N.Y. Jets quarterback Brett Favre acknowledged today that he spoke to former Detroit Lions president Matt Millen a few weeks ago, but denied reports he called Matt and gave him and Lions coaches information they could use in a game against the Green Bay Packers:

“When Matt called me and was talking about hunting and told me that he lived an hour from here, don’t think for a second I wasn’t thinking, ‘Now, surely he wants to know something.’ Yeah, I played for the Packers for 16 years and we played against the Lions a bunch, but it’s no secret what we did against them. I don’t have a playbook from Green Bay. I didn’t send the playbook. I didn’t call him and say, ‘Look, if you do this, you’re going to win the game.’ I didn’t do that ….. We went empty formation and just keep throwing completion after completion. They study film, they know what type of plays ….. Once again, I don’t want to make this any bigger than it is ….. That’s it. Story’s not as good now, is it?”

Think about it. If Brett were going to give a team a game plan on how to beat the Packers, why would he start with the Lions? He’d call a team that could actually beat the Pack with that information. And that team is not the Detroit Lions. Allegations of this “Benedict Brett” scenario have been lingering for a few days and I thought it was so ridiculous I didn’t post anything previously. Brett cleared the air on that subject today and also added that he never called Tony Romo (as some news outlets were reporting) to encourage him to play with his injured hand. Who makes up this stuff?

Source: NewYorkJets.com

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Brett Favre Denies Allegations

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Detroit Lions have had very little to cheer about so far this season. They’re winless after three games and getting beaten in pretty much every statistical category. But today, there seems to be hope. Team Owner and Chairman William Clay Ford announced that Matt Millen has been relieved of his duties (a nice way of saying he was fired) as President and CEO even though he had three years left on a five-year contract extension he signed in 2005. In a statement released by the Lions today, Mr. Ford said:

“I have relieved Matt Millen of his duties effective immediately. I believe that this decision is in the best interest of this organization. I appreciate Matt’s efforts. Matt worked tirelessly during his tenure to win, and he would be the first one to tell you that you have to win in this league. It just didn’t work out. The support of our fans continues to be incredible and they deserve a winner. Every decision we make must focus on that goal, and I believe this decision today will allow this team to move forward in a positive manner. I am very disappointed with where we are as a team after our start this season. Our sole focus now is preparing for our next game against Chicago. The entire organization must work together and do whatever we can to make this a successful season. Despite our record, it is still early and there is time to turn this season around. These decisions are for the duration of the 2008 season. Once the season is over, we will undergo a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of our entire football operation and put together a plan that we believe will transform this team into a winner.”

No disrespect to Matt, but enough already. It’s time for a change. The Lions have been kind of a pathetic mess since he arrived. Their record is a dismal 31-84. They have at least 10 more losses than any other NFL team over the past seven-plus seasons. Clearly, that isn’t getting it done. Now, I’m sure Matt was doing the best job he could, so I put some (actually a lot) of the blame on Mr. Ford for not making this decision a long time ago. He hired an inexperienced (as GMs go) Matt Millen and way overpaid him. Then he let the disastrous results continue year-after-agonizing-year. You do need to win in this league. And the Lions have failed miserably under Matt’s direction.

Executive Vice President and COO Tom Lewand will now report directly to Mr. Ford on all business, organizational and NFL matters. Martin Mayhew will assume the role of General Manager and report directly to Mr. Ford on all football matters. Additionally, Cedric Saunders has been named the Vice President of Football Operations.

Sources: DetroitLions.com, NFL.com Wire Report, Photo: Newscom

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Matt Millen Fired by Detroit Lions

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

When Army safety Caleb Campbell was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the 218th pick in the seventh-round of the 2008 NFL Draft, he had played his way out of deployment to Kuwait or Iraq and into the National Football League. If he makes the team, that is.

“If football wasn’t going to happen, I branched as an air defense artilleryman, and that’s what I would go into as an officer. I would be a platoon leader in charge of about 32 soldiers. A lot of ADA guys right now are getting deployed, so it would depend on the unit I was stationed with as to where I’d go.”

Because of a new rule (it’s actually about three years old), Army allows its high-profile graduates to go directly to the NFL and, if they can make the team, to fulfill their obligation via recruiting duty and service in the Army Reserve. Since its inception, this is the first time it’s been invoked. Like it or not, the policy makes recruiting athletes at Army easier. Head football coach Bobby Ross can walk into a recruit’s home and tell him he has a better shot at playing in the NFL.

“I initially came to the Academy knowing that I wanted to be an officer in the United States Army. That’s why I came to the Academy, and playing Division I football was just extra. Coach Ross told me my sophomore year that if I continued to play like I was playing, I would have an opportunity to make it to the NFL. That’s when I sat down and had a talk with myself. I decided that if football and the opportunity to play in the National Football League presented itself, I was going to take it. Talking with a lot of officers here at the Academy and my coaches, being a football player in the National Football League and representing the United States Army would be very beneficial, so I decided to go that route.”

