Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Schwartz is impressive, (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Bri
- Start date
puckalicious
Footballguy
I'll wait until the regular season begins to have an opinion. Every new Lion's head coach appears impressive at first (ok, not mornhinweg). Maybe I'm just a jaded fan.
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
He certainly has his work cut out for him.
Let's see how prepared his team is for the first few weeks of the season. Heck even beat Minnesota or Washington at hoem in september and that will show me something.
The Lions have added alot of veterans on D - Grady Jackson,Larry Foote, Julian peterson, Phil Buchanon, Anthony Henry. SHould be an improved unit.
Let's see how prepared his team is for the first few weeks of the season. Heck even beat Minnesota or Washington at hoem in september and that will show me something.
The Lions have added alot of veterans on D - Grady Jackson,Larry Foote, Julian peterson, Phil Buchanon, Anthony Henry. SHould be an improved unit.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
I thought Detroit made the right call to hire Schwartz and he's off to a good start. Give him three years and I think this team competes for a playoff spot.
mikel0254
Footballguy
I was just thinking the same thing. Being a Lion's fan I'm excited to see what he can do though
lord_helmet
Footballguy
Just don't serve us crap on thanksgiving, TIA
FUBAR
Footballguy
yep, seems a bad year to make that statement. These 3 were able to hit the playoffs their first year while improving their teams from a collective 10-38 to 33-15. Sure, Schwartz will probably beat their % improvement but will he win 7 more games?
Last edited by a moderator:
Indeed...he only has to win 1 to do that. 7 games would be pretty astounding turnaround, I would say. They could do it though, anything is possible and there are incredibly mixed opinions about the NFC North, that is for sure.
Ozymandias
Footballguy
Well, I know of Josh McDaniels and he certainly isn't any Josh McDaniels.
gregjcross
Footballguy
They should have dumped 2/3 of their roster, so i guess 5 guys from above is a start.bicycle_seat_sniffer said:
perry147
Footballguy
I think everyone needs to see Jim Schwartz coach a few games before we can find out how good of a head coach he is going to be.
Jeff Fisher clearly liked him and spoke highly of him, which goes a long way in my book. The Lions are such a debacle last year that any improvement is a plus, just win a game. It is said in the NFL every game this important to every team; BUT with the Lions the most important game is the very next one because if they win, they will have accomplished more than they did all of last year. I am going to be rooting a little bit for the Lions this year (I normally follow the Saints or Titans) because of this.
Just my
Jeff Fisher clearly liked him and spoke highly of him, which goes a long way in my book. The Lions are such a debacle last year that any improvement is a plus, just win a game. It is said in the NFL every game this important to every team; BUT with the Lions the most important game is the very next one because if they win, they will have accomplished more than they did all of last year. I am going to be rooting a little bit for the Lions this year (I normally follow the Saints or Titans) because of this.
Just my
I think keys to the Lions Defense will be Grady Jackson & L. Delmas. If Jackson can still control the line of scrimmage, that will be huge for the Lions. They were terrible against the interior run (among other things) last season & the whole defense would benefit if Jackson can still tie up the middle. Reports are that Delmas is the real deal & his run support would also be huge. I'm actually a fan of Bullock also so that safety tandem looks pretty good at the moment. That would be 6 players upgraded on the defensive side of the ball, throw in Schwartz's new system & they could actually be somewhat average.
thecardiackid
Footballguy
exactly.baby steps. RE: Schwartz, the hire looks good, but they all do right about now and the Lions' mgmt better have guaranteed him at least a 3 year plan. I'd be VERY impressed if he gets more than 5 wins out of that team - especailly if they run w/ Stafford early.GL MC Kitty fans.
Fantaholic
Footballguy
I'm not saying that McDaniels isn't going to be impressive. However, how can you make such a definitive statement at this point in time?
I haven't followed the others that closely but this is yet another article about him that I simply like and think "this guy gets it".http://www.detnews.com/article/20090707/sp...f-chance-he-haspuckalicious said:
Taking the team out to interact with the fans, completely on purpose to work on their image around town.
He didn't cut 8 zillion players at once but took his time and truly gave a number of players a fair shot which should go over well in the long run. Far better than just shaking things up with one swoop.
There are player articles like their center came out and said something overly positive about him compared to the previous regimes-I don't want to overstate it. I can try and find it.
Draft commentary on players was researched and honest while hard hitting. But one example something along the lines of- Smith is the previous regime's zone blocking type and if Wells fell just two more spots they'd have grabbed him. Smith will have to learn to be power back etc.
There's a let's get to work attitude and a level of respectful discipline that reminds me of BB and Fisher-whom he worked under.
Stafford-On changing the losing culture in Detroit: "I think the coaching staff has done a great job with that themselves. Coach (Jim) Schwartz is coming from Tennessee and they've won a bunch of football games, and a lot of our coaches are coming from outside places that were extremely successful. And that's kind of bled into the players. And then we have new guys like myself and Pettigrew, like you said, and guys coming from free agency that we picked up -- a Larry Foote, Julian Peterson, guys like that that have been on winning football teams in this league and know what it takes to get it done. I wasn't here last year, obviously, but the attitude in offseason workouts and practice has been great and hopefully that will carry over."
Lions coach Jim Schwartz didn't want television cameras around. He simply wanted to do his civic duty and move on. But people talk, and his little secret got out.
Schwartz didn't end minicamp this week with a morning practice session. He continued it by taking rookies Matthew Stafford, Louis Delmas and Brandon Pettigrew inside the Dearborn Truck Assembly Plant, where they sat for two hours and signed autographs, took photos and passed out Lions gear to surprised workers. He wanted this to be part of his players' education on the NFL and the city of Detroit.
