Detroit Lions: Martin Mayhew Speaks His Mind, Without Words

A few years ago, we were able to take advantage of the economic downturn and purchase our home below market value while selling our previous home at a profitable level.  The new home came complete with a cluster of bushes that sat evenly upon the property line shared with our neighbor. 

For the first few years, I diligently trimmed and manicured my new horticultural gems in both the spring and fall without a peep of gratitude from the house next door.  I didn’t care. 

When my second child arrived, I was lax in my hedging requirements and put off the requisite work for several weeks. 

During that time, I’m pulling out of the driveway and heading to work when I see a landscape crew beginning work on the neighbor’s yard.  Terrific I thought, I won’t have to trim those bushes this spring.  But when I got home, damn it all if the bushes were trimmed back perfectly on only one side!  Are you freaking kidding me?!?!

I knew exactly what I wanted to say to my friends next door, but decorum prevented me from acting on my feelings.

We’ve all been there before, wronged by a co-worker, neighbor or even family.  Hell, you could have had awful service at your favorite restaurant but failed to say anything for fear of something foreign making its way into your seafood paella.  Later on you curse them to your spouse and expound upon what you would say or do if you were allowed back to the original confrontation.

Martin Mayhew, general manager of the Detroit Lions, was offered this same opportunity on Sunday afternoon and did not mince words; he excluded them.

Scott Pioli, general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, went to congratulate Mayhew on the Lions' 48-3 waxing of his Chiefs and according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, Mayhew shook his head and turned his back on Pioli.

This frigid interaction stems from the Chiefs blowing the whistle on the Lions and the NFL finding them guilty of tampering in 2010.  The infraction cost the Lions a seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft and swapped their fifth-round pick with the Chiefs. 

In February of 2010, Lions defensive coordinator and former Chiefs coordinator Gunther Cunningham spoke of players he would like to bring to Detroit because of his familiarity with the players. 

The Lions insist there was no tampering and it’s believed that former Kansas City safety Jared Page, now with the Eagles, contacted his former coach about the possibility of rejoining him with the Lions while Page was an unsigned restricted free agent.

It was evident to anyone watching Sunday’s game that the Lions took great pride in pressing their cleats firmly into the Chiefs’ collective necks.  With little over one minute to play in the third quarter and a 20-3 lead, Calvin Johnson dropped a third-down touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford.

Instead of kicking the field goal to put them up by nearly three touchdowns, the Lions went for it and scored on the next play, putting them up 27-3. 

But they didn’t stop there.  Adding three more touchdowns off turnovers in the fourth quarter, the Lions left little doubt as to who the superior team was on Sunday and the disdain felt for the Chiefs entire organization, which was punctuated by the Gatorade shower given to Gunther Cunningham at the end of the game. 

I for one love every bit of this saga.  For years, the Lions have been the doormat to the NFL.  The only consistent source of pride for the Lions organization was hosting the annual Thanksgiving Day game.  The same game in which the Chiefs, specifically the late Lamar Hunt, had lobbied for years to take away from Detroit.

Let’s not forget that both men were appointed to their general manager positions after the 2008 season.  Pioli was the personnel director in New England when the Super Bowl rings were being amassed.  While many Lions fans clamored for Pioli and his Patriot pedigree, the Lions stayed in-house and hired Matt Millen’s assistant Mayhew (Forgive me, I will try and never type those two words again).

Mayhew prefers a low profile and would like to stay out of the media spotlight.  His punking of Pioli will only further endear him to the fans of Detroit as the 2011 season rolls on.  I’m not only encouraged by the product on the field, I like the way the front office is handling its business.  I think I’ll go pay a visit to the neighbor this evening.