Man, this thing just reeks of desperation right now - and that is so not Rod Marinelli's style.  Am I the only one to think that this Culpepper/Stanton/Orlovsky drama is manifesting into something very un-Marinelli-like?  This is the same guy that makes first round draft picks and top name free agents earn a job.  Now he's just handing it to Culpepper?  C'mon.  This absolutely stinks of Marinelli being so desperate for a win that he's willing to throw any veteran quarterback in there - knowing the playbook or not.  He is thinking about one thing right now... his job.  It's just as simple as that.  Screw the Lions fans.  Screw the 2009 Lions.  Screw everyone but Rod.  That's how I feel about this situation.

Isn't it the ultimate characteristic of this team to always force solid people to do something uncharacteristic?  Thus the name of my fanpost.  Rod, from day one has had the pound-your-fist-on-the-podium approach to being the same, not swaying with the crowd, believing in your fundamentals as a coach.  With Culpepper, he is pulling a complete 180 on his credo.  What has Culpepper earned?  Nothing.  His 39 TD season of 2004 seems like a hundred years ago.  He is not that player today.  In fact, is he better than Orlovsky right now?  I could debate anyone at length on that one and probably come out the victor in most cases. 

What makes this thing worse is that it seems that Marinelli & Co. are Kitna-ing Dan-O.  From Dan's own comments, it doesn't seem like he's that hurt.  But to further the Culpepper agenda, the coaches are leaking to morons like Jay Glazer (who will break any pathetic story - with or without credibility - just to get his mug in the news) that Dan-O could be out for several weeks.  Believe me, Glazer is getting this crap from someone in the Lions organization and my friends, it isn't a player.  The guys on this team are behind Dan right now.  They think he's improving.  So do I.  Culpepper is an intrusion.

Now, I am not one of those that think Orlovsky is our quarterback of the future.  I think that he has limited accuracy and potential.  This rant is not about that.  It's about Marinelli selling out to try to pad the win-loss column so he can keep his damn job.  Granted, I might even do the same thing were I in his shoes.  But I'm not.  I'm a fan.  And as a fan, I expect this organization to take the proper steps in rebuilding a piece of crap team when the season is in the tank so that the future does not look so bleak.  Culpepper is a bridge player.  He's a stop-gap guy.  He's an insurance policy, nothing more.  He should be here so that if Stanton is the guy, he's our veteran back-up.  If it's not Stanton, Culpepper should be here so that he can start while our '09 draft pick learns with a clipboard until 2010.  The fact that Culpepper is here to start on this 0-8 team tells me that it's about job security and nothing more.  That is pathetic and selfish.

I just can't see beyond these ridiculous decisions that are being made.  The thing is, I'm all for the Culpepper signing as a potential starter in '09.  That makes sense.  But to not start either Orlovsky or Stanton for Culpepper THIS YEAR is just absolute nonsense.  So here we go again into the '09 offseason not knowing what we have in either quarterback.  This means the following:

1. We will not resign Dan Orlovsky.  The staff obviously does not think he's better than Daunte.  You can't re-up a player when you aren't sure whether he can play or not.  We have simply not seen enough of Dan-O to know if he has the potential to improve.  Some other team will find out.

2.  We will use a draft pick on another quarterback even though Stanton remains untested.  So with Culpepper starting next year, you'll have two young QB's that will have to find time to get some snaps.  Think that will happen?  Hell, no.  Stanton may leave Detroit for his second contract never having started a game or thrown a meaningful pass.  Ridiculous.

The only good that can come of Stanton not playing (or the coaching staff thinking he's not capable of playing) is that they may trade him or perma-bench him and use their first round pick on a high-caliber, high-potential quarterback.  I know that there are a lot of fans that would hate to see another high first round pick used on a quarterback (thanks, Joey).  I understand that you have to build the lines first.  But at some point, to get over the hump as a franchise, you've got to get a franchise quarterback.  It's essential.  It's a passing league now and we need a Peyton Manning type guy to build this team around.  Yes, there arguably many other more urgent needs, but we have to find a GOOD starting quarterback.  Period.

I'm just having a really hard time seeing the sense in this team's direction right now.  With one hand they make a move to play a young guy and with the other hand, they supplant a young guy with a veteran.  It all makes no sense.  I think maybe Marinelli is going off his rocker a little.  Maybe all of the losing is affecting his brain and he is just losing it, because he is not thinking clearly here.  Maybe he has officially been Lionized.  What a sad day this is.  Bottom line is that he is really screwing up the personnel moves and in the end screwing us the fans... again.

When will it ever end...................