OT Article: IN THE ARTICLE ONLY - Replace Redskins with Lions, and Snyder with Ford
Saw this under mgo.liciou.us but felt this was thread-worthy (mods delete if not). Read this article and found it appropos and more enjoyable when replacing all Redskins and Daniel Snyder references with the Lions and our lovable owner, Mr. Ford.
A Washington Detroit area businessman responded to a very “special” request from the Redskins Lions. An offer to buy a suite at FedEx Ford Field. Given the state of our sorry Leos, I thought I’d share this article.
Quote from Article:
“Our problem would be watching the Redskins Lions play football. This is our optimal solution to the problem: not buying a suite, and thus avoiding the problem altogether. Thank you for this invigorating and completely unsolicited conversation, Redskins Lions sales person.”
EDIT: had to modify the title as it seems there was confusion regarding the intent of this post.
December 27th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^
Ok well at least the Lions didn't trade away like 100 picks to get an above average QB. The Lions are a lot of things, but I don't even think they're quite as bad as the Redskins.
December 27th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
I only get to see the Lions on TV 3-4 times a year, but they sure seem like a team who is a couple players away on each side of the ball. Secondary needs help and the o-line is a body or two away. Schwartz was a big part of why they are relevant now and also why people can even be upset that they just missed the playoffs. I get moving in a different direction, but the guy has at least helped make them decent again.
December 27th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 1:02 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
Funny how crystal clear hindsight is. As a Browns fan I was PISSED when we didn't make the trade with the Rams and took Richardson. No way to know if RGIII would've gotten hurt as a Brown (well maybe you could know - it happened in the playoffs and that rarified air isnt ever experienced here in Cleveland) but now I'm sure glad we have those picks and not RGIII.
Besides - we have Weedon and he's about as close to a mortal lock for the HOF as players get.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
Luckily for you, the Browns also got smart and traded Richardson away for another first round pick. That's actually two positives for the Browns and now they're in a position to actually get a better QB, though I don't know if that is what they're going to try to do or not.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:16 PM ^
I think they'll take the best QB on the board with their first pick. As much as they love Hoyer they only got to see him in 2.1 games before he blew out his knee so they really don't know if he's for real or just a mirage. I predict they'll hedge their bets and take a QB early and then see what happens with Hoyer.
Personally I would love to see Johnny Football in a Browns uniform. He would sure add some electricity to the team.
December 27th, 2013 at 2:07 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
a team name that's a huge controversy. BUT, the Lions have a massive losing team culture and poor leader of an owner that's unrivaled in the NFL. Until there's a new owner in charge of the Lions, mediocrity is the best they'll ever achieve.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:19 PM ^
The point I was trying to make was what incentive do we, as fans, have to invest in a team that is historically conditioned NOT to succeed?
December 27th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
Albert Haynesworth
December 27th, 2013 at 1:52 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 2:55 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 1:12 PM ^
I almost get personally offended when people try to claim that any owner other than WCF is the worst owner in professional sports. There is absolutely no one in any if the four major sports leagues who rivals WCF for that dubious distinction. Anyone who claims otherwise is denying the suffereing that Lions fans have endured for decades.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^
but I have two words for you: Donald Sterling.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^
Didn't he actually heckle Clippers players from the stands a few years ago? If you're going to have ownership in a team, I would think that would be one of the last things you would want to do openly if you want any sort of respect in that organization. I believe he was also a party to several discrimination suits too - both housing and hiring practices, if I am not mistaken. You might have a point here. WCF is a lot of things, but I don't believe he is some of the things that Sterling has shown himself to be.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:32 PM ^
Yes, I believe it was actually Billups and one of the Clippers first round picks. The Fords make some bad decisions, but the worst owners? I doubt it.
December 27th, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
Okay fine, Sterling might be the only one who rivals WCF for the title of worst owner ever. But despite Sterling's ineptitude, the Clippers actually have more playoff appearances and more division titles in the past ten years than the Lions do. Sterling is also notoriously frugal and prioritizes profitability over winning. WCF spends money and his team still sucks.
Also, Sterling bought the Clippers in 1981 while WCF bought the Lions in 1963, so WCF has almost twenty years more ineptitutde under his belt than Sterling. The Clippers also sucked before Sterling bought them, whereas the Lions were one of the most successful franchises in pro football when WCF bought them. Unlike Sterling, WCF took over a winning team and ran it into the ground.
December 27th, 2013 at 6:56 PM ^
with sterling's nephew. they put the 'dis' in dysfunctional. you would not believe. and say what you will about WCF and his failure as an owner, he is a very gracious man. sterling is the far opposite end of that description.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
Does that mean the Lions have not only won a playoff game, but that they actually won a Super Bowl? Multiple Super Bowls?
Look, Dan Snyder might be terrible but he's only been there since 1999. The Lions have had to deal with the Fords since...the beginning of (football) time?
December 27th, 2013 at 1:25 PM ^
a point was missed here. I wasn't saying to replace everything Washington with everything Lions in reality. I was only saying if you read the article and replace instances of Washington-centric things with Lions-centric things - it is pretty fitting. High expectations for a team that does nothing to reward those expectations - where is the incentive to care, much less invest a huge amount of our time (and hearts) to this team?
December 27th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
Fords = Snyder. Slightly different style but same results.
December 27th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 3:42 PM ^
Ford has hired mediocre staff at best, Matt Millen at worst, and keeps them too long. In a league built for parity, the Lions have only one playoff win in the Super Bowl era. One pretty good season looks so good compared to the rest, that Ford gives out a contract extension, which often turns out not to be warranted.
Wayne Fontes is the Lions' "gold" standard of coaches under Ford, 65-71, 5 playoff appearances, and the one win. Back in the 90s the Lions were in the playoffs one year, out the next - except for three consecutive appearances in the mid-90s. Fontes was a personable guy, but didn't get the best out of the Lions until they were almost eliminated from the playoffs, then he'd motivate them to go on a win streak and make it in - where they'd be one and done. Where was this motivation the rest of the time? And with a harder schedule the next season, they'd probably miss the playoffs.
Barry Sanders, one of the best running backs ever, still had his health and could have played more years, but abruptly quit football, probably sick of the Lions never being able to make that next step and be playoff contenders.
Those were the "glory days" of the Lions in my lifetime. I wasn't around in the 50s when they won three championships, the last one in 1957.
When they traded Bobby Layne in 1958, he said the Lions wouldn't win for 50 years. Either his curse really has legs, or William Clay Ford, who purchased controlling interest in 1963, has his own curse which has resulted in so much futility.
December 27th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 6:59 PM ^
fandom endurance III merit badge. if you can't handle the lions, you aren't worthy of the suffering necessary for such an honor!