Marinelli to get knifed....

[racosun]

...right after the season is over (by a surgeon, of course). Here's an AP article explaining the situation for our head coach:

Allen Park, Mich. (AP) -- Lions coach Rod Marinelli is scheduled to have hip replacement surgery next Friday.

"There isn't going to be a long rehabilitation," Marinelli told The Detroit News after practice Friday.

Marinelli will have his left hip replaced. The 57-year-old previously had replacement surgery on his right hip, but now walks with a noticeable limp because of degeneration in his left hip joint.

The surgery means the Lions staff will not coach the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 27. Traditionally, the staffs of the two NFL teams with the worst records are assigned to coach the North and South teams.

The Lions and Oakland Raiders are 2-13 going into the final weekend and are guaranteed to have the two worst records. The Lions end the regular season Sunday in Dallas against the Cowboys."

My dad recently had his hip replaced, and is now feeling a ton better because of it. It took him two months to not walk with a limp, and now he's back to riding four-wheelers again. I'm sure Coach Marinelli is right in assuming that it won't be a long rehabilitation.

[Romosexual]

Ha, jeez racosun - that title had me wondering :)

Here's to a speedy recovery for Marinelli.

[brady_branch]

I saw the title, and I thought "WHAT? They just hired him!" Then I opened the thread.

Hopefully it isn't a big deal.

[racosun]

Yeah, I put the title the way I did to add a little spice to the forum, which has otherwise been pretty depressing.

I have a feeling Marinelli is a good coach, and could someday put a winning team back under some Lions helmets. I think our 2-13 (probably 2-14 by 4:30 today) record can't be pinned on Coach. That's Millen's number. The latest gossip has owner William Clay Ford Sr. keeping Millen on for at least one more season, which would mean Marinelli can try to build something here. However, if Millen does get the hook before next season, Coach will probably be looking for another job in another city. Millen won't find any work outside of a TV booth, but Marinelli would be a hot commodity for his defensive genius. One job that is almost guaranteed to have a new coach in it is the defensive coordinator position. Last off-season, Marinelli tried to bring his son-in-law (who is also a Tampa Bay coach) with him to serve as the DC, but the Bucs wouldn't allow him to leave. He's free after this season, and Donnie Henderson (the Lions current DC) isn't getting the job done. This defense will look dramatically different next season, that's for sure.