Terry Foster Fired Up Over Jim Caldwell Criticism
Among the most polarizing head coaches in Detroit Lions history, former head man Jim Caldwell is still being debated and talked about four years after his dismissal.
Caldwell was in charge in Motown from 2014-17. The coach, who was wildly popular among his players, twice reached the postseason, and recorded three winning records in his four seasons.
Many critics have pointed to his less than stellar 4-25 record against winning opponents, as well as his difficulties with in-game decisions at crucial moments of games.
Since his departure, the Lions have not even come close to having a .500 record, have missed the postseason regularly and have perennially finished in last place in the NFC North.
© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
On the Monday edition of "The Morning Woodward Show", host Terry Foster, a long-time sportswriter and veteran sports radio talk show host, expressed his frustration with the unnecessary criticism of Caldwell.
"You talk about incompetence. Let's talk about incompetence. There's incompetence all over," Foster expressed. "I am just going to stick to the last two decades. I am not going to go 58 years or 60 years (since the Lions last won an NFL championship in 1957). This franchise has had incompetent people coaching, in the front office, but we always go back to Jim Caldwell."
While the criticisms and revisionist history have upset some passionate fans, the facts remain that Caldwell is among the winningest coaches in franchise history.
The "new" locker room culture that is currently being instilled was established almost as soon as the respected head coach walked through the front door.
A simple question that could be asked to those ranting against the success that was achieved in Detroit from 2014-17 is as follows: What would have occurred, had a general manager been hired after Martin Mayhew that was more aligned with Caldwell's vision?
Can you automatically say the team would not have won playoff games with better personnel decisions being made?
Hiring Bob Quinn all but put an end to the Caldwell era, since it signaled to everyone that a potential new head coach was coming to town at the earliest hint of failure.
While 9-7 is certainly not good enough, it at least harkens back to a time when there were more cheers than boos reigning down from the crowd at Ford Field.
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