Detroit Not Setting A Good Example In These Difficult Economic Times

A "choose 'em up" otherwise known as the NFL Draft was held this past weekend. Only the above average fan likely knew. But, I would guess that the greater Detroit area if not the entire state of Michigan was left scratching their heads after the beleaguered Lions, a team that did not win a single game last season inked their first round draft pick, Matthew Stafford, a quarterback from Georgia, to a contract worth $42M guaranteed. In these economic times, in a city and a state that reportedly has been hit the hardest - Auto industry bailouts, GM drops Pontiac, Chrysler on the verge of filing bankruptcy, home foreclosures and layoffs combined - the Detroit Lions organization apparently hasn't been effected, nor do they recognize the message they are sending.

In 2007, in the same "choose 'em up", the Oakland Raiders selected Jamarcus Russell, a quarterback from LSU, with the number one pick. Jamarcus' contract was for $31.5M guaranteed. In 2008, in the same "choose 'em up", the Miami Dolphins selected Jake Long (Howie's kid), a tackle from Michigan with their number one pick. Jake's contract was for $30M guaranteed.

With that history, in a city and state where the economy has been hit the hardest, and at a time when spending ridiculous amounts of money in a public forum is frowned upon as wasteful and disrespectful to those who are suffering and in a league where the Commissioner himself has reduced his salary as a good gesture to the fans, the Detroit Lions should be ashamed. Matthew Stafford should have been offered a competitive contract to the two years prior, in the $30M range (which is still insane money). He would have taken that contract. Where else is he going to go play football and make anywhere near the same kind of money? Why pay him an additional $12M in a economically deprived state of our union?

Corporate America has lost touch of the value of a one dollar bill.