News: Mr. 24-72 is back...

The worst organization in sports.

What else can be said here? Matt Millen has been totally incompetent in every way. He never should have been hired. He should have been fired four years ago. And the only conclusion we can reach is that William Clay Ford either doesn't care about his fans or is so utterly clueless that he believes the Lions' best route forward is with Millen in charge. Either way, it is mind-boggling that an owner can be this awful.

I am glad I am a columnist and not a fan of this team (or any other team, for that matter). I didn't grow up here. I have never cheered for the Lions a day in my life. Whether they win or lose has never had any bearing on my personal happiness. I just feel bad for all the people who do care. They want to watch a winning NFL team from Detroit. Unfortunately, the owner is content to give Millen an expensive fantasy team. What a joke.

Detroit Lions president Matt Millen met with selected members of the media on Tuesday but he did so knowing that whatever he said wasn't going to appease any of the team's disgruntled fans.

Millen, despite a 24-72 record in his six years with the team, including a 3-13 mark this season, will be back for a seventh year.

"How do you defend it? You can't defend it," Millen said. "OK, we've got three wins . . . what's that? It's wins and losses -- I've said it a million times -- so I agree with them. That's where it's at. They're disappointed and I'm disappointed.

"Here's the thing: I can't say anything to change anybody's opinion. (Head coach) Rod (Marinelli) has said it a million times and we are on the same page 100 percent: It's a `show me' game and that's just the way it is so what can I say?

"You can't say anything. The only thing you can do is go out and win and until you do that, they can take their shots and say what they want and they can yell at you. I have nothing to say to that."

While there were countless calls from the media and fans for Millen to resign his post, he said it was never a consideration.

"I'll never quit. I can't do that, I don't even consider that. That's not the way I'm made," Millen said. "You get a job, regardless of what it is, whatever you're charged with, you do the job. If it's not working, you keep on working at it until get the freaking thing done. That's just what you do, you don't quit."

Millen believes the Lions are going to be successful in the future because of Marinelli's demanding coaching style and he believes that team owner William Clay Ford sees the same chemistry building through the organization.

"I would think he sees the same things that I see," Millen said. "He sees a head football coach and a general manager who are on the same page who want the same things he does, who sees the team and the types of guys that they want, they're on the same page.

"He would see a team that's paying attention to detail, that the attitude is changing, that we're going to have to make some changes, but we're going to move forward."

Millen bristles at the suggestion that bringing him back means Ford really doesn't care about winning.

"People have no idea. That guy has so much passion for this team and cares; I don't know what people think of him, I only know how he is," Millen said. "Look, there are two people I know who love this game. This guy loves football more than any person I've ever been around in my life and I've been around a ton of great ones. But Rod Marinelli loves this game more than anybody I've ever seen. It's important to him on a personal level and a life level.

"The other guy who loves this team and this game as much is Mr. Ford, he just loves it, he's passionate about it, he cares about it, he wants to win. People say `How can he want to win?' or whatever they say -- all I can tell you is how he is."

As far as that 24-72 record is concerned, Millen said he doesn't dwell on it because there's nothing he can do to change it. He can only change the future.

"I don't think anything about it -- what can I do about it? It's done. I'm not pleased," said Millen, adding that his ultimate goal isn't just a winning record or a playoff win. "I only think there's one winner a year. That's what I believe. I'll always believe that. There's one winner and everybody else fails. The rest of it is just draft status, it doesn't matter."

My Final Season Commentary

Leave it to the Lions to pull one of the biggest upsets of the year and beat the Dallas Cowboys on the road! Looking back at this season, it pains me to say it, but the Lions could have been a playoff team had they known how to finish games. With the exception of the Bears road game and Miami Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions had a chance in every game they played. It certainly did not help out with all the injuries that struck - isn't that a repeating record during the Millen regime? The bottom line is the Lions are lacking the talent needed to be a mediocre team in a league that all about parity. They have consistently blown draft picks and are the laughing stock of the NFL. So, did it shock anyone when Millen announced that he's definitely not quitting and will be back? Not I. It is what it is. What can I say, William Clay Ford could give to rats about his football team. How Millen gets to survive another year is beyond mind boggling. How did my two of my buddies take the news? They are canceling their season tickets they have had for almost a decade! And i'm sure there will be several others that follow suit. Unfortunately, there are too many Lions fans like myself that keep hoping one of these years they get it right. I mean for crying out loud! Look at the freaking New Orleans Saints!!! They were worse than the Lions only a year ago and now have a great shot at ending up in the Super Bowl. Look at what they did during the last off season - draft Reggie Bush (Lions could have had him if they had not gotten that miracle victory a year ago against the Saints), sign Drew Brees (the Lions opted for an over the hill journey man QB named John Kitna) and hired a head coach that had a little more experience than Rod Marinelli. So, who made all those moves? The Saints GM! See, it all starts with the GM and that is why Millen should have been given the axe a long time ago. If Millen thought it was bad this past season, just wait if the Lions are a failure next year! If by some stroke of luck, Millen signs some decent free agents (fat chance in hell) and if they have a good draft (seeing is believing), the Lions should at least be able to contend for the mediocre 8-8 record. With the second pick overall, all I know is they better not draft Brady Quinn if Oakland does not take him. Quinn will be the next Joey Harrington in the NFL - the Lions better stay far away from him. Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson is the best RB available but i'm not sure he is worth the second pick overall. If Millen has any brains he will trade down and hopefully pick up extra picks to give this team some depth. I will update the website with any breaking Lions offseason news and will most definitely comment on the draft in a few months. Until then, thanks again for putting up with my rants and raves since 1996 - the longest of any Lions website on the Internet!

It has been one strange off season to say the least. The Lions looked lethargic during their pre-season games and the Defense had problem stopping some mediocre opponents. I did not shed one tear in seeing the Lions cut Charles Rodgers. All I can say is good riddance! He will go down as if not the biggest bust in Lions history, up there with Andre Ware. Mike Williams better get his act together or he will be the next high profile wide receiver to be shown the door. With Mike Martz running the offense and John Kitna at the helm, the Offense should be much better than what they displayed last year. The real question is will the Defense improve? Only time will tell.

Scott's 2006 Prediction: 7-9

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