Notes: Bush clears up discipline comments; Freese still has kicking job
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- A day after putting himself in the middle of the Adrian Peterson controversy, Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush tried to clear up where he stands in terms of disciplining children.
Bush received a lot of negative backlash for comments he made Tuesday during an interview with radio station WFAN in New York.
He said Wednesday that his comments were "taken out of context."
"I think people took it too far and thought that I said I was doing much worse to a 1-year-old," Bush said, referring to his daughter. "That's not the case."
Bush had indicated during the radio interview that he would consider "harshly" disciplining her in the future.
Asked if that would include using a tree-branch "switch" like Peterson did with his 4-year-old son, Bush replied, "I would possibly consider it, depending on what she did."
Bush later corrected himself, saying that he meant he would give her a "spanking."
He then posted the following message on Twitter in reaction to the criticism: "I believe in spanking a child (IF NEEDED) NOT beating them!"
Bush told reporters Wednesday in the Lions' locker room that his daughter has starting "swinging" when she doesn't get her way at times, and that he has started disciplining her by talking to her about her actions.
"I'm not spanking a 1-year-old girl," he said, adding that she's too young to even understand that type of response.
Bush confirmed that he was punished sternly as a child.
"My mom was a police officer," he said. "I got whooped."
Asked to identify a whooping, Bush said, "A spanking."
"I thank my mom for whooping me," he said. "If she didn't, I probably wouldn't be here."
Bush added that "times have changed and there are different ways to better handle it."
In the end, he wishes he hadn't addressed the topic at all during the radio interview.
"I should have kept it private," he said.
MEGATRON REACTION
Calling Peterson "such a good guy," receiver Calvin Johnson said of the controversial topic: "I'm going to discipline my kids. Can't nobody tell me how to discipline my kids."
NO KICKING CHANGE
The Lions brought in some kickers for a tryout Tuesday, but coach Jim Caldwell indicated that rookie Nate Freese, despite missing three of his first five field-goal attempts, still has his job entering Sunday's game against Green Bay.
"At this point in time, he is our guy," Caldwell said.
Caldwell also pointed out that it's a "performance business."
"He understands it as well," Caldwell said.
ANOTHER NO COMMENT
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, on being called "Donkey Kong" last week by Carolina quarterback Cam Newton: "Game's over, moving on to Green Bay."
IHEDIGBO STATUS
Strong safety James Ihedigbo, who missed the first two games because of a nerve problem in his neck, continues to practice on at least a limited basis and called his status now "day-to-day."
He said he's encouraged by his progress.
"I feel improvement," Ihedigbo said. "I'm getting close. I'm not where I want to be or where the trainers want me to be, but it's getting better."
OTHER INJURIES
--- Safety Don Carey (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since the preseason.
--- Defensive end Ezekiel "Zigg" Ansah (knee) and linebacker Travis Lewis (quad) both missed practice.
--- Offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle, who suffered a calf injury in the regular-season opener, remains out.
