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You're being interviewed for the Detroit Lions...

thunderkyss

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Early 2009.

The GM/owner (whoever) asks you how long it would take you to make that a playoff team, what would you tell him?

Remember, the Packers are up & comers at this time, not the hands down favorite to reach the Super Bowl, the Bears look dysfunctional & on a downward slide, and the Vikings look like the teAm to beat.

You don't have Ndamakung Suh, & though you have the first pick in the draft, at the time of this interview, it isn't guaranteed Suh would be that pick.

So, "Im very interested in having you coach my team. How long would it be before you would have my team in the play-offs?"
.
 
thunderkyss said:
So, "Im very interested in having you coach my team. How long would it be before you would have my team in the play-offs?"
.
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Playoffs? Playoffs? You gotta be kidding me? Playoffs?

Signed,
Gary Kubiak

You've got the years mixed up. The Lions drafted Matthew Stafford #1 in 2009 and Ndamukong Suh #2 in 2010.
 
Answer:

I don't know, but my real plan is to let this team continue to suck until I get fired and am offered a lesser position with a better team. Eventually, I will be the HC of that other team....or another good team. That way, I get what I want and the Lions don't lose anything....because, you know....you suck already...
 
I wouldn't hire any potential coach that told me 5 years. Interview would be over. That would tell me that the coach is a loser with a poor ambition, and unfortunately that's the same thinking Gary Kubiak had when he was hired.

I'd tell the GM that we're probably looking at 3 years, but if things bounce the right way and we can over achieve some, then 2 years wouldn't be out of the question since quick turn arounds happen a lot more frequently than people especially in here like to give credit for. I'd tell the GM that we'd be out there playing very competitive football and that the culture was going to completely change there and the Lions would no longer look like a bunch of jokes and that they'd be feared after one season and that any player or coaches on the staff that can't move as fast as I expect to and roll with the pace that I'd be setting for this team's turn around and potential run at the SB would be getting possibly traded or shipped out of there for players who are ready to make a run.
 
I would say 3, but in my mind I would be thinking 4. Turnarounds can happen quickly in the NFL, but the Lions had a lot of suckitude back then.
 
rmartin65 said:
I would say 3, but in my mind I would be thinking 4. Turnarounds can happen quickly in the NFL, but the Lions had a lot of suckitude back then.
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I don't think they are like that anymore and ought to continue to improve.
 
If I was the GM or owner of the 2008 0-16 Lions and someone told me less than 4 years, I'd think they were a liar just trying to feed me some sunshine to get a job. Or maybe brain damaged.

It had been 9 years since that team had been to the playoffs and 8 years since their last winning record. They were coming off the worst season in NFL history.

Even 4 years would be optimistic to me. 5 years is doable but doubtful.
 
gary said:
I don't think they are like that anymore and ought to continue to improve.
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Yeah, they're not like that 2 years removed from the 0-16 season but the question is how long would you expect it to take to build a playoff team from the 2008 Lions... not the 2010 Lions.
 
I'd look at them square in the eye, tilt my head to the side, raise my arms so they outstretched to either side and say,

What’s that? Ah - Playoffs? Don’t talk about - playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game!

6a01310f9ede0b970c0134868db035970c-800wi
 
The Pencil Neck said:
If I was the GM or owner of the 2008 0-16 Lions and someone told me less than 4 years, I'd think they were a liar just trying to feed me some sunshine to get a job. Or maybe brain damaged.

It had been 9 years since that team had been to the playoffs and 8 years since their last winning record. They were coming off the worst season in NFL history.

Even 4 years would be optimistic to me. 5 years is doable but doubtful.
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And see that's the problem with a lot of Texans fans. It's a "it will take a decade" mentality to find success and possibly greatness attitude that simply is an under achieving mind set. It's been proven time and time again that you can turn a team around in the NFL if you get the right coach in place and who can make enough off season moves to fill holes and have a good draft and more importantly change the attitude and the grit of an entire team. Teams have been changed from horrible offenses or horrible defenses into very good ones in one off season. It just depends on what changes are made and what new personal gets added. But to have a mentality that it takes 4 to 5 years on the quick end is like living in the stone age of the NFL.

