Official Blog | Friday | March 19th, 2010

New NFL Overtime Rules Could Change History

I have trouble recalling whether Phil Luckett was a referee that was plain bad or a victim of poor circumstance. Now 10 years since he last wore the white hat in the NFL, Luckett remains a fixture in the rules of NFL games, as his mess-ups have brought on rule changes in the league. On Thanksgiving Day, 1998 at the Pontiac Silverdome, Luckett made an interesting call on a coin flip which led to a Lions victory over the Steelers. For next season, the coin flip may carry an entirely different meaning.

Luckett’s existance in the NFL brought on two signficant rule changes: 1) players must declare “heads” or “tails” before the coin toss and 2) video replay is now in wide use to challenge calls on the field. The ongoing discussions for a rule change however, put more of the game in the hands of the players by allowing both teams to touch the ball if the first team does not score a touchdown. This means that the 31% of games where the team that loses the opening coin toss also loses the game without touching the ball, would not apply here. The league is creating a remedy to one of its most glaring issues, much as it once did when Luckett became a two-word expletive in many NFL cities.

The Lions have had their fair share of good luck over the past few years with overtime. In fact, the last Lions game to go to overtime was a win over the Vikings in 2007. Naturally, it took a Jason Hanson field goal to send the Vikes home unhappy. In the Steelers-Lions Thanksgiving Day game highlighted, it was the Lions that ended up on the winning side. The issue lately for the Lions has been their struggling ability to keep it close at the ends of games.

What do you think? Do you like the proposed NFL overtime rules? What would you suggest?

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Detroit Lions’ Jim “The Hatchet” David belongs in Hall of Fame

There’s the old showbiz joke — you need two comics to tell it — that identifies what it takes to make a good comedian. The first guy says “What you really need if you want to tell jokes…” and before he can finish the set-up, the second guy interrupts by blurting out “timing!”

That evergreen has some application when considering the recent elevation of former Lions defensive halfback Dick LeBeau to the National Football Hall of Fame. Controversy swirled around LeBeau’s status — both during the long period when he was blocked from Hall admission, and again now that his longtime coaching record afforded him a second chance via a Senior Committee recommendation of the Lions #44 to the Hall.

Much of the debate centered around the influence of his coaching career, a multi-faceted five team resume that began immediately in 1973 after the culmination of his 14 years patrolling the Lions defensive backfield. The issue raised here does not address his coaching possibly adding weight to his candidacy. Let’s instead take a look at LeBeau’s record and Hall qualifications and compare them to another Lions defensive back, Jim David, another controversial Hall “nominee” (an unofficial term; as with LeBeau many have touted the late David as Hall worthy), and see how time played a crucial role for both.

Dick LeBeau put in an amazing 14 seasons with the Lions, 185 games from 1959-72, showing amazing resiliency for a corner. He was a three time Pro Bowler (Lions fans may recall him stepping out of a starting lineup to do the “Twist” once when he was introduced in Hawaii), and a member of a famed backfield contingent, the “L” boys of Lane, Lowe, Lary and LeBeau. His best credential would surely be the 62 interceptions he rang up in his career. He lacked blazing speed, but at 6′1 and 187 pounds he was a real ‘gamer’ providing steadfast play for the Lions.

But then there’s David, who has not made the Hall, and for whom the term “gamer” might have been invented. If the legendary “Hatchet” wasn’t the meanest man in the NFL, he was surely the toughest 5 ‘10 back in the history of the league. He threw his paltry 178 pounds around with reckless abandon, earning Pro Bowl recognition in SIX of his eight years with the Lions. (David’s backers would tell you he should have been selected seven times, but was barred in 1953 after he ended Y.A. Tittle’s season — and the 49ers title chances — with an “accidentally” applied knee-to-jaw tackle when the QB made the mistake of trying to dive into the Lions end zone on the Hatchet’s side.) David compiled 36 interceptions over 96 games, and — maybe the highlight of HIS resume — he played on three World’s Championship and four division championship teams in Detroit.

And as LeBeau played with the All-L backfield, David was an integral part of the “Chris Crew,” the defensive backfield headed by Hall of Famer Jack Christiansen and later anchored by HOFer Yale Lary. In fact, both players ran alongside greatness. Besides Lary, LeBeau partnered with Dick “Night Train” Lane and later Lem Barney in Detroit, two more legendary Hall choices.

So why LeBeau, and why not David? Like the joke about telling jokes, it’s all in the timing. And timing eventually worked for LeBeau in overcoming the glare given off by his famous backfield mates. While David and LeBeau seemed evenly matched by averaging roughly 4.5 interceptions per season, a working theory was that both failed to receive initial Hall support because they would have been the third of their backfield “teams” — the L Boys and the Chris Crew — to gain admittance. Surely some voters, at the time of David’s and LeBeau’s original consideration, figured that elevating three of four backfield starters from the same team would have been a bit much. Thus did both fail to gain entrance when first eligible.

