Detroit Lions President Matt Millen, the man who took over a 9-7 team after the 2000 season and has turned them into the laughingstocks of professional football, says there's one thing and one thing only that the team must do after its 0-2 start:"Stay the course," Millen said. "It's a little bump. ... It's not like you have to panic. You don't have to make wholesale changes. You don't have to do all that stuff. It's all right there."
A little bump? The Lions are 31-83, by far the worst team in the league, since Millen took over, but this is just a little bump? No need to change anything? Everything is going fine?
According to Millen, yes.
More from Millen:
"I said at the beginning of the season, 'Come on out, and you'll like what you see,' " Millen said. "And I think the people who came out (to training camp), they like what they see because they see discipline. They see the approach is right. They're practicing right. All the little things."After he said that, a reporter asked Millen what he would say to a fan who says he's not interested in how the Lions have looked in practice; he wants to see how the Lions look in games.
Millen replied:
"Well, if a fan says that, then they don't understand the game of football, because it can't happen on the field if it doesn't happen here."Ah, yes. If you think the Lions are a bad team simply because of that pesky 0-2 record, then you don't know anything about football. Matt Millen, who knows that what really matters is practice, scoffs at your foolishness.
Millen wouldn't say what his conversations with Lions owner William Clay Ford have been like, other than to say, "He has high expectations,".
All evidence to the contrary.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-19-2008 @ 8:43AM
sdunb9 said...
The Lions organization should be kicked out of the NFL. They look like a very bad high school team and are wasting the pros time. Of course, it's an easy win for the other team and a points a point>
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10-01-2008 @ 6:18PM
milo said...
They stiink, always have, always will as long as FORD owns them, they will never be a winning organization.... do watch his team, don't buy thier vehicles,
9-21-2008 @ 12:05AM
charlie said...
Basically is admitting the Lions are a practice squad
9-19-2008 @ 9:47AM
Charles Lapple said...
Matt Millen is the NFL's George Bush!
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9-19-2008 @ 10:22AM
Sotheby said...
Honestly, I was thinking the exact same thing. The parallels are uncanny.
Both assumed office after 2000
Both have a uneducated bunch supporting their tenure (Millen: Ford Family. Bush: Bohunk Aw-Shucks Voters)
Both are, by all accounts, tremendously nice people outside their occupations
Both have gotten shockingly grayer over their rule
Both are "staying the course"
I know there is more, but I just can't think right now.
9-24-2008 @ 8:18AM
Alex said...
this my opinion. I think the only way Lions will ever be good in NFL again. 1. fire Matt Millen and get a new prestident for the team that knows how to run a team, and not screw it up like Matt did. and 2, get rid of Jon Kitna, Kitna has to be 1 the worst QB to play for the NFL LIions. I rather see 1 of the 2 back up QB play than Kitna. if Lions don't get there act together, there not gonna get much wins.
9-19-2008 @ 10:07AM
Chad M said...
I hate you Matt Millen
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9-19-2008 @ 12:46PM
TIM said...
Millen is right it is a bump a really huge one named Matt Millen!
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9-19-2008 @ 12:56PM
basman1234 said...
Matt Millen was a great linebacker in his day. He has never been a good judge of talent or coaches... 31-83 He's a dope. The Lions have always sucked and he has made them even worse. Bill Ford should build a team that instills pride in the motor city. They sure as hell can't build cars anymore. The Lions are indicative of the attitude in Detroit. I am sure the team makes money for Mr. Ford... like HE needs it. Seriously, there is no pride whatsoever in Detroit anymore. The cars suck, the housing sucks, the economy sucks there, the pollution sucks... the crime sucks... and the Lions suck too... Sad.
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9-19-2008 @ 1:02PM
todd said...
I am so sick of millen and the lions, i have been a diehard fan for many years but i just can't take these losers anymore, ford is a complete fool, he needs to sell the team to someone that has a clue!! and Millen should resign in shame and embarrasment!!!! THE LIONS SUCK!!!
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9-19-2008 @ 2:09PM
Dr Huxtable said...
WCF will never sell. He needs to die so he can go rot in hell.
9-19-2008 @ 2:49PM
Geo. said...
What is it that the Big Dummy (Matt the brat Millen) has over the Ford's or are they so blind that they just keep putting their heads in the sand, this will eventually result in getting their asses shot off. I'm a Lions fan and always have been but this is a total and complete mess that will only start to get cleaned up when they take the Big Dummy out behind the out house and shoot him.