I participated in a national conference call with Caleb from West Point today.

DAVID: When did you find out that the Lions were going to take you?

CALEB: I didn’t know until a couple of minutes before they actually took me. Mr. Millen called me around 2:30 that afternoon and told me, ‘Caleb, I can’t promise you anything, but if you’re still around late, I’m probably going to take you.’ I didn’t get my hopes up because I know the Draft is so subjective and things change as the Draft goes on. He called me right before the Packers made their pick and asked me if I would like to be a Lion. I told him I’d love to be a Lion, and he said, ‘Alright, watch your name come up on the screen after the Packers make their pick.’

DAVID: Well, you’re going to be thrown right into it. Rookie camp starts this week. What are your expectations?

CALEB: From what I hear, it’s going to be a lot of work. We’re going to get shuffled around a lot — do this, do that, go get this signed, physicals — and also playing some ball. It’s going to be really competitive. It’s a business that you have to bring the attitude that you’re ready to compete. It’s going to be exciting, but I’ll also be a little bit nervous. It’s going to be a good time.

DAVID: You played safety at West Point, but there are rumors of moving you to sam linebacker. How do you feel about that?

CALEB: It hasn’t been set yet, but initially when I go into camp they’re going to try me out as a sam linebacker. If they see it’s not working out, they’ll move me back to safety.

If you watched the 2008 NFL Draft until the bitter end, you would’ve seen Caleb interviewed on both ESPN’s and NFL Network’s programming. He’s also been featured in Sports Illustrated and on ESPN’s E:60.

“I guess I’m a little surprised. When I did that Sports Illustrated article, the guy who wrote it got a lot of feedback after it was published. He told me that if I got drafted, that I might get a lot of attention, and the attention might not be focused on me, but rather the policy itself. I’m surprised it’s gone to the level that it has, but I’m not really focused on that. I’m focused on making the team.”

DAVID: How do you feel about the potential historic impact of your situation? Since the rule was put into effect, you’re the first one to carry it this far.

CALEB: I just hope I pave the way for future athletes at the Academy if they decide to pursue this career. It’s been kind of a bumpy ride just because it’s a fluid policy and a step-by-step situation. I hope it paves the way for others who can pursue this opportunity if they want to pursue it.

DAVID: How do you feel your time at West Point has prepared you for life in the NFL?

CALEB: Time management, focus and determination. I think one thing people neglect to realize is that 90 percent of our time has been dedicated to being a cadet and a solider, and only 5 to 10 percent of that time has been dedicated to being a football player. We have huge upswings. When we’re able to focus on professional football as a career, our potential will go through the roof and we’ll be able to show what type of football players we can be.

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EMQB Interview: Caleb Campbell

“We couldn’t be more excited to get Calvin Johnson. Our organization felt really comfortable to draft not only what we thought was the top player in the draft, but also one with great character. Calvin is going to be a big part of getting us to where we want to go. Calvin is going to team with Mike and the rest of this offense and turn it into one of the most dynamic offenses in the league.”

Detroit Lions OC Mike Martz and QB Jon Kitna (photo DetroitLions.com)

The addition of Johnson to Martz’s offensive system, dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf” when he coached in St. Louis, has Lions fans excited and should already have defensive coordinators worried. In the week leading up to the draft, Martz left hand-written notes saying “Please draft me” for Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli and joked they were from Johnson. Martz said:

“That’s how excited we were about him. He’s just a dynamic and explosive player with unlimited ability in terms of what he can do for us on the field. He has the character we’re looking for and he will help this team win. I think he’s the best wide receiver in the draft that I’ve ever seen. I’ve never been so excited for a season to start.”

Martz, who spent seven seasons with the St. Louis Rams as offensive coordinator (1999) and head coach (2000-05) before joining the Lions last year, has high expectations for his receiving corps as Johnson and newly acquired Shaun McDonald join Pro Bowl wide receiver Roy Williams (NFC-best 1,310 yards in 2006) and Mike Furrey (NFC-high 98 receptions in 2006). Martz really likes his top four receivers and says they could equal or be better than the best he’s ever had. That’s saying a lot because he coached perennial All-Pros Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt in St. Louis as the Rams became the first team to score at least 500 points in three consecutive seasons.

This team reminds me somewhat of the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, who drafted Randy Moss as the final piece of their puzzle en route to a 15-1 regular season and subsequent appearance in the NFC Championship game. The only difference? The verdict is still out on the Lions’ offensive line. Minnesota had the best O-line in football that season and as the foundation of any team, the Lions will need to be sharp there before any of these “skill” players can do their thing. And as much as I’ve hesitated to give QB Jon Kitna my full endorsement, the guy’s a leader and a battler and given the time to throw the football, he should also thrive with these weapons at his disposal. He may even be a fantasy favorite in 2007. Yes, these are the new Lions. Hear them roar!

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Lions Ready to Roar?