It's a work in progress but he has agreed to the job

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2315463

Imo it shows we are going after guys that can help and get the job done. Bet on one thing the lions will not be as predictable in play calling. If he cant open up the offense for the lions I dont know who can.

Abe you are on fire!!

"I don't want to have a bunch of guys just sitting [in a meeting] saluting me," he said.
I like Rod, and I like the idea of once again having a "backup" head coach. ;)

These are some of the freshest and most ballsy moves the Leos have made in ages. Maybe Millen is finally using his noodle for the betterment of the franchise.

Martz would be a gr8 pickup... some brains to go behind the motivator.

I guess his heart is ok. Now if we can just stay healthy.

I love the moves so far. All of these guys sound like PERFECT fits for this team.

Marinelli, Henderson and now Martz!

I really HATE to get excited about this team, because the same thing happens every single offseason... but I can feel it starting again.

So help me god, if this team pulls the same crap on me again this year I'm gonna.... aw hell, who am I kidding. I'm a Lions fan, which means I'll get my hopes way up, the Lions will sign a few free agents, draft another top 10 WR, underperform miserably, and I'll just keep coming back for more again and again, year after year.

:frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty:

I love the moves so far. All of these guys sound like PERFECT fits for this team.

Marinelli, Henderson and now Martz!

I really HATE to get excited about this team, because the same thing happens every single offseason... but I can feel it starting again.

So help me god, if this team pulls the same crap on me again this year I'm gonna.... aw hell, who am I kidding. I'm a Lions fan, which means I'll get my hopes way up, the Lions will sign a few free agents, draft another top 10 WR, underperform miserably, and I'll just keep coming back for more again and again, year after year.

:frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty:


:rofl: :rofl: :puke::rofl: :rofl: :puke: :rofl:


I was thinkin the same thing :doh:

i really like this move. i've always liked the rams' offense, and when i saw st. louis annihilate us in preseason and score a ton of points i was further sold. solid pickup.

With St.L he always had a passer. What will he do here? What will he do? What could he do with JH? How will he deal with Blue Skies? Will he ask too much of JH? How long will it take to make JH cry? When do we trade for a Martz type passer? How long before JH is 3rd string? Can Martz help JH grow a pair?

With St.L he always had a passer. What will he do here? What will he do? What could he do with JH? How will he deal with Blue Skies? Will he ask too much of JH? How long will it take to make JH cry? When do we trade for a Martz type passer? How long before JH is 3rd string? Can Martz help JH grow a pair?

Martz turned his QB's into passers, he took no name guys and turned them into Pro Bowlers. Warner, Green, Bulger and even Martin have grown tremendously under Martz.

I think Joey will be given one last chance next season. But if he can't excel under Martz's wide open attack, with 3 talented (yet underperforming) WR's, a solid TE, and a workhorse back, he never will. Hopefully they'll be able to upgrade their line. The GB line coach we signed sounds like he'll be a great fit.

Its finally put up or shut up time for Joey. No more excuses.

I know a lot of us - including me - said that last season, but between the pathetically conservative and predictable play calling, horrible lack of protection, completely uninspired play from our WR's and a lack of a running game, I'd say Joey was the LAST person to blame on offence.

An NFL caliber QB shouldn't need EVERYTHING to go right for him to succeed. He should be able to make plays on his own and make his teammates better. Is Joey that guy? I don't know, but I don't think its fair to give up on him until atleast SOME of the above concerns are addressed. For now, he gets an "Incomplete" grade from me.

Here I go again, just like after we got Bobby Ross and Mooch. Jeez I hate this. Getting excited about the Lions sucks. :P

This is even worse then before. We couldn't even enjoy it over the off season before MM found a way to mess it up. Now ESPN reporting that talks are off.

MM gets better and better.

ford probably didn't want to pay him an extra $250,000 a year or something. gj lions.

:rant::censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :doh: :doh: :mad2: :doh: :doh: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: why god why do I care about the lions:crazy::noidea: :doh: :doh: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :doh: :flypig:

I just don't get it?!?!?!:confused:

According to ESPN, his asking price was pretty reasonable, 3 yrs @ just under 1.5 million a season. That isn't extreme given the salaries some Offensive Coordinators have been getting.

That's strange. It was all bad dream. Like you went to kiss a pretty lady and she turned into a skeleton.
Who's left out there?

still can't believe we loss him due to money. this will go down as one of the "bone-headed"-ish moves in Lions history. The NFL needs to step in and remove this sabotage artist. Fire Millen/the Fords...whoever was responsible for this snafu.

still can't believe we loss him due to money. this will go down as one of the "bone-headed"-ish moves in Lions history. The NFL needs to step in and remove this sabotage artist. Fire Millen/the Fords...whoever was responsible for this snafu.

