TMD,  when you get a chance,  take a look at the TV Ratings and Lions merchandise sales during the times when the team is winning or even completive in the standings.  The numbers are going to surprise you.   They are much higher than you apparently believe is the case.

 

If the NFL was truly trying to hold the Lions down,  why then did the last two Madden Covers feature Lions players?    Calvin Johnson was on the cover in 2012.   Barry Sanders was on the cover in 2013.  Did any other NFL team have consecutive players on the Madden cover?  My guess is no.   A team that isn't popular isn't going to be able to accomplish this.

 

The bottom line is if the NFL truly wanted the Lions to remain average or below,   the Thanksgiving Day tradition would have ended.   The league recognizes that this tradition is an important part of the league formula.

 

Teams have no choice regarding going to London.   An owner can beg not to go to London but sooner rather than later,  his team is going to be playing there if the league continues its current business model.

 

If you want to criticize the Lions for not interviewing Bill O'Brien,  the basis that a strong case can be made is the team didn't fire Jim Schwartz after the OT loss to the Giants that eliminated the Lions from the playoffs.    O' Brien probably was too far along in contract negotiations with the Texans to turn in another direction,  as long as the Texans were satisfying his requests.   My guess is privately,  the Lions called O' Brien to try to set up an interview but he said no.   Many things never make it to social media.

 

The Lions are a definition of a historic fan base.   The team has been in the Detroit area for 80 seasons.  How many other franchises have been in the same area for 80 seasons?  

 

If the Lions and Jaguars make good football decisions and don't have the plans derailed by key injuries,  there's no reason to think they can't succeed in their current markets.   Unfortunately for both of us,  our respective teams have made too many mistakes over the years.   The blame shouldn't be placed on the NFL.  

 

:thumbsup:  My first station was in Michigan and that's where I met my best friend.  I was up there (almost upper, but not quite.. Traverse City)  Anyways I got hooked on the Lions and they are my NFC team ([BAD WORD REMOVED] me.. self inflicted punishment) So now I'm stuck with two severely underachieving teams in each conference.  The Lions are best set though.. they have talent across the line, a young QB, best WR.. they just need discipline which they've been lacking for years.  They do the stupidest crap at the worst times possible.

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D6, just so you realize, I'm not "anti-Detroit". I'd love to see teams like them & Jacksonville, and even Cleveland, have some consistent success for a change.  I just don't see the NFL allowing it to happen anytime soon - for some of the reasons already stated. 

 

TMD,   I realize that.   We just have a strong difference of opinion regarding the NFL's intentions.

 

I'm glad you included Cleveland in the discussion as the Browns have an even worse track record than the Lions since the middle of the last decade.   As many games as the Lions have lost,   the Lions are 3-0 against the Browns since the start of the 2005 season.  

 

The Browns are a revolving door when it comes to ownership,  front office,  coaches,  and roster.   Even with all of their draft picks in 2014,   the lack of stability of this franchise could easily keep them from building a consistent winner.    It's not the NFL's fault the Browns have the patience of a spoiled 10 year old kid.  

 

In the 1950's,  the Lions and Browns were the best franchises in the NFL.   Both organizations should look in the mirror at why they have failed for generations.  Injuries and other misfortune have hurt at times.   But not to the extent that you can fail to even reach one Super Bowl, let alone win one,  decade after decade.

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:thumbsup:  My first station was in Michigan and that's where I met my best friend.  I was up there (almost upper, but not quite.. Traverse City)  Anyways I got hooked on the Lions and they are my NFC team ([BAD WORD REMOVED] me.. self inflicted punishment) So now I'm stuck with two severely underachieving teams in each conference.  The Lions are best set though.. they have talent across the line, a young QB, best WR.. they just need discipline which they've been lacking for years.  They do the stupidest crap at the worst times possible.

 

 

  Very well stated.

 

  I truly believe that the Texans,  Jaguars,  and Lions all have the potential to have huge success in the coming seasons. 

 

  The Texans Sunday Night loss to the Colts this season illustrates to me that the Texans have the potential to have a major turnaround in 2014.   That loss reminded me so much of the various ways the Lions have turned victory into defeat when things looked so promising.    The good news for you and other Texans fans is you have a tremendous building block in J.J. Watt and the # 1 pick in the draft.   It wouldn't surprise me if the AFC South has an NFC West like turnaround in the next 2 to 4 years,.

