William Clay Ford: PLEASE SELL!

Since 1957, the Detroit Lions have won exactly one playoff game. Throughout the last 48 years, numerous high-profile draft picks have flopped, catastrophic injuries have ended the careers (or lives; see Andolsek, Eric) of some of the most promising young players, and a plethora of high-profile coaches have been chewed up and spit out like a handful of sunflower seeds. The culture of losing has become so ingrained within the organization, that fans and players alike have come to EXPECT failure.

In the real business world, when a culture of underachievement manifests itself in an organization, the leaders of said organization must make radical changes (whether they related to structure or personnel) from the top on down. However, in the case of the Lions, Mr. William Clay Ford has made it abundantly clear that his hirings and firings are based on loyalty, familiarity, and whether or not he "feels comfortable" with those working for him. But then, what would you expect from a family that runs its car company into the ground with the same unbridled nepotism?

While it is not certain that the Lions would flourish under new ownership, at the very least the stigma of mediocrity that has plagued this franchise would be removed in favor of the unknown; the metaphorical equivalent of taking a paper towel to a dry-erase board.

And so, it is here that I ask you, Mr. William Clay Ford, to sell the Detroit Lions. While I have no doubts that you love your team, it has become abundantly clear over the last 48 years that this team (nor this city) loves you back. I've seen the equivalent of this petition in a number of sportswriters' columns over the years, but I want to be sure that you fully understand that a large number of people think the Lions would be better off under new ownership.

If you truly love this team, you should let it go. While it is hard to let go of the one you love, if they do not love you back, how fulfilling can that be? Please, let it flourish with someone else.