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For my money, NFL players are the most insane athletes in all of sports. They play a sport which puts their body through the equivalent of several car accidents on a weekly basis. These players endure concussions, broken bones, torn ligaments, dislocated extremities, and an assortment of various sprains, bumps, and bruises to provide entertainment for people like me and you. (This next statement is extremely hypocritical, but it’s my honest opinion). Football is the dumbest sport ever created. Sometimes while watching a game, I ask myself, “What type of sick individual came up with this sport?” I really wonder who was sitting home one day and decided to place people on two different teams and give them a funny shaped ball (which isn’t nearly as cool as the big red all-purpose ball from elementary school) and tell one team to try to get to a goal and tell the other team to prevent them from getting there by any means necessary. Don’t get me wrong, I love this sport (particularly the NFL) much more than any other sport, and I am forever grateful to the players that play it for providing me with 21 weeks of the best entertainment in the world each and every year. That being said, I think each and every one of them are clinically insane for playing a sport that will undoubtedly affect their quality of life at some point.
Players arrive at training camp each summer with two things on their mind. Number one is money. Every NFL player is always trying to get a new contract, justify their current contract, or rob their team blind by getting paid as much as possible for producing absolutely nothing (shoutout to JaMarcus Russell). Once they are done thinking about their current or future financial situation, their attention moves to the second thing on their mind, trying to win a championship. All 32 teams begin training camp focused on being one of the 12 remaining at the end of the season that earns the opportunity to compete in the playoffs for a trip to the Super Bowl. Players on the 20 non-playoff teams try their best to cope with the fact that they simply weren’t good enough.
The top four playoff teams all have a bye, which lets them rest up for a week before hosting the winners of this week’s wild card games. Who will win this week’s games? I’m glad you asked, because I now present to you, my picks for all four of this weekend’s games.
Bengals vs. Texans
For the first time in franchise history, the Houston Texans will be playing a playoff game. Also for the first time in franchise history, the Houston Texans will lose a playoff game. If Matt Schaub were healthy and playing in this game, I would pick the Texans in a rout. If I had any confidence in Andre Johnsons hamstring that forced him to sit out nine games this season, I would pick the Texans in a close game. However, Matt Schaub is out and no one knows if Johnson will be able to finish the game. The Texans will be starting rookie TJ Yates, and his back-up will be everyone’s favorite interception machine, Jake Delhomme. The Texans will still be able to run the ball relatively well, but I feel as though the Bengals simply have the better team. This will be a low scoring game because both teams have really good defenses and will be starting rookie quarterbacks. Cincinnati has the better of the two rookie QB’s in Andy Dalton. He also has AJ Greene (the skinny Andre Johnson) to throw to, which means that they will have the ability to make the big play when it is needed in the fourth quarter. Cedric Benson, the most consistently mediocre running back in the NFL, will have his typical 84 yard rushing day with no touchdowns.
Prediction: Bengals 17 – Texans 13
Falcons vs. Giants
These are two very evenly matched teams. This should be a very good football game, with the outcome decided late. I really feel bad for both Eli Manning and Matt Ryan in this game, because they both play behind somewhat suspect offensive lines, and will be facing ferocious pass rushers in John Abraham (Falcons), Justin Tuck (Giants), and Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants). Fortunately for the Falcons they have a strong running back in Michael Turner. Unfortunately for the Falcons, their offensive coordinator (Mike Mularkey) often forgets that Michael Turner is a member of the team. They simply don’t run the ball enough, and I fully expect that trend to continue on Sunday. If this game were being played in Atlanta, I would definitely pick the Falcons. However, this game will take place in New York, which means one thing. Matt Ryan will play like crap. Ryan has lost 19 games in his four years as the QB of the Falcons. Of those 19 losses, 15 of them have been on the road. He simply can’t be trusted outside of 285. Since this game is taking place waaaaaaaaaaay outside of 285, and I simply don’t trust the Falcons offensive line against the Giants defensive, I will be taking the Giants to win this game.
Prediction: Giants 28 – Falcons 24
Steelers vs. Broncos
The fact that the Denver Broncos will be playing against a ferocious defense with a quarterback who is yet to master the forward pass will be a big problem. That is all that is necessary to say about this game.
