I Dislike Your Favorite Team

7-9 after a 6-2 start. The Lions appear to have talent, but no play-offs again. So out go the sacrificial lambs - this year Mike Martz, and Kitna* may be next. I have someone else to blame. No, it's not Millen.

I'll give you a hint, they just dropped to number 3 in auto-sales in the US. They have been behind GM as number 2 since 1931. Yup, ye good old "found on road dead" motor company, responsible for both the Edsel and Pinto. The Edsel (Every Day Something Else Leaks) is the biggest automotive failure in history. The Pinto's gas tank ruptured and the doors jammed shut when rear ended, a winning combo for the consumer. Mother Jones released an article damning the "exploding" Pinto, and lawsuits followed. Public opinion of Ford certainly wained after the exploding Pinto. (However, the cost-benefit sort of thing that inspired Rainmaker has never been fully proven.) Then there was the Explorer/Firestone tire fiasco a few years back**. Quality is Job one.

The lions were not always a joke. They were champions in 52, 53 and 57 - a dynasty one might say. Then in 1964 they were purchased by one William Clay Ford Sr., and the party was over. Since Ford took charge the Lions have one play-off win. One. Also, a Lions head coach has NEVER been the head coach another NFL team after his Detroit tenure. NEVER. Head coaching the Lions is head coaching suicide.

However, there may be an upside, inspired by fellow contributor Andrew Wice. Using SAT like structure Wice stated that Millen is to qualified as Cheney is to compassionate. Indeed. I'll take it a step further. Perhaps Henry is to Edsel is to William Sr. is to William Jr. (now Lions VP) as Samuel is to Prescott is to George H. is to George dubya. What is the commonality? - I'll let the reader decide. Lions fans can only hope that perhaps both of these are as Tiberius is to Caligula is to Claudius is to Nero or maybe a Nicholas to Alexander to Alexander II to Nicholas II: after the fourth consecutive heir of increasing ineptitude is the reign of terror soon to end? Will the people take it anymore? Pray for the Lions people, pray for the Lions....and for mojo.

Update: Martz has been replaced by offensive line coordinator Jim Colletto. That's right, offensive line coordinator. Quick stats: Lions offensive rushing rank? 31st. Sacks allowed? 54, only San Fran and KC had 55. However, they did have the fewest rushing attempts in the league (ave 20.3/game), and perhaps the Martz O requires an offensive line to do the near impossible, or requires a Marshall Faulk to keep the LB honest. So we can't nail Jim to cross yet - perhaps next year. Considering he was fired by the Raiders 2005 and his singular head coaching stint at Purdue had a 21-42-3 (33.3%) record, I think we get it ready for him.