This is from NFL.com

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ALLEN PARK, Mich. (Jan. 2, 2007) -- Detroit Lions  general manager Matt Millen said that quitting is not an option he has considered despite criticism of the team's dismal performance in his tenure. "I'll never quit," Millen said in an interview with a small group of reporters, including The Detroit News, which posted some of his comments on its web site. "I can't do that. I don't even consider that. "It's the way I'm made." Asked why he wouldn't quit, Millen replied: "You're given a job, regardless of what it is. You keep on working and trying to get the thing done." Messages seeking comment on Millen's remarks were left with spokesmen for the Lions. Coach Rod Marinelli didn't have any definitive word on Millen's future at his news conference earlier in the day. About 100 Detroit fans held a protest during the second quarter of the last home game of the season Dec. 24 against the Chicago Bears. The fans left their seats midway through the quarter and gathered in Ford Field's atrium, where they chanted "Fire Millen" while watching the game on the scoreboard. Detroit is an NFL-worst 24-72 since Millen took control of football operations before the 2001 season. But with a victory over Dallas in Week 17, the Lions finished 3-13, costing them the top pick in the draft, which will go to Oakland.

This guy has done nothing for this team since taking over and somehow he still has a job. Another terrible season for the Lions and he is talking like it is business as usual. They really need to fix this team and the biggest help would be to show Millen the door. He has had long enough to turn things around but has only managed to turn a playoff calibre team when he arrived into a team that is constantly getting a pick in the top 10 of the draft.

Wouldn't surprise me if Millen was to stay at the Lions and he trades up from number 2 in the draft to number 1 to select a punter!

For the record, I am not a Lions fan but it annoys me when a team shows loyalty to a guy that is seriously ruining them. Time to move on as the way it looks at the moment it is going to take some time to fix what Millen has done with the Lions.

On another note sad to see Dennis Green shown the door at the Cardinals. Was hoping he could turn them around but seems that he is another coach who couldn't achieve success with the Cardinals.

Mora shown the door at the Falcons is another one down. Comments from his dad that Michael Vick is a "coach killer" didn't help along with Mora himself saying his dream job was in college with washington also would not have sat well with management.

interesting to see who goes next. Art Shell can't be too comfortable at the raiders after a dismal 2-14 season (and one of the worst offensives I have ever had the misfortune to see). might be able to get through merely on past accomplishments with the Raiders and the fact he has only had one season. if he does make it back for next season he will be on a very short leash.

Lastly, Saban. All over the news and Saban keeps saying that there is nothing to the rumours linking him to Alabama. will be very interesting what happens in the coming weeks and the ramifications if he does chose to leave the Dolphins to return to the college ranks.

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Sam wrote : For the record, I am not a Lions

Well I am a Lions fan unfortunately.  However, if Matt Millen is not fired before the NFL Draft, then I don’t think I can keep being a Lions fan, as the team will forever be known as a joke franchise for keeping this idiot on their pay roll!!

If he doesn’t get the boot very soon, then I’ll probably put the names of the other 31 teams in a hat & pull out a new team to support.  No doubt I’ll pick the Raiders!!  

Picking up Sam's comment about Saban and being a Dolphins fan.  My view is that I would be quite happy for him to go to Alabama or anywhere else.  I think there are a lot of things wrong with the Dolphin franchise and not all his fault but, regardless of that, I really don't think he's up to the job.

We are showing absolutely no signs of improvement and the good players are generally old and approaching the latter stages of their career.  He's responsible for personnel decisions and the decision to sign Culpepper was a massive mistake (as I said at the time).  He just doesn't give me the impression that he's in control and has got a clear strategy for the future.

I watched the penultimate game of the season against the Jets and it was poor a game (in terms of entertainment and quality) as I have ever seen.  The Jets weren't much better to be honest so it is pretty stunning that they made the playoffs.  Byes against the Dolphins and Raiders in the last 2 games of the season will certainly help

Well, Saban is gone with 2 years of his contract left. I wonder what Alabama are paying him.

from the looks of it he will be getting around 4.5 million a season to take over Alabama, which I think is the highest money payed to any coach in the college game.

Read my lips 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman' or 'I will not be becoming coach of Alabama'.  What a lying sack of shit!

Having said that, glad he's gone.  As per my previous post I don't think he's up to being a decent NFL coach.

Ian,

Was going to mention that ESPN kept mentioning how Saban can't be relied on when saying he wasn't moving. Prior to moving to the Dolphins he had numerous denials of the move and kept saying that he was staying with his college team. Just proved for the second time that with Saban, "money talks..."

He had a strange time at Miami. First season they were terrible for the first half of the season and yet managed to find some form to win their last 6. This season and another terrible start until they won 5 in a row mid season only to lose a string of games at the end.

