there are rumblings and nothing is confirmed

not official yet...stay tuned

What are the rumblings - fired or quit?

It Happened?

Does this kill the "What Will Last Longer" Thread?

Oh....dont you get my hopes up....if this is untrue it just puts a damper on my day :-(

Don't toy with my emotions, Wiz.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Lions have finally removed team president and GM Matt Millen from his post, unseating one of the most criticized executives in Detroit sports history.

Millen was informed of the move last night during a late-night high-level meeting. This morning several people within the building confirmed that he had large packing boxes in his office and he made his way around to different employees telling them of the move.

It is unclear if Millen was fired or removed himself from the equation but the news comes just days after Bill Ford, Jr. publicly stated he would have fired the GM if it was his decision but he lacked the authority to do so.

The Lions have started off horribly and the groundswell for Millen's demise has once again been strong. Unfortunately, that's nothing new as there have been events like the Millen Man March, an in-game walkout protest and calls for Millen's firing for years.

The Lions have won only one playoff game and are an NFL-worst 31-84 since Millen took over in 2001. They have also been a model of futility on the road and Millen has gone through three head coaches, none of whom have been able to turn the Lions into a winner.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA

It's possible that the US economy may correct itself, as a result.

This is one of those moments that will be timeless - everyone will remember the moment Millen was canned.

Where were you the moment of the Millen removal?

It's possible that the US economy may correct itself, as a result.
The auto-industry at the very least.

Also, does this mean Sr. is dead?

Millen had to quit. I don't think Ford would ever fire Millen.

Let the Cowher rumors begin.

Michael Rosenburg said Ford Jr. needs to just go park an Expedition full of cash on his front lawn.

Thank You God!

Time For Cowher Power!

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/COL08/809240341

LOL@ Drew Sharp



If anything, Millen's presidency probably is more secure today than it was before Bill Ford Jr. openly admonished his father for not firing Millen.

Holy shit. I'm gushing tears of joy.

HE NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU
HE NEVER MEANT TO MAKE YOU CRY

An event like this brings SDB back.

This is an even better moment than I thought! Could this day get any better?!?!

I think we need to declare today a special bonus "Steak and a BJ day".

:cogent:

HE NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU
HE NEVER MEANT TO MAKE YOU CRY
MATT MILLEN ONLY WANTS TO SEE YOU STANDING IN THE PURPLE RAIN

Someone hand me a moist towelette.

The Dow was down 162 points before the news of Millen's departure. It's now up 12 points.

Coincidence?

Best. Day. Ever.

Oh my......

(joyful sob)

^post# 5009

Congrats!

I'm actually in shock. I'm actually looking forward to being at a game or two.

(Of course our celebrating means we actually trust the Fords to higher someone competent in his place.)

I could make millions of dollars printing "I survived the Millen era" t-shirts.

I could make millions of dollars printing "I survived the Millen era" t-shirts.

Genius.

TOM IZZO TO THE LIONS

TOM IZZO TO THE LIONS

he does his best when the talent is down so this makes sense

TOM IZZO TO THE LIONS
I --
WHAT THE...?
MADNESS!

Holy shit I saw this on the front page and figured it was a terrible joke. Best day of Lions football in years.

This is going to be the happiest 4-12 season evar!

CAN I GET AN UPDATE ON HOW THE CLEANING OUT OF THE OFFICE IS GOING?

He has a lot of trophies to clean out. Oh wait...

I'm sure the Ford family will miss him. Oh wait ...

Do you guys mind if I touch myself a little bit, just to savor the moment?

Millen by the numbers

Seasons: This is his 8th

Record: 31-84

Winning percentage: .270

Last 11 games

Record: 1-10


Outscored in those games: 372-205


Average score in those games: Opponent 34, Lions 19


Record by coach

Marty Mornhinweg

(2001-02)

5-27 -- .156

Steve Mariucci

(2003-05)

15-28 -- .349

Dick Jauron

(2005)

1-4 -- .200

rod Marinelli

(2006- )

10-25 -- .286

This is going to be the happiest 4-12 season evar!
Who's winning 4 games?

Great news!

Jimmy Johnson please, please, please.

He'd hire Bill Cowher.

OMG, I just got a woody.

Didn't Cowher have full control like Parcells usually does? I would think Cowher would have control and have a guy to assist him in the day to day actions of GMing (like Lewand maybe).

I'd try and poach somebody from the Pat's organization to run the front office, and then hire Cowher to coach the squad...

We better hurry, b/c Cleveland has had their eye on Cowher ever since he left Pittsburgh, and since he's an Ohio boy and Romeo's struggling down in the butthole of America...could be first come, first serve for his service...

Cowher should not be the GM, bring in a Ron Wolf or a young guy like Scott Pioli.

Cowher is a coach, not an administrator.

I'm just saying you probably wouldn't see a Johnson/Cowher combo. Pioli would be nice.

