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[TheMadLionsFan]

Can I get the following?

Behind the braintrust that turned the Lions into NFC North favorites

The two men overseeing this new era of Lions football never met before they were hired. Now they've got Detroit thinking playoffs.

theathletic.com

 

[Morethan1]

Can I get the following?

Behind the braintrust that turned the Lions into NFC North favorites

The two men overseeing this new era of Lions football never met before they were hired. Now they've got Detroit thinking playoffs.

theathletic.com

The Athletic has live coverage of Thursday Night Football featuring Lions vs Packers.

On a cold January evening eight months ago, his team on the verge of a breakthrough after a slow-and-steady rebuild had run its course, Dan Campbell finally said the quiet part out loud.

“I know this: We need to be competing for a division championship next year,” Campbell told local media in Detroit. “I mean, that’s the goal. That’s what Brad and I set out to do.”

Those comments from the Detroit Lions’ unapologetically candid head coach came nearly two years after he and general manager Brad Holmes were hired to jumpstart a franchise that lacked direction, vision and a comprehensive plan for sustained success. Now entering Year 3 together, Campbell, Holmes and the Lions are gearing up for the organization’s most anticipated season in some time, with a Week 1 game Thursday night at the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Lions are the favorites to win their division, something they haven’t done since the NFC North was known as the NFC Central. A team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 1991 season — when Boyz II Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” topped the charts — could soon put an end to that drought.

The two men overseeing this new era of Lions football had never met one another before they were hired, introduced via text message just weeks before getting to work.

It begs the question: How exactly did the Lions make this work?

In February 2018, the Lions were fresh off consecutive 9-7 seasons. But they wanted more, ultimately firing head coach Jim Caldwell in search of someone who could give them a championship pedigree and winning identity.

This led them to Matt Patricia, a longtime New England Patriots assistant under Bill Belichick. He was chosen by Bob Quinn, a former Pats executive two years into his tenure as Lions GM. It was a move intended to provide structure and elevate a Lions team that was close but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

Instead, it was an unmitigated disaster.

Patricia alienated his players. He installed a grass hill at the practice facility and made players run it as a form of conditioning. He voiced his displeasure over players swapping jerseys with members of other teams. He banned loud music. Players who celebrated in games received an earful. Eventually, he lost the team.

The Lions fired Patricia and Quinn in 2020 following a 41-25 loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day. Patricia was just 13-29-1 in parts of three seasons, a cautionary tale of what can happen when ego and power supersede collaboration and trust.

From this latest failure, the Lions learned they needed a new approach.

“Having gone through the Patricia-Quinn years, I really wanted people who were coming from two different institutions, two different teams, and brought kind of a fresh approach and not just one way of looking at the world,” Lions president Rod Wood said last week. “I think it’s real easy to go to a New England or a Pittsburgh or a Green Bay, teams that have historically been very good, and think, ‘You can replicate that in Detroit.’

“Well, we became Patriots Midwest. And that’s not who we wanted to be. We wanted to be the Detroit Lions. We were looking for people that were going to be our kind of people. And I think I kind of learned that the hard way.”

It would be the first GM/coaching search for Sheila Hamp, who took over as principal owner in June 2020. She leaned on Wood, chief operating officer Mike Disner and former Detroit linebacker Chris Spielman, who was brought on board as a special assistant shortly after Patricia and Quinn were fired.

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Baumgardner: These are not the Same Old Lions. Their owner made sure of it

Typically, a GM is hired first, then leads a search for the head coach. The GM ends up making a final call on a candidate, involved in the process from start to finish. But the Lions went a different direction.

“You’re not going to end up with two guys that work together if you don’t know what you’re looking for,” Wood said. “We really knew what we were looking for in terms of culture and leadership, and we certainly wanted to move away from the culture that we were coming out of.”

