A Millen Reasons Not to Blame Matt Millen

Dear Lions Fan(s),

I just would like to take this time to apologize to all of you scattered across America for the recent performance of the Detroit Lions. No fan—or American, for that matter—should have to watch players like Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams. It is simply a disgrace to expect anyone to pay money to support a team that has not made the playoffs since before most of you readers were born.

Since I took over this franchise in 2001, we have become the laughingstock of the league, and I don't feel it's fair that I should be labeled as the main problem. Yes, we have as many road wins in the last eight years as the Giants won just last season, but you try taking this bunch of losers into another team's stadium and listening to the abuse from the fans.

How am I supposed to win when every wide receiver I ever draft turns into a bust? And look at our quarterbacks—Joey Harrington, Josh McCown, Ty Detmer, Charlie Batch, and Mike McMahon. I don't think you could get a worse group of individuals than these guys.

And after all that, I get fired? What did I do wrong? The wide receivers can't catch, the quarterbacks can't pass, and our defense can't stop a high school girls' powder puff team. How is that my fault?

I'll tell you who should get blamed. The coaches. Look at this list of guys I've had to endure—Marty Mornhinweig, Steve Mariucci, Dick Jauron, and Rod Marinelli. There's not an intelligent man in that list.

Look at some of the coaching decisions we've had to put up with. Mornhinweig choosing to kick rather than receive in overtime. Mariucci and that embarrassing loss to the Falcons on Thanksgiving Day in 2005. Marinelli's decision to draft Ernie Sims, rather than pursue a much-needed quarterback during the '06 NFL draft. I've been forced to work with a bunch of idiots during my eight years as GM, and I don't think it's fair to blame me for that.

I envy a guy like Bill Polian of the Colts, who just hires Tony Dungy and gets rewarded with a Super Bowl championship and a spot in the playoffs every single year. Or Joe Banner, who hires Andy Reid, and they go to the playoffs in six out of nine seasons. It's just my luck that all the good coaches are taken, and I have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to fill my vacant head coaching spot.

I guarantee you that here in Detroit, we have the talent to win the Super Bowl. Look at our roster. Jon Kitna may throw a lot of interceptions and fumble more than the average quarterback, but he is a veteran leader. You won't find a better wide receiver combination than Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, assuming we don't trade away Williams before the trade deadline.

We may not have Barry Sanders running the ball, the offensive line may have some holes in it, and the defense is struggling a little to say the least, but I believe a turnaround could inspire the team and embark us on a hot winning streak.

We just need a solid head coach who knows how to lead and get the most out of our players. Personally, I've done my part. I've stuck with the team over all these years. I've had to deal with the most inept group of losers that have ever coached in the National Football League. I've endured unnecessary criticism from the fans, and I have watched and waited patiently while practically every other team in the league has been to the playoffs. Except us. Now is our time.

I would just like to make this solemn pledge to the city of Detroit, that if I get re-hired as the team's general manager, we will win the Super Bowl. This year. I don't care that we are 0-3 and we haven't won the NFL Championship since before it was even called the Super Bowl.

Look at the Giants last year. They started 0-2 and went on to win it all. No, we don't have quite the same team that they had, but I believe we have the talent, the drive, the heart, and the motivation to win it all. Just give me another chance and I won't let you down. I promise.

Sincerely,

Matt Millen