I agree 100%. Martz is one of the best offensive minds in the game and he also has head coaching experience, something that no one else on this staff has.

The Lions are blowing tens of millions of dollars on offensive "potential" every single season. Why not spend another 1.5 million a season on someone that can turn that potential into performance???

I just don't understand it at all. Hopefully there is more to the story that we don't know about. Maybe the difference in money was just an excuse and there are other reason that we don't know about. Otherwise Millen should just resign right now.

I've been reading a couple of articles saying that it probably wasn't about money after all. Which only makes sense considering neither Ford or Millen has been afraid to spend money on this team.

I have a feeling it was more about Martz's clashes with managment and his desire for absolute power of the offense.

I'm sorry to say that I believe Martz finally realized what a couple of clowns the Lions owner and GM were, and how they blame everyone for the franchises failure other than themselves. I think he made a wise career move avoiding Detroit.

That shows how smart he is, and that we probably missed out on a quality football coach. :frusty:

I think everyone should just chill. After hiring Marinelli (or Marinate as TFD calls him), we were all feeling a little better about the direction of the team.

In my mind, if Martz is not a good fit with the HC, then we don't want him here. We don't need to become the Rams on offense to be successful. Look at what Chicago did with barely any offense this year. You know the Leo's are better with the ball than da Bears.

If the Ford's were cheap, they would not have fired Mariucci. He's still getting PAID. They are guilty of other mistakes, but being cheap is not one of them.

I think everyone should just chill. After hiring Marinelli (or Marinate as TFD calls him), we were all feeling a little better about the direction of the team.


Correction. Not everyone was feeling better about the direction of the team with the hiring of Marinelli.

As for the Ford's not being cheap...I think a nearly crippled Charlie Sanders would disagree if asked what he went through to get financial compensation for his injuries sustained while playing football for the Ford's.

If not cheap...then what? Incredibly stupid??? That doesn't give me much confidence in their decision making ability. So why get excited or even optimistic about Marinelli?

It's nice to see people still believe in the Lions. Maybe that loyalty will eventually pay dividends in their lifetime.

Without defending the Fords, or can we call them the Kias, wouldn't Charlies injuries be an insurance thing?
The guy has been on the payroll all along. And considering how little Charlie cared for his body, was there ever an issue?

Without defending the Fords, or can we call them the Kias, wouldn't Charlies injuries be an insurance thing?
The guy has been on the payroll all along. And considering how little Charlie cared for his body, was there ever an issue?

The Ford's fought Charlie when he tried to collect. I remember reading a quote years ago where Ford said something to the effect of "we know he sustained his injuries playing football for our team, but we fight these things as a matter of policy". I remember thinking what a horses arse he was.

I'm not aware of Sanders not caring for his body (although it very well may be the case). Tight Ends tend to get crushed due to the nature of the position, so I don't know if that would have helped.

This probably wasn't the best example, but it seems to me that over the years the Ford's were involved in a lot of contract disputes that caused the Lions to lose players or cause players to shun Detroit.

He loves his GM's though. Those bums he pays top dollar(to haggle with players). I can't ever remember a player leaving and saying he had respect for Ford or that he was generous...or for that matter anything nice about him.

I think Ford would like a winner. Why not? It means more money for him. But he's making lots of money anyhow with losers, so why gamble?

Yeah, Charlie cared for his body, I meant to say abused. But think of it, if they don't fight the litegation people would just walk all over them. Gimme a million dollars, I hurt my knee. Doing what?
Yeah we lost a lot of players to money because the team didn't have any. Unlike Dallas which was getting all the stadium commissions. I have no answer for the Fords. At least they gave Rod M. only 3 years

Oh ye of so little faith, AM1270 WXYT is reporting that Mike Martz has agreed to become the Leos' OC.

And here is the announcement from the Lions website.

http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=443049

I think this is good for the offense.I guess they opened up thier pocketbook which would be the smart thing to do for once instead of spending more on Millen.

I think this is good for the offense.I guess they opened up thier pocketbook which would be the smart thing to do for once instead of spending more on Millen.

I agree. Good move if it happens.

But I am still one of the "ye of very little faith club". At least maybe they are trying to rebuild this sorry franchise. But I believe it still will not be nearly enough.

That being said, my Lions hope meter just jumped from zero to three(on a scale of 0-100). :pray:

thank you Jesus!

thank you Jesus!

You said it best, THANK GOD. I would have been pissed if they let him slip away over some chump change (chump change for them, not me)...

Yes I am glad we got him but I am fearful this just means my hopes and dreams will get crushed in november/december instead of september/october.