I know we sometimes think the Lions have been bad forever. But the decade of the 1990’s tells a different story.
6 seasons with winning records.
1 season at .500.
3 seasons with losing records.
Changes were made because, while winning, the Lions weren’t winning in Post Season.
From 2001 through 2021, there were FOUR winning seasons. This time period also includes the 0-16 season. THAT 20 year period is what people most remember. (Oh my word, it has been REALLY, REALLY bad.)
It will take time for the national narrative to change. Sustained excellence is the only thing that will shift it. What we cannot see next season is following up a double digit winning season with a sub .500 season. (Check our history…it’s not good.)
That said, this front office and coaching staff is different. I don’t hear them (or the players) whining and complaining about not getting any respect. They simply put their boots on and go to work. I cannot see how the proverbial wheels could fall off this team. I think the Lions will be 11-6 or better next season.
Thank You Jerry Vanisi (sp) He was in charge of player personnel and had the most say in the drafts. He brought in Chris Spielman, Bennie Blades, Ray Crockett, BARRY, Lomas, the 2 guards we lost to injury and death, Jerry Ball, Herman, and a few other studs I am forgetting. The sad part? Ford did not want to pay both, Chuck Schmidt the bean counter. Jerry V. Russ Thomas won the power struggle and Jerry moved on.
If you give me an ice cream cone 10 times, and kick me in the nuts 25 times, I promise you I’m going to remember you for kicking me in the nuts! The only way to change that is for you to quit kicking me in the nuts. I’m not saying you have to give me an ice cream cone every time you see me, but for the love of God man, stop kicking me in the nuts!! Same with the Lions changing the national narrative, they don’t have to go to the NFCCG or SB every year, but they can’t be sub .500 and not completing for the division title and a playoff spot on a consistent basis. I think with Sheila, Brad, Dan, and the core of players in place, they have the ability to do that for the next 5-7 years, at least.
Russ, the coward, retired in Atlanta on the last game of the 1989 season. Jerry V. left in 1990 to head up the NFL Europe. We should have offered Jerry a boatload of money to stay. Perhaps he wanted the challenge though. So who knows. God I hated Rust (this was a typo that I was going to fix, but I decided to leave it) Thomas.
Also, to the OP, we were pretty brutal in the 70s and 80s too. So just one slightly above average decade in the past five.
I still remember being excited to see Chuck Long come in and throwing a touchdown to Leonard Thompson on his first pass. It was all downhill from there.
We were much more competitive in the 90s. We had Barry and every day was exciting because of him. We also certainly had the core of what could have been great teams but we were always missing 2 things and they were both always very apparent.
A championship QB. Nothing even remotely close. Erik Kramer brought a little magic from time to time but he was very limited.
A championship front office/coaching staff/culture.
Did you ever REALLY believe we were going to beat great teams? I sure never did. I hoped that somehow we could and we never did.
This feels SO different and it’s palpable and wonderful.
You forgot Kevin Colbert who left and went to the Steelers and was instrumental in their success in the 2000’s.
Thomas Dimitroff worked for 3 seasons in Detroit between 94-96 and Rick Spielman worked in the scouting department during the 90’s before going to Minnesota. However, Colbert was huge loss IMO
90s good to very good teams, average coaching, average management
00s bad teams, bad coaching, terrible management
10s above average to good team, average to bad coaching, average management
20s very good team, good to very good coaching, great management