Prediction: Steelers 24 – Broncos 9
Lions vs. Saints
I intentionally saved this game for last for two reasons. First of all, this is the GAME OF THE WEEK! This game will have offensive stars all over the field. On one side you have Drew Brees who is at the top of his game. His receivers aren’t household names to the casual football fan, but they don’t have to be because his passes are so accurate that they can’t avoid catching it. Even when he misses, he doesn’t miss. His passing skills are the polar opposite of the quarterback that I didn’t mention in the previous paragraph. On the opposite sideline, you will find Matthew Stafford, who threw for over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns this season. While Brees spreads the ball around and throws to whoever happens to be open on a particular play, Stafford has been blessed with a receiver that he can throw to whether he is open or not. He goes by the name of Calvin Johnson, a.k.a. The Best Receiver in the League. If you like, you can also start calling him by his newest nickname which he will begin answering to at some point during this off-season when he gets a new contract. That would be Really Rich Black Man. These are two prolific offenses that can and will score on anybody. Therefore, this game will be decided by the defenses. Don’t get me wrong, both teams will score at least 30 and quite possibly 40 points, but one defense will make just enough plays to force the other team to punt more than once, which will be the difference in this game. That being said, the second reason that I chose to discuss this game last is because, it is my UPSET SPECIAL! Detroit has a ferocious pass-rush, and a defense that has a knack for creating turnovers. Therefore, I have more faith in them to make a big play than I do the Saints defense. This will be a high-scoring game that will be fun to watch. I fully expect both defenses to play relatively well, but the offenses are simply better than the defenses in this matchup. This game is scheduled for an 8:20 pm kickoff on Saturday night. Since both teams will throw the ball at least 40 times, and there will be a lot of scoring, expect this game to run to around midnight. Make sure you have plenty of Yuengling (root beer for all of the underage people reading this) is in the fridge, and sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
Prediction: Lions 41 – Saints 35
LSU vs. Alabama
You are probably saying to yourself, “This is a college game, why is it included in the blog about the NFL playoffs?” That would be a good question to ask, if this was actually a college football game. This is actually a NFL game; the players simply aren’t old enough for it to be official. Therefore, they will be representing academic institutions instead. As you all know, I am not a big college football fan. I mostly just watch to see future NFL prospects, which I mostly do through watching clips online so that I won’t have to sit through entire games. Much like the first time they met earlier this season, I will be glued to the television to see this extremely high level of defensive football (which I love) played by clearly the two best college teams in the nation. I look for this to be yet another slug-fest that will be won by the team that scores a non-offensive touchdown. Points will be at a premium in this game, and both teams will certainly play it close to the vest offensively and let it all hang out on the defensive side of the ball. I am convinced that Les Miles has the great Nick Satan (sorry, I meant Saban, I said I was going to stop calling him that) shook. The last time they met, Satan (oops!) sent out both of Alabama’s kickers to attempt a total of three field goals of more than 40 yards. Note to Saban (I got it that time), the vast majority of college kickers are not consistently capable of making field goals longer than 35 yards. The two or three that can, are usually the two are three that get drafted into the NFL each year. Also after watching the first game against LSU, it is clear that you don’t have one of those two or three special kickers. LSU on the other hand, does have one of those special kickers.
The last time they met, LSU used two quarterbacks. They tried to do the politically correct thing and “punish” their real starting quarterback for his participation in an off-season bar fight, by starting his backup. The backup was good enough to have them undefeated leading up to the Bama game, but was clearly overmatched by the Ravens, I mean Crimson Tide defense. Therefore they decided that it’s not a good idea to punish a good player when a game is actually on the line. The fact that this game will decide the National Championship and undoubtedly lead to an even bigger contract for the winning coach, means that the choir boys will be left on the sidelines, and that all previous off-field transgressions will be ignored. Although both teams have really good offenses (against all other opponents), the defenses will again decide the winner of this game. LSU’s defense is simply better. Although Alabama’s defense is statistically better, against a significantly weaker schedule, anyone who has seen these two teams play can clearly see that LSU’s defense is slightly better. That is why the Tigers will be victorious. The good thing for Crimson Tide fans is that Satan (I knew it wouldn’t last) will only attempt one stupid field goal. It will be on the last play of the game with a chance to send it to overtime. Once again, the kicker will miss from 42 yards out and give LSU the victory.
Prediction: LSU 17 – Alabama 14
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Charles Barkley’s K-12 English Teachers: This award only goes to his K-12 English teachers because I am pretty sure he didn’t go to class regularly at Auburn. Although they taught him very little, if anything at all, Barkley’s English teachers instilled in him a confidence that totally overrides the fact that he speaks on a third grade level. Don’t get me wrong, Barkley is extremely entertaining as a commentator, and I thoroughly enjoy his knowledge of the game, honesty, and comedic presence. However, I also acknowledge that approximately 60% of the things that come out of his mouth are either mispronounced or simply aren’t words. My favorite word to hear him say is athletic. Yes it seems like a basic word to me and you, but Barkley manages to add both an extra “a”, and an extra syllable. So ath-let-ic to me and you is equal to ath-a-let-ic in the mind of Barkley. Once again shoutout to his English teachers for giving him the confidence needed to make a living by speaking, when he can hardly speak the English language.
