The Great Debate: Read insider Mike Fowler's opinion on Harrington's comments to Mitch Albom.
Apologies to anyone who may be offended (or surprised) by the following
statement: the Detroit Lions are a losing franchise.
And after four tumultuous, forgettable and pathetic seasons, Joey Harrington
finally figured out that even he, the golden boy from Oregon, couldn't save an
organization that has only flirted with mediocrity, never approached greatness,
and shrouded so far in self-doubt and cynicism that "hopelessly lost" might be
mistaken for a compliment. It's just unfortunate that the public and media
sentiment is apparently as dubious.
During this past weekend's "Parting Shots," a two-part interview conducted
by the Detroit Free Press's Mitch Albom, Harrington was honest, finally content
with his career (who wouldn't be?) but also incredibly insightful on several
matters.
First, while some have taken Harrington's comments with a grain of salt
(despite the fact that 85 degree weather and white sandy beaches in front of him
hardly gives him a reason to lie or embellish), it was evident that the past
three years under Steve Mariucci were nothing more than a microcosm of the
team's entire identity, proven by the results. Or lack thereof.
But it isn't that Mariucci didn't address it, he encouraged the losing,
lackadaisical and inept mind-set.
"I think he was very comfortable with the way he did things, which is the way
things had been done -- the schedule, how practice ran, the attitudes around the
facility," remarked Harrington.
His comments confirmed the rumors that rookie Mike Williams had been
routinely tardy for team meetings. That practices were soft, drawing the ire of
president Matt Millen. That in just his second year, running back Kevin Jones
had to scream motivational phrases to team veterans just a few games into the
season.
That would logically explain the 15 total wins in just under three
seasons before Mariucci was rightly dismissed. Not a maligned quarterback's inability to make the "big play."
That's just nonsensical.
While Harrington did admit more than once during the interview that he
played poorly, Detroit's failures as a team exceeded the quarterback position,
and virtually every facet of the team drew scrutiny during each of Mariucci's
seasons in Detroit. Mariucci's personal savior, Jeff Garcia of 49er lore,
stumbled worse than Harrington ever did. The team's defense, meanwhile, was
typically in the bottom half of the league.
But if further evidence is needed to exonerate Harrington of at least the entire blame
for Detroit's futility, look no further than the unemployment line. Which of the
two individuals remain on it?
During the Harrington-era in the Motor City, he was also complicated by
teammates' behavior on and off the field, most notably second overall pick
Charles Rogers. Rogers has been unable to remain healthy throughout his career,
but also earned a suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy
last year, crippling Detroit's receiving core for several games. When given the
opportunity, Harrington declined to criticize the troubled receiver, saying that
it would only put him on par with that of cornerback Dre' Bly -- who violated
the cardinal sin in team sports by calling Harrington out publicly after
Mariucci (a close friend of Bly's) was fired.
Naturally, only after the damage had completely killed whatever was left of
team unity including Harrington's presence in the locker room, did Bly
apologize.
Apparently his timing on the field isn't transcendent.
But it wasn't just egotistical and selfish teammates -- fed by a losing coach
in a losing organization -- that greased the skids for Harrington's exit. A
vicious Detroit media -- and one member of that media in particular -- seemed to
directly target him.
Reports in the Booth Newspaper service routinely ran stories that were never
authenticated, often times either ignored and laughed off by the team or
outright denied.
Prior to last season, a report surfaced that the Lions were considering
releasing Joey Harrington to garner a cap savings. Although the story's lead
directly implied that it was a realistic possibility, it became diluted with
conjecture, rhetoric and only vague speculation backed by an anonymous source.
Harrington didn't just play for the Lions last season, he started.
Early this off-season, a report in Booth Newspapers caught national attention
when it was insinuated that Harrington had purposely "sabotaged" new offensive
coordinator Mike Martz's quarterback school. There were even accompanying
reports, saying Harrington was not responsive to Martz and even declined to
approach the chalk board when requested by coach. While many in the Lions
organization and close to the situation scoffed at the notion, as it was a
direct contradiction to Harrington's character, it nevertheless was a
tabloid-style shot at the maligned quarterback. The fact that it wrongly
questioned his integrity, and was essentially a mean-spirited, fabricated jab,
didn't make things any easier.
Or maybe it did.
It was clear from Harrington's tone in the interview that his relationship
with the new Lions' coaching staff, including Marinelli, was neither
uncooperative nor callous. Like anyone with sanity intact, he didn't want to
remain a Lion after last season, but never demanded a trade or to be released.
Joey Harrington only gave Marinelli the option of bringing him back because
he was still under contract, and was determined to honor that contract through
if that is what Marinelli wanted. However, it was also clear to Marinelli that
he was obviously dealing with a guy who had been through enough, taken the brunt
of the team's failures, however unfair, and become public enemy No. 1 with both
teammates and fans.
In Detroit, fairness has never mattered.
The interview also validates Harrington's love for the city of Detroit, and Lions
fans in general. He wanted to bring that winner that is so badly wanted, the
moment it was recognized that he had a winning personality, we responded by
labeling him 'Blue Skies' and trashed him the second a mistake was made on the
football field.
His comments prove many things, discredit many others, but most importantly
prove that anyone that has a negative thing to say about Joey Harrington will
also have a negative thing to say about any other potential 'savior' of this
franchise. There's a reason why this team has lost for four consecutive decades,
and it's hardly because of a 27-year old.
Joey Harrington entered Detroit a winner, and despite a nightmarish boot
camp, left a winner. He'll return on Thanksgiving Day in a significantly altered
uniform.
Maybe to prove another point.