But when LeBeau’s candidacy was considered the second time around, sparked by his long coach’s service and recommended by the Hall’s Senior Committee, the bright and apparently blinding light cast by Lary and Lane and then Barney had long worn off. And thus voters were able to consider his candidacy outside of his starry backfield affiliation. It makes it seem possible, if not likely, that a new consideration of Jim David — on his own instead of as the third Chris Crewman — could yield similar results.

Sound goofy? Possibly. But it’s an argument that makes sense to many.

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Saints’ Championship Rekindles Memories of Lions’ Past Glory

The hoo-rah in Louisiana hardly seems to have taken a pause following the Saints’ electric victory Sunday night. And in light of the Saints ascension into the heaven where athletics, mass exposure, showbiz, and celebrity make for such a potent mix, I’m examining a memento of another National Football League championship achievement — one registered a mere 52-plus years ago.

Detroit Lions quarterback Tobin Rote crosses the goal line during the 1957 NFL Championship game at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.

Ironically, this celebrates the same accomplishment, victory in the League’s ultimate season-ending game. It’s the Detroit Free Press of Monday, December 30, 1957. And it features a banner front page headline, similar likely to some that were splashed across New Orleans, announcing in two words of blazing four inch height anchored by a massive exclamation point — “LIONS WIN!” The sub-heads, just underneath but still above the paper’s fold, trumpet “Wallop Browns, 59-14 … It’s 1954 in Reverse.”

The 1957 Championship, the equivalent of the present-day Super Bowl, was the Lions third in only six years, and the team’s fourth championship appearance, their only loss being an inexplicable 56-10 defeat at the hands of Cleveland in the afore-mentioned 1954 clash. Word the next day was that first-year coach George Wilson had motivated his “old pro” Lions with a single message on the team’s clubhouse chalkboard before the ‘57 explosion: “56-10.” To that prideful bunch of Lions, that memory was inspiration enough.

Who was the Drew Brees of the Lions last hurrah? The final, smallest sub-head tells the story: “55,263 See Rote Click For 4 TDs, Get 1 Himself.” Free Press football writer Bob Latshaw put it in a nutshell:

“The championship struggle was simply no contest.

“An aroused crew of Detroit Lions virtually ran the Cleveland Browns right out of Briggs Stadium Sunday afternoon to climax one of the greatest clutch performances in pro football history.

“The Lions, sparked by a brilliant passing performance by Tobin Rote, who riddled Cleveland’s defense for four touchdowns, scored two touchdowns in each quarter to avenge the stinging 56-10 defeat suffered by Detroit in 1954.

“That was the watchword all week: Remember 1954!”

Latshaw’s long game summary could have used an exclamation point to end each sentence, such was the excitement I recall all over Detroit as both a young Lions fanatic AND a first-time Lions attendee at that memorable 1957 contest. Rote had been the season-long understudy to Lions legend Bobby Layne, the hero of championship runs in 1952 and 1953, and fellow Texan Tobin Rote stepped out of Layne’s locally manufactured mythology to snatch his own piece of history. Layne broke his ankle, or more accurately had it broken for him by these same Cleveland Browns just three weeks before, on December 8. In stepped Rote, a longtime star of the Green Bay Packers obtained in trade by the Lions as “insurance” for a ‘57 title run, to masterfully steer the Lions past Chicago in the season’s final regular game; to sensationally and unbelievably bring the Lions back from a 27-7 deficit at San Francisco in the Division playoff game; and then to humiliate the Browns in the finale.

When the gun sounded on the ‘57 celebration, Rote was atop the shoulders of surging fans in one area of the Briggs Stadium field and the best linebacker of the age, Lions stalwart Joe Schmidt, was being carried around by another mob of delirious fans. It was a scene to savor, and remember forever. And that is precisely what I — as a Lions devotee from the age of six — have had to do all these decades and years.

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Former Lion Dick LeBeau Should Be Selected to the Hall of Fame Today

Sometime this afternoon we will find out whether former Lion cornerback and current Steeler defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

LeBeau needs to obtain 80 per cent of the vote from the 44 person Veterans Committee. (LeBeau’s number was also 44) Mike O’Hara of the News predicts LeBeau is headed to Canton.

From 1959 to 1972, Dick LeBeau played an NFL record 171 consecutive games at cornerback for Detroit and is third among NFL cornerbacks in career interceptions (62).

LeBeau was always a strong defensive back who was a ball hawk and a tough tackler back in the day when defense was truly the Lions’ pride.