SCRUB – Greg McElroy: I could write an entire blog about this idiot. It would be titled, “Scrub Speaks: The Quickest Way Out of the NFL.” If you don’t follow Alabama football, live in the state of Alabama, or your last name is McElroy as well, there is a good chance that you have no idea who this guy is. Greg McElroy is the 4th string quarterback of the NY Jets, who was a seventh round draft pick last year, and spent all season on injured reserve. To sum it up, I bet if you asked every member of the Jets if they knew he was on the team, 75% would say NO! The bottom line is in the world of the NFL, he is a nobody. After the Jets season ended in a disastrous fashion, McElroy took it upon himself to channel his inner-Rex Ryan and run his mouth to the media. He appeared on a radio show and basically said (I am paraphrasing) that the Jets were a team full of selfish individuals, that didn’t care if they won or loss. He also said that the players didn’t care about the team and that they were out for themselves. He went on to say that he had never been around such selfish individuals.
I am not in that locker room, so I really can’t attest to the accuracy of McElroy’s comments. If I were a betting man (which I am not), I would bet that he was dead on. I totally believe everything that he said. The problem with his comments is that THEY WERE MADE BY GREG McELROY! He is a player that can be out of the league if Rex Ryan simply allows Darrelle Revis to have two lockers in the locker room instead of one. He does not matter, and chances are when the Jets cut him (which they certainly will) no other team will bother picking him up. He will then have enough free time to persue his true dream job, talking on the radio. He may even get his own show.
Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress can spend time in jail and still get signed by teams. Rashard Mendenhall can make idiotic statements about 9/11, and not get cut. Terrell Owens could curse out coaches, openly question the sexuality of a teammate, and destroy team chemistry at nearly every turn, and still have a roster spot (when he was healthy). Greg McElroy can be cut for buying Krispy Kreme doughnuts for his teammates when the light wasn’t on, so for airing out the team’s dirty laundry on a radio show, he definitely WILL be cut. WHAT AN IDIOT!
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Showing posts with label detroit lions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label detroit lions. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sunday, September 27, 2009
JUST MY THOUGHTS, JUST WHAT I WAS FEELING AT THE TIME, RIGHT OR WRONG
I know, I know, I have been away for a while. School and work have kept me pretty busy over the last few weeks, BUT I AM BACK NOW!!!! Since I haven’t written anything since the NFL season officially started, I decided that I would simply give you my thoughts on the things that have happened up to this point (5 pm on Sunday, September 27th). Today’s early games are done, so I will have some thoughts on those as well.
First of all, the DETROIT LIONS came through for me. I picked them as one of my upsets of the week, and THEY TOOK DOWN THE PATHETIC DEANGELO HALL LED WASHINGTON REDSKINS!!!!
After watching Jason Campbell play so far this season, I now totally understand why the Redskins tried so hard to replace him this off-season. Initially, I felt bad for him, but now I understand why they don’t want him anymore. YOU ARE THE FIRST QUARTERBACK TO LOSE TO THE LIONS SINCE DECEMBER 23, 2007. THAT WAS DURING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION!!!! I hate to say this, but Jason Campbell days as an NFL starter are numbered.
To date, my top three running backs which all happen to be named Adrian Peterson currently have 357 rushing yards through three games. Peterson is 1,748 yards behind Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. He has to average 134 yards per game for the rest of the season to break the record. Stay tuned, I will be tracking his progress throughout the season. If I were a betting man, which I am not, I would bet that he is going to break the record this year.
Speaking of the Vikings, shout out to the Diva that I love to hate. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, I am referring to Brett Favre. The game winning touchdown pass against the 49ers was amazing. As amazing as that play was, I would be remised if I didn’t warn Viking fans to temper their excitement. This is what Brett Favre does; he makes amazing plays to win big games. But he also throws lots of picks to lose big games. So enjoy this week, because he could very easily throw you out of the game next week.
Please raise your hand if you thought the Tennessee Titans would be 0 – 3 after three games. I certainly didn’t. Now to be perfectly honest, I picked them to finish third in their division (behind the Colts & Texans), but I never imagined that they would be 0 – 3 (especially with Future Hall of Famer Vince Young still on the sidelines).
Mike Singletary has proven to be a much better head coach than any of us could have expected. The fact that the 49ers are 2 – 1 with wins over the Cardinals & Seahawks and a last second loss to the Vikings, shows that he definitely has them on the right track.
Speaking of the 49ers. Where’s Waldo? I mean Crabtree. I don’t know if he realizes it or not, but they don’t exactly miss you right now. It will probably be in your best interest to take the $20 million and join the party, because you are losing leverage with every Shaun Hill touchdown pass. Sorry, bad analogy. I mean to say with every victory because they are hardly throwing the ball.
Speaking of touchdown passes, when did Joe Flacco morph into Dan Marino? He has already thrown for 839 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has already had 2 – 300 yard passing games. Last season, he had the exact same number of 300 yard passing games as I did.
