NFL 2008 Regular Season Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

I do not think Cowher by himself would be a solution. He was a fine coach in Pittsburgh, but Cowher was not the personnel director / GM there, so he has no experience on the talent acquisition side. He may end up being good in that area, but it's an unknown at this point. The Lions need a complete revamping of the front office, scouting department and coaching staff.

Of course, the more obvious question to ask is why would Cowher want to come to such a pitiful organization in any case? Taking a job with the Lions under the Fords is committing career suicide.

 

[Brandon_T]

Millen has been fired! Finally!!!!!!!!!!! Many years too late, but it is done. It means nothing for this year, but anything is better at this point. Bring on Bill Cower, or me or Scott, it doesn't matter, anyone could do a better job. Oh happy day. How sad is it that the highlight of my Lions season is the GM getting fired?

 

[ZacharyTait]

Is it wrong that I cheered and pumped my fist when I saw the news on ESPN.com today? Not at all. It's about damn time if you ask me.

 

[Jim_F]

The post-Millen era begins. I'm filled with relief and skepticism. I can't imagine how his successor could do any worse.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

While Millen needed to go, until there is news regarding who will be selecting Millen's successor, I will remain a skeptic. Until Ford, Sr. relinquishes control of the team, the franchise will continue to be abysmal.

For the short term, we can look forward to a lame duck season, since the coaching staff most likely be gone after a new GM is hired. With the team 0-3, though, and severely lacking in talent, the season was over anyway.

 

[Brandon_T]

The Fords are doing something that they have never done before. They are going to the NFL for help on selecting a new GM and President. The NFL has a comittee set up for such a purpose. This group helped the Giants a few years ago, helped Atlanta with their new GM and helped the Bengals a while ago. Really this is the best thing that they could do. Much better than letting a senile old man pick another broadcaster.

 

[DavidJ]

Scott is going to remain skeptic? Nah...who would've thought that?

I'm going to take the "it get any worse" approach to the news and Brandon, I'd even take a shot at another broadcaster-- surely the results would be better. Is Kornheiser available? Seriously though, I'm glad they are getting help on the hire as the franchise obviously needs a lot of help. Maybe we'll get a winner yet. Then again, I'm not sure any of us Lions fans would know how to handle the success.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Brandon, where did you read that the Lions were going to ask the league for assistance? I have not seen or heard that anywhere yet.

 

[ZacharyTait]

ESPN Page 2 - Keri: Worst GMs in sports history

Since I'm posting this here, I don't think you have to guess who's #1.

 

[DavidJ]

Sweet, two Detroit GMs in the top-4. I don't have any animosity towards Millen, but those numbers are staggeringly bad. It is almost too much to see them in black and white.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The funniest thing about that article is that two of the "good" early Millen draft choices listed -- Backus and Raiola -- have only started so much because Millen has failed to upgrade the offensive line for so many years. Neither player should be starting for an NFL team... well, since they play for the Lions, you could say they don't start for an NFL team .

Two other local Detroit GM's who could have made that list were Russ Thomas (Lions) and Dick Vitale (Pistons).

 

[Johnny Angell]

Jeez, number two on the list, Elgin Baylor, kept his job for 21 seasons!

 

[Brandon_T]

Scott, per Tom Kowalski "According to a source close to the situation, the Lions are expected to ask the NFL for help in putting together a list of qualified candidates for the general manager's position. The league did the same for the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank last season before the Falcons hired general manager Thomas Dimitroff."

Its a start....

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Thanks, Brandon. I didn't see anything in the Detroit News or Free Press, so I wondered where you had heard that news. Elsewhere, the local sportswriters are speculating that current front office execs Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew may be kept on as team president and GM, respectively, after this season. If that happens, every Lions season ticket holder should pass on renewing their tickets next season, as it would be 100% clear that Ford, Sr. is still in charge and has no desire to fix this mess.

FYI, even Tom Kowalski talked about this possibility on the radio last night.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Well, Hochuli is at it again. In fact, "Hochuli at it again" is the headline of an article in today's morning Democrat/Gazette. I happened to be watching the Carolina/Atlanta game and thought it was a bad call (roughing the passer and on interception and return for a TD by Carolina) and I was rooting for the team it favored. This won't be as controversial, since Carolina won the game handily.

But no, that's not the only article mentioning Hochuli. In "NFL fines Jones for criticizing ref", Jerry Jones is fined $25K for complaining to reporters 2 weeks ago that Hochuli "was one of the most criticized officials" and he followed that up with more critical comments on his radio show "about how Hochuli's crew calls a lot of penalties."

Yeah, don't say it, I've got a grudge against Hochuli. But this is 2 out of three weeks he's blown a high profile call. One did change the game results and the other took 7 points off the board. I wish there were public stats that showed the number of penalties called by the various referring teams. I would hope that Hochuli's chances of even participating in the playoffs is decreasing.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

So, which owner is more senile -- Wm. Clay Ford, Sr. or Al Davis?

 

[SDRANGER619]

"Who was Al Davis"? haha

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Anyone ever notice that if you combine Jerry Lee Lewis with Freddy Krueger, you get Al Davis?

 

[Malcolm R]

I can't figure out why anyone would work for Al Davis in the first place. You know there's nothing but misery in your future.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Ford, hands down. He believes he has the best on the field when in reality he has nothing.

Davis on the other hand, has won Super Bowls, so he wins easily on that alone.