Who Doesn't Fit Among Detroit's Sports Geniuses: Holland, Dumars, Dombrowski or Millen?

The city of Detroit should be known for it's genius sports businessmen. Detroit possesses quite possibly the smartest general managers in three of the four major sports in America.

Yet, it is Matt Millen whose stupidity rises above the works of all three other men to single-handedly bring down the entire city of Detroit in one foul swoop.

Let's take a moment to appreciate what each of these men has done for the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan—before we break down how Matt Millen has ruined all of it.

Ken Holland is unmatched as a GM in any sport. The Red Wings have been the ultimate staple of consistency in sports over the last fifteen years. Consistently, talented players join the organization without a bad year. Holland is a master of finding foreign talent. Year after year, he is able to package draft picks for impact players, while still finding young guys to fill the gap.

Even this year, many people thought the Red Wings might be on the way down with a team slightly over the hill. But once again, Holland looks like a genius as we see our young talent flourishing in ways no one thought. With veterans like Lidstrom, Rafalski, Osgood, Hasek, Holmstrom, Chellios, Maltby and Draper coupled with young stars Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary and Flippula, it is almost definite that the Red Wings will win another Stanley Cup this year.

Now look at Joe Dumars' accomplishments. Does Dumar make bad moves? Start with the Grant Hill deal in which the Pistons obtained Ben Wallace, the foundation of our championship. He added the final piece to that championship team in Rasheed Wallace for next to nothing. When judged by his signings, no one can argue he isn't a master judge of talent.

Only once has he had a top draft pick (ironically enough the one pick that did not pan out). Yet he has consistently drafted key players no matter where he is at—Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey, Aaron Afflalo and Jason Maxiell are all Dumars picks, and all key pieces to one of the top teams in the NBA. None of them was a top ten pick. Not to mention Amir Johnson who still has potential to be a dominant big man in the league.

And then he has the knack for finding just the right veterans to mix in on the bench—the likes of Jarvis Hayes, Antonio McDyess, Lindsey Hunter and Carlos Arroyo over the years. And not only that, but he knows when to cut ties, and when not to overpay, i.e. Ben Wallace.

Dave Dombrowski came into Detroit and seemingly overnight changed the laughing stock of baseball into a legitimate World Series contender, possibly for years to come. Dombrowski takes chances on guys nobody wants—like Kenny Rogers and Maggolio Ordoñez—and comes out looking brilliant. He came into town, found the holes and plugged them in a hurry, no matter what it took. True, he has made prospects expendable, but I do not think anyone would say the future of the Tigers organization has been mortgaged in any way. Not only did he find the right players to win, but he found the right coach to lead them to wins.

Now we look at the odd man out, the disgrace of Motown, Matt Millen. It almost seems like a cruel joke played on Lions fans across the country by the Ford Family that this man still has a job. In seven seasons Millen has amassed 31 wins! Is that not astounding?

This was not a bad team that he inherited. We were perfectly mediocore, just in need of a few adjustments to take that next turn. Yet we turned the wrong way and have been falling ever since. Do not let last season's seven wins fool you, this team is not on the upswing. The number of holes on the team almost seems insurmountable.

The draft record features picks as glamorous as Charles Rogers, Mike Williams and Shaun Cody. Oh and my favorite pick of all time choosing Kalimba Edwards over Clinton Portis! The few picks the man has made correctly, he has almost stumbled into or been overridden on the decision—such as with Ernie Sims who was a Rod Marinelli pick through and through.

The man cycles through coaches and coordinators while leaving the talent on the field virtually the same year after year. The glaring holes on the Lions team have been the same for the last seven years—offensive line, defensive line and secondary. Anyone watching them can see this, with the apparent exception of Matt Millen, who continually passes on quality players in favor of the flashy wide reciever or some other skill player.

If another example is needed, look no further than last year's draft selection of Drew Stanton over Paul Poslunzsky in round 2. How many chances is this guy going to get? How far will this orginization fall before something is done?

I beg you, William Clay Ford—for the sake of the city of Detroit and the reputations of men like Ken Holland, Joe Dumars and Dave Dombrowski—fire Matt Millen or sell the team. It is the only just thing to do.