The Harrington Family Foundation

A) Developing quick feet is just as important as having a strong arm - maybe more important. There is no substitute for repetition. You need to keep doing the foot work drills until you don't even think about what you are doing. It will help you get set just that much faster and, as a result, get rid of the ball just that much quicker. The difference between a successful throw and an interception or sack can sometimes be measured in tenths of a second. It just takes lots of work. Good luck.

A) I don't think that it was I didn't plan on playing in the NFL as it was being so interested in college football when I was young. I really was a fan of college football - Notre Dame and Oregon , in particular. To play college football was a dream when I was a young kid. I followed NFL teams as well but when I was young I just enjoyed all sports and tried to participate in all that I could. Thanks for the support.

A) Thanks for the note, Noel. I remember the Scots basketball camps very well. It was a big deal to come to the high school with my buddies when we were in grade school and play in that huge gym. I also remember how nice the high school age coaches were to all of us. It made a big impression on me. In fact, I remember that Pete Pierson, who later played tackle for Tampa Bay, was one of my coaches as well. Those were good days.

A) Sorry but I don't have any pets here in Detroit and realistically I probably won't get any in the near future. I'm just gone too much to be able to take care of any pets as they deserve.

A) The summer music concert will be Thursday, June 23, outside at the Rose Garden. There will be a posting on this website very soon with more details. Hope you are able to come.

A) Yes, I've been to Tiger and Piston games this spring already. I enjoy being a spectator at other sports events. Tough to watch the Red Wings this year although I've been to games in the past.!

A) My parents always encouraged my brothers and me to look for ways to give back to others. It was also part of my experience in school. When I was drafted, setting up a foundation just seemed like the natural thing to do. We began the foundation in 2003 and the board consists of my parents and me with advice from other professionals. The first thing we did was to establish a mission statement to identify a focus for the foundation. It wasn't difficult to settle on youth issues since there is so much need in the areas of safety, education and health. Probably the biggest challenge at first was to develop a process for reviewing the many requests we receive. It takes time to research which requests are valid and most worthwhile. The challenge now is to continue to increase the amount of money we can give away each year to good causes. That's why we started the sale of autographed items on our the website and why I have begun to sponsor events like my concert in Portland in June. All this money goes to the foundation. Thanks for your support of the Lions.

A) I will if I can but it just depends if the date conflicts with my commitments in Detroit.

A) You were at Nick's Coney Island on Hawthorne one of the true sports bars in Portland. I have been going there since I was about 3-4 years old. My dad would take my brothers and me there for a cheeseburger and coney on Saturdays. Frank Nudo, the owner, has been a special friend and fan for many years through my high school and college years. Now he is one of the greatest Lions fans in Oregon. If you are a sports fan, there aren't too many places like Nick's! Thanks.

A) When I am in Detroit I am always working out at the facility so it's tough to get too far away. Of course, during the season it's impossible to go anywhere. However, I have been meaning to try to get up in the U.P. My parents were out to a game last fall and had a chance to spend a few days up there and they said it was beautiful. I have just started to fly fish the last few years but haven't had an opportunity to fish in Michigan yet. Maybe this summer.