Detroit Lions Weblog

Lions-Vikings In-Game Pow Wow was Prescious

During the 3rd Quarter of Sunday’s abysmal loss, amidst a prolonged play review by the game’s overmatched officiating crew, the Lions and Vikings gathered for a cute, amiable, on field tete a tete, which for me at least, is as symbolic as anything why the Lions continue to suck.

I will accept that many of the Lions and Vikings are friends and have prior relationships on and off the field,   That being said, the fact that the Lions appeared so dispassionate, and content, with their 42-10 beatdown, and Lions Head Coach Rod Marinelli didn’t immediately pull the players off of the field, in response to the tete a tete,  so that they didn’t continue to embarass this running joke of a franchise, speaks volumes to why this team will, at best, finish 7-9 after a 6-2 start.

For every gain this organization makes, it takes at least two steps back.   The fact is, since “team leaders” like Jon Kitna and Dom Raiola even felt it was necessary to publicly state that there was a growing internal unraveling of this team, shows just how clueless the powers that be truly are.  Don’t you think, after a horrible four game slide, that it is completely and abundantly evident to all observers that there is something horribly wrong with this team?

Rod Marinelli’s symbolic post game “falling on the sword”, or his admitting that the responsibility for such a poor performance rested completely upon his shoulders, struck me as both an empty (predictable) gesture and completely redundant.  Marinelli had better realize that if he continues to accept responsibility, and things don’t change performance-wise for his team, that people are going to believe him before long, in spite of the uninspired play of the team.

Going forward, it is unreasonable to expect the Lions to lose to the Cowboys by at least 30 points, the Chargers by 20 points, and the Packers, at frigid Lambeau in a meaningless game, by at least 15 points?  This team has no heart, or at least not enough of it to show that it would like to being doing anything other than playing golf and watching American Idol in January.

Since that is the case, it is that fun time of the year for all Lions fans, especially those sick enough to be reading this drivel, Why do we do it?  Why do we care?  Why will I waste my time, and hard-earned money, by attending this Sunday’s upcoming bloodletting? 

I don’t like looking in the mirror often, but by reflecting maybe we can face facts.   The Lions internal problems are so endemic and thoroughly entrenched, that expecting it to ever change is foolhardy.  May I suggest, NBC’s new and improved American Gladiators?