Same Old Disgusting Lions
September 22, 2008 on 1:33 pm | In Uncategorized |The depths that the Lions ‘08 season likely will plunge, if Sunday’s road loss serves as any sort of litmus test, may be as deep as any during Matt Millen’s eight seasons in Detroit. Considering Millen’s criminal 31-84 record as the team’s chief executive, that is saying a hell of a lot.
This is the 4th time in Millen’s eight seasons that the team has began a season 0-3. In the team’s last 10 games, after an improbable 6-2 beginning to the ‘07 season, the Lions are 1-10, with eight double-digit losses.
As if that isn’t bad enough, to begin the ‘08 season, the Lions have been outscored 113-59, and an unbelievable 63-20 in the 1st half of those games.
Amid all of these ghastly numbers, the Lions are among one of the most veteran teams in the league, after an off-season of loading up on aging free agents. Even more damningly, the Lions four rookies on defense, all “Rod Marinelli guys”, who were expected to contribute immediately , were inactive for this Sunday’s game.
That is just the very tip of the iceberg, as far as this organization’s failings are concerned. It is becoming easy to see where this season will likely end, too. Matt Millen will fire his fourth coach and the Lions will own yet another top ten draft pick.
So, if the organization is failing on all levels, and it is apparent that the “foundation”, as Matt Millen has referred to Rod Marinelli’s detestable handiwork thus far, will need to be blown up again, and Lions fans are going to be sold another bill of goods about those, admittedly, necessary changes, what’s left for the remainder of this season?
Much like so many hard-working, but struggling taxpayers are being called upon to bail-out our failing financial and loan system with a record amount of money, with no promise or guarantee of future return, the Lions are going to expect to their fans ride along with their continued blind, ambling, and circuitous path towards achieving NFL credibility.
I have never been more dispirited as a fan of this team. Everything you see and hear from the organization rings of total bullshit. At a time when I can barely afford to buy groceries, I am expected to pay even MORE than I did last season to support a team who is clearly worse. Forget it, I will still watch at home, with my mouth agape, rather than attending any more games at Ford Field, and I won’t be afraid to switch channels, either.
To Rod Marinelli’s credit, he, at least, gives the appearance of being indefatigable in the line of fire. At some point though, changes need to be made and production has to become more tangible. Which also seems to be becoming clearer to Marinelli, if these comments are any sort of sign:
(in reference to the defense) “I think there are things you look at in your system, we might bring more pressure if were not getting it from the front four, we’ve got to be creative with that.” said Marinelli “Maybe disrupt and create–you gamble a little bit more–but to go three games and I think we’ve had one turnover in three games and three sacks. You can’t do it”
I would certainly applaud this sort of adjustment, as a beginning to addressing the team’s current struggles. These adjustments, along with the termination or demotion of Marinelli’s son-in-law, and defensive coordinator Joe Barry seem to be a good jumping off point towards salvaging an already lost season.
Bear in mind, this adjustment (blitzing more) would come at considerable risk and could actually expose the Lions to worse losses. Mlive.com’s Tom “Killer” Kowalski makes a good point though, when he says that Marinelli needs to act, under these dire conditions, more like the Ol’ Big Buck of the woods, Wayne Fontes.
No Lions coach ever stared down the barrel of disaster more frequently, and emerged unscathed, more often than Fontes. In order to do so, Marinelli is going to have to take some measured risks like altering the defensive scheme and replacing a starting QB, like Fontes did so often during his time as coach.
It is clear that the status quo only leads to one undesirable destination for Marinelli. If the young players that were drafted in April are as good as has often been intimated, it is time for Marinelli to provide them with ample opportunity for their athleticism and ability to actually bear out.
In other words, if Marinelli is going to go down with the ship, which seems likely, he should go down while exhausting every available option at his disposal. If that means removing Jim Colletto and Kippy Brown as co-offensive coordinators, so be it.
Marinelli really has two choices: Continue to joust at windmills, as all Lions coaches ultimately do, or less desirably, have his tenure memorialized with a comment like this:
“What does it take to get fired around here!”
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I have not idea if Joe Barry is any good at his job, but I’m not really sure anyone does. The problem with this D is not scheme or play calling. It’s talent. And as far as I know, Joe Barry has little say about what talent the team gets.
Also, it’s unfathomable to me that Marinelli could lose his job and Millen doesn’t. I’m not going to say it won’t happen, but it’s pretty clear to me that a new HC is not going to fix anything.