Schwartz is a different cat. After a month of planning, he took his high-profile rookies to meet the rank-and-file. His goal was to do more than just spread good will to Ford employees. He wanted his rookies to touch hands with regular people in Detroit. He wanted them to see the hardened Rouge plant that has pumped out thousands of cars and trucks over the years.
"The other day, Dominic Raiola talked about how he fell in love with the city," Schwartz said by phone from Maryland. "He said how much he loves the people and I thought it was important for these guys to experience the same feel and things like that. We did not want cameras there because we thought it would have ruined the whole dynamic of it."
Real people
Schwartz, 43, wants his rookies grounded.
Stafford signed the richest rookie contract in NFL history. Delmas and Pettigrew have not signed contracts, but it is safe to say they will make more than any of the 500 people who carted off Lions hats, coffee mugs, photos and autographs.
"We wanted them to know who they were playing for," Schwartz said. "We wanted them to meet the people who were paying their paychecks."
Rob Webber, plant manager for the Dearborn Truck Assembly plant, said workers were surprised by the visit and that it boosted morale.
"I am sure it did," he said. "They were very excited about that. But I think it did as much for the players, too. They seemed excited about meeting everybody also."
Schwartz recognizes professional athletes often get lost in their own world.
Lions linebacker Larry Foote admitted it happened to him after he left the University of Michigan to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he got involved in the community, he felt a wall had been built between himself and the fans. That wall was made up of jewelry and nice clothes and big cars and trucks.
He has since torn down that wall and is establishing a foundation to help Detroit community projects and perhaps start a charter school in Detroit. Hopefully the current rookies will follow suit.
Schwartz wants to make Detroit his home. He grew up in blue-collar Baltimore, where he was surrounded by some of the toughest people in the world -- cops and football players.
"I respect hard-working people," Schwartz said. "Most of my friends I grew up with did not go to college. They were all blue-collar guys. They were hard working and blue collar. Look, I have lived all over the country. You see people with different mentalities in different cities. It does not take long to realize that if you feel good about hard work, you have a kinship with these people."
Fitting in
Schwartz has gone to charity events set up by the Lions. But during Game 7 of the Red Wings-Ducks series, he wanted to experience Detroit fans. So he sneaked into a sports bar and tried to watch the game incognito. It didn't work. People recognized him, and the next thing Schwartz knew he was being admitted into Detroit culture. They talked Lions and Wings, and Schwartz liked it.
He better understood our pain. And he got a clear vision of how badly people want the Lions to win. This is no longer just a job for him. He met new friends, and he wants to make them happy.
"We plan on being in Detroit for a while," he said. "When my kids grow up, I want them to tell people they are from Detroit."
That is an important statement. People from Detroit want to be loved, and they like to show newcomers what their city is all about. Schwartz has broken down barriers simply because he is a Lions coach.
He broke down more when he saw workers wearing Ford F-150 truck caps. He mentioned that he owns a 1994 F-150 with more than 200,000 miles. A small admission like that got the conversation going and drew a lot of smiles. It surprised Schwartz, and he spoke about an old truck with new friends.
"People were really excited about that," he said.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090627/OP...character?imw=Y
Schwartz didn't end minicamp this week with a morning practice session. He continued it by taking rookies Matthew Stafford, Louis Delmas and Brandon Pettigrew inside the Dearborn Truck Assembly Plant, where they sat for two hours and signed autographs, took photos and passed out Lions gear to surprised workers. He wanted this to be part of his players' education on the NFL and the city of Detroit.
Schwartz is a different cat. After a month of planning, he took his high-profile rookies to meet the rank-and-file. His goal was to do more than just spread good will to Ford employees. He wanted his rookies to touch hands with regular people in Detroit. He wanted them to see the hardened Rouge plant that has pumped out thousands of cars and trucks over the years.
"The other day, Dominic Raiola talked about how he fell in love with the city," Schwartz said by phone from Maryland. "He said how much he loves the people and I thought it was important for these guys to experience the same feel and things like that. We did not want cameras there because we thought it would have ruined the whole dynamic of it."
Real people
Schwartz, 43, wants his rookies grounded.
Stafford signed the richest rookie contract in NFL history. Delmas and Pettigrew have not signed contracts, but it is safe to say they will make more than any of the 500 people who carted off Lions hats, coffee mugs, photos and autographs.
"We wanted them to know who they were playing for," Schwartz said. "We wanted them to meet the people who were paying their paychecks."
Rob Webber, plant manager for the Dearborn Truck Assembly plant, said workers were surprised by the visit and that it boosted morale.
"I am sure it did," he said. "They were very excited about that. But I think it did as much for the players, too. They seemed excited about meeting everybody also."
Schwartz recognizes professional athletes often get lost in their own world.
Lions linebacker Larry Foote admitted it happened to him after he left the University of Michigan to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he got involved in the community, he felt a wall had been built between himself and the fans. That wall was made up of jewelry and nice clothes and big cars and trucks.
He has since torn down that wall and is establishing a foundation to help Detroit community projects and perhaps start a charter school in Detroit. Hopefully the current rookies will follow suit.
Schwartz wants to make Detroit his home. He grew up in blue-collar Baltimore, where he was surrounded by some of the toughest people in the world -- cops and football players.
"I respect hard-working people," Schwartz said. "Most of my friends I grew up with did not go to college. They were all blue-collar guys. They were hard working and blue collar. Look, I have lived all over the country. You see people with different mentalities in different cities. It does not take long to realize that if you feel good about hard work, you have a kinship with these people."
