'I get all the damn criticism'
Lions' Ross says he's taking blame for losses, too
Posted: Monday November 09, 1998 06:56 PM
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Ross: "People hammer at me. I'm a good coach. I know what the heck's supposed to be done." Elas Hasch/Allsport |
DETROIT (AP) -- A day after the Detroit Lions lost 10-9 at
Philadelphia, Lions head coach Bobby Ross didn't distance himself from his
post-game questioning of his team's performance.
But to Ross on Monday, questioning the media was fair game.
"I do want to address some of your articles relative to me not taking the
blame and putting the blame on them," Ross said told reporters at the
Pontiac Silverdome. "If you were to write that, you don't know me. You
really don't know me.
"I'm going to hold myself first and foremost accountable. That's going to
be the first person I deal [with]."
As for his previous day's remarks about the Lions, Ross added: "I'm not
going to back down on my remarks because of of what we did yesterday. We
cannot shoot ourselves in the feet. Regardless of how hard we may play,
you've still ultimately got to play the game to win it and you've got to
play better. We all need to look at ourselves and hold ourselves all
accountable."
After the Lions fell to Philadelphia, Ross vented about the setback that
left both teams with 2-7 records and had him fuming, notably about several
Lions penalties during their final drive that ended with Jason Hanson missing a
58-yard field goal with 31 seconds left.
"I'm not low. I'm ticked off," Ross said afterward. "I take the blame. I
get all the damn criticism. People hammer at me. I'm a good coach. I know
what the heck's supposed to be done. I'm not going to second-guess myself
one time. That was terrible what happened out there today with us."
Then he added: "You think I coach that stuff? I don't coach that stuff. I
work on that stuff. I spend the time on it. And I'm getting all the damn
heat with everybody. I don't coach them to do that type of thing. And
they've got to step up and start making some plays. This game is still won
by players, and I'm tired of taking it like that. I work too hard, and I
put too much of myself into it."
Barry Sanders did his part for the Lions, gaining 140 yards on 20 carries.
But he understands Ross' frustration.
"He really didn't say anything that was off-base as far as I'm concerned,"
Sanders said. "I don't think it was out of place. I don't think anybody
could be more disappointed than Luther Elliss or Herman Moore or myself,
the guys who are playing. I can relate to what he was saying."
Of Ross' outburst, offensive tackle Ray Roberts said: "I think
what he wants us to do is become accountable for your actions. You have to
address the things you are doing and to play with some kind of passion."
To Ross, what could lift the Lions out of the NFC Central's basement
remains unclear. But he said no one should expect to see much change in
personnel -- at least until season's over.
"I'm not going to be firing coaches and making wholesale changes in
personnel right now," he said. "What good would it do for me to say, 'I'm
gonna cut him, I'm gonna release him, I'm gonna get him out of here.' You
bring someone in and it takes four weeks to learn the system and then it's
over. But evaluations are going to be continually made." Extra
points
Ross said offensive lineman Larry Tharpe was suffering
from some shoulder problems during the game. "We took him out and had to
play [Tony] Ramirez because of that. It was kind of like a stinger over
what he had originally. That was the reason for the change there," Ross
said. Ross also said guard Jeff Hartings, considered
to be the most athletic of the linemen, should return from a knee injury
this Sunday. Hartings has missed the past three games. Ross held Sanders
out of practice Monday with a sore rib. He said it was just a precaution
and that Sanders would be fine by Wednesday.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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