In Tribute to Scotty G.–Position/Roster Battles Beginning to Shake Out for Lions
June 12, 2009 on 2:28 pm | In Uncategorized |Whenever there is a proverbial changing of the guard in either the front office or coaching staff, along with the attendant change in schemes, personnel philosophy, etc., players who were once considered valuable and essential can quickly become less valuable or essential in a very short period of time.
Case in point, Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz are not beholden to players like Alex Lewis, someone who was once considered a valuable prospect during the Millen era, is one of those players who may soon be attempting to find work elsewhere.
Players like Drew Stanton, Landon Cohen, Gerald Alexander, Casey FitzSimmons, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Jon Bradley, Manny Ramirez, and Kalvin Pearson also immediately come to mind as potential cast-offs as a result of the new organizational philosophy or the need for younger players to become integrated into the personnel mix.
There is no process more cutthroat, or near fascist in it’s lack of sentimentality, than the annual gleaning of a particular team’s personnel. Add the pressures of injury, salary cap, and the aforementioned changes at the top in the Lions personnel and coaching staff, the process becomes even more cruel and heartless.
Not meaning to put things into a dire cast, the Lions will benefit, by hook or by crook, via this process. Personnel turnover is part of the nature of professional sports. The Lions, coming off of an 0-16 season, mired in an interminably long stretch of organizational failure, may need it more than any other team in the NFL.
However, Scotty G., who recently gave me some very kind comments of support, made me think about the “human side” of this whole “weaning out” process. None of us like to have our security yanked from us or to have our future “plans” change drastically or immediately. What must it feel like to be so near the top of your field, given how small a percentage of people actually become professional athletes, and immediately have that ripped from your clutches?
Scotty G recently lost his job. I was recently terminated from mine. It happens to the best of us. That being said, the nature of the “corporate atmosphere” is one of the more inhumane but placidly accepted facts of all our everyday lives. As a Lions fan, seeing this similar process play itself out, with players whom we have all grown attached to, is even more disconcerting when, for most of us, sports is a crucial and much-needed escape from that very same barbaric atmosphere that we face from day-to-day.
In the end, a comfortable, relaxed escape from this world, into another may be the only sensible means to rectify our current plight in this country. Just keep on, keepin on!
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Great point. We just experienced layoffs at my office, and this stuff definitely hits home. You tend to think of pro-athletes as somehow “other.” When in reality, losing your job is still losing your job. Even when you’re making six-plus figures.
Comment by Ryan — June 12, 2009 #
Ryan, I am very sorry to hear about your situation. You are right, we all have to face this mess and muck our way through it in the most dignified manner that we can muster.
It is very easy for us to discredit athletes as human beings. I am guilty of it all of the time when I disparage Brett Favre’s unretirement, the mental health and maturity issues of Vince Young, or the wanton stupidity of Michael Vick’s actions.
None are deserving of a free pass, but understanding seems to be a lost trait these days. Good Luck with your work situation. I wish you the best.
Comment by Steve — June 12, 2009 #
Steve, I feel strangely honored as I have never been blogged about before:) This on the same day as my first ebay/paypal dispute none the less!
Great article. Sorry you lost your job as well. The state and country are definitely hurting right now but I am confident that we, the American people, will bounce back as a whole. In my situation, it actually has opened a new door as I will now be going back to school at the ripe age of 29, wearing my grey hairs with pride and telling the youngsters to sit down and shut up, lol(does anyone say lol anymore??)
I do look forward to reading more from you, albeit under terrible circumstances. I want to email you an interesting conversation I had this morning w/ someone from the Lions customer service. I’ve already sent it to Ty @ Lionsinwinter and figured you might find it interesting as well. It has to do w/ the whole Lions swapping names on the KJ jersey and giving them away as K. Smith’s. You should have my email.
Comment by Scotty G — June 12, 2009 #
I just went back to waiting tables and it’s hard to take; however, you must do what is needed to survive, especially in our States economic nightmare.
Our Nation was set up for this “Corporate-Takeover”, when Ronald Reagan cast “Trickle-Down Economics” as the bases for our economic system (WHAT WAS WRONG WITH WHAT WE HAD)
Even GHWB(41) called it “VODOO ECONOMICS”!!!!!!
Until the “Bubble-Economy” model is regulated out of our system, our country will repeat this all again, but this time on our children and grand-children’s lives!!!!!!
Comment by thibodeaux41 — June 13, 2009 #
Scotty sorry to exploit you for my blog, but you really helped me to see that I was taking for granted the small importance that this blog has for a few people.
I also realized given the state of things, that the opportunities for professional athletes, even with the benefit of decent pay, are still limited when all is said and done.
I hope my extrapolation wasn’t too far of a stretch and that you appreciated my using you for a convenient example.
Comment by Steve — June 15, 2009 #
Don–hang in there with waiting tables. That sure is hard work! The economic situation that you mention is the sad thing, too. Without getting TOO political, I do believe that on some level that the class disparity and the machinations of our “economic collapse” are on some level “by design”.
There are a number of people who have conveniently positioned themselves so that they are both insulated and benefit greatly from the economic downturn we are currently in the middle of.
Make of it what we will, there is something rotten in the state of Denmark and between healthy diversions (like football) and hopefully, an energized and engaged populace who are sick of their current plight, who will become motivated to change the system you refer to, by hook or by crook!
Comment by Steve — June 15, 2009 #
I hope the Lions make a comeback.
Comment by Chuck — June 22, 2009 #
You and me both. They are due, as are we. They have a ways to go, though.
Comment by Steve — June 23, 2009 #