I don't get the Detroit sports stuff.

I'd still like Jimmy Johnson as GM. Maybe he could lure Garrett or whatever that Offensive Coordinator is for Dallas to be head coach if Cowher won't come here. < -- I can dream.

Or is the latest still..."We aren't hiring anyone till the end of the season" stuff by Sr?

That's the latest I've heard. They may be talking to people to have them take over next season and potentially start working behind the scenes to prepare right now.

There are a couple of GMs that they are looking for, and the NFL is compiling a list for the Lions of up-and-coming GMs. Unfortunately for Lions fans, people seem to think the dude they just hired as a temp-GM fits in that category. So knowing the Fords, they'll just stick with him.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher seems to be the popular pick as the Detroit Lions look to replace fired team president Matt Millen.

Now, this can easily go under the grain-of-salt category because a denial only enhances his negotiating position, but here's what Cowher, now working as an analyst on CBS, had to say when asked about returning to the sidelines next season.

NFL.com, September 26: "No, I don't think so. I mean, I'm working on the same extension that the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) is (and that runs through 2010). So I mean, I'm on here until at least 2010 -- or more.

"But, I don't think so. You know what Adam, I'm really enjoying CBS. They've been very good and allowed me to come in. Last year was a lot of fun working with James Brown, and Dan (Marino), and Shannon (Sharpe), and Boomer (Esisason). I had a chance to watch more football doing what I'm doing on Sundays than I did when I was coaching, which was just focused on my team. And I really enjoyed the National Football League, all the storylines taking place. It has really filled a tremendous void that I thought was going to be there that I've been able to do by doing this little gig I have on Sundays."

"No, I don't think so.

YES YES YES!

He's heard of the Lions. Thats a start. And "I don't think so" means theres a chance.


All that ^ made my day.

I hope Wizzer wasn't just making that all up and slapping quotes around it.

"So you're telling me there's a chance..."

Whoever they end up hiring, how long do you think they give him to turn things around? 2, 3, 5, 7 years? Does he clean house with a new coach, new players, all the same crap Millen got to do?

I guess the one thing I can hope for is that it would be damn difficult for the next GM to be worse.

We are talking about Ford here. Millen would have had a job for at least 5 more years if Jr. didn't step in. My guess is that the next GM has until Clay dies.

I honestly think it does take 5 years to turn this around, we're so weak across the board. I'd like to see signs in the meantime, but unfortunately, we're going to have to give whoever the new hire is a fair shot.

It's got to be totally blown up, again.

The bright side is, it's much less painful to blow up a steaming pile of crap than it is to blow up something of value.

It's got to be totally blown up, again.

The bright side is, it's much less painful to blow up a steaming pile of crap than it is to blow up something of value.


Our cap situation is going to make it even more painful though.

I think we lead the league in dead allocated cap money, paying players who aren't even on the roster anymore.

Say we get a top 3 pick, the amount of money he will cost could be damaging to our situation.

I hate to see Roy leave for nothing, but it may be our only option. He's not going to sign a long-term deal here.

I'd rather be in a bad cap situation when the team is terrible than to be so when it is ready to contend.

I hate to see Roy leave for nothing, but it may be our only option. He's not going to sign a long-term deal here.

Nor do I want him to.

Lloyd Carr?

Lloyd Carr?

If he can guarantee the same winning % he had at Michigan. I might turn the game off every time the Lions were on offense, though.

If Dallas does continue to slide ( yea, right) it is even more important for us to get a qulified GM.

Please hire someone good you crappy owner you.

And let that GM hire Mike Singletary for coach if Cowher isn't available.

Any other potential coach ideas?

I wonder what the Big Buck is doing these days?

Our cap situation is going to make it even more painful though.

I think we lead the league in dead allocated cap money, paying players who aren't even on the roster anymore.

Say we get a top 3 pick, the amount of money he will cost could be damaging to our situation.

I hate to see Roy leave for nothing, but it may be our only option. He's not going to sign a long-term deal here.

You are correct about the past, but it appears they will be in good shape this year. This article was in April, but I think it's still accurate. The only trade since then was Roy (the Rogers and Jones moves were already accounted for in here):


ALLEN PARK -- While it appears Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli is in the final stages of revamping his roster, those changes have come at a cost.
With $15.2 million in "dead money" hitting their salary cap, the Lions are in worse shape cap-wise than the majority of other NFL teams. In each of the past two seasons, the average of dead money per club was just less than $10 million.


(skipping to end of story)


Now that Marinelli has assembled a roster of players that he has mostly brought in himself -- only 14 (of 69) players remain from the previous regime -- there is expected to be much less turnover next season. With almost all of the current dead money coming off the rolls next year, the Lions are expected to be back in excellent shape cap-wise going into the 2009 season.

So new GM just has to get through a year of cap hell to get a shot at building up. Plus he's got Marinelli guys that may have to go.

- ultra-safe job security

- cap space

- a fan base that will love you for an 8 win season; and worship you for a 1st round playoff exit

- two 1st rd picks (one of which will def. be top 3)

- ability to hire your own head coach and staff

- top players still under contract (Calvin, Sims, White, Bodden)

- no where to go but up

- thanksgiving day to show the world what you've created

I mean this has to be the most ideal GM job on the planet.

Top 3 players, you listed 4....