Fitting in
Schwartz has gone to charity events set up by the Lions. But during Game 7 of the Red Wings-Ducks series, he wanted to experience Detroit fans. So he sneaked into a sports bar and tried to watch the game incognito. It didn't work. People recognized him, and the next thing Schwartz knew he was being admitted into Detroit culture. They talked Lions and Wings, and Schwartz liked it.
He better understood our pain. And he got a clear vision of how badly people want the Lions to win. This is no longer just a job for him. He met new friends, and he wants to make them happy.
"We plan on being in Detroit for a while," he said. "When my kids grow up, I want them to tell people they are from Detroit."
That is an important statement. People from Detroit want to be loved, and they like to show newcomers what their city is all about. Schwartz has broken down barriers simply because he is a Lions coach.
He broke down more when he saw workers wearing Ford F-150 truck caps. He mentioned that he owns a 1994 F-150 with more than 200,000 miles. A small admission like that got the conversation going and drew a lot of smiles. It surprised Schwartz, and he spoke about an old truck with new friends.
"People were really excited about that," he said.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090627/OP...character?imw=Y
Center Dominic Raiola came to the Lions as a second-round draft pick in 2001. The Lions have gone 31-97 since, culminating in the NFL’s first 0-16 season.
But Raiola said he never thought about playing out the final year of his contract and looking elsewhere in free agency. He has signed a four-year contract extension, committing himself to the Lions through 2013. The deal includes $20 million in new money, with $9 million guaranteed.
“There’s so much I put into this,” Raiola said today, after the Lions wrapped up their off-season program with their final minicamp practice. “I think it’d be like quitting. This place is worse now than when I came in. I definitely want to be a part of when this thing is turned around.”
Raiola is from Honolulu. But he said Detroit had become home for him.
“I’ve seen pretty much every other sports franchise win in this city, and there’s nothing more that I want for the city than to see this team win,” Raiola said. “This city’s special to me.
“It’s hard times right now, and I’ve been through a lot with the fans. I think that’s just because I’ve been here for so long. I’m excited to try to change that view on the Lions.”
The Lions don’t blame their woes on Raiola, a fiery leader who is a two-time offensive captain.
Critics say the 6-foot-1, 295-pound Raiola is too small and has short arms. But coach Jim Schwartz countered that.
“He’s got great leverage,” Schwartz said. “He’s got great balance. He’s a good athlete. And the center position, you don’t need a giant to play center. Center’s one of the positions that you can get by with a smaller guy.”
Schwartz, the defensive coordinator in Tennessee the past eight years, pointed out that Titans center Kevin Mawae had trouble cracking 280 pounds but was athletic and always on his feet. Mawae, listed at 6-4, 289, has gone to the Pro Bowl.
“If you talk about the great centers probably in history of the National Football League, I think they all have that in common: leverage, feet, balance, quickness, those kind of things,” Schwartz said. “Dom has all of those."
The Lions also signed tight end Dan Gronkowski, a seventh-round pick, to a three-year deal.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090625/SPORTS01/90625045/
But Raiola said he never thought about playing out the final year of his contract and looking elsewhere in free agency. He has signed a four-year contract extension, committing himself to the Lions through 2013. The deal includes $20 million in new money, with $9 million guaranteed.
“There’s so much I put into this,” Raiola said today, after the Lions wrapped up their off-season program with their final minicamp practice. “I think it’d be like quitting. This place is worse now than when I came in. I definitely want to be a part of when this thing is turned around.”
Raiola is from Honolulu. But he said Detroit had become home for him.
“I’ve seen pretty much every other sports franchise win in this city, and there’s nothing more that I want for the city than to see this team win,” Raiola said. “This city’s special to me.
“It’s hard times right now, and I’ve been through a lot with the fans. I think that’s just because I’ve been here for so long. I’m excited to try to change that view on the Lions.”
The Lions don’t blame their woes on Raiola, a fiery leader who is a two-time offensive captain.
Critics say the 6-foot-1, 295-pound Raiola is too small and has short arms. But coach Jim Schwartz countered that.
“He’s got great leverage,” Schwartz said. “He’s got great balance. He’s a good athlete. And the center position, you don’t need a giant to play center. Center’s one of the positions that you can get by with a smaller guy.”
Schwartz, the defensive coordinator in Tennessee the past eight years, pointed out that Titans center Kevin Mawae had trouble cracking 280 pounds but was athletic and always on his feet. Mawae, listed at 6-4, 289, has gone to the Pro Bowl.
“If you talk about the great centers probably in history of the National Football League, I think they all have that in common: leverage, feet, balance, quickness, those kind of things,” Schwartz said. “Dom has all of those."
The Lions also signed tight end Dan Gronkowski, a seventh-round pick, to a three-year deal.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090625/SPORTS01/90625045/
With only three days of minicamp under his belt, newcomer Jon Jansen already has seen things he likes from the Lions' coaching staff. And that's saying something coming from an offensive lineman who played under six coaching staffs over 11 years in Washington.
"I will say that they are doing things in a way that I think will be successful for us," said the former University of Michigan and Clawson High player. "I know coming from a guy who's trying to make the team, trying to compete, that probably sounds like I'm kissing ###. But I think they've stressed to the guys what they want, and they've done it in such a way that guys are doing it willingly. I think if you can make guys make the right decision and they do it on their own, it really shows that one, there's good leadership at the top and two, there's good leadership amongst the players and a sense of urgency, and guys understand they need to get better."
