Attitude

I'm sure people sometimes wonder (although they don't really ask) about my attitude.

I've got one. I admit it. It comes across differently to different people -- and yeah, there are some who might call it "bad." But not to my face. I think most people who think they know me call it tough.

Basically, it's just attitude. I tell you what I think, when I think it. Occasionally, and unfortunately, my next thought is "I really should keep that to myself."

Hence, the attitude.

For those who wonder where it comes from though, it's in my Michigan roots and this sums it up perfectly: Apparently, WDIV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit that broadcast the Super Bowl, ran a disclaimer across the bottom of the screen EVERY TIME "analyst" Matt Millen appeared on-screen.

And it read thusly: "Matt Millen was president of the Lions for the worst eight-year run in the history of the NFL. Knowing his history with the team, is there a credibility issue as he now serves as an analyst for NBC Sports?"

I have to say that I was a bit, er, taken aback when I saw Millen giving viewers his thoughts during football's biggest game. It's kind of like if George Bush were to be hired by NBC as a stock analyst.

I'm not saying that just because Millen had absolutely no judgment when it came to staffing a football team and selecting talent that he couldn't effectively tell viewers what was happening on the field.

I am saying that you don't reward the guy that drives the bus off the cliff. I am saying that there were at least a handful of former coaches/execs out there that would have been a better, more respectable choice. And I'm saying I turned the volume off whenever Millen's mug showed up on the screen.

Way to go WDIV. Attitude? You betcha. Got a problem with that?

College football's no-brainer

Oooooak-la-homa ... that wind that comes rushing down the plain is the huge sigh of relief from Sooners fans who found out today that they'll have Heisman-winning quarterback Sam Bradford for one more season.

Hmmm ... maybe it's me (and often it is) but it seems like the most recognizable names in college football this season are staying put rather than coming out for the NFL draft. And you can't help but wonder if for guys like Bradford the Detroit Lions weighed in on the decision-making process.

And think about it: the 0-16 Lions are so bad, the top prospects would stay in school, risk injury or their stock dropping with a sub-par season rather than being the No. 1 draft choice and being sentenced to serving time in Detroit.

Guys like Bradford are smart enough to know that the economy is going to recover before the Lions. They're smart enough, but probably not old enough, to realize that the Lions are William Clay Ford's version of the Pinto. Hit 'em and they explode. They're smart enough to know that the fans in Detroit will suffer through 0-20, 1-23, 4-28 before they start to see enough consistency to think about having a .500 team, let alone a playoff team.

The Lions are not the 2008 Atlanta Falcons. There was some talent there. The Falcons' biggest problem was image. And with a guy like Matt Ryan, it wasn't hard to fix.

In Detroit, the problems are more than skin deep and a pretty face isn't going to fix it. There's always a chance they'll trade it away. But if they keep it, for a short time, the No. 1 pick will be seen as a savior. But as soon as the reality of the Motor City Breakdown sets in, it'll be clear that the No. 1 pick, whoever he is, is just a start on a very long road to redemption.