(c) Brad Holmes is WAY better looking
Ok, so for clarification, how do you define a football guy ?
Just want to see if everyone defines it somewhat similar.
A football guy is usually very handsome and bald, but not always. (see Brad Holmes)
A football guy not only knows football, but he loves it.
Being a football guy, in and of itself does not make you qualified to coach.
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So the No wasn’t meant as disrespect. Meant like I’m not surrrrrrrreeee???..want to make sure in case it came off flippant.
Personally I think there isn’t just one way to get to the same end. To me a football guy is a person who loves the game. There are various degrees of a football guy. I would think a ex-nfl player would be considered a more knowledgeable football guy then the average fan. That isn’t to say a fan isn’t an insane football guy in their own right, just think the idea that maybe a ex player would have a more insight into those “oh to be a fly on the wall stories”.
I also think there are guys who grow up, never play the game but love it, dream of working in the NFL and make that their focus. Personally, I have a cousin who has always wanted to be an NFL executive. He played one year of high school football and decided he wanted to focus on the management side and so his every move educationally has been so that he could make himself more attractive to NFL teams. Thus far he has done internships in the NFL and makes no bones about one day he wants to run a NFL team. He has very limited football experience in action but he is a football nut. He positions himself to always be around more knowledgeable football people both on the player side and management side. Hell he met gronk at a fundraiser and turned it into a 2 hour let me pick your Brain masterclass. Honestly, I think anyone associated with the NFL is on some level a football guy. The analogy used in a previous convo (not trying to bring up old arguments) to me doesn’t fit 100% of the time. Yes, I am sure there people working in the NFL who should only be cap guys or marketing people or the what not. They may or may not love the game and they are content in their world and being apart of the business or the game as they are. But I do believe there are also people who are football people and want to succeed at the highest level of management in the NFL and so no matter where they start they are soaking everything up like a sponge and learning and growing and so when they go try and get that next level position they have proven themselves to have a comprehension and a drive that is impressive. To me that can also be a football guy. At the end of the day it’s hard to succeed in that business and there isn’t any right answer in regards to background. There are always going to be question marks and seconding guessing someone’s decisions. Matt MILLEN can fail horribly but John Lynch can show to be a really competent and good GM. Bob Quinn (■■■■ him) can fail miserably but perhaps Kwesi doesn’t or maybe he does. I think they are all football guys but something failed: leaderships skills? Communication skills? Management skills? Perhaps some personality traits as well. Look at Brad Holmes, his servant leadership style and collaborative viewpoint as well as their lack of ego is really helpful in building the lions. Plus they do honestly have it appears a good eye for leadership, football IQ and the ability to teach that to their players. All those things need to happen.
And yes there are people who get hired who have no business being GM’s or higher level of business of management. But I think it still has to be case by case analysis. I will say this. Wood was not a football guy. He was a business man and a good one. He would tell you and he has that he wasn’t a football guy. I have heard He has grown a lot in his understanding of how the business of the NFL works bc he is a business man but he doesn’t see himself as a football guy aside from being a fan
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Yes. This. Much less winded then my responsE. Final answer.
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Unfortunately, he learned this on our dime. It set the lions back 7plus years, Stafford and alienated our HOF WR, but hey at least he learned something, that he wasn’t qualified for.
The Ford’s have always been loyal to a fault and Rod has their loyalty. Rod Wood is to Sheila/Martha as Russ Thomas/Matt Millen were to WCF.
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Let’s not go down this road again. You have already made it very clear what your opinion is on the topic of wood is. We disagree on this topic. You literally are just repeating almost word for word what you said to me the last time we talked about wood.
If football were a real business then the Lions would have gone bankrupt long ago
Sadly, it is a monopsony, able to print money, and we are stuck with the product.
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That’s fine, I’m just adding a more accurate view of Wood.
Business side of the Lions, I have no idea, I assume he’s handled it fine. Anything that is football related that he has been involved in he has failed miserably and it won’t matter, because the Ford’s are loyal to a fault.
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Friend your entire post is based on only your opinion. An opinion that you believe is accurate. It does not actually mean it is a more “accurate view of wood”.
The reality is Wood and his role with Detroit is one of the most misunderstood things in Detroit sports when it comes to water cooler talk amongst fans.
But here we are reiterating we disagree. Once again. Let’s just move on.
But didn’t Rod Wood, in his opening intro, say dutifully that he won’t be a part of any football decisions because he is not a football guy and knows nothing about that aspect of running an organization?? Correct me if I misremember?
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That’s your opinion. An opinion that you believe is accurate. It does not mean that it is.
I agree, let’s move on.
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Ah, but I’ll say this one more time. I have spoken to several people in the media and also inside Allen park……who actually understand his role and his impact. So it’s not just my opinion. It’s based on several people w firsthand knowledge.
So yes….let’s move on. 
And my view is based on actual news articles that quote his involvement and actual statements from people. So it’s not just my opinion, it based on several people with first hand knowledge.
So I will believe my actual news articles over your watercooler talk.
So, yes . . . lets move on.
So if he’s not involved in football decisions, he’s not a football guy, and he’s not a cap guru…then what does he do every day after rubbing Martha’s corns?
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Essentially Rod Wood’s secondary job.
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You spoke to Jon, we get it.
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It’s the same argument that sid11 used to make when criticizing Tom Lewand….nobody had an answer 
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Just my 2 cents, but reportedly he offered the GM job to Spielman without conducting much of a search. Just my opinion, but I think that’s a pretty darn big football decision. I know previously they farmed that job out to Ernie Accorsi, but evidently Wood was ready to interview and hire the next one. Luckily, Spielman stepped in, disqualified himself, and the rest is history.
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