Did anyone reading this ever think that they would see the day when the Pittsburgh Steelers were among the worst rushing teams in the NFL? Their ground game is pathetic. Look for Willie Parker to be removed from the starting lineup soon, simply because they are going to have to try something else. Also remember, they did use a first-round pick on his backup.
Why haven’t the fans in Carolina voted to impeach Jake Delhomme? Why didn’t the Carolina coaching staff and front office bring in a competent backup when they lost Josh McCown for the season? How many picks will Jake throw this season? How many picks does Jake have to throw before Steve Smith punches him in the face (you know he loves doing that to teammates)?
RAY LEWIS IS STILL AWESOME! Check out his game winning tackle below.
Why did Leodis (that is really his name) McKelvin bring that kickoff out of the end zone? Not only should he have known better, but his coaches should have told him to take a knee in that situation if the kick goes into the end zone. Furthermore, he should have fell down on first contact instead of fighting (and exposing the ball) for two extra yards.
How awesome is Peyton Manning? Last week the Dolphins outgained the Colts on the ground 239 yards to 61 yards. The Dolphins also ran 87 offensive plays to the Colts 35. The Dolphins also had the ball for 45:07 of the 60 minute game. And guess what, the Colts still won 27 - 23, because Manning simply scored virtually every time they got the ball (with no threat of a running game). He was also playing with two new recievers. That's all that I have to say about that.
How cold hearted is Bill Belichick? Not only did he trade Richard Seymour, but he sent him to Oakland. Can you imagine how it must feel to be a Patriot one day and then a Raider the next? That’s like winning your first Video Music Award only to have Kanye West deliver your speech. You went from being happy to wondering what in the world happened. To make matters worse, Belichick wasn’t even man enough to tell Seymour (a player that helped him win three Super Bowls) face to face that he had been traded. He told him over the phone. WHAT A SPINELESS BUSTER! I have no respect for that guy. That was a MAJOR MAN-LAW VIOLATION! If I were Tom Brady, I would watch my back when dealing with that guy. Look at how he has treated such players as Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Mike Vrabel, Drew Bledsoe, Willie McGinist, and most recently Seymour. If your knee doesn’t return to form very quickly, you will be the Rams starting quarterback next season.
Last but not least, who will win a game first the Buccaneers or the Rams? They don’t play each other this year, so I am really beginning to wonder if one or both of these teams can follow in the Lions footsteps. There aren’t simply two teams who haven’t won a game yet, THESE ARE TWO TERRIBLY PATHETIC TEAMS!!!! I hate to say this, but the Cleveland Browns (with Anderson at QB) would handle both of them. Now that tells you how bad they are.
These are just my thoughts on the NFL season thus far. Feel free to respond to any of these thoughts, or chime in with some thoughts or observations of your own.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER AND SCRUB OF THE WEEK!
BALLER: Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) - I am fair. I will beat you up for throwing picks and acting like a DIVA, but I will also give you props for one of the best game winning plays that I have ever seen in my life. GREAT JOB! But don't get it twisted, when you throw four picks, with one of them being the one that seals a loss for your team (you know its comming), you will be the SCRUB OF THE WEEK. However, this week you saved the day. So you are the Baller of the Week. Congrats!
SCRUB: Atlanta Falcons Defensive Line - I just wanted to chime in and let you all know that in football, IT IS OK TO RUSH THE PASSER! YOU CAN EVEN HIT OF SACK HIM IF YOU GET THERE IN TIME! You guys were terrible against the Patriots. Last I checked the Patriots did not exactly have a stellar offensive line. If you don't believe me, ask the Giants, Jets, and Bills. In case you haven't noticed, the secondary isn't exactly filled with Hall of Famer's who can cover for 8 seconds (which is about how much time Brady had in the pocket). He could have finished reading War & Peace during each play, with the amount of time you were giving him. YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THAT!
First of all, the DETROIT LIONS came through for me. I picked them as one of my upsets of the week, and THEY TOOK DOWN THE PATHETIC DEANGELO HALL LED WASHINGTON REDSKINS!!!!
After watching Jason Campbell play so far this season, I now totally understand why the Redskins tried so hard to replace him this off-season. Initially, I felt bad for him, but now I understand why they don’t want him anymore. YOU ARE THE FIRST QUARTERBACK TO LOSE TO THE LIONS SINCE DECEMBER 23, 2007. THAT WAS DURING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION!!!! I hate to say this, but Jason Campbell days as an NFL starter are numbered.
To date, my top three running backs which all happen to be named Adrian Peterson currently have 357 rushing yards through three games. Peterson is 1,748 yards behind Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. He has to average 134 yards per game for the rest of the season to break the record. Stay tuned, I will be tracking his progress throughout the season. If I were a betting man, which I am not, I would bet that he is going to break the record this year.