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9-19-2008 @ 6:54PM
Steve said...
Millen and the Fords.... Rebuilding year.... I have watched one rebuilding year after another for forty six years. I am fifty six now, and realize that IN MY LIFE TIME there will be no Lions Championship. Neither the Fords, nor Millen give a damn about you or me.
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9-19-2008 @ 8:35PM
Steve said...
True True
9-22-2008 @ 1:24PM
John said...
ur wrong they won the championship in 57, besides we have 2 stay the course.
9-22-2008 @ 7:02PM
dan said...
Let's go Red Wings!
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9-19-2008 @ 8:45PM
Steve said...
I really don't think were trying to be a Good Team
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9-19-2008 @ 8:53PM
Steve said...
Lions Fans,
Unfortunately we will never see a winning team...why...because they sell out every home game and have for a long time. The first goal of any owner is to have a product (team) that the fans will come to see. As long as the lions sell out their home games there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON to spend money on free agents. It's painful believe me i raised my son to be a lions fan and he has never seen a winning season. I live in NY and have the past (2) years traveled out to Detroit (1,400 miles round trip) for their kickoff luncheon with my son, it's a great time...you get all psyched up thinking this is the year and nothing.
WE NEED TO TAP INTO THE FREE AGENT MARKET like everyone else.
Look at New England, they won (3) Superbowls then the year that Indy won they beat NE twice...what did NE do ...they hit the free agent market for the 1st time in a while...who did they pick up...Dante Stallworth, Wes welker, Randy Moss...what was the result...18-1...I'm sure we'd take that. Denver is always VERY active in the free agent market. WHY CAN'T THE DETROIT LIONS BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE FREE AGENT MARKET. Quality Players change teams much more frequently than ever before, why can't we throw our hat into the free agent ring
We had good drafts for a while now (minus Rodgers & Williams) but we will never accumulate the talent we need strictly through the draft.
Millen cannot be completely absolved, he obviously he doesn't fully understand the responsibly of his position, I bet he would be more competent if he was paid by the WIN, but the fords have to realize the those loyal fans deserve a competitive team. that's the reason they keep showing up.
Stop insulting them (the loyal fans) just because you keep selling out, spend some of that money the fans put in your fat ass pockets and put a real product on the field.
The lions might very well go down in history as the franchise that wasted more top quality draft picks than anyone in the league.
The Cheap A_ _ Fords retired Barry Sanders because he couldn't stand the losing (he said it himself), he would have stayed if he HAD ANY FAITH AT ALL THE MANAGEMENT WAS TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A WINNING TEAM.
I went to San Frans website yesterday on NFL.com and listened to Marinelli's & Kitna's interview. You can tell listening to the Coach he didn't want to get rid of JT O'Sullivan...it's so clear... listen for yourself he even says after heaping tons of praise on JT that it was a mgt. decision.
As I said before...I live in NY there's not much I can do except cry every Sunday......YOU GUYS IN DETROIT STOP CRYING AND START SCREAMING...MAKE THE OWNERSHIP RESPECT WHY YOU ALL REALLY SHOW UP EACH WEEKEND...TO SEE A WINNER, YOUR 1/2 WAY THERE.
We pass up all the really good free agents year after year...why...to stay the course as Millen always says, that line only works for the President of the United States, and were sick of hearing it from him too.
Steve Smith, Yonkers NY
Loyal Lion Fan
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9-19-2008 @ 8:52PM
Tom said...
Matt Millan must have a picture of W.C. Ford with his pants off . No one can keep his job that long without it . Thanks Matt a G B fan.
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9-20-2008 @ 9:12AM
john said...
i really feel 4 the lions fans...never even been close 2 the super bowl. i would love 2 see it happen 4 them....GM in the NFL is must be the toughest job in the world....think about it, theres only 32 jobs available, yet only about half of them are actualy filled by someone doing a good job...at least the lions do have the option 2 fire millen...it could be worse, you could have an idiot like jerry jones owning n running things( i know the cowboys are doin well now, but parcells put that together..jerry "the moron" jones will tear that apart faster than than bush did the U.S. world reputation) itsd time 4 change in detroit....its all a crap shoot, but millens obviously a bust....time 2 resign matt...do the right thing
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