The team cancer has been sent into remission. Some may say though, that this is just a partial remission. The cancer could still exist somewhere else within the organization and may return (Ford? Marinelli? Kitna? The Mascot? Who Knows?), but the the greater part of it that has caused such great pain for the past seven years has been cured.
I don't expect you to fully understand what I'm talking about (hell, I don't even know), so I will stop there with the medical lingo.
Simply put, Matt Millen, the GM of the beloved Detroit Lions for the past seven years, is gone. At this point in time, it is unclear whether he was fired, or whether he resigned, but why should Lions fans care? He is gone.
Lyrics taken out of context from a song by Montgomery Gentry can put it so clearly and beautifully. Millen is, "Gone like a freight-train, gone like yesterday, gone like a soldier in the civil war, bang bang." He's gone and never coming back. Only difference between Millen and the subject of that song is we're ecstatically happy he is finally gone.
Personally, I never got too caught up in the entire "Fire Millen" campaigns. Sadly, I believed in SOME of the players he brought in and they just didn't pan out (Kevin Jones, Charles Rogers, Kalimba Edwards to name a few). I believe in giving people a chance and Millen certainly received his more than fair chance.
I also believe in a little something called trial and error, though. You have to learn your lesson! Millen was like a fat guy eating ding dongs on a treadmill or like a retarded caged animal undergoing operant conditioning. He didn't know anything about product. He never understood that selecting good players in the NFL Draft would help produce a good football team.
- B/R Ticket Guide
He kept with the same old stupid behavior that wouldn't get him the results needed. During the process, he lost out on other players that could have helped out, all while he was making arguably, every wrong move possible.
Some General Managers are just inherently good, though. No matter who they pick, sign, or hire, whether it was the right choice at the time or not, it will wind up being the right choice.
Matt Millen, as 'hard' as he tried, was never right in terms of putting together a winning team. In fact, he was about as far away from winning as we were from having a woman president 100 years ago (still counting). In six years and three weeks with the Lions, Detroit has posted a 31-84 record with him as the GM. Then again, how can you win when your four best players are a pair of wide receivers, a kicker and a punter?
To Millen's credit, as I mentioned in the last paragraph, he tried. Oh boy, did he try. He drafted an Oregon Duck quarterback that he genuinely thought Detroit would fall in love with like he did. Unfortunately, Harrington turned out to be the exact opposite of the epitome Detroit fan-favorite: soft, coward, and sucked.
Then Millen decided to draft wide receiver after wide receiver because he probably thought it would help get a pair of wide receivers back in Detroit that resembled the record setting pair of Herman Moore and Brett Perriman. It only took him about six tries to land the duo. How noble of you Mr. Millen. Just what we've always wanted. It's too bad Scott Mitchell can't throw to Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.....(don't even get me started on Mitchell)
Now, I should be fair to Mr. Millen. He never decided to go for two points in Arizona when we were down one or to defer in an overtime game to take the wind. Nor did he personally pledge to be a 'running' football team and then only have 277 yards on 50+ carries to show for it after THREE weeks.
But let's be serious here. You have a General Manager whose sole job is to bring people in to make the team better. For six plus years, he has been consistently putting not only losing teams on the field, but the absolute worst teams.
You can point the finger at Jon Kitna, Rod Marinelli, and the defense all you want, but it doesn't start there. The root of the problem is with the guy who is bringing in the personnel. If the Lions were a cancer patient, after six years with Malignant Matt Millenoma, they'd be dead. Luckily, it's just an analogy.
The Lions can right the ship and today, I think they made the greatest move Millen never made. Matt Millen is gone. Only three questions now are left unanswered: 1) Where's the party at? 2) What's next for the Lions and 3) What in the world will become of FireMillen.com?
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about 1 month ago
"I don't expect you to fully understand what I'm talking about..."
Ohh, I know.
1) The party is here.
2) Probably a lot more losing for at least the present season.
3) Hiresomeonewhoknowswhatthehelltheirdoing.com?
Let's get the Lions train rolling! Great article.
about 1 month ago
Its funny you should mention the mascot. What kind of Lion is that? The mentality of the culture in Detroit is not smiles. It is a rough and tough place to be. The psychological advantage should always go to Detroit while they are at Ford Field. Remember what happened to the L.A. Lakers when everybody picked them to pretty much sweep the Pistons for the 04' championship? While the Lakers were in Michigan, a few of the exceptionally rowdy people kept those Lakers up all night. Because of the aggressive nature of football, opposing teams should fear for their lives when they enter the city of Detroit. I hate to say this, but the intensity of the citizens (Detroit's) is that of a person fighting to stay alive. These fans have been backed into a corner, and last I knew, you don't want to provoke already antagonized Lions. Oddly enough, after the move from the Silverdome, the Detroit Lion's have adopted this cute and cuddly personality. They have become the laughing stock of the league. I know what must be done in order for this to change. First, get rid of the sensitive mascot. Second, keep the black jersey exclusively (studies have shown humans to be less intimidated around lighter shades of blue). Lastly, remind the NFL that the NFC north is also the Black and Blue division. The reason being:
In the NFC north, when we are done with you,
you report to your division, with a behind that's black and blue.
You'll tell of stories, about men opposite of slackers,
who work none stop, as is the way of Packers.
You'll tell of stories, about men during extraordinary things,
like devouring quarterback's, in the purple people eating machine.
You'll tell of stories, about breaks, snaps, and tears,
after you've played against, the fearless Chicago Bears.
You're division with fear in their eyes will say, "This just can not be"
then you'll open your mouth, to remind them of the team in the "D".
Then they'll laugh and reply, "oh yeah their real stunning"
then you'll end their laughter, with whats been long time coming.
You'll say, "The Lions are back, and you don't have to believe this true,
just wait til you face them, then you're butts will also be black and blue.
Like Dante's Inferno, every team/superstars that enter this division for play should abandon all hope, because before the game is over, someone is getting a free ride off of the field.
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