In the early 1960s LeBeau was part of Detroit “4 Ls” secondary that also included Gary Lowe and Hall of Famers Dick “Night Train” Lane and Yale Lary. From 1967 to 1972 the Ohio State grad played alongside fellow cornerback and Hall of Famer Lem Barney.

Lion legend and Hall of Famer Joe Schmidt played with LeBeau from 1959 to 1965 and was his head coach from 1967 through 1972. Schmidt recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

“Down deep, he knows he should be there. But he’s not going to make a big fuss over it if he doesn’t get there. I know it means a lot to him and he should be there. He’s contributed a lot to the NFL and there’s not reason he shouldn’t enjoy the fruits at the end.”

Amazingly, this year marked LeBeau’s 51st consecutive year in the NFL.

After he retired from playing in 1972, LeBeau embarked on a celebrated coaching career in Philadelphia, Green Bay, Buffalo, and Cincinnati and two stints in Pittsburgh.

Considered an “innovator” and “defensive football genius”, he created the famous “zone blitz” when he was defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals in the late 1980s. He would later also serve as head coach in Cincinnati.

Despite his great acclaim as a coach and his 14 year playing career in Detroit, it appears the Lions never offered him a coaching position. Joe Schmidt told me that he once tried to get an interview for LeBeau with the front office but the offer was declined.

I think we could have used him again.

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Super Bowl Week a Sad Reminder of What’s Missing in Detroit

It’s Super Bowl week again, a time when every red-blooded kid in America is reminded that:

1. He or she can grow up to be President should they so desire.  And…

2. Any football fan in the country might someday see the home team in the Super Bowl, unless you live in Detroit.

I’ve suffered longer than most; my first Lions game happened to be on December 29, 1957, when I and my Dad saw the Lions claim their last NFL championship over Cleveland at the late and so-lamented Briggs Stadium, to the nifty tune of 59-14. Having just achieved the age of reason, I can recall the championships of 1952 and 1953, and the ‘almost’ seasons of ‘54 and ‘56. Following the ‘57 celebration, I had every reason to assume that I could grow into adulthood with Lions championships ’round nearly every corner.

But, alas, two major events occcurred shortly after the Browns blowout, which were to change football here for all our lifetimes. Just two regular season games into the ‘58 season, the Lions defied history and good sense and traded sparkplug quarterback Bobby Layne, author of those earlier triumphs. And after the 1963 season, the team — which had been run by a conglomerate of local business types –passed into the sole ownership of one William Clay Ford. Thus did the most successful and colorful NFL franchise of the historically crucial decade from ‘52 to ‘62 plunge into the valley of darkness where it wanders still.

Thus the crazos in New Orleans and Indianapolis (New Orleans? … India–friggin–APOLIS?, is this a joke of some kind?) … are escorted to Football Heaven while we once again — unless you are under 60, with no past to cling to — are left to recall the Good Old Days of the ’50s. Because for the majority of Lions fans, there literally ARE no good old days. 1957 was IT. The end of the line. Just incredible.

Even hairball franchises like the Washington Redskins, doormats of the NFL during the turnaround era of the ’50s and early ’60s, have experienced 5 … FIVE … Super Bowl visitations since the NFL and AFL inaugurated the Big One in 1967. The Redskins? With the dopey marching band and the whacked out owner and drunken businessman reeling on the sidelines in sleazy Indian head-dresses and moccasins? They were out of the running every year of the Golden Age of the ’50s. Yet they’ve made up lost time with those five appearances — and even three victories to boot, in ‘82, ‘87, and ‘91. There’s something said about blind squirrels and acorns. The Lions were NFL royalty when the ‘Skins were running around like drunken chipmunks all those years. But we’ve had nary a nut in all this time here in Detroit.

Okay. If it’s reality that’s holding us back, let’s suspend inconvenient history. Let’s alter a few facts. Tweak an event here and there, play with the fate that has befallen us, and rewrite the record book. I say we can do so by making two adjustments in local NFL lore. Let’s imagine an NFL franchise in Detroit that would benefit but from just a couple of key moves that might have kept the Lions around the top of the pro football pyramid:

1. If William Clay Ford had decided to pursue drinking as the major passion of his life and abandoned the sports world to more sober enthusiasts. Thus, the franchise could have been taken over by local businessman and minority owner Ralph Wilson, who was 42 in 1960. (And who subsequently took Buffalo to four Super Bowls under his direction, but in this scenario we keep old Ralphie — who also adored the Lions in his youth — right here.)

2. The Lions had treated Bobby Layne as the franchise player and athletic magician he clearly was, and held on to him for the duration of his career.

And thus, we might have had, as we enter on the path to yet another Lion-less Super Bowl, a real alternative….

(To Be Continued tomorrow)

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