The NFL needs to take action, and take it now!

[ToyfareMark]

I'm a loyal Detroit Lions fan, have been since i was about 10 years old. In all the time I have been a fan, the team seems to just not care whether they win or not. Even in the 90's when they were a decent team, it seems they didnt care. Now there are other teams like the Lions out there that dont have any success, or have been losing for a long time, Arizona, and Cleveland are examples. But they are trying at least, Arizona signing Edgerinn James, Cleveland hiring Romeo Cronell are examples. But the Ford family seems content to just own a team and do nothing else. When is the last time Detroit signed a big time free agent? Or even talked to one? The last I remember is Joe Montana when he left San Francisco, That was over a decade ago! So I think that the NFL needs to take the Lions away from the Fords, give them market value for the team, and sell it to another owner who is dedicated to putting together a winning franchise. I'm sure I'll get some negative things said about me for this, but thats ok, I just wanted to get this off my chest. What do the rest of you think?

[Brain Of F'n J]

No.

As a fan, and a resident of Detroit, I understand the pain. But it isn't the NFL's responsibility to see that all the teams win. If that was the case, we'd have 32 teams at 8-8. While the management of the Lions has been woeful at best, unless they were taking overt steps to bankrupt the team or embezzle, there is no just cause for the NFL to step in. Quality of the team is not the NFL's concern.

Jed Shaffer
~Fixing the Lions: Step 1, fire EVERYBODY BELOW THE FORDS. Step 2: hire new people.

[ToyfareMark]

Well in a way it is. Because every team's success benefits every other team. Why have revenue sharing between the teams if a team isnt gonna use it. Its kinda like the Lions are on welfare and abusing it. But I do get what you are saying.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Nah, someone has to help the Browns fans feel better about themselves.

I'll tell you one thing, though. If the Lions accidently fell into signing a good QB, those receivers would scare the crap out of many in the league.

[Brain Of F'n J]

toyfaremark said:

Well in a way it is. Because every team's success benefits every other team. Why have revenue sharing between the teams if a team isnt gonna use it. Its kinda like the Lions are on welfare and abusing it. But I do get what you are saying.

No, it isn't. The NFL has ZERO responsibility or investment in making the Lions better. The NFL makes money, regardless of which teams win or lose; Dallas can go 1-15, and they still sell like 30% of the merch. Even if New Orleans fails to make the playoffs EVER with Reggie Bush, they get a buttload of cash on Bush jerseys. So where's the impetus to "fix" their teams? Nowhere, because it simply isn't their problem. The money rolls in, win, lose, or draw. That's why the teams are individually owned. It's the Ford family's job, and nobody else's, to fix it.

And the "welfare abusers" line of thought doesn't make sense. If they were grossly abusing the money they got by paying 1st round draft money on a practice squadder, I might agree with ya. But revenue sharing is to create an equity in the money AVAILABLE. How the money is SPENT is the team's discretion. If a team can't use the same amount of money available to another team successfully, again ... not the NFL's problem.

And, lastly, if we're going to use your line of thought, then we also need to have the NFL step in and take care of the other loser teams like Arizona and Oakland. Imagine it ... year after year, teams being bought and sold because of poor play. Perennial loser teams would be resold EVERY YEAR. And then you have those teams that go on a fluke sub-par season (say, the Patriots, when they went 9-7 after their 1st Super Bowl victory). Do we sell them too? Where does the line stop for NFL ownership interference?

Jed Shaffer
~Hope I haven't come across obnoxiously. But it's a good topic to consider.

[DukeDavis]

The Ford family should be forced to sell their auto company first; more lives depend on that, and they're screwing it up just as bad as the Lions.

[EvilMasterComatose]

samsanov316 said:

The Ford family should be forced to sell their auto company first; more lives depend on that, and they're screwing it up just as bad as the Lions.

Hio! Someone give this man the internet.

[ToyfareMark]

And, lastly, if we're going to use your line of thought, then we also need to have the NFL step in and take care of the other loser teams like Arizona and Oakland.

No, because those teams actually make an effort. Everyone knows that Al Davis wants to win. And while people accused the Bidwell family of not caring in the past, they are actually trying to turn the corner now, new stadium, signing stars, drafting well.

[normcoleman]

when Dick LeBeau got fired from the Bengals, the commish stepped in. He made SOP hire people on a very short list.

so there is precedent.

[Brain Of F'n J]

As a lifelong fan of Oakland, I dispute that Al Davis is even SANE, let alone committed to winning. The man needs a guide to keep him from walking into walls.

As for Arizona, they're learning a very important lesson: draft well and sign all the free agents you want. If they don't act as a TEAM, you'll lose every time. Plus, Dennis Green as a coach ain't exactly the pinnacle of success.

Jed Shaffer
~Yup, Oakland, Detroit, Minnesota, New Orleans ... I know how to pick winners!

[normcoleman]

if anyone needs to sell a team...it's Dollar Bill Wirtz of the Blackhawks. Look this dude up.

[MichaelRBoh]

normcoleman said:

if anyone needs to sell a team...it's Dollar Bill Wirtz of the Blackhawks. Look this dude up.

doesn't he not let them show home games? that makes no sense for a team in as big of a city as chicago.

[normcoleman]

cowpee said:

normcoleman said:

if anyone needs to sell a team...it's Dollar Bill Wirtz of the Blackhawks. Look this dude up.

doesn't he not let them show home games? that makes no sense for a team in as big of a city as chicago.

Yup

[Brain Of F'n J]

normcoleman said:

when Dick LeBeau got fired from the Bengals, the commish stepped in. He made SOP hire people on a very short list.

so there is precedent.

There's also precedent for burning people at the stake for suspected witchcraft, but I'm not advocating people start flicking their Bics.

And what you mentioned happened when someone in the organization got FIRED. The concept presented here is the NFL taking the Lions away from the rightful owners and selling them to someone else because the current owners suck ass with a krazy straw. Not quite the same thing.

You know, I'm surprised they haven't sold them, though. Ford could use the money. Sell 'em to Illitch. He's good for it.

Jed Shaffer
~Where's Blade in all this?

[Shy Guy]

detroit sucks

[Timmy8271]

The lions should be eliminated.

[nisi]

The NFL already guranatees a lot of parity. It's a tragedy, but the Fords can run the Lions into the ground if they want to.

[hawkfan44]

no, you fire Matt Millen instead. he is to GM's as the Gooker is to wrestling. wasting 3 no.1 picks on WRs where as of now, only one (Roy Williams) has become a star. and thats just one reason why.

[Kevin Hamilton]

Why would they do that?

[doclindgren]

jackrabbitslim said:

Why would they do that?

Sheer stupidity.

As for the question, I wouldn't do it for the fact that there are other teams, not just in football, that basically run teams into the ground. Look at the Royals and Devil Rays in baseball, and the Lions and Cardinals in football.