I say we let Ford Sr. handle the personnel decisions.

-500 MoTowns.

Damnit.

I ... still.. can't...believe it.

If I wake up soon I'm going to be pissed.

Important parts in blue


An official with the Detroit Lions has confirmed that president Matt Millen has been fired as team president today.
While nothing is official yet, a source close to the situation said chief operating officer Tom Lewand and assistant general manager Martin Mayhew will split Millen's duties for the rest of the season. A permanent replacement for Millen is not expected to be named until after the end of the 2008 season.
At this point, the Lions have not announced whether a press conference will take place announcing the firing.

Cowher should not be the GM, bring in a Ron Wolf or a young guy like Scott Pioli.

Cowher is a coach, not an administrator.


I know, that's what I meant.

They should get Nick Caserio, director of player personnel from the Pats...

He was a GA at Saginaw Valley State & Central Michigan...

Get him in here, kind of like how Parcells hired Jeff Ireland from the Cowboys, and they maybe Caserio would be able to get Josh McDaniels from the Pats to be our "Tony Sparano"

IF MILLEN FORGOT A BOX IN HIS OFFICE, DO THEY HAVE TO LET HIM BACK IN TO GET IT?

IF MILLEN FORGOT A BOX IN HIS OFFICE, DO THEY HAVE TO LET HIM BACK IN TO GET IT?

only if Tatum Bell hasn't stolen it yet

We're still in cap hell...

We cannot franchise Roy after this season, either try and deal him at the deadline (like Miami did to Chris Chambers last year), or let him walk...

too bad theres no compensation for losing premiere free agents

They do need to trade Williams. There is no need for two #1 WRs, especially with so many other needs and since they'll both be unhappy sharing catches.

only if Tatum Bell hasn't stolen it yet

Seriously, do we have a prize or something for this guy?

My phone cards all expired or I would send them all to him.

I would trade Roy for a #1 for sure.

Teams in need of a WR like Roy:
Miami - sure to be a high pick, would they do it?
Ravens - have lacked playmakers for a long time.
Bears - would we trade him within division?
49ers - would he like or hate being with Martz again?
Seattle - see Ravens
Rams - WR's aging, again would be a high pick.
Minny - again, within division?
Tampa - Hey, send one that way for a change.
Raiders - would they do another deal with us?

If it's Oakland, Miami or Rams you'd have to do it now. Sooner the better or they'll know they have a top 5 pick. give them hope to turn it around. the 49ers, Tampa and Ravens could all be decent picks in mid season.

I bet Martz would make a huge push for him, and I don't know why he wouldn't want to go back to Martz, he always talks about how we need to do things more like the way Martz did things without directly saying it.

And Martz's system focuses on using the #1 WR mostly. I remember him talking about that (being the Z receiver or whatever letter it was). I think plays were specifically designed for certain WRs. I bet he'd like to go there. If you could get their pick, even if it ended up in the 8-10 range...you should be able to get a top 2 OT (Monroe/Oher) and a top 2 MLB (Laurenitis/Mauluga). Snag a OG in the 2nd (probably another top 2 OG) and your OL is suddenly a lot better and you aren't weak up the middle on D either.

So dream scenario, we end up with the top MLB and OT, and a top two OG after trading Roy. But who steps up as our #2 receiver?

You guys really think we could get a 1st for Roy? I would trade him yesterday if that were the case. It doesn't seem players get traded for 1st round picks that often. Wasn't Moss traded?

Bout fuckin time.

You guys really think we could get a 1st for Roy? I would trade him yesterday if that were the case. It doesn't seem players get traded for 1st round picks that often. Wasn't Moss traded?

The Cowboys have been very interested for some time, are thin at WR, and expect to have a very low 1st pick. Not saying it will happen but it wouldn't surprise me either. (TO & TRRW *spooge*)

Moss was traded for a 4th, but it was because no one wanted him anymore after he quit on the Raiders. I don't think we'd get a first for him, especially with his contract running out at the end of the season. If he had a contract extension tied to the trade, we could get possibly a second, without it maybe a third.

You guys really think we could get a 1st for Roy? I would trade him yesterday if that were the case. It doesn't seem players get traded for 1st round picks that often. Wasn't Moss traded?
Moss had injury and character issues when he was traded.

Miami got a second rounder for Chambers.

GB got a second rounder for Javon Walker.

The Giants got a 2nd and 5th for Shockey.

I don't think it's a stretch to get a #1 for Roy. I do think an extension may have to be worked out with the new team prior though.

Well, if we can get that 1st or 2nd, then the Lions HAVE to do this. He is our most prized commodity that we don't really need. Start this whole thing over! Again!! Start at the D and O lines and move out from there. Some Ast. GM out there is looking for a chance to prove himself and we have a nice facility for that guy to take up shop in.

Yea, we still have cap issues, but after today, its kind of like being cured of having leprosy or something and finding out you have a hang nail.

