God Bless Rod Marinelli

My whole life I have cheered and prayed for a team to fall to 0-16.

When the Detroit Lions began looking like a high school team, I was ecstatic. With that schedule? With those injuries? Come on, they have to go winless.

After all, the Lions served to Atlanta opening week, what Appalachian St. was supposed to be to Michigan in 2007.

But why do I feel bad for the 2008 Detroit Lions?

I mean they did ruin my Thanksgiving, their play allowed my Bears to stay in playoff contention and Marinelli's defensive coordinator is his son-in-law. Wonder how that relationship is going?

Rod Marinelli seems like a terrible coach.  In football, there is no time to be sympathetic, but their has to be time to be humane.  Few head coaches have ever been through what Marinelli has been through.

Marinelli, born in 1949, was 19-years old when he served his country in Vietnam. When he returned he played football at California Lutheran from 1970-1972. As an offensive tackle in 1972, he earned NAIA All-America honors.

Immediately after graduating, Marinelli began teaching at his former high school and while there, he became the defensive coordinator in 1973. Marinelli spent three years coaching there before he moved up to the next level.

He became the defensive line coach at Utah State in '76. Marinelli coached there until the end of the '82 season. His final season, he was the offensive line coach and special teams coach.

From there he transferred over the University of California. Where he spent almost another whole decade coaching the defensive line, and spent some time as the assistant head coach.

After coaching for nine full seasons for the Cal Bears, he had a three year stint at Arizona State University. Ranging from '92-'94. Again as a defensive line and assistant coach.

From there, he moved to USC and spent the '95 season coaching yet again, the defensive line.

Then for the first time in 23 years, Rod got his promotion.

He became the defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Remember that defensive line? Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice? No wonder Marinelli got a coaching job.

From 1996-2005, Marinelli was in Tampa Bay. From '96-'01, Marinelli applied himself to get a full time coordinator position or head coaching spot. It did not happen.

Then Rod got promoted. He became the teams assistant head coach/defensive line coach. This was the first time he had held a position this high for an NFL team. The latter portion of his coaching in Tampa ended very nicely.

Just after being promoted by Tampa Bay in the offseason, the Bucs went on to win the Super Bowl. Marinelli was seen as a catalyst for the victory, since the defensive line was seen as a major part of the team.

Despite some injury riddled following seasons, the year of Marinelli's departure, the Bucs went 11-5 and made the playoffs.

After 33 years of simply fighting to get into the NFL, Marinelli took one of the worst jobs available in the NFL. But who wouldn't, it is a NFL head coaching job.

To say Rod Marinelli's tenure in Detroit has not worked out would be an understatement, or would it?

Last year despite a terrible second half to the season, they went 9-7. On the eve of them going 0-16, I realize just how bad they are. Bill Parcells could not turn that team around.

When you look at that roster they have two talented players, Calvin 'Megatron" Johnson and Kevin Smith.

I feel bad for Rod Marinelli. I might shed a tear for him tomorrow when they lose. For Rod to become a head coach, out of nothing is more then impressive.

A vast majority of head coaches and even coordinators in the NFL were former players. This certainly increases your chances of being hired.

Mr. Marinelli never got that chance, he made something out of nothing.

I may be the only one, but I will pray tonight for a Lions' victory. I will pray that Rod Marinelli after all of his work, will not go down in the history books as the worst coach of all time. I will pray that Rod Marinelli gets his second chance, as a respected coordinator, or one more shot as a head coach.

Maybe it is too late to begin believing in God now.....