Jansen noted how players have appeared to accept the coaches' philosophy by simply showing up throughout the entire off-season training program.
"Everybody's been a part of everything that's going on," said Jansen, who signed in late May. "I think when you see that coming in as late as I did, it really shows the dedication that these guys have made and also the stress that the coaches put on it to be here and allow guys to make that decision."
http://www.freep.com/article/20090628/SPOR.../906280459/1049
"I will say that they are doing things in a way that I think will be successful for us," said the former University of Michigan and Clawson High player. "I know coming from a guy who's trying to make the team, trying to compete, that probably sounds like I'm kissing ###. But I think they've stressed to the guys what they want, and they've done it in such a way that guys are doing it willingly. I think if you can make guys make the right decision and they do it on their own, it really shows that one, there's good leadership at the top and two, there's good leadership amongst the players and a sense of urgency, and guys understand they need to get better."
Jansen noted how players have appeared to accept the coaches' philosophy by simply showing up throughout the entire off-season training program.
"Everybody's been a part of everything that's going on," said Jansen, who signed in late May. "I think when you see that coming in as late as I did, it really shows the dedication that these guys have made and also the stress that the coaches put on it to be here and allow guys to make that decision."
http://www.freep.com/article/20090628/SPOR.../906280459/1049
Lions fans can tell me if this attitude is new from the owner-
After watching a minicamp practice in his blue Ford Mustang replica golf cart, Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. spoke publicly today for the first time since firing president Matt Millen in September.
Ford said his lawyer and Millen’s lawyer had reached an amicable settlement recently on the balance of Millen’s contract and that the two remain friends. He declined to give details of the settlement.
He also said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had offered help in finding a new general manager and coach. He said he explored Goodell’s suggestions, but liked what he already had in Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew, whom he promoted to president and general manager, respectively.
He said coach Jim Schwartz was his choice, with the agreement of Lewand and Mayhew, and that he wasn’t too crazy about some of the hirings and firings in the past. He said Millen took more of the lead on the hirings of Steve Mariucci and Rod Marinelli, and he took more of the lead this time.
Here are the highlights of the interview:
Why did you fire Millen? Was it difficult for you?
“Matt’s a friend of mine and always will be. He has a lot of wonderful qualities. It didn’t work out, and we parted ways, and it’s history.”
What spurred it? Why then?
“You can answer the question probably as well as I can. Everything. It just wasn’t going right.”
Your son, vice chairman William Clay Ford Jr., had said publicly he would fire Millen if he could. Did you know he would say that?
“I didn’t know he was going to say it. He was just saying really what we’d talked about. He might have done it long before I did.”
Were you mad?
“No. He just said what was on his mind. I wasn’t surprised by it, because I’d heard it.”
Did that lead to finally firing Millen?
“Well, it was a combination of so many things. I don’t think that was really a factor, because we’d discussed it at length prior to that. That didn’t really influence me.”
You had talked a couple of days before?
“Oh, yeah. And really, even before that. Maybe a couple of months or six weeks or something like that.”
Or three years?
“Or maybe.” (laughs)
Why didn’t it work with Millen?
“Again, tough one to answer. He didn’t really have much experience as far as being a general manager goes. He knows the game, obviously. Knew talent. Maybe he was a little precipitous about some of his judgments. I’m second-guessing him.
“But it didn’t work out, and he understood completely. There was no bitterness or rancor on his part. He said, ‘No, I can understand why you’re doing it, and I don’t blame you.’ ”
Did you support him for too long?
“Well, maybe. But I think circumstances, timing, were important. You don’t want to jump ship after two games or one game or anything like that. When the fans were really getting fed up, you think, ‘OK, time to make a move.’ Thought about it, obviously. But the timing just worked out the way it did.”
You reportedly haven’t paid Millen since firing him. Is that true?
“We’re all square with the board. I talked to him on the phone a couple of weeks ago, and everything’s fine. We’re still friends, and I’m glad he’s got the job that he’s getting.”
Millen said last week the situation is ongoing.
“It’s settled.”
Was it settled recently?
“Fairly. Yeah, a couple of weeks.”
How?
“It was really handled by his lawyer and mine. It never got to arbitration or anything like that, and I’m glad it (didn't), because as I say, we’re friends, and I don’t want to be on the other side of quarreling with a friend over ‘you said this’ or ‘I said this.’ So it worked out very peacefully. It worked out fine.”
Did he once say if you wanted him to leave, he would resign?
“Yeah, he did say that. We’ve never -- I don’t know if fought’s the right word -- but totally disagreed on anything. It all worked out. That’s about all I could really tell you, and amicably. So that’s about it.”
Why did you stay with Lewand and Mayhew?
“Well, I’ve always liked Martin. He’s been a little bit in the background and has never really had an opportunity to shine. When those positions came open, I thought, ‘Well, we’ve got a guy right here who is eminently qualified,’ and he’s risen right to it and handled it without missing a beat and has been terrific, and the same with Tom.
“He is a terrific organizer and manager and does all the things you would like to have him do. And they do it without any fuss or pretense about it. They just get the job done. And their attitude is kind of the same thing I’d like the players to get. We’re here to do a job and we’ll do it, and that’s it. I’m very happy with the whole front-office setup.”
Why stick with two people who were part of the previous regime and not look at other people?
“I did look at some other people, and I said, ‘We’ve got it right here.’ Really. End of search. Really, it kind of played itself when I looked at their backgrounds and what they had done and what they had brought to the party so far. They’ve been terrific.”
