I want to let everyone know that I am a huge sports fan first. In most cases my teams come second. With this being said I am a football fan. I love watching the NFL whenever it is on with zero regard to which teams are competing that day on the field. A game being on television on Thursday nights is a bonus I'd find difficult to criticize and can barely consider what catastrophic event could possibly keep me from watching.Well, it has come to me. It is tantamount to chinese water torture brought to us in the form of Matt Millen. What deranged executive made this hire for the NFL Network? With unemployment in this country at all time highs and our schools in crises there just has to be plenty of unemployed morons to choose from. Come on already, do we really have to be clubbed over the head like baby harp seals by Millen's monotone stupidity over and over again every single week?
I will give it to him, he was a better than average linebacker in his day and held up his end on some real good defenses with the Raiders, Redskins and 49'ers but I'm sorry, this does not translate into either an executive position or as a color commentator. When you do everything you can to create the worst front office decisions of all time and destroying a franchise in the process how in the world does that qualify you to lend your wisdom, or lack thereof, to a football watching nation?
Doubt the validity of this question? As a viewer have you missed the moronic display provided on a platter as you watch? Here are a few little quotes that may serve to enlighten:
"We have the same philosophy in terms of the kind of people we like, the kind of team we want to build." -- Feb. 3, 2001, after hiring Bill Tobin as his personnel chief.
"I made it for philosophic reasons. That would probably be the best way to put it." -- after firing Tobin.
"I have known Steve since he got into the NFL as an assistant. ... His offensive system is one that we already have in place, which certainly is a plus for our football team in general and some of our young offensive players in particular." -- after hiring Steve Mariucci.
"I believe we have underachieved as a football team. I also believe that we have not developed our younger players, and that is bothersome." -- after firing Mariucci.
"My initial thought was this: If you can't get it done in five years, get out. And I still think that, but actually, I understand how things are now and when I say, 'Can't get it done,' I mean win a Super Bowl. I don't mean get to 10-6.
"I believe that we have as much talent on this football team as any other team in the league." -- before the 2004 season; the Lions finished 6-10.
"The opportunity sits before us and, you know what? The timing couldn't be better." -- before the 2005 season; the Lions finished 5-11.
"Is it the perfect group? No. But we believe it's as good as it's going to be, and we're going to get better." -- speaking about the roster before the 2005 season. (Did I mention that the Lions are 7-24 since then?)
These came out of William Clay Ford's mouth the day he hired Matt Millen. The Lions had finished 8-8 and 9-7 in the previous two years and had made the postseason five times in seven years, but failed to win a playoff game during that span."We've been pretty much stuck on dead center for quite a few years," William Clay Ford Sr. said that day. "Matt offers us an opportunity to move ahead."
Last night with the Steelers down to the Cleveland Browns 13-6 and only 1:47 left on the clock Pittsburgh lined up on a 4'th down play needing a 1'st down conversion or the game goes to the Browns. Roethlisberger's pass was deflected away and the Browns took over. Game, set, match! Cleveland wins. What does Matt have to say? "That ball should have been picked". Who cares? The ball and the game belong to the Browns regardless!Well that's all I can muster right now other than a plea to the good folks at NFL network. If another unemployed moron can't be found, just go with crowd noise and let us watch a great sport in peace.
