Boo
Cornholio
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
By Tom Kowalalski
ALLEN PARK -- I have a few questions.
Barry Sanders is expected to hold a major circus-like press conference at Ford Field on Dec. 2. to hawk his new book. Since the No. 3 career rusher in NFL history is the only superstar the Detroit Lions have had in recent memory, the team is bending over backward to accommodate him in any way possible.
But think about it. For the last five years, Sanders has wanted nothing to do with the Lions. He refused to answer letters and phone calls from former head coach Bobby Ross, preferring instead to fax his retirement announcement on the eve of training camp. In the years since, head coaches Marty Mornhinweg and Steve Mariucci have reached out to Sanders and the front office has repeatedly made attempts to have a jersey ceremony at Ford Field. Along with Billy Sims and Hall of Famer Lem Barney, the Lions wanted to raise No. 20 to the rafters.
Barry refused to commit to it every single time.
And so here we are: Sanders writes a book that rips former CEO Chuck Schmidt, saying he was the reason the Lions never won and hinting that his personnel moves helped drive Sanders away from the game. And now the Lions are going to give Sanders a platform to rip the team's former boss?
It might be worth considering, if it wasn't for the fact that Sanders is dead wrong about that assumption. Schmidt had no power in personnel moves; that all belonged to Ross. It was Schmidt who did the dirty work, telling players they had to take pay cuts or that the Lions wouldn't renegotiate or that they were slapping the dreaded transition and franchise tags on them.
But none of those were Schmidt's decisions. He simply took his marching orders from Ross. I remember asking Schmidt on several occasions why he put up with all the criticism from the media and he would say, off the record, "I'm paid to take the bullets. The players have to believe I'm involved in the decisions, otherwise Bobby would lose the locker room."
Sanders should've done a little better research on his book. As it is, it's a little sad and pathetic, but understandable, that the Lions are still willing to let Sanders air his bad information.
You see, Sanders is the only link the Lions have to any respectable recent history and it's important for them to cling to that from a public relations standpoint. The Lions are hoping Sanders will eventually understand that it's important to both sides that things become amicable -- and they're probably right.
But, like I said, I have a few questions for Sanders. I hope I get the chance to ask them:
Barry, you said one of the reasons you left football was because of the shabby way the Lions organization treated your teammates. Was that any worse than the way you abandoned your teammates with your abrupt retirement on the eve of training camp, leaving a huge void at running back?
Barry, speaking of your retirement, you said in your book that you knew you were finished after the final game of the 1997 season. What was your motive to stay silent for seven months while the Lions desperately tried to contact you?
Barry, you said you didn't think it was your place to be critical of Lions management when you were playing, despite the fact it could've been beneficial to you, your teammates and the organization. Do you find it a little hypocritical that you're now being critical of the organization when it only benefits you and your book sales?
I had the pleasure and honor of watching every one of Barry Sanders' games in the NFL and he's the most exciting player I've ever seen. I thought he carried himself with class and dignity throughout his playing career.
But now that his new book has a strong sense of revisionist history, I have a few questions.
By Tom Kowalalski
ALLEN PARK -- I have a few questions.
Barry Sanders is expected to hold a major circus-like press conference at Ford Field on Dec. 2. to hawk his new book. Since the No. 3 career rusher in NFL history is the only superstar the Detroit Lions have had in recent memory, the team is bending over backward to accommodate him in any way possible.
But think about it. For the last five years, Sanders has wanted nothing to do with the Lions. He refused to answer letters and phone calls from former head coach Bobby Ross, preferring instead to fax his retirement announcement on the eve of training camp. In the years since, head coaches Marty Mornhinweg and Steve Mariucci have reached out to Sanders and the front office has repeatedly made attempts to have a jersey ceremony at Ford Field. Along with Billy Sims and Hall of Famer Lem Barney, the Lions wanted to raise No. 20 to the rafters.
Barry refused to commit to it every single time.
And so here we are: Sanders writes a book that rips former CEO Chuck Schmidt, saying he was the reason the Lions never won and hinting that his personnel moves helped drive Sanders away from the game. And now the Lions are going to give Sanders a platform to rip the team's former boss?
It might be worth considering, if it wasn't for the fact that Sanders is dead wrong about that assumption. Schmidt had no power in personnel moves; that all belonged to Ross. It was Schmidt who did the dirty work, telling players they had to take pay cuts or that the Lions wouldn't renegotiate or that they were slapping the dreaded transition and franchise tags on them.
But none of those were Schmidt's decisions. He simply took his marching orders from Ross. I remember asking Schmidt on several occasions why he put up with all the criticism from the media and he would say, off the record, "I'm paid to take the bullets. The players have to believe I'm involved in the decisions, otherwise Bobby would lose the locker room."
Sanders should've done a little better research on his book. As it is, it's a little sad and pathetic, but understandable, that the Lions are still willing to let Sanders air his bad information.
You see, Sanders is the only link the Lions have to any respectable recent history and it's important for them to cling to that from a public relations standpoint. The Lions are hoping Sanders will eventually understand that it's important to both sides that things become amicable -- and they're probably right.
But, like I said, I have a few questions for Sanders. I hope I get the chance to ask them:
Barry, you said one of the reasons you left football was because of the shabby way the Lions organization treated your teammates. Was that any worse than the way you abandoned your teammates with your abrupt retirement on the eve of training camp, leaving a huge void at running back?
Barry, speaking of your retirement, you said in your book that you knew you were finished after the final game of the 1997 season. What was your motive to stay silent for seven months while the Lions desperately tried to contact you?
Barry, you said you didn't think it was your place to be critical of Lions management when you were playing, despite the fact it could've been beneficial to you, your teammates and the organization. Do you find it a little hypocritical that you're now being critical of the organization when it only benefits you and your book sales?
I had the pleasure and honor of watching every one of Barry Sanders' games in the NFL and he's the most exciting player I've ever seen. I thought he carried himself with class and dignity throughout his playing career.
But now that his new book has a strong sense of revisionist history, I have a few questions.