Any serious thoughts about going elsewhere, hiring someone like Scott Pioli?
“We looked at all of those. I talked to a lot of people, including the commissioner. I got a lot of input. I was happy with really what we had.”
Did you call Roger Goodell?
“Strangely enough, he called me. We had three or four conversations after that.”
What did he say? Did he ask if you needed help or advice?
“Yes. He offered any help that he could. He was great about it. I said, ‘Well, I could use all the help I can get. I’m certainly not going to turn my back on you or anybody.’ Then he mentioned a few names, and I investigated those. He couldn’t have been nicer about it or really more helpful.”
Did you investigate his suggestions for front-office executives?
“I did check into it, and nothing against any of his suggestions, but I felt I had the right combination here. So why go through the agony of bringing somebody totally new in that to learn what everything was about here? As long as it was in place, I didn’t have any problem with it.”
What did Lewand and Mayhew do to impress you and make you feel so comfortable with them?
“I really don’t know how to answer that because there are so many different answers I could give. I’ll try to be specific by being vague. I like their judgment. I liked the thought processes they were going through to reach their conclusions. They don’t get an idea and then jump off a cliff. It’s all very well thought out, and it’s not just thought out for the day. They think about it for a long time, weigh all the other possibilities and then make their decision. It’s not a snap judgment on anybody’s part, and I think that’s important. Very important.”
What was the NFL’s first 0-16 season like for you?
“It wasn’t very much fun. I feel so sorry for the fans in Detroit. I mean, I give them full marks for being loyal and showing up. We didn’t perform the way we should have performed or the way we could have performed. I really have felt worse for them than I did for myself. I thought it was horrible.
“Every time, we’d lose, I’d go, ‘Oh, geez.’ But for the fans who stuck through it, I can’t tell you how great that makes you feel. And those that walked away, I couldn’t blame them. It really wasn’t much fun to watch. It was pretty boring to watch, because you could always guess the outcome.”
You sold out every home game after moving to Ford Field in 2002 until last year, when you failed to sell out five games. Did the empty seats send a message?
“Sure. People were getting fed up, and as I said, I didn’t blame them a bit. We didn’t put on much of a show for them.
“God knows what’s going to happen this year. I don’t any more than anybody else does. But I think at least we’ll give them a honest day’s effort.
“Of course, they want us to win, and so do I more than anything, but I think if they realize that we’re going down with our guns blazing, I think that will be a very positive thing to have happen, and that did not happen last year.”
What did you think of Rod Marinelli?
“Rod’s a great guy. He’s a wonderful coach. I liked him. I don’t want to say anything against him. I’m not sure he was quite ready to be a head coach.
“Lord knows he had enough experience and had been around a lot of successful guys. But when it doesn’t work out, it’s easy to point fingers, and I’m sure not going to blame Rod for anything. We’re all in it together.”
You’ve been through so many coaches and approaches. Why do you think this might be the right direction now?
“This is going to sound a little egotistical, maybe it is. Because this was solely my decision, and rather than being influenced by a lot of other thoughts and people that … I respected their opinions, but they were not exactly the same as mine, which is fine, but they influenced the decisions that were finally made.
“If Jim Schwartz doesn’t work out, you can blame me 100%. I just have confidence in him.”
You made the decision on Schwartz? He was your guy?
“Yeah. Now, I don’t mean to sound like I was too dictatorial about it. I got other people’s opinions on other people that we’d interviewed, and we all agreed, so that made it a shoo-in.
“It wasn’t … well, not bickering. But it wasn’t the arguments that we may have had in the past. If that’s the right word, maybe a little strong. The difference of opinion we had in the past.
“This was 100% from everybody. And long before I’d given my opinion, I asked them their thoughts, and I happened to agree with all of them. Anybody who agrees with you is a genius.” (laughs)
You were determined not to let that happen again?
“I suppose in the back of my mind, yeah, because we’d gone wrong in the past and some of the hirings and the firings, I wasn’t too crazy about. So, yeah.”
So if Lewand and Mayhew had said they wanted someone else, you would have overruled them?
“Well, we would have had a long conversation about, ‘OK, why do you want so-and-so, and what’s the matter with Schwartz?’ ”
The hirings of Mariucci and Marinelli were more contentious?
“I guess you could say that, yeah. I didn’t know their backgrounds particularly, and again, I relied on Matt and others for what their opinions were. The decision wasn’t mine. I’m not saying I was against it.”
How do you like your new quarterback?
“Which one’s the new one?” (laughs)
Stafford.
“He’s an impressive kid. Very. And again, he’s a lot like Jim Schwartz is. He’s multidimensional. Yeah, he’s dedicated to football, but he’s interested in a million other things, too. But when he takes command out there, he takes command. And that’s terrific.”
Did you meet with him before the draft?
“Oh, I was very impressed with him. Very impressed with him. He just comes across as a straight shooter. There’s no BS about him. He’ll tell you what he thinks, and whatever you ask him, he’ll give you an honest answer. So I liked him.”
Have you ever ordered a coach to play a quarterback?
“No. I do not -- contrary to public opinion -- interfere with the football side of it. I mean, if so-and-so plays lousy, I’ll said I think he’s a bum. (laughs)
“But no, I’ve never said, ‘Play this guy or play that guy or don’t play him.’ These guys know more about the game than I do by 10 miles. I’m not going to try to second-guess them.”
How personally do you take criticism from the fans?
“Well, I mean, not that the yelling at the stadium does much for you. You get a couple of drunks, and they can lead anything. But by and large, you pay attention to it.
