GM Millen must stay with Lions, ignore calls to resign

	Color commentators can learn a hard lesson from Matt Millen: Making cogent points on TV does not mean you can run an NFL franchise. Bill Frakes/SI

Stand tall, speak up and come out swinging ... or leave!

As a Michigan native, this is my unsolicited advice for Detroit Lions President and CEO Matt Millen, who is justifiably under fire this week because of an NFL-worst 2-11 record(tied with the Raiders) and a wretched mark of 23-70 since he took office in January 2001. Even worse, the Lions' brass -- including the ownership -- has done a deplorable job of publicly articulating their vision through the media (deferring comments to head coach Rod Marinelli, whose colorless persona makes Eagles head coach Andy Reid seem like Hunter S. Thompson). And then there's the damning quote from The Boston Globe on Dec. 2:

"[Millen's] got the worst record in history from a general manager and he'll have that record forever," an AFC executive told the paper. "No one else will ever get to have double-digit losses for six straight years. I've been in the league for over 20 years, and I've never heard of a team going 23-68 without making a change in management. The only thing he's accomplished since he got to Detroit is surviving. Don't ask me how he's done it."

Let's be clear here: If Millen plans to continue his passive-aggressive reign leading a franchise that has earned just one playoff victory since 1957, he should leave quietly at season's end. But if he has yet another bold plan for reviving the franchise, then how about calling an all-points-bulletin press conference today, orating the following message?

I would like to apologize for the current state of the Detroit Lions. I want to apologize for the fact that -- in my six-year tenure as CEO and president -- our original mission of division titles and Super Bowl berths has never been realized. I'm also sorry to say the on-field product has regressed during this time.

Much has been made of the Lions' record during my regime; and there's really no defending it -- so I'm not going to even try. But the way I figure it, I have two choices: I could either step down from my duties and walk away ... OR I could step to the plate and ask Lions fans everywhere to give me another shot at rectifying my mess. I am genuinely seeking one more chance to prove my mettle as a smart, focused, determined and, yes, accountable! caretaker to this storied franchise. Sure, I've made an unacceptable number of mistakes with personnel in my time here. But I stand before you a humbled, yet proud man who refuses to quit on this team or its ownership.

From this day forward, I am going to be accessible to the media -- in terms of explaining my vision for the short-term and long-term. From this moment on, I will subject myself to a 'no-margin-for-error' creed with the fans. OK, so I don't always like dealing with media issues -- many of you know me to be a private man. But I have an awesome responsibility here, and I am going to fight my way out of this hole and put the Detroit Lions on the map as one of the NFL's elite franchises. And if I should ever distance myself from the problems that can devastate an organization's growth ... well, then you'll have every right to demand my resignation. And guess what? You'll probably have it. But right here, right now, I refuse to leave this team in such a bewildered state.

In a perfect world, Millen would throw himself to the mercy of the Court of Public Opinion, instead of meekly waiting out the end of his presidency. In a perfect world, Millen -- who I've spoken with a few times as an actual Lions employee (2004-05) -- would realize that emulating Butch Davis' final days in Cleveland as an imperialistic, inflexible and oblivious leader is not a sound career move. (Check out this article from SI.com's Don Banks in November 2004.)

The Proof's In The Pudding

Now, I could detail some of Millen's most notable errors from previous drafts -- like passing on Clinton Portis, Deuce McAllister, Dwight Freeney, Andre Johnson, Brian Westbrook, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Lance Briggs, Chris Cooley, Matt Schaub, DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Jay Cutler or Matt Leinart. But to be fair, every franchise missed out on some or all of these probable superstars at some point. Instead, here's a timeline of his tangible highlights -- both bad and good.

The Misses

2001

• You know when an NBA expansion team hires an unproven commodity as head coach, knowing that he'll probably fail amid such dire circumstances? Well, meet Marty Mornhinweg, who went 5-27 in two years with Detroit. Hiring Mornhinweg was not really a problem; the true error occurred when Millen opted not to interview any other candidates extensively for the coveted position. (At the time, NFL assistants Marvin Lewis, John Fox and Lovie Smith were "hot" candidates for head-coaching gigs.)

2002

• Doling out big monies for WRs Az-Zahir Hakim and Bill Schroeder as the No. 1 and No. 3 receiving options, respectively. Ouch!

• Taking (and keeping) DE Kalimba Edwards at No. 36. After signing Edwards to a fat extension last winter, the Lions are still waiting for his second sack this season.