Response to Ross
Dear OpineN,
Your remarks bout Ross were actually dead on. Though there may have been some talent issues,but the actual problem was Bobby Ross and that he had to have things his way and his way only. He tried be this big overbrearing strict tough guy who was actually soft in the middle and the team knew it the whole time,including Schmidt as well. LionsFan 20 argued with me and said how much of a GREAT coach this guy was and just because he took a really good team like the 94-95'Chargers to the Superbowl just to be embarassed dosent convince me that he he is actually GREAT. Besides what did he do after that with the Chargers? See what I mean? He is a decent coach at best and when you try to compare his resume to the so called great coaches,he dosent come close. He had a good enough team,a year with the greatest RB of all time and a couple without and made the playoffs with those teams 2 out of the three years only to be what? EMBARRASSED in the 1st round. Notice there is a pattern with this? The team he had was good enough to win,but he wasn't good enough to win with what he had. Sorry Bobby Ross fans, he wasn't the right coach for the job. Despite what Barry might have said about him in his HOF speech,what his sources and his dad William said was actually he didn't like Bobby Ross as a coach because he tried to make Barry something he wasn't and was down his throat ALL the time about being a leader. Too bad no one told him that he did all his leading on the football field! What an idiot! In Rod we Trust!
Response to Ross
I can't speak for LionsFan20, but the way I remember things going for Ross was there was a power struggle going on between him and Schmidt regarding personnel at the very least. This has a major tendency to undermined the head coach's autority with the players since the Front Office fires the coach, not the other way around. The drafts were not that successful, players committed a ton of penalties and failed to execute cosistently. There, was and is, plenty of plame to go around. And I still go back to attitude; the players always tended to play up or down to the level of their competition.
Not that it necessarily makes a difference
but I've been visiting family in the D.C. area and the Washington Post has had zero (0) articles about the Redskins this week. The improved play of the Orioles, the AT&T National golf tournament (to be played near here) and the Capitals and Wizards' efforts to sign free agents have been getting the most attention. The only NFL-related news has been the Favre rumors. So I guess the Detroit print media is not alone in reporting very little about our local professional team. What's the big sports news back in Detroit? I see the Wings signed a free-agent forward. Is that correct?
Favre
If Brett Favre is coming back and the Packers release him,come on Lions lets get a QB. Remember in 1956 the Lions signed the Packers QB Tobin Rote and he led them to a Worlds Title in 1957 Detroit 59 Browns 14
Stop
Would you please stop talking about Kevin Jones.HE IS A WASH-UP, a HAS BEEN, A NEVER WAS. hE HASN'T BEEN GOOD SINCE HIS ROOKIE SEASON NO ONE WANTS A GUY WHO HASN'T HAD A PROCUCTIVE SEASON IN LIKE 5 YRS. PLUS HE IS COMING OFF A SEROIUS KNEE INJURY AND PROBALY WON'T BE 100 % READY FOR ANOTHER 2YRS. GEEZ.
Najeh Davenport
MIAMI -- A woman is suing Green Bay Packers fullback Najeh Davenport. She says he invaded her privacy by breaking into her dorm room and defecating in her closet.
We don't need any of his sh--!
Alma Francis
Hey Mike,
Do you think Alma Francis is going to bust out this year. Clearly with Rogers gone he and Cody will have more playing time. Anyway I have heard that you like this kid, and I did see some talent while he was in Hawaii, but do you see him making an impact this year? (ie. getting some sacks, being a good run stuffer) thanks
Wings re-sign Stuart!!
Good Afternoon Mike and Detroit fans!
Some GREAT news for the Red Wings!
Holland re-signed Brad Stuart to a 4 year, 3.75 mil/ per year contract. Source: TSN.
I hope the LIONS will someday...have the success the Wings have!
The TIGERS ARE HOT!!! GO TIGERS!
Dumars needs to wheel and deal...which he will.