And what the Lions did 6 or 7 years prior to the new coach coming in is completely irrelevant. That just tells that there has been a losing culture there for a while, but the only thing that really matters is what is there now and what needs to be done from last season to this first season for the new coach. Changing the culture of being a loser into a team with a ton of confidence is the first thing that needs to be done and every coach isn't capable of that. Some are and that's exactly why teams like the Chiefs and the Saints turned their teams around very quickly and over achieved. Taking a bottom feeder and turning it into a playoff team can be done pretty fast with a good HC/GM and staff that won't accept losing and has high goals from the start.
 
Things can turn very quickly for teams in the NFL.

The Texans weer supposed to make the play-offs a few years ago when Capers was still the coach. An up and coming team can become a bottom feeder just as quickly as an 0-16 team can become a contender.

2-3 years is a long time to get a team to reach the play-offs. Especially in a division where there is no team that is consistently dominant.
 
The Pencil Neck said:
Yeah, they're not like that 2 years removed from the 0-16 season but the question is how long would you expect it to take to build a playoff team from the 2008 Lions... not the 2010 Lions.
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Yhea, but they are making great strides in just about two years. If they sign a top tier free agent or two and have a good draft then you just never know this year if there is any football.
 
gary said:
Yhea, but they are making great strides in just about two years. If they sign a top tier free agent or two and have a good draft then you just never know this year if there is any football.
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Good point.

I could easily see Detroit making the play-offs next year as a wild card
 
I'd tell them that I could have the Lions in the playoffs within three years or.... if the owner thought we were on the right track (stop laughing) and believed in what I was doing I'd coach the fourth year for a token salary of a dollar or something like that.

That's assuming I had what I thought was the necessary input into personnel decisions and/or believed in the GM/owner who was hiring me. I think that no truly competent coach with a capable and determined owner/GM should take longer than 3 years to win with a team. Sure there are teams that win but still miss the playoffs but I think if you're winning 10 games by year 3 you're pretty much there.
 
Texecutioner said:
And see that's the problem with a lot of Texans fans. It's a "it will take a decade" mentality to find success and possibly greatness attitude that simply is an under achieving mind set. It's been proven time and time again that you can turn a team around in the NFL if you get the right coach in place and who can make enough off season moves to fill holes and have a good draft and more importantly change the attitude and the grit of an entire team. Teams have been changed from horrible offenses or horrible defenses into very good ones in one off season. It just depends on what changes are made and what new personal gets added. But to have a mentality that it takes 4 to 5 years on the quick end is like living in the stone age of the NFL.

And what the Lions did 6 or 7 years prior to the new coach coming in is completely irrelevant. That just tells that there has been a losing culture there for a while, but the only thing that really matters is what is there now and what needs to be done from last season to this first season for the new coach. Changing the culture of being a loser into a team with a ton of confidence is the first thing that needs to be done and every coach isn't capable of that. Some are and that's exactly why teams like the Chiefs and the Saints turned their teams around very quickly and over achieved. Taking a bottom feeder and turning it into a playoff team can be done pretty fast with a good HC/GM and staff that won't accept losing and has high goals from the start.
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There are so many things that you've written here that I disagree with that we'll just have to agree to disagree.

But I just wanted to say this about the bolded part.

How can a fan's attitude be a problem? My attitude isn't what caused us to go 6-10 last season. My attitude means absolutely nothing. Do you think that if everyone felt the way you did and all of us Texan fans were beating the "Fire Kubiak" drum 2-3 years ago that we'd have a winning team here now? Do you think that every coach should be given 2 years and then fired if they're not in the playoffs? Really?
 
Texecutioner said:
... I'd tell the GM that we'd be out there playing very competitive football and that the culture was going to completely change there and the Lions would no longer look like a bunch of jokes and that they'd be feared after one season and that any player or coaches on the staff that can't move as fast as I expect to and roll with the pace that I'd be setting for this team's turn around and potential run at the SB would be getting possibly traded or shipped out of there for players who are ready to make a run.
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I had trouble keeping up with the pace of this sentence!
 
