Detroit Lions Weblog

Lions Press Conference Exhibits Annual Revisionism, Spin Doctoring That Typify Millen Era

With little fanfare, the Lions held a press conference to announce the dual promotions of Jim Colletto (Offensive coordinator) and Kippy Brown (Assistant Head coach and Passing Game coordinator) yesterday.

Both Colletto and Brown feature extensive coaching resumes, but given the team’s past seven seasons, and most Lions fan intimate familiarity with the nature of these annual Lions press conferences, it’s difficult to not be critical of this type of dog and pony show.

The Lions typically engage in a heavy dose of revisionism, and more than just a smidge of spin doctoring, when presenting these affairs. That being said, judging by the comments of all parties involved, other than the deposed Mike Martz, who was unable to defend himself, Rod Marinelli will ultimately take the largest credibility hit when the dust settles from yesterday’s proceedings.

Marinelli’s rapidly eroding credibility can’t be helped with statements like: (regarding what he likes about Colletto’s offense) “It’s just a scale down, getting a little bit more balanced. It’s going to really help us on road games. It’s going to give us the balance that we need. We’ve got a good offensive line. It showed as we went through the year.”

Aside from the profuse streams of profanity that I uttered after I read this statement, I was left wondering, Does Marinelli even have a clue? First off, I am supposed to accept that “three step” QB drops (instead of seven), the ability for the QB to audible plays, and the addition of a more balanced (and kinder and gentler, too?), brand of “bread and butter”-type plays are all going to provide immediate answers for the failings of the Lions offense in ‘07?

It’s as if the 117 QB sacks over two seasons, horrible red zone and 3rd down offensive troubles, and the complete lack of an offensive identity are all going to be remedied overnight, right?

I will not deny that Martz was a stubborn, megalomaniac whose style never truly fit in Detroit, and that ultimately he did deserve to be fired. That being said, judging by these Colletto comments, you would figure Martz’s next job would be to become the Wizard of Oz:

“The only thing I can say in terms of problems is, we just had too much. We couldn’t do all the things that we tried to do all the time. The repetition of some of the things wasn’t as thorough as it should have been…”

and later,

“Don’t fool the troops. I’d use different terminology if I wasn’t in public, but the players are the key. It’s not the coach. It’s the player.”

Martz pulled far too many of the strings, he was a terrible authoritarian that had to be eradicated. He was surely close to annexing the Sudetenland, right? In spite of Martz’s criticism of the Lions, upon his hiring in San Francisco, it seems that the Lions should be above engaging in this type of Orwellian “doublethink”.

I’ll rest easy now that the Lions have decided to make life easier for their poor, underpaid, and overworked players, too. The average Lions player has now been thoroughly conditioned, in spite of anything that Rod Marinelli would like to suggest, that if they wait long enough, the next ready-made panacea coach, philosophy, or personnel move will occur. So why be accountable to the franchise’s failings? Why buy into any particular philosophy or system, when the ‘08 model will roll out soon enough?

If anything truly can be gleaned from the Lions press conference, it appears that Jon Kitna is not a shoo-in as the team’s starting QB in ‘08. Something, that I would be willing to support if the Lions were being honest with themselves.

Among J.T. O’Sullivan (who is likely gone), Dan Orlovsky, and Drew Stanton, do you believe any of them are qualified enough to replace, let alone have the tools necessary to beat, Kitna in an open competition? The only threat to Kitna, other than an 0-8 start to the season, will be a QB acquired from outside of the organization to compete with him next season.

Rod Marinelli also provided the footprint necessary to begin the expected, Shaun Rogers exit strategy, too. First, in reference to the off-season conditioning program, Marinelli said that every player currently under contract was expected to participate. He also intimated that he would be stricter with Rogers than he was last off-season:

“Weight will be an issue, yeah,” Marinelli said. “He was a good player for us for nine games. But it’s the endurance all the way through the season, that’s what I’m looking for.”

That’s all fine and good. Rogers is probably anxious to leave Detroit, where he can reside, with his surly demeanor in tow, in comfortable anonymity. He doesn’t appear suited to bear the weight of an organization upon his massive shoulders, in spite of his largesse, especially one as troubled as the Lions organization.

Yesterday’s press conference, in my opinion, signals the beginning (or end) of the stopwatch on Marinelli’s tenure as head coach. As quixotic of an exercise as being a Lions head coach can be, Marinelli has been a resounding failure as the team’s coach. Events like yesterday’s press conference, which are emblematic of why the Lions have one playoff victory in 50 seasons, signal to me to expect to continue to see more of the same cycle of disappointment for the immediate future.