I was once told a story from a buddy that worked deep inside the San Diego Chargers organization back when they were as bad as three-week-old milk. He told me when the team was on a losing streak -- which happened regularly -- the post-game atmosphere was as fun as paper cuts. Now present day, the same can be said about the Detroit Lions. At 0-10 and with as tough a schedule as there is left in the league, head coach Rod Marinelli is being asked a lot of the same old questions. "Have you failed?" "Has the team failed?" "Does the mascot even fail?" Marinelli, in the latest Groundhog Day post-game experience decided he'd had just about enough of this banter.
Marinelli continued on about all of this, even going as far as admitting he has failed as a coach, and if he gets fired at the end of the season the only thing he will regret is not putting in enough effort as the lead dog."I've got unbelievable encouragement. Why? Because I believe in these players,'' said Marinelli, who was then asked "How?'' by a reporter.
"Let me finish. Can I finish? Do you want to ask the question again?'' Marinelli said.
The reporter interjected: "These guys haven't made plays for almost a full season.''
"Because I'm in a leadership role and that's my job,'' Marinelli said. "My job is to believe in them, to read them, to encourage them and show them how. We've got six games left and that's my job. That's what I do. I don't bang on them and throw them in the waste can."
Listen, like Ben Roethlisberger did so graciously last week, accepting blame when you are the leader is the thing to do. You are the face of the organization, you are the top dog and you are expected to lead the team so when speed bumps continue, or in this case the freeway splits in half, you can't just sit around with your arms outstretched.
Marinelli decided it was time to set the record straight about his team and by doing so showed a little flair, even more heart and quite possibly a little Mike Singletary to boot.
"Have we failed? Yes. Have I failed? Yes. Am I going to give up? No way. Am I discouraged? No way, I'm not. You can ask me that until the cows come home and you're going to get the exact same answer.''
We can all agree the Lions are pitiful. They are ranked second to last in the league in defense, fifth to the bottom in total offense and have Dan Orlovsky as their quarterback. Things aren't exactly on the up-and-up for the Lions. If that isn't enough, it appears the scouting isn't exactly breeding talent. Marinelli's most heated rant came when he brought up other "talent."
Well, I guess the good news is if you did go search the streets you probably could find someone in better shape than Daunte Culpepper, but that isn't really too tough. I was getting ice cream earlier and did that. What I do like is Marinelli's fire and passion here. He keeps getting pushed and instead of sitting back and ripping the team he said it exactly how it was."There's nobody else out there, there's nobody out there. You want to go out on the street and look for me? If you bring somebody back, I'll look at them. No, you go out and find one. These are the men I have and I'm going to work and encourage them ... you keep interrupting. Can I finish? That's who I am."
At this point, with this team, I guess there isn't any other way.
Worst Teams in NFL History
Team: 2008 Detroit Lions | Record: Currently 0-10
The Lions are rapidly closing in on immortality and an 0-16 record. Dating back to last year, Detroit is 1-17 in its last 18 games.
Tom Dahlin, Getty Images
Team: 1980 New Orleans Saints | Record: 1-15
This team gained a cult following of fans known as "The Aints" - who came to every home game wearing paper bags over their heads. The Saints beat the Jets, 21-20, in their 15th game.
Manny Rubio, NFL Photos/Getty Images
Team: 1989 Dallas Cowboys | Record: 1-15
Things would improve for Troy Aikman eventually, but in '89, America's Team only won once - at Washington in Dallas' ninth game. The 'Boys were shut out three times.
Allen Dean Steele, Getty Images
Team: 1991 Indianapolis Colts | Record: 1-15
Like the 1980 Saints, only a one-point win over the Jets kept Indianapolis from a winless season. The Colts set a record for least touchdowns (14) in a 16-game season and scored seven points or less in 11 games.
Don Larson, NFL/Getty Images
Team: 1981 Baltimore Colts | Record: 2-14
Baltimore managed to beat 2-14 New England twice - in the season opener and season finale, by a combined three points. The Colts allowed an average of 33.3 points per game.
Al Messerschmidt, Getty Images
Team: 1996 New York Jets | Record: 1-15
The J-E-T-S were A-W-F-U-L in 1996, with their lone win coming at Arizona in Week 9. New York had three turnovers or more in eight of 16 games.
Andy Lyons, Getty Images
Team: 2000 San Diego Chargers | Record: 1-15
Highly-touted Ryan Leaf was the poster child for this miserable bunch of losers. The Chargers managed only a one-point win over Kansas City in Week 13, and Leaf finished the season with an abysmal 56.2 QB rating.
Stephen Dunn, Getty Images
Team: 2001 Carolina Panthers | Record: 1-15
Things started so well. The Panthers opened the year with an 11-point win at Minnesota - and then lost 15 straight, scoring in single figures five times.
Eliot Schechter, Getty Images
Team: 2007 Miami Dolphins | Record: 1-15
This bunch was close to 0-16 - real close. Miami started 0-13 before sneaking past Baltimore in overtime, but only after the Ravens kicked a game-tying field goal from the Miami 1-yard line late in the fourth.
Al Messerschmidt, Getty Images
Team: 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs | Record: 0-14
Was this the worst team in NFL history? The Bucs certainly have a great case. Under QB Steve Spurrier, they lost all 14 games by an average of 20 points and suffered through five shutouts.
NFL Photos/Getty Images
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Detroit Lions are kinda like Jimi Hendrix. They stink, but are so cool no one will cme out and say it.
'The Detroit Lions are kinda like Jimi Hendrix. They stink, but are so cool no one will cme out and say it.' ...........
Very thoughtful statement. You just compared arguably the best guitarist in history with a 2008 Detroit Lions team that's obviously the worse team in the league........brilliant and witty
The best part of the Lions blowing goat ass this year is Marinelli and his pressers. I make sure to listen to them every week because they're so damn funny. The man is in so far over his head it's ridiculous. This week he was talking about how he was in a dark tunnel digging, and you just keep trying to dig out. He said "My shovel is sharp and my pick is sharp and my will is outstanding."
Poor guy. No one has told him that instead of digging himself out with his sharp pick and shovel, he is actualy working on a burial detail....digging himself in!
Hopefully he'll dig his way to China, I hear they need a poor excuse of a coach.
Poor coach should quit and save himself the embarrasment of going winless as a head coach, which is almost ineveitible unless the seas open and the clowds block the sun......But if he wants someone to go out on the street and find better players??? how about signing the Catholic Central Football team to a contract? they could do better than the lions as they are...........or maybe the little sisters of the poor could spare some players???
I would like to know just one thing!! When is the Lion organization going to wake up and stay awake? They were on the right path when they can'ed Millen, why in the H?%% can't they see they need a new coaching staff that the players can learn from. At least when we had Wayne Fonts we went to the play-offs and had a division title we could enjoy.
Kendra Becker is an idiot!
IF he gets fired? If?
kendra needs to keep her stinking man pleaser shut. she may know what a bad football team is,but hasn't a clue about a musical genius!!