Response to Ross
Dear LionsFan20
You know I think you made alot of very valid yet biased points,but I just don't understand why you are such a Bobby Ross defender. If he was such a good coach and it was a talent issue why did they make the playoffs during most of his tenure,but couldn't get it done in the playoffs...and that's with your favorite player LionsFan,Mr Barry Sanders? You are wrong. The problem wasn't the talent. Thats been the recent problems. Back then it was the coaching staff's schemes were either wrong for the available talent(i.e.Run-n-Gun)or the coaches just weren't a good fit or have the personality to get the most out of his players. Wayne Fontes' 1991 team WAS loaded with talent,but when it came to discipline he wasn't very good at it because he was a players coach. Like you said they needed it right? Well, when you try too hard,like Ross,to be a tough guy to MAKE your team do things better you probably actually make your team start to dislike you and lose faith in your teaching. Opposite of Booby Ross,Fontes and Ross had the greatest running back ever to live and a decent defense and could do nothing. Marinelli is the man that WILL make this team cuz this is his team and he will settle for nothing less then the best he can get. He is single handedly bringing in his guys wither it be the draft or his former team to get the job done NOW. LionsFan,I understand your negativity towards the Lions becasue of past years of losing,but have faith in Marinelli. I think he will end up to be the greatest coach the Lions will ever have....it's not too late to jump back on the bandwagon. Thank You for Responding LionsFan20
Hello Mike O
What do you think kevin smith will do for the lions?
Hello Mike O
Where oh where can he be?
Hey! What of the comments from Steve about Matt? Any thoughts? I miss you Mike!
Da Lions
At age 71 I can remember the Lion's glory years- that's more than 40 years ago.
To you sportswriters who cover the Lions, I feel sorry for you. If I were a Detroit sportwriter I would rather cover high school football than the Detroit Lions. Evem curling is more exciting than the Lion's games.
Screw Bobby Ross
LionsFan20, I can't fault what you said throughout the vast majority of the comments you made. I thought there were very nice points. I do have to disagree with the comments about the 1991 team being a matter of talent rather than attitude and the comment about Marinelli's lack of credentials. Too often whenever a team fails there is a perception that it failed because of a lack of talent. The truth is often more about what you do with what you have than not having enough. The Lions have almost always played up or down to the level of their opponent. This has nothing to do with talent. If you can play with the big boys then you have the talent. The big problem the Lions have had is that they are only willing to 'step it up' when THEY (the players) feel it is necessary and when you aren't in the habit of stepping it up you can't always do it when you need to. While there were some talent issues with the 1991 team they were not as great as the loss to Washington might lead you to believe. Besides, Washington was just too good that year. As for the head coach credentials; you need a leader, not a coach that has done it at every level or has been a coordinator. Head coaches at the upper level of sports are mis-named; they should be called managers like they are in baseball. The head coach sets the tone and the direction, he delegates, confers with those he has delegated duties to, makes suggestions and has the final say. Marinelli has the leadership qualities needed for the job so far as I can see. The thing is, you cannot lead those who will not follow and this is why so many have been released or traded. They were not interested in the team concept or in doing things any way other than their own way. In other words, they had bad attitudes. One other thing that is required for success that hurt Bobby Ross; you have to be on the same page in the Front Office as well as in the lockerroom. Ross and Schmidt did not get along or see eye to eye on personnel matters. Fights between Ross and Schmidt served to undermine Ross's ability to influence the players.
Dear LionFan20,
Your a God send in my mind.
Finally!...Someone with a good memory.
I was really starting to wonder IF, there was any wise fans left that posted smart remarks instead of unrelated bs topics.
I totally agree with you. Please consider posting in the future as I can tell you have been an informed fan for awhile.
Quite often I notice morons say things about the Ross -n- Barry ordeal & act like they know something when In fact they know jack crap.
I love to hear idiots that say "Our team has sucked since Barry left", When in fact that 2000 team with Batch, Hartings, Compton, Semple, Boyd, Claiborne, R.W.McQuarters, Morton, Moore, & So on was darn good.
Loved Barry, but often wonder since that team won in NY twice that season without him how they would have faired IF he didn't quit, cause he did walk out on his own, and it was his choice. Nobody forced the guy, even though he was greatest I'd ever seen.
I believe that season would have been his best shot at being a champion. Oh well, that was then & this is now. Peace & Prosper to all Lions fans Period. Can you say snake bit.
Hurry back Mike we miss you man. It's starting to get like that old Nike commercial motto....."Like Mike...Be Like Mike...Everybody is trying to- "BE LIKE MIKE"....when in reality nobody is getting it right. Hope everything is alright & your not getting jerked around by burrocrats.
Mike O
Someone please tell us what's going on with Mike. If he was just on vacation he would have told us -- It does't look good. I sure do hope I'm wrong and everthing is OK