Speaking of the Vikings, shout out to the Diva that I love to hate. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, I am referring to Brett Favre. The game winning touchdown pass against the 49ers was amazing. As amazing as that play was, I would be remised if I didn’t warn Viking fans to temper their excitement. This is what Brett Favre does; he makes amazing plays to win big games. But he also throws lots of picks to lose big games. So enjoy this week, because he could very easily throw you out of the game next week.
Please raise your hand if you thought the Tennessee Titans would be 0 – 3 after three games. I certainly didn’t. Now to be perfectly honest, I picked them to finish third in their division (behind the Colts & Texans), but I never imagined that they would be 0 – 3 (especially with Future Hall of Famer Vince Young still on the sidelines).
Mike Singletary has proven to be a much better head coach than any of us could have expected. The fact that the 49ers are 2 – 1 with wins over the Cardinals & Seahawks and a last second loss to the Vikings, shows that he definitely has them on the right track.
Speaking of the 49ers. Where’s Waldo? I mean Crabtree. I don’t know if he realizes it or not, but they don’t exactly miss you right now. It will probably be in your best interest to take the $20 million and join the party, because you are losing leverage with every Shaun Hill touchdown pass. Sorry, bad analogy. I mean to say with every victory because they are hardly throwing the ball.
Speaking of touchdown passes, when did Joe Flacco morph into Dan Marino? He has already thrown for 839 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has already had 2 – 300 yard passing games. Last season, he had the exact same number of 300 yard passing games as I did.
Did anyone reading this ever think that they would see the day when the Pittsburgh Steelers were among the worst rushing teams in the NFL? Their ground game is pathetic. Look for Willie Parker to be removed from the starting lineup soon, simply because they are going to have to try something else. Also remember, they did use a first-round pick on his backup.
Why haven’t the fans in Carolina voted to impeach Jake Delhomme? Why didn’t the Carolina coaching staff and front office bring in a competent backup when they lost Josh McCown for the season? How many picks will Jake throw this season? How many picks does Jake have to throw before Steve Smith punches him in the face (you know he loves doing that to teammates)?
RAY LEWIS IS STILL AWESOME! Check out his game winning tackle below.
Why did Leodis (that is really his name) McKelvin bring that kickoff out of the end zone? Not only should he have known better, but his coaches should have told him to take a knee in that situation if the kick goes into the end zone. Furthermore, he should have fell down on first contact instead of fighting (and exposing the ball) for two extra yards.
How awesome is Peyton Manning? Last week the Dolphins outgained the Colts on the ground 239 yards to 61 yards. The Dolphins also ran 87 offensive plays to the Colts 35. The Dolphins also had the ball for 45:07 of the 60 minute game. And guess what, the Colts still won 27 - 23, because Manning simply scored virtually every time they got the ball (with no threat of a running game). He was also playing with two new recievers. That's all that I have to say about that.
How cold hearted is Bill Belichick? Not only did he trade Richard Seymour, but he sent him to Oakland. Can you imagine how it must feel to be a Patriot one day and then a Raider the next? That’s like winning your first Video Music Award only to have Kanye West deliver your speech. You went from being happy to wondering what in the world happened. To make matters worse, Belichick wasn’t even man enough to tell Seymour (a player that helped him win three Super Bowls) face to face that he had been traded. He told him over the phone. WHAT A SPINELESS BUSTER! I have no respect for that guy. That was a MAJOR MAN-LAW VIOLATION! If I were Tom Brady, I would watch my back when dealing with that guy. Look at how he has treated such players as Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Mike Vrabel, Drew Bledsoe, Willie McGinist, and most recently Seymour. If your knee doesn’t return to form very quickly, you will be the Rams starting quarterback next season.
Last but not least, who will win a game first the Buccaneers or the Rams? They don’t play each other this year, so I am really beginning to wonder if one or both of these teams can follow in the Lions footsteps. There aren’t simply two teams who haven’t won a game yet, THESE ARE TWO TERRIBLY PATHETIC TEAMS!!!! I hate to say this, but the Cleveland Browns (with Anderson at QB) would handle both of them. Now that tells you how bad they are.
These are just my thoughts on the NFL season thus far. Feel free to respond to any of these thoughts, or chime in with some thoughts or observations of your own.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER AND SCRUB OF THE WEEK!
BALLER: Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) - I am fair. I will beat you up for throwing picks and acting like a DIVA, but I will also give you props for one of the best game winning plays that I have ever seen in my life. GREAT JOB! But don't get it twisted, when you throw four picks, with one of them being the one that seals a loss for your team (you know its comming), you will be the SCRUB OF THE WEEK. However, this week you saved the day. So you are the Baller of the Week. Congrats!
