BETWEEN THE TACKLES

Phil Callihan, Editor-in-Chief




5/20/02- Off Topic: Ford Field- Monument to Mediocrity...

The Detroit Lions are getting a new home for the 2002 NFL season.  Ford Field looks as if it will be an outstanding athletic facility.  It will probably be the one of the nicest stadiums in the NFL.

And that stinks...

Many people believe that the NFL has one of the best systems in place to maintain competition among its teams.  Salary caps, franchise player designations, and revenue sharing all conspire to maintain league 'parity' and perpetuate mediocrity. 

Bad Owners are Rewarded

The system has allowed the Ford family, owners of the Detroit Lions, to plod along mismanaging the team for the last 40 years.  The NFL ownership system has protected them from their own stupidity, allowing them to profit while exhibiting total incompetence in team affairs.  So what do these owners get for delivering Detroit Lions fans one playoff victory since 1957?  A brand new stadium.  It's said that the the Fords are well respected in NFL circles.  Of course they are!  Everyone likes you if you're easy to beat!

But Winning is Hard

Some misguided Lions fans are probably thinking, 'But Phil it's hard to win in the NFL.  It's even harder in the postseason.  Give the Fords a break...'  Winning is hard?  Going to the Super Bowl must be even harder to accomplish. 

Consider this list of Super Bowl participants:

Ravens Chiefs Redskins Patriots
Bills Raiders Steelers Giants
Bengals Jets Rams Chargers
Broncos Vikings Eagles Falcons
Colts Dallas 49'ers Titans
Packers Miami Bears  

23 teams have not only won in postseason but have advanced all the way to the Super Bowl!!! 

Let's look at the remaining teams:

Browns Texans Jaguars Panthers
Cardinals Saints Seahawks Buccaneers

Lions

4 of these teams (Browns, Texans, Jaguars, and Panthers) are recent expansion teams.  That leaves the fearsome five- the worst teams in the NFL.  The truth is that nearly 75% of teams have advanced to the Super Bowl.  The Lions are not unlucky.  They are owned by people who simply can't make decisions that lead to success on the field.

What does it mean?

The Ford family has the luxury of being propped up by a system where by it doesn't matter whether or not they field a competitive team.  People will say that the New Ford Field is good for the city of Detroit.  It's good that the Lions are moving back into the city.  Have people forgotten that the Lions were the first team to desert the city?  Others will say that the Lions had to move from the Pontiac Silverdome.  The team had a 'bad' revenue deal with the city of Pontiac.  Are people forgetting that the Ford family are the ones who agreed to that 'deal' in the first place?

Excuse me if I don't cheer the construction of Ford Field. 

It's a monument to mediocrity. 

1/7/01-  The Detroit Lions- What a joke...

Go Blue!

Phil Callihan
UMGoBlue.COM- By Fans...For Fans
phil@umgoblue.com