“I mean, if there’s a noticeable decline in attendance and the comments are not favorable, you pay attention to it. As I say, the fans are really the people we want to please out here.
“Especially now with Detroit and the shape it’s in, we’ve got to try twice as hard to give them their money’s worth. Money’s tough to come by for all of them. I understand that. But the least we can do is put on a good performance for them, and I think we will. I certainly hope we will.”
Do you worry about your legacy? How badly to you want a championship?
“I want it. I can promise you that. Starting with Jim and on out as far as my livelihood goes, I’m going to shoulder the responsibility for any mistakes we’ve made.
“I don’t mean every play or stuff like that, but if things go sour and the fans turn against us, I’ll have nobody to blame but me. And I’m aware of that. But that’s a nice challenge to have, to try to keep them happy in bad times.”
http://www.freep.com/article/20090624/SPOR...0/1049/SPORTS01
After watching a minicamp practice in his blue Ford Mustang replica golf cart, Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. spoke publicly today for the first time since firing president Matt Millen in September.
Ford said his lawyer and Millen’s lawyer had reached an amicable settlement recently on the balance of Millen’s contract and that the two remain friends. He declined to give details of the settlement.
He also said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had offered help in finding a new general manager and coach. He said he explored Goodell’s suggestions, but liked what he already had in Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew, whom he promoted to president and general manager, respectively.
He said coach Jim Schwartz was his choice, with the agreement of Lewand and Mayhew, and that he wasn’t too crazy about some of the hirings and firings in the past. He said Millen took more of the lead on the hirings of Steve Mariucci and Rod Marinelli, and he took more of the lead this time.
Here are the highlights of the interview:
Why did you fire Millen? Was it difficult for you?
“Matt’s a friend of mine and always will be. He has a lot of wonderful qualities. It didn’t work out, and we parted ways, and it’s history.”
What spurred it? Why then?
“You can answer the question probably as well as I can. Everything. It just wasn’t going right.”
Your son, vice chairman William Clay Ford Jr., had said publicly he would fire Millen if he could. Did you know he would say that?
“I didn’t know he was going to say it. He was just saying really what we’d talked about. He might have done it long before I did.”
Were you mad?
“No. He just said what was on his mind. I wasn’t surprised by it, because I’d heard it.”
Did that lead to finally firing Millen?
“Well, it was a combination of so many things. I don’t think that was really a factor, because we’d discussed it at length prior to that. That didn’t really influence me.”
You had talked a couple of days before?
“Oh, yeah. And really, even before that. Maybe a couple of months or six weeks or something like that.”
Or three years?
“Or maybe.” (laughs)
Why didn’t it work with Millen?
“Again, tough one to answer. He didn’t really have much experience as far as being a general manager goes. He knows the game, obviously. Knew talent. Maybe he was a little precipitous about some of his judgments. I’m second-guessing him.
“But it didn’t work out, and he understood completely. There was no bitterness or rancor on his part. He said, ‘No, I can understand why you’re doing it, and I don’t blame you.’ ”
Did you support him for too long?
“Well, maybe. But I think circumstances, timing, were important. You don’t want to jump ship after two games or one game or anything like that. When the fans were really getting fed up, you think, ‘OK, time to make a move.’ Thought about it, obviously. But the timing just worked out the way it did.”
You reportedly haven’t paid Millen since firing him. Is that true?
“We’re all square with the board. I talked to him on the phone a couple of weeks ago, and everything’s fine. We’re still friends, and I’m glad he’s got the job that he’s getting.”
Millen said last week the situation is ongoing.
“It’s settled.”
Was it settled recently?
“Fairly. Yeah, a couple of weeks.”
How?
“It was really handled by his lawyer and mine. It never got to arbitration or anything like that, and I’m glad it (didn't), because as I say, we’re friends, and I don’t want to be on the other side of quarreling with a friend over ‘you said this’ or ‘I said this.’ So it worked out very peacefully. It worked out fine.”
Did he once say if you wanted him to leave, he would resign?
“Yeah, he did say that. We’ve never -- I don’t know if fought’s the right word -- but totally disagreed on anything. It all worked out. That’s about all I could really tell you, and amicably. So that’s about it.”
Why did you stay with Lewand and Mayhew?
“Well, I’ve always liked Martin. He’s been a little bit in the background and has never really had an opportunity to shine. When those positions came open, I thought, ‘Well, we’ve got a guy right here who is eminently qualified,’ and he’s risen right to it and handled it without missing a beat and has been terrific, and the same with Tom.
“He is a terrific organizer and manager and does all the things you would like to have him do. And they do it without any fuss or pretense about it. They just get the job done. And their attitude is kind of the same thing I’d like the players to get. We’re here to do a job and we’ll do it, and that’s it. I’m very happy with the whole front-office setup.”
Why stick with two people who were part of the previous regime and not look at other people?
“I did look at some other people, and I said, ‘We’ve got it right here.’ Really. End of search. Really, it kind of played itself when I looked at their backgrounds and what they had done and what they had brought to the party so far. They’ve been terrific.”
Any serious thoughts about going elsewhere, hiring someone like Scott Pioli?
“We looked at all of those. I talked to a lot of people, including the commissioner. I got a lot of input. I was happy with really what we had.”
Did you call Roger Goodell?
“Strangely enough, he called me. We had three or four conversations after that.”
What did he say? Did he ask if you needed help or advice?
“Yes. He offered any help that he could. He was great about it. I said, ‘Well, I could use all the help I can get. I’m certainly not going to turn my back on you or anybody.’ Then he mentioned a few names, and I investigated those. He couldn’t have been nicer about it or really more helpful.”
