Tag: change

Posted on

While the Detroit Pistons, Red Wings and Tigers are all rebuilding the Detroit Lions need to join them

Enough is enough! The Detroit Lions fans base is loyal to a fault. But, even the fan base is angry, it is time the Lions end the Bob Quinn/ Matt Patricia era now. It has not worked and is not working. The Lions have regressed every season under the duo’s time in Detroit. The Lions like the Pistons, Red Wings and Tigers need a total makeover.

I have put this down in a blog entry before and will do so now, the Detroit Lions have been in a rebuild since 1957. Yikes! For 63 years Lions fans have watched and endured some awful football, sprinkled with teases of decent football. The decent has been far and few between the awful.

DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 29: Detroit Lions Vice Chair Sheila Ford Hamp watches the pregame warms ups prior to the start of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said “I think the overarching thing is that we want to see major improvement,” when she took over ownership of the franchise. Breaking news to Miss Hamp there has been no improvements. None, zero, zilch.

The Detroit Tigers and Red Wings came to the understanding the general managers who put winning teams on the field and ice were no longer bringing in the top talent needed to sustain that level of play. Both teams changed general managers and entered complete rebuilds and both have bright futures. The Detroit Pistons also joined the Tigers and Red Wings in the rebuild and by all accounts the Pistons suddenly look like a basketball team on the rise.

DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 29: Detroit Lions Executive Vice President & General Manager Bob Quinn watches the pregame actives prior to the start of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Green Bay defeated Detroit 23-20. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

A new general manager and head coach are needed at Ford Field. That means current players will need to go so the new regime can put whatever system they want to run in place. That may mean moving on from longtime starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The Lions have not advanced with Stafford under center, though that is absolutely not all on him. But, that must be factored in when any possible new GM and coach take over.

Back to Sheila Ford Hamp she needs to show that she is true to her words and also acknowledge that no improvement has taken place. It is time for a change for the Detroit Lions.

 

Posted on

Is Mark Dantonio on the hot seat at Michigan State

Embed from Getty Images Sports are all about win now and what have you done for me lately. Michigan State’s football team is coming off back-to-back sup-par seasons. Michigan State football has never been a national powerhouse consistently. Head coach Mark Dantonio has had good seasons. What comes next?

Dantonio, started off with a bang when he arrived in East Lansing. Three Big Ten championships, five bowl game wins, a Rose Bowl victory, a College Football Playoff appearance not to mention three Spartans selected in the first round of the NFL draft over the last 10 seasons. Not bad at all.

But then,  two of the past three saw a sharp decline in wins , 2016 and 2018, t have not been so kind to Spartan football team or it’s fan base. What really hurt the Spartans last season was the offense showed little to no improvement at all. In fact in rushing yards and years from the line of scrimmage the Spartans actually regressed.

It was so bad on the offensive side of the ball last season that Michigan State saw their points per game dropped below 19. What is a tough pill for the Spartan faithful to swallow is  Dave Warner is still on the coaching staff. Yes, he has been demoted from offensive coordinator, but the  fact that Dantonio either can not or does not want to recognize his team is struggling with Warner is enough to frustrate Spartan fans. Reshuffling the coaching staff will not help.

There have been whispers on the Michigan State campus and around East Lansing, how much longer will Dantonio have to prove his coaching method works? One thing the coach has going for him is defense wins championships. Michigan State has a top 10 defense. But points still need to be scored.

I believe Dantonio needs a good season to continue to be the head football coach. He needs to show he can make a change or two in his program because if he does not, he might not be the guy making decisions anymore.

Posted on

In the right move the Detroit Tigers are going back to the smaller “D” on the ball cap

Embed from Getty Images All is right with the world again. Well in terms of Detroit Tigers baseball anyway. Gone is last seasons over sized Old English “D” enter the good old smaller “D.”

 

Listening to the fans anger the Detroit Tigers have done an about face. Last season they tried to say the larger “D” was a better overall appearance for the Tigers uniform. It was not.

 

Detroit Tigers fans like tradition. Being one of the original baseball teams they typically do not respond well to change. To change the look of the Tigers caps has never gone well.

 

In 1994 the Tigers put an orange bill on the away caps. The fans voiced their displeasure and it was gone this next season. 1995 the team tried to change the away cap all together. A tiger crawling through the “D” with an orange bill. Fans were over-the-top upset.

 

It is a teams right to change uniforms. The Lions have done it several times. The Pistons have as well. But in Detroit where baseball and hockey reign supreme. Where one of the oldest MLB team plays as well as one of the original 6 NHL teams play. Those uniforms are off limits. Just ask the fans.

 

To Tiger and Red Wings fans. They want their team to have a direct link to the history of the teams and the city. That is why when new things are offered up they have been short lived. Fans like the clean crisp look of the Tigers and Wings logos. Anything that is viewed as an alteration is shot down.

 

Last seasons hats were by far the worst offering yet. If the 1995 crawling tiger through the “D” did not have an orange bill they could have kept it for a batting practice hat or Spring training cap. As that cap was not nearly as bad as the other offers.

 

Once again the Detroit fans have spoken. Once again the Detroit Tigers public relations people have listened. The Tigers uniform will once again have the classic look that fans have come to well, love.

 

It is good to have a passionate fan base. It is equally as good to have public relation personnel who listen when the paying customers speak.