Will be interesting to see who Miami get as their head coach now.  At least they have plenty of time to find one, let's just hope for the Miami faithful that they pick the right one who is prepared to spend the time to build this team back up into a plyoff team again.

news that Art Shell is no longer coach of the Raiders but the biggest news being that Cowher is to announce leaving the Steelers on the 5th Jan (US time).

Parcells has called it a day and retired from football. Not going to be easy to replace a hall of fame coach, so lets see who Jones hires to replace Parcells, and more importantly, get rid of TO!

Eagles sign a contract with Saverio Rocca
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=64493

Being a North Melbourne man, i was quite pleased to see the Eagles had signed him up on a 3 year deal i believe.  Anyone that has seen the 'Hairy One' ever kick a ball will see he is well suited to our great game. He is a top bloke from all reports, with a young family I can understand why he hung up his boots here.  I alkso heard if he gets a starting gig he will break the rookie age record too.  I think i may need to start practising my punts, some handy money there if you are good enough!

Doubt he will beat out Doug Johnston for the starting roll in philly, but his leg waas enough to make them sit up and take notice. When they flew him down to philly to kick for them his second punt went 75 yards and they went, wow!
Good on him.

News that Chargers defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips is the next head coach of the Cowboys. Being 60, once again the Cowboys resist the temptation to build a team using a coach that can grow with the team...or is this a stop gap until Cowher is available after this season.

There were also rumours that the Cowboys were going to try and trade for Jeff Fisher of the Titans but the Titans issued a strong hands off. Fisher only has one season left with the Titans and will be real interesting what happens next off season.

Anyway, once Parcells left the Cowboys the rumour was that Jerry Jones only had his eye on Phillips anyway. The fact that Jones interviewed so many people seemed strange, but maybe just to see whether Phillips was indeed the person for the job. Considering that Phillips is big on the 3-4 and the Cowboys have invested heavily into this the last two seasons, seems logical that they would tab a coach that would continue the development of the 3-4.

Now all they have to do is hope that Jason Garrett can fix a stuttering offence as well as Phillips fixing what was a very shakey Cowboys defence in the second half of this season.

Delayed reaction I know, but what do people make of the Chargers firing Schottenheimer? I know he has this "can't get it done in the post-season" reputation (so did Dungy until very recently!), but he had the Chargers playing some great football last season and I felt that their league-best record was no fluke. As a part-time San Diego fan, I feel they're making a big mistake getting rid of him.

Personally I think it is a disgrace to fire a 14-2 coach. If I was a player I would be looking for an escape clause in my contract.

If the general manager can fire players without the headcoach knowing then no wonder Marty would not sign a one year extension.  He was clearly going to leave after this season anyway after that fiasco and the assistant coaches picked up on this. That's why they all bailed.  There was not going to be a dynasty with a general manager who is a complete f***wit in charge and an owner who condones this behaviour.  Now Schottenheimer gets his $3 million and can have a year of R & R to recharge the batteries.

Hey maybe Dallas could pick him up with the plan to make him Headcoach next year. That would be a clever move!  

--Last edited by tom richards on 2007-02-20 10:32:02 --

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Hey maybe Dallas could pick him up with the plan to make him Headcoach next year. That would be a clever move!

Hopefully Phillips does well enough not to make Dallas sign another coach in the next offseason. Being a long time Dallas fan would love to see Phillips do well so that I can see Dallas perform well and get rid of the mediocrity that has been dogging them since they last won a Superbowl (which seems an eternity ago now). Parcells has left a foundation to build on...fingers crossed it was a good one. Only time will tell.

Schottenheimer is a quality HC. Not everyone can win the superbowl but I peg him ahead of a lot of HCs in the NFL.

It is extremely strange to dump a coach after a 14-2 season (and a hall of fame calibre coach at that) and then replace him with....Norv Turner.

Schottemheimer and the Chargers GM have been at odds for some time but they may have caused themselves more harm then any opposing team could have with the dumping of Schottemheimer. Schottenheimer has lead his teams to the playoffs on numerous occasions (with little to show for it unforuntately) while Turner has tasted playoff games as a head coach once. Does not bode well for the Charger faithfull.

You have to ask yourself what have the Chargers gained by dumping Schottenheimer?

What is going on with the Bengals????? They are my second team and have always kept an eye on them, but for some reason they seem to take great delight in signing and retaining troublesome players at the moment. How many players have you heard being arrested that are attached to the Bengals in the last 12 months? Too many as far as I am concerned.

I thought the Cowboys were known as the team to keep all the trouble makers, are the Bengals trying to take that crown? I can't see any good in this. They might in fact be trying to accumulate a team of Terrell Owens (being a Dallas fan they can have the original).

At last there is sign of life in the Arizona OL!!

The new coaches appear to be heading in the right direction and the signing of Gandy (and the hopeful acquistion of Joe Thomas in the draft - if we can do some dealing!) will see a decent OL take the field next season and help the Cardinals reach their offensive potential.

And a week 1 Monday Night game to open with as well!!

Yee Haa.....