Ford Owes Lions Fans Some Answers

Congratulations on making history by being the first ever NFL team to go 0-16.  In your 45-year history of mediocrity since you purchased the Detroit Lions on Nov. 22, 1963, Mr. Ford, this has to be the pinnacle.

Mr. Ford, there are a million questions that I’m sure thousands of faithful Lions fans want to ask you, if ever given the chance.  At the top of my list is: Why?

Why does it appear to even the most casual fan, that you equate a .500 season a successful one?  In business, which you have done fairly well, breaking even is all that one can hope to obtain.  Anything more than that is gravy.  Breaking even in the NFL, however, does not make the Lions a successful team.  It makes them mediocre.

Why do you consistently choose ineffective general managers?  The two most famous, Russ Thomas and Matt Millen, will never be considered as stellar choices.  Thomas was GM from 1967 to 1989.  His record in those years was 145-184, a winning percentage of .441.  Just about where you would like your team to be: just kind of sniffing, but not ever getting to .500.  No need to go into Millen’s record; it’s been pretty well documented.

Some of your coaching choices are suspect as well.  In your 45 years as owner, you have had 14 head coaches.  On average, a Lions coach lasts about three years.  Most of them are good men and could even be called decent coaches.  Guys like Joe Schmidt, Monte Clark, Wayne Fontes, and Bobby Ross wanted to make the Lions winners.

But you hamstrung them by drafting and signing second- and third-rate players and calling them stars.  Yes, you can point to legitimate stars such as Greg Landry, Billy Simms, Charlie Sanders, Lem Barney, Alex Karras, Herman Moore, and Barry Sanders. The problem is that while these men are legitimate stars, they couldn’t do it alone.

This year’s example is Calvin Johnson.  Despite five different starting quarterbacks this year, CJ has managed 1,331 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.  But he can’t play defense, which has been, for wont of a better word, abysmal.

I take a quote from PGA golfer Rory Sabbatini:  “Lick the lollipop of mediocrity once, and you’ll suck forever.”

Which leads me to my last question:  Isn’t about time to change flavors?  Try a flavor called winning.  You just might like it.