04/24/24
December 25, 2006
Bears beat the Lions and they're the worst team in the past five years.: How much worse can they get? And what will it take to pull them out of this hell-hole? Is there hope?
posted by commander cody to football at 03:05 AM - 22 comments
I'm a Steelers fan, so this has been no great year for me. My fun is now trying to figure out placement for the loosers to determine draft position. The big question for this of course is, who will get the #1 - Lions or Raiders?
posted by FonGu at 06:31 AM on December 25, 2006
Putting Matt Millen in charge of the Lions is like putting Courtney Love in charge of the prescription meds.
posted by wdminott at 09:40 AM on December 25, 2006
The Commander is absolutely correct.Its good to hear others repeat my main problem with the Lions. The Ford's ownership philosophy has always been "Do and spend as little as possible to ensure success because,this being Detroit there will always be asses in the seats."Because it is a great sports town,Detroit deserves much better. I hope everybody has a delightful Christmas and a great '07.
posted by sickleguy at 09:56 AM on December 25, 2006
Millen has to go. Don't know about the Ford families style of ownership but Millen had zero expirience as a GM and continues to make one blunder after another.
posted by FriarDuck at 10:40 AM on December 25, 2006
I guess the The Millen Man March didn't have much of an impact.
posted by aupa_athletic at 12:26 PM on December 25, 2006
FonGu, the way I hear it being played out is if the Lions and Raiders end up tied, the Lions would get the first pick due to strength of schedule. However, I'm pretty sure that the Lions are going to find some way to beat the Cowboys next week to screw themselves out of that pick!
posted by Whydewyouask at 12:47 PM on December 25, 2006
No offense to you lions fans but...........HOW BOUT THEM LIONS is all we blackhawk fans have to yell at the dead wings fans when they inundate the united center for a hockey game. Once the power shifts in the NHL,then the lions can make a move. Until then.......................good luck on the #1 pick.
posted by tbird at 02:13 PM on December 25, 2006
Matt Millen has just got to go but being a Bears fan I think he's just done a swell job for the lions don't worry about picking first in the draft they'll just draft a wide reciever
posted by luther70 at 02:38 PM on December 25, 2006
Yes, the Lions suck. However, there are some positive signs-the fact that you had a lead on the Bears late indicates a fair amount of scrap and resolve to this team. Also, there aren't too many horrible blowouts on the results, showing to me at least that the team hasn't quit yet, and isn't a total mess like the Raiders are. I will agree that Millen and the Fords probably need to go. But then, you can't punish the owners, can you?
posted by Bonkers at 04:13 PM on December 25, 2006
and isn't a total mess like the Raiders are. No, the Lions are a much worse mess than the Raiders. The Raiders have made the Super Bowl in this Millenium, along with three postseason appearences. They also have three Super Bowl titles. The Lions last made the playoffs in 1999, and have never won a Super Bowl. Since 2001 they have the worst record in the entire national football league. However, there are some positive signs-the fact that you had a lead on the Bears late indicates a fair amount of scrap and resolve to this team. This is a Bears team that is done playing in meaningful games until the playoffs start. This is a Bears team that has a quarterback who essentially isn't very good. A loss is a loss, whether it is by three points or 57. As for positive signs from the Lions, all I have to do is look at Mike Williams' five or so drops and realize that there isn't even the slightest silver lining to this black cloud.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:55 PM on December 25, 2006
A sad fact is the Lions are one of those black hole franchises (pick any sport). It seems that no matter how talented a person is, that black hole sucks up the ability to do well. Millen has only served to increase the gravity of the vortex 10 fold. And before anyone says it, I will. Barry Sanders. OK, there are exceptions to every rule....
posted by FonGu at 05:09 PM on December 25, 2006
In Bizarro World we would be dominating everyone. But like Roy Williams always says, "We are the best 2-13 team in the league."
posted by wingnut4life at 08:27 PM on December 25, 2006
FonGu, I wouldn't call Barry an exception to that. He had a ton of individual success, but what did it get him? Nothing but so much disappointment that he couldn't stand to do it anymore. The Lions have spent years getting some pretty good talent. Some of the players have had individual success, some have flopped, and others have stagnated in Detroit, only to do well when they move on. They've tried no name coaches and established ones, nice guys and hard asses. Nothing works. They get close, and their numbers aren't usually anywhere near as bad as the record, but they continue to find ways to lose. Different players, different coaches, different schemes, same damned result.
posted by ctal1999 at 08:37 PM on December 25, 2006
Thank god the Lions don't play the Raiders. I think the ugliness of such a game would lead many a viewer to attempting suicide.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:40 PM on December 25, 2006
Putting Matt Millen in charge of the Lions is like putting Courtney Love in charge of the prescription meds. Fun for everyone?
posted by forrestv at 08:47 PM on December 25, 2006
the Lions are a much worse mess than the Raiders. Now you're just wallowing. Despite the stats you cite about the Raiders' recent successes, that team is a death ship right now. To watch the Raiders play is to watch a team that's given up in so many different ways it's just pathetic. At least the Lions do seem to be trying. Al Davis gets a free pass from a lot of people, but the cold hard truth is, he's become another Bidwell, another Ford, another Snyder: too stuck on himself and his own reputation to pull his head out of his ass and allow his team to be managed by people more competent than himself. Yes, I know it's been painful to be a Lions fan for a long, long time, but at least you've got something to build on. Ask any Raiders fan, at this point, they'd probably switch with you in a heartbeat.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:52 AM on December 26, 2006
A. Get rid of Millen, of course. B. Drop the Thanksgiving Day game. Playing twice in four days later in the year can't do any good for you.
posted by Newbie Walker at 10:42 PM on December 26, 2006
I can't believe I miss the days of Wayne Fontes.
posted by apoch at 03:33 AM on December 27, 2006
Maybe the Fords should sell the Lions franchise to the Chinese so some of that coin we've be blowing on cheap imports can come back over here.
posted by alumshubby at 07:42 AM on December 27, 2006
Actually, wouldn't it be ironic/sad if they ended up moving the team to Mexico? I can just see it now, the "Mexico City Lions".... 
posted by LostInDaJungle at 02:32 PM on December 27, 2006
Ask any Raiders fan, at this point, they'd probably switch with you in a heartbeat. I wrote a poem for my Spanish class as a sophomore in high school. This was back in 1989. The title was "El Muerto de Al Davis" and it dealt with Marcus Allen coming off the bench and, of course, how I wished Al Davis would hurry up and die. That's kinda harsh, and though I respect all he's done, I'm still of the opinion that Davis needs to step aside. So yes, I'd switch in a heartbeat.
posted by forrestv at 03:23 PM on December 27, 2006
Every team has been here and many have made it out and become feared in the NFL. Why does it seem the Lions never do? It's not like they don't have a storied history or legendary past glory to look back toward. The common denominator to me anyway is the Ford family. They are the Bidwells of the NFC North and as long as they own the Lions, the Lions will suck. Don't just fire Millian, fire the owners.