if he makes the team?