Did you investigate his suggestions for front-office executives?
“I did check into it, and nothing against any of his suggestions, but I felt I had the right combination here. So why go through the agony of bringing somebody totally new in that to learn what everything was about here? As long as it was in place, I didn’t have any problem with it.”
What did Lewand and Mayhew do to impress you and make you feel so comfortable with them?
“I really don’t know how to answer that because there are so many different answers I could give. I’ll try to be specific by being vague. I like their judgment. I liked the thought processes they were going through to reach their conclusions. They don’t get an idea and then jump off a cliff. It’s all very well thought out, and it’s not just thought out for the day. They think about it for a long time, weigh all the other possibilities and then make their decision. It’s not a snap judgment on anybody’s part, and I think that’s important. Very important.”
What was the NFL’s first 0-16 season like for you?
“It wasn’t very much fun. I feel so sorry for the fans in Detroit. I mean, I give them full marks for being loyal and showing up. We didn’t perform the way we should have performed or the way we could have performed. I really have felt worse for them than I did for myself. I thought it was horrible.
“Every time, we’d lose, I’d go, ‘Oh, geez.’ But for the fans who stuck through it, I can’t tell you how great that makes you feel. And those that walked away, I couldn’t blame them. It really wasn’t much fun to watch. It was pretty boring to watch, because you could always guess the outcome.”
You sold out every home game after moving to Ford Field in 2002 until last year, when you failed to sell out five games. Did the empty seats send a message?
“Sure. People were getting fed up, and as I said, I didn’t blame them a bit. We didn’t put on much of a show for them.
“God knows what’s going to happen this year. I don’t any more than anybody else does. But I think at least we’ll give them a honest day’s effort.
“Of course, they want us to win, and so do I more than anything, but I think if they realize that we’re going down with our guns blazing, I think that will be a very positive thing to have happen, and that did not happen last year.”
What did you think of Rod Marinelli?
“Rod’s a great guy. He’s a wonderful coach. I liked him. I don’t want to say anything against him. I’m not sure he was quite ready to be a head coach.
“Lord knows he had enough experience and had been around a lot of successful guys. But when it doesn’t work out, it’s easy to point fingers, and I’m sure not going to blame Rod for anything. We’re all in it together.”
You’ve been through so many coaches and approaches. Why do you think this might be the right direction now?
“This is going to sound a little egotistical, maybe it is. Because this was solely my decision, and rather than being influenced by a lot of other thoughts and people that … I respected their opinions, but they were not exactly the same as mine, which is fine, but they influenced the decisions that were finally made.
“If Jim Schwartz doesn’t work out, you can blame me 100%. I just have confidence in him.”
You made the decision on Schwartz? He was your guy?
“Yeah. Now, I don’t mean to sound like I was too dictatorial about it. I got other people’s opinions on other people that we’d interviewed, and we all agreed, so that made it a shoo-in.
“It wasn’t … well, not bickering. But it wasn’t the arguments that we may have had in the past. If that’s the right word, maybe a little strong. The difference of opinion we had in the past.
“This was 100% from everybody. And long before I’d given my opinion, I asked them their thoughts, and I happened to agree with all of them. Anybody who agrees with you is a genius.” (laughs)
You were determined not to let that happen again?
“I suppose in the back of my mind, yeah, because we’d gone wrong in the past and some of the hirings and the firings, I wasn’t too crazy about. So, yeah.”
So if Lewand and Mayhew had said they wanted someone else, you would have overruled them?
“Well, we would have had a long conversation about, ‘OK, why do you want so-and-so, and what’s the matter with Schwartz?’ ”
The hirings of Mariucci and Marinelli were more contentious?
“I guess you could say that, yeah. I didn’t know their backgrounds particularly, and again, I relied on Matt and others for what their opinions were. The decision wasn’t mine. I’m not saying I was against it.”
How do you like your new quarterback?
“Which one’s the new one?” (laughs)
Stafford.
“He’s an impressive kid. Very. And again, he’s a lot like Jim Schwartz is. He’s multidimensional. Yeah, he’s dedicated to football, but he’s interested in a million other things, too. But when he takes command out there, he takes command. And that’s terrific.”
Did you meet with him before the draft?
“Oh, I was very impressed with him. Very impressed with him. He just comes across as a straight shooter. There’s no BS about him. He’ll tell you what he thinks, and whatever you ask him, he’ll give you an honest answer. So I liked him.”
Have you ever ordered a coach to play a quarterback?
“No. I do not -- contrary to public opinion -- interfere with the football side of it. I mean, if so-and-so plays lousy, I’ll said I think he’s a bum. (laughs)
“But no, I’ve never said, ‘Play this guy or play that guy or don’t play him.’ These guys know more about the game than I do by 10 miles. I’m not going to try to second-guess them.”
How personally do you take criticism from the fans?
“Well, I mean, not that the yelling at the stadium does much for you. You get a couple of drunks, and they can lead anything. But by and large, you pay attention to it.
“I mean, if there’s a noticeable decline in attendance and the comments are not favorable, you pay attention to it. As I say, the fans are really the people we want to please out here.
“Especially now with Detroit and the shape it’s in, we’ve got to try twice as hard to give them their money’s worth. Money’s tough to come by for all of them. I understand that. But the least we can do is put on a good performance for them, and I think we will. I certainly hope we will.”
Do you worry about your legacy? How badly to you want a championship?