SCRUB: Atlanta Falcons Defensive Line - I just wanted to chime in and let you all know that in football, IT IS OK TO RUSH THE PASSER! YOU CAN EVEN HIT OF SACK HIM IF YOU GET THERE IN TIME! You guys were terrible against the Patriots. Last I checked the Patriots did not exactly have a stellar offensive line. If you don't believe me, ask the Giants, Jets, and Bills. In case you haven't noticed, the secondary isn't exactly filled with Hall of Famer's who can cover for 8 seconds (which is about how much time Brady had in the pocket). He could have finished reading War & Peace during each play, with the amount of time you were giving him. YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THAT!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
THEY DESERVE BETTER
Each week around Tuesday or so, I begin to think about potential blog topics for the week. This week was no different. I was tossing around potential topics with my wife (my primary sounding board). Some were pretty good, and there were some that didn’t make much sense at all. Then I had a stroke of brilliance (at least I thought so). I said to her, maybe I should write about Matt Millen. She then asked, “What would you say about him?” I responded by explaining how terrible he is as an NFL executive and laid out a laundry list of the stupid decisions that he has made during his tenure with the Lions. She thought about it for a minute and then said that she thought that would be a good topic. Then on Wednesday the Detroit Lions completely stole my thunder and FIRED MATT MILLEN. Don’t get me wrong, I never want to see a person lose their job, especially in today’s economy. However, I simply planned to point out the fact that he was grossly under-qualified for such a position and ill-equipped to be successful. Also, I don’t feel too bad about him being removed from his position because he did a terrible job (the case could be made that he was the worst executive in the NFL) in leading the Lions to a stellar 31 – 84 record (that is a .270 winning percentage for those scoring at home) and is walking away with reportedly $50 million of the Lions money. You gotta love America. The place where doing a good job is appreciated but incompetence gets rewarded. That being said, is anyone still wondering why our economy is in shambles?
Believe it or not, I would rank the fans of the Detroit Lions as the fifth most faithful, loyal, dedicated, and devoted fan base in the NFL. In my opinion they trail only the fans of the Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, and Browns. You may not believe me, but trust me on that. You have to have a great fan base to consistently draw over 60,000 fans a game, even when your team probably wouldn’t crack the college football Top 25 in most years. Further proof lies in the fact that I have Sirius Satellite Radio (the best radio on radio) and trust me the Lions fans are out there in full force. They love their team. I don’t know why and I do question their sanity. I know one thing for sure, I wouldn’t want to get into a fist-fight with a Lions fan. You could never win because they have such a high tolerance for pain (after watching this team for so many years) that your punches wouldn’t hurt them one bit.
Now the genius that is Matt Millen has left the building (he was escorted out kicking and screaming). Lions fans everywhere are rejoicing and dreaming about better days to come. Truth be told, if history is any indicator the chances of them becoming a top-tier or even a consistently mediocre franchise are slim to none. However, those slim chances did increase when Millen left the building. I am sure that some of you reading this don’t follow the Detroit Lions very closely and don’t know much about Millen. Don’t worry, you have come to the right place. I will give you a short summary of Millen’s tenure in Detroit. HE ABSOLUTELY SUCKED!!!! Was that short enough?
Actually Millen has been a disaster as a CEO and defacto General Manager since the day the Lions hired him out of the TV booth. Prior to being a color commentator for television and radio broadcasts of NFL games, Matt was an NFL linebacker. During his playing career, he played for 3 teams (Raiders, 49er’s, and Redskins) and won 4 Super Bowls. He even played in a Pro Bowl (1988). Guess what, playing and commentating talent doesn’t always translate to the front office. As a matter of fact it rarely does.
Following the 2000 season in which the Lions finished with a 9 – 7 record and missed the playoffs by only one game, Matt Millen was hired as the team’s President and CEO of football operations. Although Millen had no previous experience in anything that remotely resembled this position, fans were optimistic because he was a “football guy” who had proven through his previous work that he knew and understood the game. That optimism quickly went away once Millen made a litany of stupid decisions that set the already eternally doomed franchise back even further than they were. Some of Millen’s brilliant (or at least he thought so) decisions were:
Drafting Joey Harrington with the third overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft (Passed on such players as Ed Reed, Dwight Freeney, Clinton Portis, and Brian Westbrook. If they really wanted a quarterback, David Garrard was available until the 108th pick.)
Drafted four 1st round picks at the same position (The position was wide receiver. He did find two studs in Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams, but missed big time on Charles Rogers and Mike Williams.)
Did not draft suitable offensive line help or defensive players that could actually play. The Lions scouting and player development staff has to be among the worse in the league.
