Millen is Gone! A Look into the Decision and the Future

Today was the day I have been looking forward to for about four years. Nothing could bring me down today because the Lions fired Matt Millen.

Despite your natural tendency to celebrate, I am sure you are still asking yourself, what does this mean for the Lions in the short and long term? Lucky for you, I wrote this blog to answer that very question.

My first observation is simple. Any Lions fan knows that the Lions have been terrible. Year in and year out they put out a sub-par team and yet still manage to pack Ford Field. The Lions organization has survived by getting fans hopes up. The organization has deceived us with fabrications in a pathetic attempt to get fans excited about the upcoming season, even though logic and common sense tells us fans not to believe these lies. I will admit that I fell for it too, until this year; and I wasn’t alone. The Lions have had serious trouble selling tickets this year. But now, the Lions have another piece of ammunition win back the fans faith. Knowing Detroit sports fans (the best, and most loyal fans in the world) they will buy it. Tickets will sell, fans will watch this pathetic team lose, and what’s more, it will carry over to next year. But the fact is fans are going to watch the Lions, just because of this change in management. So perhaps, the combination of these two facts is what finally convinced William Clay Ford, Sr. to fire Millen.

Second observation is more exciting. The Lions super bowl has always been played in April; only this game is played by men in suits instead of men in pads. Excitement for the 2009 draft is going to be through the roof. Because of the horrible 0-3 start and the likeliness that this will continue, the Lions are looking at a high draft pick, possibly even first overall. With a change in management, this high pick is perfect timing, provided the next GM knows what he is doing. Any reasonable football fan can see that the middle linebacker play has been pathetic. Paris Lenon belongs on a practice squad, not starting for an NFL team. Of course Millen screwed created this linebacker dilemma by taking Drew Statnton (QB MSU) instead of David Harris (MLB U-M) last year, so it is a position of need still today. USC’s middle Linebacker Rey Maualuga is a fantastic option. A tandem of Ernie Sims and Rey Maualuga could be a great young linebacking core for the future. Another option could be to take a defensive end, and Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech is a possible option there too. Maybe for the first time ever, the Lions could actually address needs and find gems in the late rounds of the draft.

Of course my theory that the Lions could make skilled and valuable draft picks is completely based on the premise that the Lions hire a qualified new general manager. While I am sure that William Clay Ford will want to hire Joe Buck or Mike Tirico to continue his trend of hiring of NFL announcers to run professional football teams, I will throw out a reasonable name: Bill Cowher. Cowher saw first hand how a great organization ran because the Steelers are one of the best organizations in the NFL and always have been. While hiring him as coach might be a pipedream, he might be willing to come out of retirement for the job of general manager. The Dolphins hired Parcells, the same could work if the Lions hired Cowher.

The real problem is would he come here? Hopefully, the challenge of trying to revive the worst organization in sports is enough to pique his interest. If you think this line of reasoning if faulty, look at the comments made by Joe Theismann

Whoever the next GM, he needs to have the skill to evaluate YOUNG talent out of college. No free agent wants to come to Detroit. It’s not ideal for living a lavish lifestyle, and our history of losing makes it even harder to coax good players to come here. Indianapolis realized it had the same problem and built through the draft. As I have mentioned in previous posts, all 22 of the Colts starters last year were drafted by the Colts. The draft success of the Colts is exactly what the Lions need to emulate. While the occasional free agent signing is nice to fill holes, the Lions are not going to acquire free agents like Asante Samuel, Joey Porter, or Alan Faneca. If scouting and recognition of potential are mandatory skills for the future general manager of the Lions, my description of the most qualified applicant seems like a former coach. A successful coach knows what skills are needed to succeed in this league, has seen those skills in practice and on the field, and should be able to identify the players possessing those skills. My conclusion furthers my belief in Bill Cowher,

While talking about the next GM gives us lofty expectations and aspirations for the future of the Lions, it must be considered that the man hiring the new GM, is the same guy who hired the old, incompetent GM. I have been consistent with the other authors of this blog that William Clay is just as big of a problem as Millen. But, lets look at the recent facts. Bill Ford, Jr. announces on Monday, “I would fire Millen,” and two days later, his dear old Dad does exactly what Jr. said. Those close to the organization have also said that other higher ups have also wanted Millen out. My guess is that William Clay isn’t listening or deciding anything; he is just being masqueraded as the decision maker. It looks like there is shifting in power. My guess is that Bill Ford, Jr. and others high up have far more of a say in the decision of naming the next GM than before. The less power William Clay Ford, Sr. has the better off the Lions organization will be.

It should also be recognized that Bill Ford Jr. did recommend Millen for the first job, but I think Jr. is a man who can realize his mistakes. He admitted that he wasn’t the best option for CEO of Ford, and hired Mulally. He will realize his mistake with Millen, seek advice for who would be best, and hire that potential executive.

However, is Bill Ford Jr. any better than William Clay Ford Sr.? Well, Bill Ford, Jr. did something that Sr. could never do: have success and rise up within the family company. Keep in mind, Ford, Jr. was CEO in a time of real competition from European and Japanese auto companies, while Sr. worked during the glory days of the American auto industry. Is he the next Mike Illitch? Probably not, but he is contemporary and willing to admit mistakes: two things our current, horribly unsuccessful owner does not have. Bill Ford Jr. knows the Lions are a cash cow and hopefully will make better determinations for what happens to the Lions. In my mind, these conclusions should lead to better results.

I just hope he cares about winning. William Clay never cared about winning, he wanted to pack the stadium and make money. If Ford Jr. cares about winning he will let the new GM find the players and coaches who best fit and hopefully get results. Not just draft the flashiest player they can to try and fill seats. Hopefully he will realize winning sells tickets a lot faster than a superstar does. To prove this I give you the Pistons. Sold out like what 250 straight games without a superstar? Just win, and to win you need to draft to win.

So, what would a Nate Sportel post be without a prediction? My guess is the Lions will still be mediocre for some time, and much of this prediction will be a reaction of whom Millen’s successor will be. The real prediction, if I can call it that, is that there will be a continued shift in power from William Clay to Bill Ford, Jr.

Here is another prediction because I am in such a good mood. Say goodbye to Jon Kitna. Ford Jr. should be smart enough to realize that fans are somewhat excited about Drew Staton, especially those who wear green on Saturdays. The Lions probably wont win more than 3 games, but Drew Stanton will be the one leading the team to those losses.

So while today might be glorious and joyful, Sunday afternoons still wont be. But, there is a glimmer of hope in the combination of our faceless future GM and Bill Ford, Jr.