Millen admits his own incompetence

[KYPack]

Matt Millen has located the enemy. It is him. Millen says he understands fan frustration with him and the organization, but he sees brighter days ahead for the troubled franchise.

The Lions are 31-81 since Millen took control of the team in 2001, a record he described as "beyond awful" during a rare interview with Detroit-area media on Friday.

"If I was sitting at home and I was a Lion fan, you've got to blame somebody," Millen said. "I'd blame me, too. ... That's part of my job is to get blamed. I'm OK with that. But it's also part of my job to win. We haven't done that."

Millen said he has "100 percent confidence" in coach Rod Marinelli. The Lions finished 7-9 last season after a 6-2 start.

"There's more than one thing," Millen said when asked about what went wrong and how to fix what happened in the second half of last season. "A lot of it has to do with mind-set and things you can't approach -- how we're practicing. We're not good enough in some areas. You can cover some things up, but you can't cover all of them up."

Millen said he would listen to trade offers for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. But he said if the Lions wind up keeping the former Pro Bowler, Rogers could be fined if he continues to have weight issues.

Millen acknowledged that it's difficult to build continuity when coordinators -- including the recently departed offensive coordinator Mike Martz -- and other coaches quickly come and go.

"I think we've hurt ourselves -- and that's on me -- with making changes," he said. "I think when you're putting a staff together, there are a lot of factors that go into it, the least of which is, you have to be on the same page philosophically. ... So you ask me what makes me more comfortable with this staff or why do I like this staff, that's one of them. I think there's a lot more similarity in our approach."

To me, Rogers might be their best player. I hope they do get rid of the guy.

[Kiwon]

31 wins 81 losses over 7 years!!

I'm glad I'm not a Lions fan.

[K-town]

I'm not a Lions fan, but I'm a huge fan of Matt Millen. I want him to be the GM of the Detroit Lions for the next 20 years. Two near-certain wins a year for us.

Also, just finished watching the two Minnesota games from last year. Gotta love Brad Childress. No sense of clock management or play-calling continuity, what-so-ever.

Tee-hee. :D

[b bulldog]

Millen should be getting paid from the other three teams in the north as well.

[Scott Campbell]

Hey, we all know you can't take records like 31-81, or 13-3 solely into account when evaluating the performance of general managers.

[Bretsky]

Hey, we all know you can't take records like 31-81, or 13-3 solely into account when evaluating the performance of general managers.


Can we ignore 4-12 as well :lol:

Truth be told we were not as bad as 4-12 that year; a ton if injuries hit us and we had some tough breaks. Likewise, the ball often seemed to bounce our way this year with breaks and with limited injuries we ran to 13-3. Will be interesting if we can do that well again next year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hey, we all know you can't take records like 31-81, or 13-3 solely into account when evaluating the performance of general managers.

Can we ignore 4-12 as well :lol:

Truth be told we were not as bad as 4-12 that year; a ton if injuries hit us and we had some tough breaks. Likewise, the ball often seemed to bounce our way this year with breaks and with limited injuries we ran to 13-3. Will be interesting if we can do that well again next year.

Not only those facts, but you can't place the blame on a GM who just took over the team that offeseason and had zero cap room to try to make anything happen--especially one that builds through the draft. So, no I don't blame Thompson. I'll throw out Millen's first year also. What his record that year?

[Bretsky]

Hey, we all know you can't take records like 31-81, or 13-3 solely into account when evaluating the performance of general managers.

Can we ignore 4-12 as well :lol:

Truth be told we were not as bad as 4-12 that year; a ton if injuries hit us and we had some tough breaks. Likewise, the ball often seemed to bounce our way this year with breaks and with limited injuries we ran to 13-3. Will be interesting if we can do that well again next year.

Not only those facts, but you can't place the blame on a GM who just took over the team that offeseason and had zero cap room to try to make anything happen--especially one that builds through the draft. So, no I don't blame Thompson. I'll throw out Millen's first year also. What his record that year?

I don't think Millen has had a good year; then again Millen doesn't have a Hall of Fame QB to help him out either. Plz don't misread my comments into an argument for Matt Millen.......although I hope he stays there forever

[Tyrone Bigguns]

People forget that Millen inherited a 9-7 team that just missed the playoffs the year before.

