William Clay Ford, Sr.: Don't Be an Idiot!

Brace yourself, this is going to be a rant! 

 

 

After the Lions inspiring 42-7 loss against the Saints, I was down. The loss guarantees the No. 1 pick of the draft and virtually guarantees an 0-16 season.

 

The Lions head north next week to Lambeau Field, a place they have not seen a victory in 17 years. True, they won’t be facing Brett Favre, but they lost their last best chance for a win.

But this isn’t going to be yet another column about an ineffective Joe Barry defense or a boring Jim Colletto offense. This isn’t even going to be about Rod Marinelli, a head coach who has no right to be one. How can I say that? Lets see, since 2006 the Lions are 10-37. HE'S HAD THREE YEARS MR. FORD! IT'S NOT WORKING!

And speaking of Mr. Ford, I was taken aback when I read that he is considering keeping Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand in their current capacity as GM and Chief Operating Officer respectively. Since Millen was fired three games into the season, they made one, albeit a good one, move: They traded Roy Williams to the Cowboys for a first, third, and fifth round picks.

But can we trust these two? Both were part of the Millen era and both have been part of the several rebuilding projects that Millen has tried. Millen was the fire and I look at these two and see smoke…and where there is smoke there is fire.

Mr. Ford, the many fans of the Detroit Lions and across the nation are begging you to do the right thing. Gut the front office, part ways with anyone associated with Matt Millen  Please make it a clean slate.

I’m going to say this as plain as possible: DON’T BE AN IDIOT! You say you want to win but your actions belay your words.

 

Proof is in the numbers.  In the NFC North Division, we have the Bears, Packers, Vikings and Lions:

 

·           Bears - 2 Super Bowl appearances

·           Packers - 4 Super Bowl appearances

·           Vikings - 4 Super Bowl appearances

·           Lions - A BIG FAT ZERO, NADA, NOT EVEN CLOSE, HOSTING IT TWICE DOESN'T COUNT!

Wants some more numbers?

Since 1961, the first season the Vikings came into the league, as of this writing, the Packers (54.37 percent), Bears (50.07 percent), and Vikings (52.72 percent) all have winning percentages of at least 50 percent.  The Lions since 1961?  A whopping 43.02 percent...doesn't that just make you feel proud Mr. Ford? 

How can we see these numbers and ever believe you want to build a winning football team?  How can you, as an owner in one of the most elite sports in America, be looked at as a laughing stock by your peers?  How can you stand knowing that any team that plays against the Lions marks it down as a sure win? 

Look, you’ve done some remarkable things for the City of Detroit. You built Ford Field and the practice facility in Allen Park without asking for a dime from anyone. A rare feat indeed considering how most owners hold cities and states hostage for new stadiums.

What I don’t understand is why you don’t put the same kind of effort in building a first class team to go along with the state-of-the-art Ford Field and the practice facility in Allen Park? Do you think these facilities have some sort of magic power that will transform third-rate players and coaches into first-rate players and coaches?

Hire Scott Pioli away from New England. Or hire Floyd Reese since he practically auditioned for the job a day after Millen was fired. Heck, I’d even take a look at the Kansas City Chiefs Carl Petersen who is resigning after the 2008 season.

 

Yeah, Kansas City has fallen on hard times over the past three years. But consider this: In his 20-year term as GM for Kansas City, he has a 176-141 record, a winning percentage of 55.52 percent. The Lions in that same time frame? 130-205 with a winning percentage of 38.81 percent.

Lewand is quoted as saying:  “There’s nobody who wants it to be right more than Mr. Ford does, and I think he will do everything in his power to get it right. This city deserves a winner on the field and off the field and I think we’ve produced at times off the field. We clearly haven’t produced it on the field. But this city deserves that and I think Mr. Ford is committed to giving them that.”

Based on your past 45 years of ownership, I say bull-pucky to that. You haven’t lifted a finger, especially these last 10 years, to do anything that resembles forward progress in regard to improving this team.

 

You let one of the best running backs ever to play the game to walk away because he felt you were doing nothing to keep the Lions competitive. Barry Sanders retirement is your fault regardless of how people feel about how he left. You destroyed his will to compete because you never put a team together that ever had a chance.

 

Oh sure, there were some winning seasons (barely) and division titles. But once the playoffs came around, the team never had a chance.

This team needs to be gutted from top to bottom. At least 75 percent of the players should be released. The coaching staff should be dismissed at the two minute warning of the Green Bay game.  I like Rod Marinelli as a person but he’s in over his head.

 

Yeah, I know, I said I wasn't going to talk about the coaching staff but I can't help myself.

 

Joe Barry, his son-in-law defensive coordinator is supposed to be the Cover-Two guru. Tell me, how does a guy with this defense, designed to limit big plays, keep his job? Opposing teams are putting up ridiculous scores and winning by, on average, 16 points per game.

As for the offense, Colletto has no business being an offensive coordinator. He doesn’t use his best weapons, Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith, to the best of their abilities.

 

How Johnson got to 1,000 yards receiving with five different quarterbacks is a testament to his talent. He should have at least 1,200 if Colletto put in some short crossing routes and take those 5-7 yard hitches for 75 yards.

Do you want to drive the fans away? Do you want that nice state-of-the-art Ford Field to be empty on Sundays? Do you want to be known as the most inept owner in the NFL? If so, you are taking the right steps to do so.

We aren’t asking for a knee-jerk reaction but I believe that’s what needed. Cut deep, cut far and start all over. Get the best talent money can buy for the front office. Take a chance on a young offensive or defensive coordinator as your coach, such as Steve Spagnuolo of the New York Giants or Jason Garrett of the Cowboys.

Get the men to do the job and then keep your hands off!