“I want it. I can promise you that. Starting with Jim and on out as far as my livelihood goes, I’m going to shoulder the responsibility for any mistakes we’ve made.
“I don’t mean every play or stuff like that, but if things go sour and the fans turn against us, I’ll have nobody to blame but me. And I’m aware of that. But that’s a nice challenge to have, to try to keep them happy in bad times.”
http://www.freep.com/article/20090624/SPOR...0/1049/SPORTS01
Last edited by a moderator:
Addai's Adidas
Footballguy
It was a joke.
teamramrod
Footballguy
But the real question is Dan Quayle a Jack Kennedy?Peace
Yeah I should take back my statement some. It seems I overstated it but I am still thoroughly impressed and would gladly play along for discussion sake. I suppose I could argue that it's harder to turn the Lions around than the teams you mentioned.Also, I, still a year later, am unsure what is Parcells and what is Sparano's doing.FUBAR said:
Bob Henry
Footballguy
Good post, Bri. Put me in the cautiously optimistic bucket.
I was talking about this with a buddy the other day. Both of us were kind of wondering if the Lions didn't get a little dumb luck by actually hiring what appears to be a good coach. I read Michael Lombardi's column regularly and gave him some pretty nice praise a few times in various columns talking about him back with the Browns and how he did a great job at evaluating talent in the personnel department. Lombardi carries some weight with me, same with Jeff Fisher.
On the surface he seems to be just what the Lions need - a good leader first, and a smart football guy who can coach, scheme, motivate and evaluate. It will be fun to watch in training camp and once the pressers start rolling. That's when the Detroit media get their hooks in him. I haven't seen any Drew Sharp hate yet, but I'm sure it will come.
I was talking about this with a buddy the other day. Both of us were kind of wondering if the Lions didn't get a little dumb luck by actually hiring what appears to be a good coach. I read Michael Lombardi's column regularly and gave him some pretty nice praise a few times in various columns talking about him back with the Browns and how he did a great job at evaluating talent in the personnel department. Lombardi carries some weight with me, same with Jeff Fisher.
On the surface he seems to be just what the Lions need - a good leader first, and a smart football guy who can coach, scheme, motivate and evaluate. It will be fun to watch in training camp and once the pressers start rolling. That's when the Detroit media get their hooks in him. I haven't seen any Drew Sharp hate yet, but I'm sure it will come.
Ozymandias
Footballguy
Addai said:
I saw some comments about Schwartz in regards to McNair by Lombardi-at times Lombardi is just a fascinating "behind the scenes" writer with his stories.As for the latter point, he's got that blunt way of speaking that alot of coaches have today-sort of stating the obvious when something negative is brought up like "we have to work harder" or "if we don't execute, we're not going to win. It's that simple". I think that can go a long way as a tool against the negative press hounds. It's not the sensational reply they're yearning for. IMO BP got that from Perkins and it sorta carried on from there.Bob Henry said:
Schwartz doesn't have anywhere near as good OL or DL and he sure doesn't have Washburn or Munchak coaching them. There's going to have to be some patience. IMO the Lions lines left a whole lot to be desired and it seemed alot of fans noticed their OL. While there was no marquee signing, I'd bet if their line plays good(not nec well) they're going to notice and perk up some about their team and Schwartz.
When it seems the defender is in the backfield as quick as the QB(dropping back), it's hard to get excited about anything.
When it seems the defender is in the backfield as quick as the QB(dropping back), it's hard to get excited about anything.
Despyzer
Lousy Attention Whore
How in the world does this guy come into a thread about an impressive schwartz and not make a Spaceballs joke? Now THAT'S some great willpower.
Last edited by a moderator:
Bankerguy
Footballguy
His coach is bigger then yours.
Addai's Adidas
Footballguy
He will win when they wear the dark helmets.
Fantaholic
Footballguy
Ooops. My bad. It just wouldn't be the first time a former Belichick understudy would be over-hyped his first season out of the womb.Addai said:
lord_helmet
Footballguy
I see what you're doing here.
to pick one out of these "results are on the field" type replies to respond to. Sure, of course. Where we're at now though is we don't have any results.Feel free to google but I'm very confident that you can find quotes from people speaking highly of Schwartz's preparation so I would guess they'll be prepared. That's not execution. That's not results. That's not even "good" preparation necessarily. I hear ya.All I'm referring to here though is at this point.One thing(off the beaten path but so what) I think owners/GMs absolutely must do is recognize when a coach has taken them as far as he can and replace him right then and there. Too often they wait for failure and it messes up all progress.For example, I think Marvin Lewis turned the Bengals around to a very good point, years back. I will always wonder if another coach could have won with them and their high powered offense. From that high point(and yes it might have been 8-8 but that's a high for Cincy) in hindsight it looks like maybe they should have switched coaches then.I firmly believe that NFL teams have a short window to win the Supe. I don't think they make it unless the progress can continue.With the Lions, there is probably a high point with Mitchell, Perriman, Moore and Barry (was it Fontes then?) that I would feel similarly about. Waiting til the team crumbles to make a change is foolish IMO. They have to make these coaching decisions in much more timely fashion. I don't subscribe to the "see it thru" theory for coaches. Players are held to a "what have you done for me lately" attitude and ALL coaches should be too. There are some that are, some that aren't.With the Lions this year, while I am super curious about Schwartz actually (head) coaching in games, if he reorganized things, fixed attitudes and weeded out some negative types and then before week 1 they decide another coach is better....I'd be the one guy saying that's fine. I recognize it's an unpopular way of thinking but ...it's progress, something I think Detroit fans(and some other teams) are desperate for.