Comment by Deryl G — September 22, 2008 #
The thing is Deryl, Millen seems bulletproof, given the tacit support he has received from WC Ford, Sr. I would agree, it is totally unbelieveable that a 31-90-something executive retain his job, and hire his fourth head coach, but it is clear that it will take a hell of a lot for Millen to ever be removed, like him committing Hari-Kiri, wink-wink, just an idea Matt….
I agree that there is a lack of defensive talent, and Barry has little input on player acquisitions. However, he does have a lot of impact upon how these players are utilized, and when. It is obvious, that the Lions defense is destroying their season, and he is the most convenient person to call to the carpet. I am not saying it is fair, but it is the right, and obvious, thing to do.
As far as new HC goes, someone will have to be the fall guy for their failed season, and Marinelli has been all too willing to fall upon the sword. It is a results business, after all.
It is abundantly clear, that the current status quo isn’t, and will not work.
Comment by Steve — September 22, 2008 #
it’s been BLATANTLY obvious to me since 2004 that this franchise is NOT going to do ANYTHING to make the team better so it’s up to you guys, the very few [and getting fewer by the minute] lions fans….STOP SPENDING YOUR MONEY ON THE GODDAMN LIONS!!!! this is the ONLY power you have and it’s going to take EVERY single one of you to BOYCOTT EVERYTHING LIONS in order for this movement to even have a SHOT at working. BOYCOTT.THE.LIONS!!!! no games, no merch, no tickets, watch/listen to the games online [if you absolutely must]. i can’t stress it enough - ford will NOT do anything UNTIL the stadiums are empty and people stop buying into the BIGGEST scam in NFL history. SPREAD THE WORD DAMNIT!!!!
Comment by dg — September 22, 2008 #
It was quite a mess. I left at halftime to hang out with the Wild Man From Livonia. We kicked back, drank some blue ribbon award winning beers and laughed as we listened to the remainder on the radio. Apparently noone outside of the fanbase seems to care what is going on with this team. I can only assume that the players are truly trying, but one wonders if fear of injury or other harm may not outweigh desire to perform. If they are going to start from scratch, right now is the time for it. This has gotten so far out of hand. How many of us thought, back in 2003, that the Lions would be going through these struggles still five years later? All things considered, this truly is the lowpoint in my Lions fandom. This team is as good as a tall glass of decomposing bile is delicious. S–t
Comment by Really F---ing Angry Lions Fan f/k/a Really Angry Lions Fan f/k/a Angry Lions Fan f/k/a Hondo — September 22, 2008 #
DG - I’m convinced that you’re on to something. However, I’m not convinced that people will stop going. Season tickets have long been paid for and distributed. People will continue to go to watch the train wreck - I mean, come on….it’s hard not to watch a train wreck. You know you should look away. You know it’s gonna be ugly and folks are gonna get hurt. But, that little voice inside says - “eww….this aughta be good….let’s watch this one derail!”. See, then halfway thru the season, we’ll see some shimmer of hope and we’ll see some ’strategic’ moves from the front office and it will allow that other small voice inside say…”hey, things have got to turn around”. We’re all a bunch of suckaz! Forget Millen - Forget Marinelli - Forget the Ford Family - Pat Capputa for President!
Comment by SleePac — September 22, 2008 #
THE ONLY POWER WE HAVE IS TO COMPLETELY BOYCOTT THE LIONS….IT’S NOT MUCH IF WE DON’T GET EVERYONE [FANS, MEDIA, FANS FROM OTHER TEAMS, MEDIA FROM OTHER TEAMS, ETC.] INVOLVED. WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS HATRED AND DISGUST HAS TRICKLED DOWN TO FANS OF OTHER TEAMS [ESPECIALLY IN THE NFC] AND THAT THE LIONS ARE THE LAUGHINGSTOCK OF THE NFL. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW PEOPLE. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST WATCH THE LIONS, DO IT ONLINE. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GO TO FORD FIELD FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER. IT’S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO STOP BUYING INTO THE BIGGEST SCAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL - THE LIONS. CAN’T STRESS THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BOYCOTT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE LIONS FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITY AND FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR COLLECTIVE SANITY. THANK YOU.
Comment by dg — September 23, 2008 #
There may be hope, brothers and sisters. Like Kwame K. before him, the hour is nigh, and justice is about to be served for Matt Millen.
The Lions are a long F’N way from respectability, but as they say, it’s always darkest just before the dawn…..
Comment by Steve — September 23, 2008 #