Hired Mary Mornhinweg as the Head Coach (All I’m going to say about this idiot is that he won a coin-toss in sudden-death overtime and DECIDED TO KICK!!!! HE ACTUALLY GAVE THE OTHER TEAM THE BALL FIRST IN SUDDEN-DEATH OVER TIME. Guess What, to his surprise the other team scored first and they lost the game. Yes, Millen did think that someone with that thought process was the right man to lead the Lions.)
Oh, let’s not excuse the latest coach that Millen hired, Rod Marinelli. He is the former Defensive Line and Assistant Head Coach in Tampa Bay and is well-respected throughout the league. However he cannot be absolved from blame for their current 0 – 3 start (which include losses to Atlanta and San Francisco). He is steadfast in his belief that they must run the ball, although their roster and talent says throw it early and often and make every game a shootout. HELLO, THEY DO HAVE CALVIN JOHNSON AND ROY WILLIAMS. I mean New England could throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game with Troy Brown and Reche Caldwell as their primary receivers and Philly has done it year in and year out with the get-along-gang they have at receiver. I know that Jon Kitna isn’t Brady or McNabb, but he is good enough to get the ball to the two Pro Bowlers if the game plan is schemed correctly.
Built a joke of a defense. The defense has three decent players, linebacker Ernie Simms, cornerback Leigh Bodden, and cornerback Brian Kelly (who is as old as Julio Franco). After them, everyone else should be playing in Canada. The defense has been a joke throughout Millen’s tenure. This is unacceptable considering that they have drafted 18th or higher (six times they have drafted in the top ten and three times they had a top five pick) each year that Millen has been there. It’s funny because four of those picks were spent on one offensive position (Wide Receiver) and only ONE WAS SPENT ON DEFENSE (Linebacker Ernie Simms). GO FIGURE!!!!
Even the most optimistic person in the world would have to admit that Matt Millen was an absolute failure no matter what criteria you measure him by. He is now gone, which means that the Lions will continue the rebuilding process that has been going on since 1993 (the year of their last division title) under new leadership.
I truly feel sorry for Lions fans because they know going into each season that they don’t have a chance at being any good, yet they still support their team. I’m all for being loyal to your team, but I also believe that loyalty goes both ways. If your team refuses to do everything in their power to be competitive then they don’t deserve your loyalty. I knew the Lions weren’t trying when team owner William Clay Ford Sr. gave Millen a five year contract extension after the 2005 season in which the Lions were 5 – 11. It took 25 more losses for Mr. Ford to see the errors in his ways. Note to Mr. Ford, you know your GM is bad when fans at NBA, NHL, and college football and basketball games are chanting “Fire Millen.” Rasheed Wallace even joined in the chant during a timeout of a Pistons game. There were even protests and parades around the city, all in an effort to make you open your eyes and see the terrible leadership that led your miserable team.
Now the questions is, “Who’s Next?” Honestly, I don’t know. This is a bad job that will not be able to attract people who have other options. The best they can hope for is to find a bright young Assistant GM or Scouting Director who is looking for their opportunity to sit in the big chair. Much like the Atlanta Falcons did with Thomas DImitroff. On the other hand, it might be a good job because no matter what, you will be considered the King of Detroit because you will be an improvement from Millen by simply sitting on the plane to Detroit. You also know that ownership is patient to a fault and pays very well whether you succeed or fail.
GOOD LUCK LIONS FANS, I AM PULLING FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE BETTER!!!!
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 37 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
Believe it or not, I would rank the fans of the Detroit Lions as the fifth most faithful, loyal, dedicated, and devoted fan base in the NFL. In my opinion they trail only the fans of the Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, and Browns. You may not believe me, but trust me on that. You have to have a great fan base to consistently draw over 60,000 fans a game, even when your team probably wouldn’t crack the college football Top 25 in most years. Further proof lies in the fact that I have Sirius Satellite Radio (the best radio on radio) and trust me the Lions fans are out there in full force. They love their team. I don’t know why and I do question their sanity. I know one thing for sure, I wouldn’t want to get into a fist-fight with a Lions fan. You could never win because they have such a high tolerance for pain (after watching this team for so many years) that your punches wouldn’t hurt them one bit.
Now the genius that is Matt Millen has left the building (he was escorted out kicking and screaming). Lions fans everywhere are rejoicing and dreaming about better days to come. Truth be told, if history is any indicator the chances of them becoming a top-tier or even a consistently mediocre franchise are slim to none. However, those slim chances did increase when Millen left the building. I am sure that some of you reading this don’t follow the Detroit Lions very closely and don’t know much about Millen. Don’t worry, you have come to the right place. I will give you a short summary of Millen’s tenure in Detroit. HE ABSOLUTELY SUCKED!!!! Was that short enough?