I agree on moving Roy. Guy is gone anyway and this team is doing nothing without building it's lines.

I didn't think it could get even better, but wait...


Lions' new brain trust puts focus on winning the next game

Associated Press
Updated: September 25, 2008, 4:17 PM ET

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Beat the Bears.

That's the stated goal of the two executives now in charge of running the Detroit Lions in the wake of Matt Millen's dismissal Wednesday.

Executive vice president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew say they want to focus the franchise on winning its next game against Chicago.

Lewand will likely be back next year for a 15th season with the Lions to help with salary-cap issues and other business matters.

Mayhew wants to be retained, but one of Millen's first hires insisted he doesn't view the opportunity as an audition.

"I haven't really thought of it like that," he said. "The way I look at it, we have to beat the Bears. Right now, I'm the general manager. I'm focused on getting our guys ready and our coaches ready to beat the Bears."

Detroit's season seems to be over after getting routed in its first three games, but Lewand and Mayhew told beat writers Thursday a lot can be done to salvage the year and answer critics.

The Lions have a bye this week before hosting the Bears.

"The public perception will be positive when we beat the Chicago Bears in 10 days," Lewand said.

Millen turned a lackluster franchise into a laughingstock during seven-plus years as team president. The Lions were an NFL-worst 31-84 since 2001 -- one of the worst stretches in league history -- and are 0-3 this year. This awful start drops them to an NFC-worst 10-25 under coach Rod Marinelli.

"The reality is, we have 13 games to play and we're two games out of first place," Mayhew said. "We can't play the way we've played so far. But that's not scary to me being two games out of first place with 13 games left."

Millen added Mayhew, a former Washington Redskins teammate, to the front office soon after the Ford family lured him out of the broadcast booth to run the franchise.

"Matt and I have different viewpoints on a lot of things about football, but I'm a Millen guy," Mayhew said. "I've known him for 18 years. We won a Super Bowl together.

"Yesterday was a different day for me. It was a sad day. It was a good day. ... It was everything."

Lewand has done a lot for Lions ownership for more than a decade, including guiding the construction of Ford Field, and might as well be known as "Teflon Tom" because it would be stunning if he's not working for the team next year and beyond.

The University of Michigan graduate, however, is not focused on his future in the organization. He is trying to improve its culture right now.

"Our job that we started yesterday is to try to create the kind of organization that can work together toward a common goal," Lewand said. "That's really easy to say. It's extremely difficult to do."

Oh fuck, now we have some saviors in our midst and we didn't even know it.

I've always thought Lewand was pretty good with the cap and shit, but I'd fire that som bitch too.

TRRW is talking about returning to Texas, again. I can only assume he isn't dreaming of playing for Houston. Cowboys would need to rework some salary to make it work if I'm correct, but the Lions should make it happen. You guys can have any 2 WRs not named Owens.

"The public perception will be positive when we beat the Chicago Bears in 10 days," Lewand said.

WHEN "we" beat DA BEARS? Wow, this organization means business.

I wouldn't want receivers. I'd want draft picks.

I meant in addition to a pick or two.

I love

I LOVE COMING TO THIS BOARD AND THE FIRST THING I SEE IS SHITCANNED AND MILLEN'S FACE NEXT TO IT!

Lions haven't paid Millen since September firing

ESPN.com news services
Updated: October 26, 2008, 11:03 PM ET

After being relieved of his duties last month, it appears former Detroit Lions president Matt Millen is getting overlooked on payday.

NFL sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the Lions haven't paid Millen, who reportedly is still owed $6 to $10 million under his contract which runs until 2010, since he was fired Sept. 24.

According to those sources, the Lions are trying to get Millen to settle for an amount less than what he is owed. Millen currently has no plan to file a grievance against the Lions as both sides are exploring a settlement.

Millen won Super Bowls as a linebacker and was an acclaimed TV analyst, but had no front-office experience when he was hired in Detroit. Millen's teams won a league-low 31 games from the time he took over the Lions in 2001.

Friday was the one month anniversary, btw.

Happy one year anniversary, guys.

What did you get me?

Also, still winless.

They'll be paying for keeping him that long for years to come.

Per WDFN

A classic.

Losing w/o Millen > losing w/ Millen.

Millen is a pretty decent analyst for ESPN. Good for him, I guess.

Millen is a pretty decent analyst for ESPN. Good for him, I guess.

Will he ever refer to anyone's poor GM skills though? That is the real question.

Also I saw some dumb thing before a game where he was on a farm drivin a tractor or something for his segment. What the hell is up with that?

Will he ever refer to anyone's poor GM skills though? That is the real question.

Also I saw some dumb thing before a game where he was on a farm drivin a tractor or something for his segment. What the hell is up with that?

Ha, yeah, I'm pretty sure he's going to be staying away from criticizing any team's organizational skillz.

He was always a good analyst. I just think he ruined his credibility with his 7+ years in Detroit.