Notable achievements:

Every season 10 losses.

0-24 on the road to start his regime.

8-48 on the road since 01.

What you really notice from MM in his early years is that he consistently gets very little from the bottom of the draft. For example in 03 he had 4 picks in the 7th..1 player actually plays a game.

1. Hired MM and went 2-14 his first year. Funny thing, his first draft was pretty decent: S. Rogers, M, Mahon, J. Backus, S Anderson, Jason Glenn..all of them played in the league and only Anderson was less than 5 years.

2. Improvement shown as they go 3-13. The Joey Harrington draft. Pretty awful draft..bunch of "just guys" that play in the league..kalimba edwards, chris cash, andre goodman, etc.

3. Mooch hiring. 5-11. TURNING IT AROUND!!! Charlie Rogers..oops, turning it around to crap. More "just guys" with cory redding, boss bailey, artose pinner, terrance holt, blue adams.

4. Mooch still. 6-10. UPSWING BABY. Good draft with r. williams, kevin jones, Lehman, etc..almost all still in the league.

5. Mooch gone halfway..in comes Jauron. 5-11. El busto M. Williams. Cody is a player. 3rd rounder Wilson starts 4 games in 3 years. NOT GOOD. Bottom of draft is atrocious as Swancutt and Goddard play one year in the league. Orlovsky..still a backup, but decent as a 5th.

6. Marinelli in, Jauron out. 3-13. RETOOLING BABY!!! Sims is good/great. Calhoun...injured. Bullocks...nothing so far. Whiffs in the 5, 6, and 7th on 3 players. With 2 7ths..gets a player in Cannon.

[MJZiggy]

At least he's consistent. That's what you want, isn't it? Consistency? May Millen run the Lions forever...

[Tyrone Bigguns]

At least he's consistent. That's what you want, isn't it? Consistency? May Millen run the Lions forever...

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.

[KYPack]

I'm not a Lions fan, but I'm a huge fan of Matt Millen. I want him to be the GM of the Detroit Lions for the next 20 years. Two near-certain wins a year for us.

Also, just finished watching the two Minnesota games from last year. Gotta love Brad Childress. No sense of clock management or play-calling continuity, what-so-ever.

Tee-hee. :D

I'm a huge Millen man fan!

I meant to take a "Keep Matt Millen" sign to the Lion game, but left it at my brother's house.

[Carolina_Packer]

How can he deny his role in their haplessness? All I can say is, he must know where the Fords buried the bodies or has compromising pictures of them in order to keep his job. Ultimately, it's not his fault, it's the fault of the Fords who keep him there.

[KYPack]

How can he deny his role in their haplessness? All I can say is, he must know where the Fords buried the bodies or has compromising pictures of them in order to keep his job. Ultimately, it's not his fault, it's the fault of the Fords who keep him there.

Millen "country-clubs" with Bill Ford. He hangs with him and tells him old football war stories. Then he sits on the edge of the bed and tells him how great it's all gonna be.

What the hell, it's a job.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

How can he deny his role in their haplessness? All I can say is, he must know where the Fords buried the bodies or has compromising pictures of them in order to keep his job. Ultimately, it's not his fault, it's the fault of the Fords who keep him there.

Millen "country-clubs" with Bill Ford. He hangs with him and tells him old football war stories. Then he sits on the edge of the bed and tells him how great it's all gonna be.

What the hell, it's a job.

For the dough he is making, i'd do it as well. Might even give ford a handjob as well. :roll:

[oregonpackfan]

You have to give Millan credit for admitting he has not done a very good job as GM.

For that matter, name me any GM candidate who you think would be successful within the Detroit Lions organization?

I have a good friend out here who was originally from the Detroit area. Whenever he starts to razz me when the Packers lose, I counter with, "Ed, when was the last time the Lions were in the Super Bowl?"

Another question to ask of any Lions fan is "In what century do you think the Lions will finally make it to the Super Bowl?"

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I guess it depends on the word successful.

But, i would say all the gms they had when ross and fontes were the coaches. They were at least in the playoffs or near misses.

[The Leaper]

I honestly can not understand how Millen still has a job...but I also can't understand why our auto industry is so incompetant.

Considering the leadership is one in the same, I guess I have my answer.