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The Detroit Lions are compiling a list of candidates for the position of General Manager. Per a league source, the Lions currently are looking at a quintet of old-school candidates.
The list, we’re told, includes former Packers G.M. Ron Wolf, former Giants G.M. Ernie Accorsi, former Texans and Redskins G.M. Charley Casserly, former Bills G.M. Tom Donahoe, and Chiefs V.P. of player personnel Bill Kuharich, who previously served as G.M. of the Saints.
Wolf and Accorsi currently are retired, and Casserly has spent the past two years working as an on-air analyst for CBS. Donahoe hasn’t been heard from since being fired by the Bills earlier this decade.
The job currently is held by Martin Mayhew, who was promoted into the role after CEO Matt Millen was fired in September. It’s unknown whether he’ll be retained by the new regime.
In a recent item at SportingNews.com, we pondered the fact that Patriots V.P. of player personnel Scott Pioli doesn’t have a team of his own to run, and we pointed out that the turnaround of the Dolphins under his father-in-law Bill Parcells, the resurrection of the Falcons under Pioli’s protege Thomas Dimitroff, and Pioli’s role in the discovery of two of the best low-round quarterbacks in recent years if not ever (Tom Brady and Matt Cassel) should make him a candidate for any G.M. job that comes open this year.
Apparently, the Lions don’t feel the same way. Which isn’t all that surprising, since they’re the Lions.
November 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Pioli makes the most sense, but any of them will be a considerable upgrade. Building around Sims, Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith shouldn’t take a rocket scientist.
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Ron Wolf is probably the only person who could save the Lions. Look what he did for the Packers. They were the laughing stock of the NFL since the 70s until he came around.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
“Apparently, the Lions don’t feel the same way.”
Or Pioli has made clear that he has no interest in that disaster of a franchise. Why should he go there when he may have much better opportunities within a year or two such as a few of the teams you list in your article on Pioli. When there is a chance you could take over the Eagles, Cowboys, or Broncos, why would you settle on the Lions?
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Gee….I wonder who they’ll pick….
“Donahoe hasn’t been heard from since being fired by the Bills earlier this decade.”
Oooh, I know who I’m betting on. Sounds like a typically sound Lions decision.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I don’t think Pioli wants to leave New England. I belive he is a package deal with Belicheck. He could be a bigger loss to the franchies than Brady.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
It just proves how poorly run the Lions are, and why they have had so many losing seasons. For them to be even considering hiring Charley Casserly after all the poor decisions in drafting and free agency for the Texans, screams incompetence. The Texans were dumb to hire him the second time around after the mess he made with the Redskins, minus their last draft. The Lions organization really must be dumb and needs an “enema” in the worst way, to even be considering Casserly after screwing up not one, but TWO franchises during his tenure.
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Rating: 3.8 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I think they should add Michael Lombardi to their list. Florio needs the material.
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Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Isn’t Casserly the guy who got like 27 picks from Ditka for Ricky Williams and he still couldn’t put together a decent team?
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
even though Mort will push him hard cause they’re buddies, I would stay away from Tom Donahoe. He was a peddler of hype in Buffalo. He had a couple of solid initial drafts and then just years of abysmal personnel decisions - got rid of Pat Williams who wanted to sign for a bargain price, traded a 1st rounder for Bledsoe, whiffed on OT Mike Williams at 4th overall, traded away too much to draft Losman, and brought in a succession of high priced, over the hill FA’s on defense. The result was and has been no playoffs and years of rebuilding since he was canned.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Maybe they do want Pioli, but they can’t really go out and ask him until the season is over.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
The Fords making an intelligent decision? Remember they are one of the big three automakers. The same guys who took private jets to DC to beg for bailout money.
Of the list - Wolf and Accorsi make the most logical sense.
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Lombardi, Halas and Landry couldnt get them to 500.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I think Ford Jr is probably vetting the GM candidates you mentioned,while the Ole Man is looking at hiring another TV analyst….
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Not that I want this to happen but Pioli and Belicheck would own that division inside two years.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
They may be looking for someone but:
That person will have to live in…..Detroit
That person will acquire the reputation of the Lions.
On the outside it looks like an opportunity. There is nowhere to go but up and be considered a good candidate for another franchise if you can get the Lions up to mediocrity.
Sadly it is the Lions. The Wayne Fontes years are the good old days and Wayne never was a head coach again.
The Lions have the opposite of the Midas Touch. Everything/Everyone associated with them turns to ______.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
“It just proves how poorly run the Lions are, and why they have had so many losing seasons. For them to be even considering hiring Charley Casserly after all the poor decisions in drafting and free agency for the Texans, screams incompetence.”
I wouldn’t knock Casserly too hard. He won a Super Bowl with the Redskins..and he drafted Andre Johnson…and picked Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. Casserly would be an upgrade over Millayhew. Obviously, Pioli or Ron Wolf would probably be the best choices though.
