Lions Fire the Mooch

The Detroit Lions fired coach Mariucci today. I'm never sure whether firing the coach mid-season is a good idea, but it is true that the Lions did not come to play on Thanksgiving.

Remember back a few years ago, when Lions GM Millen broke the NFL's interviewing rules to hire "Mooch" and was fined $200,000 for the violation? That was the single worst management decision in NFL history (hindsight edition). Two-hundred grand to hire a mediocre (at best) coach.

Do things get better now? (With former Bears coach Dick Jauron at the helm?)

Update: Wilson disagrees. I agree with his disagreement to the extent that coaches can only do so much. But coaches usually get fired when their teams fail to play hard. The Lions didn't play hard on Turkey Day. Maybe that was because of injuries, etc. But they just didn't look like they were playing hard. Ergo, the coach gets fired. That's the way it is . . . .

Fair? No. But . . . the Mooch had a five-year, $25 million dollar contract. He'll be fine. Just fine.