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Sounds like he lied to some of his players. 

 

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootbal..._bill.html

 

http://victorybellrings.com/2013/12/28/b...aying-psu/

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Sounds like he lied to some of his players. 

 

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootbal..._bill.html

 

http://victorybellrings.com/2013/12/28/b...aying-psu/

 

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf...arriv.html

 

I wouldn't say he lied so much as he was pushed out.

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http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf...arriv.html

 

I wouldn't say he lied so much as he was pushed out.

 

How does that disprove that he lied to at least some of his players when he gave them his word he was returning?

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How does that disprove that he lied to at least some of his players when he gave them his word he was returning?

 

He was returning, until he wasn't. Things change, that doesn't mean he lied. And, if he did lie, it doesn't really matter.

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He was returning, until he wasn't. Things change, that doesn't mean he lied. And, if he did lie, it doesn't really matter.

 

If he's lying to players so they commit to the program and then he leaves, that doesn't sound too ethical to me. 

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If he's lying to players so they commit to the program and then he leaves, that doesn't sound too ethical to me. 

He's not doing that, so quit your conspiracy theory about it.

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He's not doing that, so quit your conspiracy theory about it.

 

conspiracy theory? I provided 2 links. 

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If he's lying to players so they commit to the program and then he leaves, that doesn't sound too ethical to me.

He Urban Meyered them... :whistling:

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

He's not doing that, so quit your conspiracy theory about it.

He literally provided you with facts. It's no conspiracy theory. 

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I think Bridgewater at 3 is better value than Mack at 3, yes.

 

<div> 
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Clown.
</div>
 
 
 

He literally provided you with facts. It's no conspiracy theory. 

 

He literally provided me no facts.

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you don't see him translating well to the NFL??....he's already been in the NFL, as a good assistant coach. 

 

This is probably the worst news possible for the Jags. 

 

But it doesn't surprise me because the NFL wants the Jags to remain as an unsuccessful team. So they have to make sure that the Colts go from great QB to great QB, after a one year blip, and now they make sure that the Texans hire a stud head coach to return them to success after a quick one year blip. I was hoping the Texans would have flubbed this coaching hire with someone like Lovie Smith or lesser coach, but alas, the worst possible news happened and they will be getting the best possible candidate. 

 

smh....

 

Bill O Brien was the #3 candidate on my Jags head coach wish list last year, behind only Andy Reid and Chip Kelly. (Bradley was 6). 

 

Its going to be a loooooooooong next decade, (for us) despite what was looking hopeful of recent. :angry:

you are the angriest, most pessimistic, worst poster on the internet. 

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Thats fine, you'll be keeping your same mindset as Jax muddles in losing or at best mediocrity until the inevitable move. Because over time, more & more of the fanbase will grow tired of the non success and stop buying tickets, and thats what the NFL is banking on with this plan. Then the Jags will essentially be forced to move. And the NFL will get what they want. And after the Jags move (to one of the locations the NFL WANTS the franchise to move to), just watch how coincidentally the Jags will start to have success. Its all a sham. 

 

Money has ruined this sport. 

 

Please, I want to hear more. It just gets better and better. Of course, I don't think you believe a word of it. But it is amusing.

 

A guy bemoaning the presence of money in a league formed by millionaires in order to make a profit. My God!

 

If Ol' Pete were still alive he'd bring back guys like Al Davis and Carroll Rosenblume and get integrity back into the game.

 

And he'd ban dreads.

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

I wish Jacksonville could somehow defy the odds and stick it to the NFL with their master plan and win against all this adversity, but some mountains are just too big to climb. 

 

 

 

 

The NFL knows as long as most of the traditional money power franchises keep having success that will keep the sport popular and extremely profitable.

 

Its disgusting and amazing how more people don't see it. 

 

The NFL gave Jax its trial run of success to see how much money THEY (not Jax) could make from a Jaguars success in the late 1990's, well, Jax failed to gain enough popularity for their liking during that experiment and didn't make the NFL enough money so they have been banished to the place they've been in for the last 14 years, and growing......until the inevitable failure and forced move to one of their preferred locations like London or LA. 

