Quote:  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   Even in an outdated arena,   the Red Wings are considered a top of the line NHL franchise.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.