Building a case for Rod

Yes people, the Detroit Lions did not win a game all year (although they did win all four pre-season games [go figure]).  So we'll get that elephant out of the room.  And yes, come next season, I will be cheering for them.  Loyalty (go figure).  I am pretty damn sure that Rod Marinelli will lose his job as a result of this season, but that would be a grave mistake.  Throughout the entire season, through all the questions and doubters, he has been nothing but class.  You see some coaches who blow their lids after one stinking lose and their teams are close to being in the playoffs.  But Rod, not so much.  He was always calm and collected while addressing the press.  Now in the locker may have been a different matter, but to the public, he was professional.  And the team seemed that way as well.  There were only a few games where the team looked like they had quit, but not many.  And they were so close near the end of the season, but they just couldn't close.  Kind of like the Tigers this year, they just found ways to lose games.  

This season is not Marinelli's fault, he inherited the team.  Detroit got rid of the reason for this year in Matt Millen.  Once the organization fired him, they were on the right track.  And the right track is going to start with the draft.  They have the number one overall pick, but they need to trade it away for defensive players that are well established and some draft picks.  They dumped Roy Williams at the right time and screwed Dallas out of three picks *insert evil laugh*.  The offensive players are there, but that is about it.  Defensive linemen, secondary players, and offensive linemen should be the targets during the draft.  

I leave you with this.  The best quote you can take away from this organization that did not win a game all year.

“You’re in this dark tunnel and you’ve got no way out, you’re waiting for light, and you see that light, what do you do? What do you do? You start digging and getting out. … I’ve always believed you stay in the tunnel and you keep digging when you expect no light. You have the same faith when you expect no light. You have the same belief in what you’re doing when you expect no light. … It’s dark and I’m going to dig through. My shovel is sharp and my pick is sharp and my will is outstanding.”