Actually Millen has been a disaster as a CEO and defacto General Manager since the day the Lions hired him out of the TV booth. Prior to being a color commentator for television and radio broadcasts of NFL games, Matt was an NFL linebacker. During his playing career, he played for 3 teams (Raiders, 49er’s, and Redskins) and won 4 Super Bowls. He even played in a Pro Bowl (1988). Guess what, playing and commentating talent doesn’t always translate to the front office. As a matter of fact it rarely does.
Following the 2000 season in which the Lions finished with a 9 – 7 record and missed the playoffs by only one game, Matt Millen was hired as the team’s President and CEO of football operations. Although Millen had no previous experience in anything that remotely resembled this position, fans were optimistic because he was a “football guy” who had proven through his previous work that he knew and understood the game. That optimism quickly went away once Millen made a litany of stupid decisions that set the already eternally doomed franchise back even further than they were. Some of Millen’s brilliant (or at least he thought so) decisions were:
Drafting Joey Harrington with the third overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft (Passed on such players as Ed Reed, Dwight Freeney, Clinton Portis, and Brian Westbrook. If they really wanted a quarterback, David Garrard was available until the 108th pick.)
Drafted four 1st round picks at the same position (The position was wide receiver. He did find two studs in Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams, but missed big time on Charles Rogers and Mike Williams.)
Did not draft suitable offensive line help or defensive players that could actually play. The Lions scouting and player development staff has to be among the worse in the league.
Hired Mary Mornhinweg as the Head Coach (All I’m going to say about this idiot is that he won a coin-toss in sudden-death overtime and DECIDED TO KICK!!!! HE ACTUALLY GAVE THE OTHER TEAM THE BALL FIRST IN SUDDEN-DEATH OVER TIME. Guess What, to his surprise the other team scored first and they lost the game. Yes, Millen did think that someone with that thought process was the right man to lead the Lions.)
Oh, let’s not excuse the latest coach that Millen hired, Rod Marinelli. He is the former Defensive Line and Assistant Head Coach in Tampa Bay and is well-respected throughout the league. However he cannot be absolved from blame for their current 0 – 3 start (which include losses to Atlanta and San Francisco). He is steadfast in his belief that they must run the ball, although their roster and talent says throw it early and often and make every game a shootout. HELLO, THEY DO HAVE CALVIN JOHNSON AND ROY WILLIAMS. I mean New England could throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game with Troy Brown and Reche Caldwell as their primary receivers and Philly has done it year in and year out with the get-along-gang they have at receiver. I know that Jon Kitna isn’t Brady or McNabb, but he is good enough to get the ball to the two Pro Bowlers if the game plan is schemed correctly.
Built a joke of a defense. The defense has three decent players, linebacker Ernie Simms, cornerback Leigh Bodden, and cornerback Brian Kelly (who is as old as Julio Franco). After them, everyone else should be playing in Canada. The defense has been a joke throughout Millen’s tenure. This is unacceptable considering that they have drafted 18th or higher (six times they have drafted in the top ten and three times they had a top five pick) each year that Millen has been there. It’s funny because four of those picks were spent on one offensive position (Wide Receiver) and only ONE WAS SPENT ON DEFENSE (Linebacker Ernie Simms). GO FIGURE!!!!
Even the most optimistic person in the world would have to admit that Matt Millen was an absolute failure no matter what criteria you measure him by. He is now gone, which means that the Lions will continue the rebuilding process that has been going on since 1993 (the year of their last division title) under new leadership.
I truly feel sorry for Lions fans because they know going into each season that they don’t have a chance at being any good, yet they still support their team. I’m all for being loyal to your team, but I also believe that loyalty goes both ways. If your team refuses to do everything in their power to be competitive then they don’t deserve your loyalty. I knew the Lions weren’t trying when team owner William Clay Ford Sr. gave Millen a five year contract extension after the 2005 season in which the Lions were 5 – 11. It took 25 more losses for Mr. Ford to see the errors in his ways. Note to Mr. Ford, you know your GM is bad when fans at NBA, NHL, and college football and basketball games are chanting “Fire Millen.” Rasheed Wallace even joined in the chant during a timeout of a Pistons game. There were even protests and parades around the city, all in an effort to make you open your eyes and see the terrible leadership that led your miserable team.
Now the questions is, “Who’s Next?” Honestly, I don’t know. This is a bad job that will not be able to attract people who have other options. The best they can hope for is to find a bright young Assistant GM or Scouting Director who is looking for their opportunity to sit in the big chair. Much like the Atlanta Falcons did with Thomas DImitroff. On the other hand, it might be a good job because no matter what, you will be considered the King of Detroit because you will be an improvement from Millen by simply sitting on the plane to Detroit. You also know that ownership is patient to a fault and pays very well whether you succeed or fail.
GOOD LUCK LIONS FANS, I AM PULLING FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE BETTER!!!!
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 37 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE READING THIS HAS ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE. IF NOT, PLEASE DO SO SOON. BE SURE TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
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