Detroit hasn't been blessed with a good football franchise like most cities. And unlike all cities (excluding Cleveland), the Detroit Lions have never even been to a Super Bowl. The closest they've come to a Super Bowl was hosting Super Bowl 40 in 2006. The last time the Lions have won any sort of title was in 1957. My father was 5 years old. That was also 36 years before I was born. I was raised a proud Lions fan, always have been and I always will be. I will never turn my back on the Honolulu blue and silver, even though they cause me such heartbreak. They were the first sports team that I religiously followed, from the days at the Pontiac Silverdome to today at Ford Field. They have had far more downs than ups in these years, and honestly, it’s sad to see coming from a professional sports organization.
After their rise in mid to late 90's, the downfall in the 2000's left us wondering. What the hell happened that made it all turn so sour, so fast? Was it Barry retiring in '99 that cursed us? Barry Sanders is arguably one of the best-running backs to ever play the game, but his career was short lived. Was it the change in management? We like to blame Matt Millan for almost all of the problems, and rightfully so, but who is truly to blame? The coaches? Since 2000, the Lions made 4 different coaching changes, none of which had a winning record during their time here in Detroit. Those coaches were Bobby Ross and Gary Moeller 2000, Marty Mornhinweg 2001-2002, Steve Mariucci 2003-2005, Dick Jauron (Interim Head Coach) in 2005, Rod Marinelli 2006-2008, Jim Schwartz 2009-13, and Jim Caldwell 2014-present. These coaches tallied a total of 80 wins. While losing a total of 165 games. That's a winning percentage of .326. But was it really the coaches? Yes, they can take some of the blame, seeing as they are in charge of prepping the team each week. And as you can see they failed to do just that. On the other hand, It could have been the players who weren't willing to play for the coach.
The Lions had some of the best draft picks. Was it the coaches fault that they didn't develop and tap into the true potential of the draft pick? From 2002-2009, the Lions have had the number 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 10 picks in the draft. Who did they draft? Joey Harrington 2002 (bust), Charles Rodgers 2003 (bust), Roy William 2004 (bust), Mike Williams 2005 (bust), Calvin Johnson 2007 (considered one of the best receivers in NFL history), and Matthew Stafford 2009 (bust?). With these draft picks the Lions should have had some sure fire seasons, right? Wrong. During losses, these players seemed to just give up on playing and could have cared less about the game. As long as they were getting paid, they would "play". That is partially why I prefer college to the pros. Of these top 10 draft picks, only 2 are still on the team.
In 2007, the Lions didn't look like the Lions. They actually won games. Detroit fans weren't used to that. They started the season 6-3, but only to go on to win just one more game. Even though the Lions ended their season at 7-9, we as fans were still optimistic. During the offseason, Lions' quarterback, John Kitna, guaranteed a playoff berth. A feat the Lions hadn't accomplished since 1997. The 2008 preseason games which mean absolutely nothing began with more optimism than anyone could have imagined. The Lions went 4-0. Should be a good start for things to come, right? Nope. Things took a turn for the worst once the season started. The Lions tied The Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the worst NFL record for most losses going 0-14 then breaking the record by going 0-16. The most embarrassing part about the '08 season wasn't going 0-16, but during one of the games the Lions third-string quarterback, Dan Orlavsky, ran out of the back of the end zone in the Metrodome against the Minnesota Vikings. That, my friends, was the lowest of the lows. And I pray no other sports team knows that feeling.
The Lions had lost their way. They were the laughing stock of the NFL. Then came a change in regime. The Lions fired Matt Millan, along with Rod Marinelli, and brought in Jim Schwartz, a former defensive coordinator from the Tennessee Titans. Now I'll admit, he wasn't a horrible coach, but he wasn't head coach material. In his 4 year stint with the Lions, we weren't just another guaranteed win, we were competitive in every defeat. After the '09 season, the Lions drafted Ndomakong Suh, a defensive tackle from Nebraska in the first round. He was probably the best draft pick the Lions had since taking Barry Sanders 3rd overall in the '89 draft. Suh was the anchor of a defense that had yet to find its identity. 2010 brought another mediocre season, but it was miles better than what the Lions had shown in years prior. Suh played with such heart and passion that no Detroit fan had seen since the 90’s. Suh also accounted for most of the penalties against the Lions. In the Thanksgiving game against the Packers, Suh stomped on one of the Packers Offensive Lineman during the game and was tossed. The Lions were essentially the "Bad Boys" of football. Although being the "bad boys" wasn't exactly a tag the Lions needed and/or wanted.
The 2011 season brought out a side of Detroit fans that no one, not even ourselves had seen. The team went 10-6, and we actually made the postseason. Something the Lions hadn't done since 1999. Unfortunately for the Lions, we were up against NFC South powerhouse, the New Orleans Saints. The playoff game was highly anticipated, with both teams quarterbacks passing for well over 5,000 yards in a single-season. Unfortunately the game ended in a crushing defeat, 28-45. The off-season came and went, and so did another useless draft pick. We were back where we started.
The 2012 and 2013 seasons came with more disappointment. And after going 6-3 once again, the Lions took steps backward and lost the 6 of the remaining 7 games. Why? They had a stout defense and great offensive weapons, but could not put the points on the board. It's the same old song and dance every year.They get our hopes up only to crush them midseason. That's how it goes. That's how it always goes. I wish there was a better way to explain it. After the '13 season, the Lions organization decided to clean house and bring in Jim Caldwell, who took over in Indy after the departure of legendary coach Tony Dungy. Caldwell was on the 2007 coaching staff that won Super Bowl 41 over the Chicago Bears. Caldwell looked like the right guy in the Lions’ eyes.
In 2014, the Lions seemed to have turned the corner. The defense was tough and the Lions weren’t penalized nearly as much as they were when Jim Schwartz was the head coach. The Lions actually won games, and consistently too. The defense was good, the offense seemed to be on fire, but we still couldn't get over a couple of humps. Those being, beating Green Bay in Green Bay, and winning a playoff game. The Lions hadn't beaten Green Bay at Lambeau Field since 1992. The year before I was born. If ever there was a time for the Lions to beat the Packers there, 2014 was the year. They had the offense and the defense, AND the special teams weapons to do it. But of course, the curse still remains intact. Though the Lions did have a shot in 2012 due to the injury of Aaron Rogers. But backup quarterback Matt Flynn had better ideas. Then came the playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys in “Jerry World". Boy was that a very forgettable game. The game was decided on over an extremely controversial no pass interference call by the referees. The game ended and the Lions are yet again without a playoff win since 1991.
This all brings me to today. The Lions sit at an embarrassing 1-7, that’s good enough to be the WORST team in the NFL right now. EVEN CLEVELAND HAS 2 WINS!! granted they are right above the Lions in the standings, but still, they have 2 wins. Are this year’s Lions worse than the ‘08 Lions? Most sports writers seem to think so. Since the season has begun, the Lions have fired 3 offensive coaches and 2 front office executives. Now, who is to blame for this fiasco? The Fords? Well, they certainly haven't helped us any as fans. They continually put bad teams on the field. That’s not to say they are horrible people, they are just bad owners. Since ownership was passed down from William to his wife Martha after his passing, Martha has stepped it up a notch by firing Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew. For the Lions to be successful they must get this losing mentality out of their heads. They shouldn't do it for themselves, but do it for the fans. The fans who have been so loyal and so patient all these years. But on the bright side, there's always next season. GO LIONS!!
