Detroit Lions: Don’t get the cart before the horse, Sheila
By Robert Jones
Wanted; two talented, dynamic men to lead the Lions
The carcasses of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia aren’t even a week old yet, but Sheila seems to be busy at work setting a plan in motion for her next regime.
Make no mistake about it, when an owner puts a bullet into the regime running their team, there is no time or reason to mourn. When franchises boot their general managers and head coaches that means a whole lot of change is coming.
Sure Sheila will take a three-hour break this Sunday to see how this roster responds to interim head coach Darrell Bevell, but even if the offense hums more smoothly and the defense, well, actually plays defense, there will be no time to stop polishing up her plan for the offseason.
Let’s be honest, we’ve all heard the names being bandied about for the general manager position and the top candidates to take over the reins as the Lions’ next head coach.
However, the process isn’t that simple.
Unless your franchise has a head coach like Bill Belichick who in essence is his own general manager, then you’re still talking about two extremely important positions that play a huge role in a team’s destiny.
In the case of the Lions, a general manager who can find talent no matter where he looks and is adept at finding players who will not only excel in the system that his head coach is running but players that will excel anywhere at any time. Something we like to call play-makers.
Then it’s up to the head coach to implement a system that will maximize the strengths of those players and motivating them to get the most out of his team.
This is the combination Detroit has lacked for 60 plus years. It is this type of situation where two talented, dynamic men can lead even the Lions to championship-caliber play.
When we break it down like that, it helps us realize how big Sheila’s decisions are. Especially given the fact that she is well-aware of the mistakes made by her parents in running the Lions. Mistakes I believe that she will do everything possible to rectify with her turn at the plate.
The biggest concern in my mind isn’t so much, ‘can she?’ It’s more like, ‘don’t get the cart before the horse.’