 

It just seems to be the way it is. No, I don't want this to happen, and God knows it don't make me happy, but its hard to come to other conclusions when you see how everything just so perfectly sets up for our competition to stay on top. (long term) 

 

Prove me wrong, Goodell. Lets see the Jaguars allowed to have sustained legit success in Jacksonville. 

 

Wow - I just figured it out. You're the loon (under an assumed name) that wrote the article implicating LBJ in JFK's assassination, aren't you? You know, the one you linked in Sideline.

 

It all makes sense know.

 

I await your next post involving the Shriners. (I know the secret handshake, wink, wink)

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

O'Brien did what pretty much all college coaches do when they are considering a move to the NFL.  He stated current conditions.  I've seen it done in far shadier fashion. 

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Only a chump boos the home team!

  TMD,   in large part we are on a similar page on many topics that can't be discussed on the MB because of the COC.   

 

  Having said that,   I strongly disagree with what you expressed in this post.  

 

  It makes no sense for the NFL to want to reject Detroit.   Look at the success that the Red Wings have had in the last 20 + years.   Four Stanley Cup Championships and six total NHL championships.   Not to mention the longest current streak of consecutive playoff appearances in all of pro sports in North America.   Even in an outdated arena,   the Red Wings are considered a top of the line NHL franchise.   

 

  The Tigers made it to the World Series twice in the last 8 seasons and to the playoffs a number of other times in this time span.   The Tigers have one of the largest payrolls in all of MLB.    The fans have responded to the product and the Tigers have benefited the bottom line of MLB as a result.

 

  The truth of the matter with the Lions is bad decisions have been the primary reason the team only has one playoff win since the 1957 Championship victory.    Despite this,  the Lions never threatened to leave the Detroit area.    On the other hand,  prior to 2008,   the Cardinals had only one playoff win in the same time span.   They moved out of market twice in that time span!    This speaks volumes about the Lions fan base.    It's much larger and passionate than many people realize.   How many franchises in pro sports could have survived without moving with the Lions track record the last 56 seasons???   My guess is VERY few.

 

  If the NFL wanted to hold Detroit down,  they would have taken away the annual Thanksgiving Day game a long time ago.    The NFL embraces the Lions tradition,  that goes back to 1934.

 

 I'm not happy about it but the league selected the Lions as a team to play in London next season.    The reason being,  the league looks at this team as an attractive football product.    You know as well as anyone that the league has made it a top priority to market the NFL product in London.

 

 How do you know that the Lions didn't contact Bill O'Brien?   

 

 Regarding Todd Bowles,  the report was incorrect.   It's possible the Lions will eventually interview Bowles,  as Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand interviewed him in 2009.   But the person who reported the information earlier this week admitted he had the team mixed up that was expressing interest in Bowles.   Regardless,  why not interview a coach that could provide insight that could benefit the Lions moving forward!  

 

 Many of the candidates that look like potentially good options such as Ken Whisenhunt,  Jay Gruden,  Mike Zimmer,  and Greg Roman can't even be interviewed this week.

 

 If the Lions end up hiring a Head Coach that doesn't meet the standards of the consensus media and fans and ends up failing on top of that,   it won't be the fault of the NFL.   It will be the fault of the Lions organization.    There are legit conspiracy theories that shouldn't even considered conspiracy theories if people were being honest.   But the one you expressed today isn't one of them.

 

DON'T DO IT!

 

Don't try to reason with the man. You are trying to counter nonsense with sense. It never works. (And I don't believe for a minute that he really believes his drivel.)

 

And I'm sorry to believe you think you have some common ground with him on other issues. You seem so, I don't know, normal.

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

Sounds like he lied to some of his players. 

 

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootbal..._bill.html

 

http://victorybellrings.com/2013/12/28/b...aying-psu/

 

He's a football coach at a football factory. What'd you expect? It's part of the job description.

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

Where's TMD at? You still want Shaw as a head coach in the NFL? Terrible play calling and decision making in the second half of the Rose Bowl. Dude sucks to be quite frank with you. 

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