And Most ideal GM job on the planet? Or most ideal AVAILABLE one? And even then, I'm not so sure.

-Working for the Fords

Negative 1,287,4456 MoTowns

Dewayne White is not a top player.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8886068/Pioli-could-pull-pieces-together-quickly-for-Lions

Pioli could pull pieces together quickly for Lions



The blueprint seems so simple that even the Detroit Lions couldn't screw it up.

Raid the best franchise from this decade to reinvent the worst.

Hire away Scott Pioli from New England's front office to become president/general manager. He then tabs Patriots whiz-kid offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the new head coach. And when the free-agent signing period begins, ink Pats quarterback Matt Cassel to a massive free-agent contract.

The Ford family couldn't receive a better bailout — especially after fielding what may be the league's first 0-16 team.

Dewayne White is not a top player.

Sadly, on this team he is.

I'd give up sex for a year and buy a full season ticket package if we hired Pioli.

He would give this franchise INSTANT CREDIBILITY.

Do you pay for the sex too? Because you'd probably save a lot of money for your term-papers.

Pioli might just be too smart to take this job.

Pioli might just be too smart to take this job.

I think it's a damn good job. Millen set the bar pretty low for whoever the next GM is. All they need is winning seasons and they'll be hailed as the best GM ever here.

Too bad Matt Cassell wouldn't do anything without a great offensive line. He'd be worthless here, with no time to make reads and decisions.

Good thing we traded down to pass on Albert and he's "solidified the left side of the OL"

Also good thing we passed on Jammal Brown (pro bowler) for Mike Williams too.

Mike Williams... the most idiotic decision I've ever seen next to choosing to kick in overtime...

Lets take a guy that hasn't played in a year, was out of shape in college, and is completely unmotivated.

Lets take a guy that hasn't played in a year, was out of shape in college, and is completely unmotivated.


Kiper's Big Board suggested otherwise...

http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2009/02/15/sports/srv0000004695029.txt


ALLEN PARK — As a front-office executive with Baltimore and Jacksonville, James "Shack" Harris twice helped build the type of team the Lions want to become.

"You guys saw the way Jacksonville handled us last year at home," Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said, referring to a 38-14 early-November loss. "That's the kind of team that we want to have, a physical, dominant team that can physically manhandle another NFL team. And James has been involved in building those kind of teams. That's the reason why he's here today."

Mayhew introduced Harris as his new right-hand man Thursday, a senior personnel executive who will assist in pro and college scouting and, more importantly, serve as a sounding board for the Lions' first-time GM.

"He's going to be a good mentor for me," Mayhew said. "A lot has been made about the experience factor. This is an experienced guy, he's got 20 years in it. He's very well-respected in the National Football League. He has a good eye. You ask any scout and they'll tell you James has a really good eye. So I think it's important to have a guy like that."

While Mayhew, who was promoted to his post after Matt Millen's firing last September, retains final say in all football matters, Harris will help organize the personnel department and scout a handful of colleges as he splits his time during the season between his home in Florida and the team's Allen Park headquarters.

He'll also have input on draft-day decisions, something Mayhew welcomes as the Lions have five of the first 82 picks, including Nos. 1 and 20 in the first round.

"There were any number of 'yes men' available, and we didn't pick any of those guys," Mayhew said.

Harris, who took part in the team's free-agency preparatory meetings earlier this week, spent the past six seasons as vice-president of player personnel in Jacksonville. The Jaguars won 12 games in 2005 and twice made the playoffs in his tenure, but slumped to 5-11 last year.

He was forced out after the season, but not before stacking the roster with late-round draft picks like running back Maurice Jones-Drew (second, 2007), safety Gerald Sensabaugh (fifth, 2005) and defensive end Bobby McCray (seventh, 2004).

In Baltimore, Harris helped assemble the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team, and worked for two years with new Lions coach Jim Schwartz.

"He was a young, smart, hard-working, energetic person that you knew

would be successful someday in the league," Harris said.

Among the most immediate decisions facing Mayhew, Harris and the rest of the front office is what to do with quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna. Both are do roster bonuses in the coming weeks — Culpepper is owed $2.5 million, Kitna $500,000 — and the Lions might not want to commit that much guaranteed money to veteran signal-callers when they could draft a quarterback first overall.

"It's probably the biggest personnel decision that we have to make this offseason is that, is the quarterback position, and we're talking about that," Mayhew said, adding that Harris "will be involved in that process."

Already, Mayhew said the Lions have decided to use the franchise tag on kicker Jason Hanson if they can't sign him to a long-term deal by Feb. 19, the deadline for such designations. As franchise player, Hanson will be guaranteed a $2.483 million salary and any team that wants to sign him will have to surrender two first-round picks.

"I think we'll get something done prior to that," Mayhew said. "If we were just dealing with numbers and doing the thing that's logical from a numbers standpoint with this franchise, we wouldn't give him a long-term deal. We'd franchise him this year and franchise him next year. But it's Jason Hanson and we appreciate everything he's done for us and we're going to try to work out a long-term deal with him."

Mayhew said the Lions are "trying to get something done" with two more of their unrestricted free agents, guard Stephen Peterman and fullback Moran Norris, before the signing period begins Feb. 27.

I'm not sure I'm buyin what MM is sellin