1. Do nothing crazy in free agency. That's the big thing. Find this year's Leigh Bodden, go after him hardcore, then lose him to another team and just settle with "the kids" again. Easy math.

2. Draft multiple TEs, hoping that one of them is healthy enough to actually play on a regular basis.

3. Expectations of me? Well, let's just remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. I think a nice 25-year contract with incentives and escalators based on ranking in the top 10 on offense will do just fine.

4. I'd like to have a sheet of two-way glass the whole length of the sideline (from one end zone to another) between me and the field...that way I can watch non-dramatic moments and then flip a switch and be shielded from watching those tense, game-deciding plays that just make you feel all squishy inside. Nobody needs to be faced with the reality that we're just gonna find a way to eff it up somehow. With the two-way glass, it would make my life a lot easier. It would give my palm a vacation (that's what she said).

5. I'll need the best hair wax money can buy. Not much else to say on that issue. Bad hair days are a pain.

6. Look, defense is overrated. That was 1985, this is 2011. I'll do it all on offense: draw up each week's plan, call the plays, whatever. For my d-coord, I'm going to need someone who fits under a bus well. I think we all know why.

7. On the issue of press conference podiums, go ahead and have the top of it surfaced with a sound-deadening material. Maybe even go hard plastic. I'm gonna' be wearing a deep dent into that thing.

8. Oh, I forgot about the issue of paid leave. I'm gonna' have an annual procedure done right around the draft combine. Not sure what it'll be, but I won't be there. My GM can handle that anyways, great guy.

9. I'm going to request that you don't hire any coaches who have the last name Fontes. I had a deal back in 2011 where a guy's son, we'll call him "Pade Willips," came in and yanked the rug right out from underneath me. I should have seen it coming, but didn't catch on until the last four weeks of the reg season--Those first three quarters always get me sidetracked. LOL.

10. Do you guys have a Whataburger. That's sort of a big deal.
 
GP said:
I wouldn't mind a little Suh on my defense. Man that guy is BEAST.
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Yes he is. He isn't a Texan but but I am glad the the Lions have then on their team. They finally got some good luck when they picked him.
 
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gary said:
They will be soon enough and they are winning more than in 2008.
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I doubt it...Look at their division

GB
Minny
Chicago

Minesota has new leadership & were just in the NFC championship game 2 years ago & chicago was just there last year. GB just won the SB with 16 people on IR - 6 were starters so they're only going to be better in the coming years.

Then if you look at the NFC playoff picture, TB has retooled & won 10 last year, STL is on the come up...If anything, Det. is our reflection except our division nemesis (Indy) is on the down side of their run where there is on the up swing..(GB).
 
Mr teX said:
I doubt it...Look at their division

GB
Minny
Chicago

Minesota has new leadership & were just in the NFC championship game 2 years ago & chicago was just there last year. GB just won the SB with 16 people on IR - 6 were starters so they're only going to be better in the coming years.

Then if you look at the NFC playoff picture, TB has retooled & won 10 last year, STL is on the come up...If anything, Det. is our reflection except our division nemesis (Indy) is on the down side of their run where there is on the up swing..(GB).
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I disagree. Minny is getting older and it should last year. As for the Bears, Eagles, Rams, ect they are all good but if the Lions continue to grow and I think they will then the NFC will only be better. Winning does not always mean the Superbowl either.
 
gary said:
At least the Lions have gotten rid of the losing attitude and are now winning.
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They aren't winning, yet. Their last winning season was 2000 when they went 9-7. They finished 6-10 this season, just like we did. And 2-14 the year before that.

And remember, there was a lot of excitement in Detroit prior to the 2008 season. Kitna was expecting that team to go to the playoffs. They'd gone 7-9 the previous year and some people were picking them to start making some noise. And then they went 0-16 in 2008.
 
The Pencil Neck said:
They aren't winning, yet. Their last winning season was 2000 when they went 9-7. They finished 6-10 this season, just like we did. And 2-14 the year before that.

