Joey Harrington: Redheaded stepchild

I must say, now that the Lions have Jon Kitna and Josh McCown, the gloves are off. The anti-Harrington propaganda begins. Reports that Joey Harrington acted as mature as an 8 year old who didn't get his way are surfacing.

When he showed up for three days of meetings last week with the team's new coaching staff, he reportedly was sullen and uncooperative. He didn't take notes. He didn't pay attention. He didn't heed advice. In short, he acted as if he didn't want to be there.

I have a nephew in the 2nd grade who could fit that desciption. Why wasn't Joey sent to the office for a good talking to? Couldn't a note be sent to his parents about his attitude? Was giving Joey a timeout ever considered? I bet being told to stand in a corner and think about just what he did would have done wonders. It works on my nephew, why not Joey? Sounds as if Joey needed a good paddling. Spare the rod, spoil the child...


So what went wrong? let's just cut to the chase and say...EVERYTHING. Joey Blue Skies was the wrong player, in the wrong city, at the wrong time, with the wrong organization, with the wrong GM, who just wasn't all that good. He became the city of Detroit's redheaded stepchild, the poster and whipping boy, along with Matt Millen, for all that is wrong with the Lions.

The absolute glee that Joey is gone can be seen everywhere. The Sports Dude, for a typical example, is absolutely giddy!

did I mention that I am EXTREMELY FREAKING HAPPY right now? Finally, no more wet bag of shit gatorade boy throwing passes into the dirt, ala Andre Ware style!

In many ways, it's Grant Hill syndrome. Both were piano playing high draft picks, more popular with the rest of the country than in the city they played in, with a privileged air about them, who didn't fit in the blue collar, beer drinking atmosphere that is Detroit. When they couldn't win, the sniping began and never stopped. They were Oliver Wendell Douglass to our Arnold Ziffel.


In the end, they were both more than ready to leave. Post haste. Much like Lisa Douglass desperately wanted out of Hooterville...

Honestly, I'm glad the Joey Harrington era is coming to an end. I'm tired of talking about it. We're ALL tired of talking about it. I'm ready to move on and talk about more pleasant subjects, like root canals, prostrate exams, the Tigers, and local sports talk radio.