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Seriously, the Lions need to bite the bullet and turn the whole show over to Marty Schottenheimer. Get some Martyball going, and be glad to evn make the playoffs.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
These are the good old days if the Lions hire Casserly.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
“…Pioli’s role in the discovery of two of the best low-round quarterbacks in recent years if not ever (Tom Brady and Matt Cassel)”
LOL Ahhh…that’s classic Florio. Yes, Matt Cassel and his 10 career starts blows Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselbeck and every undrafted quarterback (Jake Delhomme, Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, etc.) right out of the water.
Save the hyperbole and stick with rumors and inside news. If we want overblown opinions dripping in Patriot exaggeration, we’ll read Bill Simmons.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
@VinnyCerratoDraftGenius
Others would say he rode Beathard’s coattails. And if you think Casserly (who was essentially fired two months after the ‘06 draft and was Dead GM Walking at the time) was the one who pulled the trigger on Mario over Bush, I’d like to make a fantasy football trade with you. Plaxico for anyone on your roster.
Plus, you really don’t want to get into a debate on Casserly’s draft picks and silly assed trades while with the Texans… Babin, Hollings, P-Buc, Charles Hill, Ragone, …I’m getting ill thinking about it…. I’ll offer up his entire 2005 draft against anything as one of the worst of all time: Travis Johnson, Vernand Morency, and Jerome Mathis as you top three picks? Please.
There’s a reason why there are only 6 players left (out of 38 draft picks) on the Texans 53 man roster from the 2002-05 era when Casserly was fully in charge.
That plus the bonehead free agent contracts he gave to guys like Todd Wade and Robaire Smith (and Gary Walker’s renew) should be plenty of evidence that this guy is, how should I say this…. not the best candidate for the Lions job…. but wait, on second thought maybe he’s a perfect fit.
Casserly bragged about the few that worked out and blamed the one’s that didn’t on Capers and Fangio.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 29th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
The Chiefs need to go ahead and make the move with Kuharic this offseason. Move Carl Peterson to the head of business and public relations (and heading up the stadium rebuild). Don’t let this guy get away - his personnel skills are very solid.
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 30th, 2008 at 3:29 am
PhillyFan says:
November 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
“Apparently, the Lions don’t feel the same way.”
Or Pioli has made clear that he has no interest in that disaster of a franchise. Why should he go there when he may have much better opportunities within a year or two such as a few of the teams you list in your article on Pioli. When there is a chance you could take over the Eagles, Cowboys, or Broncos, why would you settle on the Lions?
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You can scratch the Cowboys from that list. Jethro’s not firing himself for anyone unless they suck a few straight years. Then they’re gone once the team makes the playoffs and he can run it back into the ground and start the process over.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I would have to say this list is a solid start, especially before the season ends and they have the organization has the green light to talk to guys under contract with other teams.
My thoughts on this list:
Best for talent evaluation: Accorsi, Reese (not on this list for some reason????) & Wolf. All have a history of aking good use of picks and acquiring talent through free agency. Kuharich has some skills here too, but the QB situation in KC makes you scratch your head a bit.
Best for Head Coach management: Accorsi, he fires guys that don’t get it done, period. Then replaces them with ones it can. Wolf hit the jackpot with Holmgren, but some of his other hires wer not so great. I guess this year you could argue that Reese should be given credit for sticking by Fisher.
Worst choice: Donahoe, this is the only name that scares me and this being the Lions he could easily walk into an interview and smooth talk his way into the job.
ost likely to accept: REESE!!!! which is why he should be interviewed now. He has done everything he can to let the Lions know he wants the job abd would be a very good hire given his track record.
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November 30th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Reese makes sense and he wants the job, just interview him already!
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 30th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
what a load of crap….. these names do anything but inspire. we should have pried Wolfe off the couch seven years ago instead of making the Pennsylvania half-wit a filthy rich man. Now Wolfe is an old man out of touch with the NFL.
Kuharich is crap. many figured he’d never be able to duplicate the complete trainwreck he left in New Orleans. Two years later, in KC he seems to have pulled off the impossible.
Donahoe has had almost as many whiffs as millen did (Mularkey, Gregg Williams).
Casserly is a media darling but the Skins were terrible through much of his tenure and although the Texans started out okay they’ve turned into a head coach, qb and rb wrecking machine.
I’d have to say that Acorsi is probably the best of the lot but when your star free agent signing is the burnt bag of brain mush that just shot himself in a night club…. you ain’t all that.
Pioli is the best choice but watching guys like Romeo and Charlie stray from the comfy confines of the Kraft-Klub only to fail, he can’t be eager to go THAT far out on a ledge. With Kraft and Billy B as homeboys life really doesn’t get any better elsewhere.
My prediction is that junior and gramps will honor great Lions tradition by bringing in Speilman’s moronic brother.
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