And remember, there was a lot of excitement in Detroit prior to the 2008 season. Kitna was expecting that team to go to the playoffs. They'd gone 7-9 the previous year and some people were picking them to start making some noise. And then they went 0-16 in 2008.
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They are not the world yet. All I am saying is that about two years ago they were 0-16 and have done better lately and Suh has helped out a lot.
 
gary said:
They are not the world yet. All I am saying is that about two years ago they were 0-16 and have done better lately and Suh has helped out a lot.
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I think the whole point is don't assume anything until it's happened. Kubiak taking a 2-14 team to 6-10, and then 8-8 is arguably as impressive as the Lions ascent to 6 wins in the Head Coach's 2nd year. It's a whole lot harder to keep getting better than it is to start getting better.
 
ChampionTexan said:
I think the whole point is don't assume anything until it's happened. Kubiak taking a 2-14 team to 6-10, and then 8-8 is arguably as impressive as the Lions ascent to 6 wins in the Head Coach's 2nd year. It's a whole lot harder to keep getting better than it is to start getting better.
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I don't disagree but there has to be more hope than with John Kitna at QB and great young DT like Suh. We will see how things go from here.
 
gary said:
I don't disagree but there has to be more hope than with John Kitna at QB and great young DT like Suh. We will see how things go from here.
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But there's always that "Yeah, but" as in "Yeah, but Matthew Stafford's missed more games injured in his first two seasons than he's played". While he's better than Kitna, I'm not sure either Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton are. This is compounded by the fact that if Stafford is truly injury prone, they'll likely need a couple more seasons to figure that out. This means that if he's not playing, whoever is will be a backup - and even a good backup isn't going to take an NFL team far.
 
ChampionTexan said:
But there's always that "Yeah, but" as in "Yeah, but Matthew Stafford's missed more games injured in his first two seasons than he's played". While he's better than Kitna, I'm not sure either Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton are. This is compounded by the fact that if Stafford is truly injury prone, they'll likely need a couple more seasons to figure that out. This means that if he's not playing, whoever is will be a backup - and even a good backup isn't going to take an NFL team far.
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I guess you are right but if Staffords holds up then anything might happen. It is the wait and see game for me right now but everything has to fall into place.
 
Is this the "Yippee, we're better than the Lions!" thread? Because I'd like to point out that the Texans are actually drafting ahead of the Lions.
 
Rey said:
Things can turn very quickly for teams in the NFL.

The Texans weer supposed to make the play-offs a few years ago when Capers was still the coach. An up and coming team can become a bottom feeder just as quickly as an 0-16 team can become a contender.

2-3 years is a long time to get a team to reach the play-offs. Especially in a division where there is no team that is consistently dominant.
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Truth be told, the right coach could have had the Texans winning in 2006 or 2007. If you remember the talk, we weren't going to have to do a complete rebuild, because we were already running a ZBS.

The decision to go with a 4-3, without a proven coordinator was a poor decision (in hindsight). Sure, Kubiak didn't get his guy, but a better defensive coaching staff, with Mario, Demeco, & a healthy Dunta should have allowed us to win more games than we did.

Texecutioner said:
And see that's the problem with a lot of Texans fans. It's a "it will take a decade" mentality to find success and possibly greatness attitude that simply is an under achieving mind set.
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Who said anything about a decade? If you're saying we should change HC/GMs every three years, the longest I've heard so far, is 5 years.

Texecutioner said:
It's been proven time and time again that you can turn a team around in the NFL if you get the right coach in place and who can make enough off season moves to fill holes and have a good draft and more importantly change the attitude and the grit of an entire team.
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& if frogs had wings, if my aunt had nuts, if, if, if....

The 49ers have followed your approach, when was their last winning season?

The Rams?

The Lions?

The Bills?

There are examples of teams who have gone from last to 1st in a short time, with a new coach, but many more that have not. You're talking exception, not the rule.

