If you tuned into the NBC pregame show on Saturday, you would have seen a Matt Millen interview. Yes, the Matt Millen who steered the Detroit Lions to a 31-84 record — 31-97 if you count the losses after his dismissal. Dan Patrick asked him a few questions and he took the blame for the team’s performance. He didn’t go into much detail or offer any specifics, so it was kind of a waste of time. He simply looked like a guy who was trying to rehab his image. He knows that a job as an executive in the NFL is probably out of the question, but he could return as an analyst, which is kind of a joke in itself, considering that a big part of a GM’s job is analyzing players and coaches. Really, why should we listen to anything this guy has to say?
But when he broke his public silence Saturday during the network’s “Football Night in America” show, he told NBC’s Dan Patrick that it wasn’t as easy as merely blaming himself.
“There’s a lot more to it than that,” Millen told Patrick. “I could give you excuses. I could give you reasons. To me, that’s just an excuse after the fact. You take the hit and move on.”
Millen blew it again. Detroit deserves a detailed explanation for what went so horribly wrong from those who perpetrated the deed. Simply saying that you’re responsible for the disaster doesn’t make you accountable. That requires serving a penance. If Millen truly seeks atonement, he must delve deeper into those additional “reasons” of which he spoke.
Was there a lack of uniformity between Millen and his front office, Millen and his coaches? Was there an even greater lack of organizational confidence within the locker room than what already has been documented? Did ownership interfere even more than what already has been reported?
I’m really tired of the Lions’ “There’s nothing more to say” defense regarding past failures.
I have an idea — Millen should write a book. Imagine this: an insider’s account of the worst franchise in the NFL. He could go into detail about every bad (and good) decision that he made, along with the conflicts he had with players, coaches and ownership. I, for one, find the whole GM game fascinating and would love to read a tell-all about the Lions. It would be a moneymaker for Millen (not that he really needs the dough) and would be cathartic for Lions fans everywhere.
But to promote a book, he’d eventually have to appear in front of (real) members of the media. Patrick probably had his hands tied (and for that, NBC is to blame), but Sharp is right — Millen went into zero detail about what went wrong.
One of Sharp’s lines really stands out…
Simply saying that you’re responsible for the disaster doesn’t make you accountable.
Truer words have never been spoken. The fans in Detroit deserve an explanation — a real one.
With their 25-17 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Detroit Lions fell to 0-7 on the season. The Lions are trying to forget about the losses and just find anything to be positive about.
NFL sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the Lions haven’t paid Millen, who is still owed $6 to $10 million under his contract which ran until 2010, since he was fired Sept. 24.
According to those sources, the Lions are trying to get Millen to settle for an amount less than what he is owed. Millen currently has no plan to file a grievance against the Lions as both sides are exploring a settlement.
I think it’s only fair that the team asks Millen to take a reduce salary for the next two years considering he stole from them the past eight.
Related Side Note: How good has Clinton Portis been this year? He finished with 126 yards on Sunday, going over the 120 yard mark for the fifth consecutive game. That’s unbelievable.
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Millen was informed of the move Tuesday night during a late-night high-level meeting. Wednesday morning several people within the building confirmed that he had large packing boxes in his office and he made his way around to different employees telling them of the move.
It is unclear if Millen was fired or removed himself from the equation but the news comes just days after Bill Ford, Jr. publicly stated he would have fired the GM if it was his decision but he lacked the authority to do so.
The Lions have started off horribly and the groundswell for Millen’s demise has once again been strong. Unfortunately, that’s nothing new as there have been events like the Millen Man March, an in-game walkout protest and calls for Millen’s firing for years.
The Lions are an NFL-worst 31-84 since Millen took over in 2001. They have also been a model of futility on the road and Millen has gone through three head coaches, none of whom have been able to turn the Lions into a winner.
You almost kind of feel for the guy. He wasn’t trying to drive an entire organization into the ground, but he was just so good at it. Truth be told, he was under qualified from the start. The idea that a former TV color commentator could come down from the broadcast booth and step into a GM role for an NFL team was a joke. Just because Mike Tirico makes good observations during games, doesn’t mean he can oversee an entire organization.
Fans can take the entire week to celebrate (the Lions have a bye this week), but a daunting task still remains. The Lions now need to hire a competent GM to get this sinking ship upright. The Ford family can’t screw this one up or else there will be another decade of losing and embarrassment. Might I make one suggestion, Mr. William Clay Ford? Look at the organizations that have track records of winning (New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, etc.). Then go out and get a young, hungry person that has paid his dues in one of those organizations and is ready to run a team.
One thing’s for sure, Detroit will burn at some point today, I can guarantee it.
If you tuned into the NBC pregame show on Saturday, you would have seen a Matt Millen interview. Yes, the Matt Millen who steered the Detroit Lions to a 31-84 record — 31-97 if you count the losses after his dismissal. Dan Patrick asked him a few questions and he took the blame for the team’s performance. He didn’t go into much detail or offer any specifics, so it was kind of a waste of time. He simply looked like a guy who was trying to rehab his image. He knows that a job as an executive in the NFL is probably out of the question, but he could return as an analyst, which is kind of a joke in itself, considering that a big part of a GM’s job is analyzing players and coaches. Really, why should we listen to anything this guy has to say?