How many teams have gone from 4 years or more of loosing seasons to play-off appearance in 3 years or less after a coaching change?
Texecutioner said:
Changing the culture of being a loser into a team with a ton of confidence is the first thing that needs to be done and every coach isn't capable of that.

Some are and that's exactly why teams like the Chiefs and the Saints turned their teams around very quickly and over achieved. Taking a bottom feeder and turning it into a playoff team can be done pretty fast with a good HC/GM and staff that won't accept losing and has high goals from the start.
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I won't argue too much here. Culture change, absolutely first thing that has to be changed.

Sean Peyton did a wonderful job, & so did Scott Pioli.

Again, I think exeption to the rule. Again, how many teams with 4 or more losing seasons have been turned around in three or less?

& I'm saying 4, because that's what Kubiak took over, & the Lions job is even tougher than that.
 
Lucky said:
Is this the "Yippee, we're better than the Lions!" thread? Because I'd like to point out that the Texans are actually drafting ahead of the Lions.
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No, this is the "a really decent coach can turn any team around in a year because it's so easy to do" thread.
 
gary said:
I don't disagree but there has to be more hope than with John Kitna at QB and great young DT like Suh. We will see how things go from here.
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Matt Stafford isn't half the QB Jon Kitna was (at that time). He hasn't ever thrown for 3,000 yards in a season, much less two back to back 4,000+ yards.

Kitna wasn't a god, not even close. But Stafford has yet to prove he can play this game at this level & Kitna has.

and as far as Suh goes... we'll see. He looks good his rookie year, let's see if he can keep it up.
 
Lucky said:
Is this the "Yippee, we're better than the Lions!" thread? Because I'd like to point out that the Texans are actually drafting ahead of the Lions.
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Actually no.

I was trying to take the Texans out of the equation, and get an idea of how long it would take a bottom dweller to "turn it around," & get to a winning season.

I agree things are looking better for the Lions, but I doubt they'll have 9 wins in 2011, if they play in 2011. But we'll see.
 
The question is are the Lions going to make the playoffs before the Texans.

I wouldn't bet against it and the Lions are in a much harder division than the Texans.

Schwartz and Mayhew> Kubiak and Smith and it isn't even close.
 
thunderkyss said:
Early 2009.

The GM/owner (whoever) asks you how long it would take you to make that a playoff team, what would you tell him?

Remember, the Packers are up & comers at this time, not the hands down favorite to reach the Super Bowl, the Bears look dysfunctional & on a downward slide, and the Vikings look like the teAm to beat.

You don't have Ndamakung Suh, & though you have the first pick in the draft, at the time of this interview, it isn't guaranteed Suh would be that pick.

So, "Im very interested in having you coach my team. How long would it be before you would have my team in the play-offs?"
.
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If I were being interviewed to be the coach of the Lions I would have to put you on hold because there is a guy on line 1 about a set of white walls. (Major league ref.)
 
thunderkyss said:
Actually no.

I was trying to take the Texans out of the equation, and get an idea of how long it would take a bottom dweller to "turn it around," & get to a winning season.

I agree things are looking better for the Lions, but I doubt they'll have 9 wins in 2011, if they play in 2011. But we'll see.
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Stafford just has to stay healthy for a full season for us to actually see how good he is. He looks like he might throw for 3,00 plus if he ever plays long enough which is the key.
 
gary said:
Stafford just has to stay healthy for a full season for us to actually see how good he is. He looks like he might throw for 3,00 plus if he ever plays long enough which is the key.
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When he does it, we can talk about it.
 
thunderkyss said:
When he does it, we can talk about it.
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I guess. Look, I have received a little heat/flack. in this thread and I want to make it very clear I am not crowning anyone champion just yet. I am just saying some talent is there a great wide receiver and an up and coming RB and DT as well so no one knows yet. This is not directed at you TK.
 
GP said:
What a coincidence, some of us take the same thought process you just described and apply it to Gary Kubiak & Friends, as well.
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coincidentally, I've never implied otherwise.

I'm on the same page with you & several others as far as Kubiak & Co. are concerned.

I don't take my rhetoric to the same extent, but the sentiment is the same.
 
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