It was a comprehensive effort that cast a wide net, unlike the franchise’s previous search. Hamp was involved, kicking off interviews with her assessment of where the franchise was and where she wanted to take it. She wanted a culture of collaboration, a point stressed to every candidate. Then Wood, Disner and Spielman would jump in, creating a conversational environment to get to know each candidate.

 

[Morethan1]

The Athletic has live coverage of Thursday Night Football featuring Lions vs Packers.

On a cold January evening eight months ago, his team on the verge of a breakthrough after a slow-and-steady rebuild had run its course, Dan Campbell finally said the quiet part out loud.

“I know this: We need to be competing for a division championship next year,” Campbell told local media in Detroit. “I mean, that’s the goal. That’s what Brad and I set out to do.”

Those comments from the Detroit Lions’ unapologetically candid head coach came nearly two years after he and general manager Brad Holmes were hired to jumpstart a franchise that lacked direction, vision and a comprehensive plan for sustained success. Now entering Year 3 together, Campbell, Holmes and the Lions are gearing up for the organization’s most anticipated season in some time, with a Week 1 game Thursday night at the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Lions are the favorites to win their division, something they haven’t done since the NFC North was known as the NFC Central. A team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 1991 season — when Boyz II Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” topped the charts — could soon put an end to that drought.

The two men overseeing this new era of Lions football had never met one another before they were hired, introduced via text message just weeks before getting to work.

It begs the question: How exactly did the Lions make this work?

In February 2018, the Lions were fresh off consecutive 9-7 seasons. But they wanted more, ultimately firing head coach Jim Caldwell in search of someone who could give them a championship pedigree and winning identity.

This led them to Matt Patricia, a longtime New England Patriots assistant under Bill Belichick. He was chosen by Bob Quinn, a former Pats executive two years into his tenure as Lions GM. It was a move intended to provide structure and elevate a Lions team that was close but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

Instead, it was an unmitigated disaster.

Patricia alienated his players. He installed a grass hill at the practice facility and made players run it as a form of conditioning. He voiced his displeasure over players swapping jerseys with members of other teams. He banned loud music. Players who celebrated in games received an earful. Eventually, he lost the team.

The Lions fired Patricia and Quinn in 2020 following a 41-25 loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day. Patricia was just 13-29-1 in parts of three seasons, a cautionary tale of what can happen when ego and power supersede collaboration and trust.

From this latest failure, the Lions learned they needed a new approach.

“Having gone through the Patricia-Quinn years, I really wanted people who were coming from two different institutions, two different teams, and brought kind of a fresh approach and not just one way of looking at the world,” Lions president Rod Wood said last week. “I think it’s real easy to go to a New England or a Pittsburgh or a Green Bay, teams that have historically been very good, and think, ‘You can replicate that in Detroit.’

“Well, we became Patriots Midwest. And that’s not who we wanted to be. We wanted to be the Detroit Lions. We were looking for people that were going to be our kind of people. And I think I kind of learned that the hard way.”

It would be the first GM/coaching search for Sheila Hamp, who took over as principal owner in June 2020. She leaned on Wood, chief operating officer Mike Disner and former Detroit linebacker Chris Spielman, who was brought on board as a special assistant shortly after Patricia and Quinn were fired.

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Baumgardner: These are not the Same Old Lions. Their owner made sure of it

Typically, a GM is hired first, then leads a search for the head coach. The GM ends up making a final call on a candidate, involved in the process from start to finish. But the Lions went a different direction.

“You’re not going to end up with two guys that work together if you don’t know what you’re looking for,” Wood said. “We really knew what we were looking for in terms of culture and leadership, and we certainly wanted to move away from the culture that we were coming out of.”

It was a comprehensive effort that cast a wide net, unlike the franchise’s previous search. Hamp was involved, kicking off interviews with her assessment of where the franchise was and where she wanted to take it. She wanted a culture of collaboration, a point stressed to every candidate. Then Wood, Disner and Spielman would jump in, creating a conversational environment to get to know each candidate.

Each member of the search committee had a grading sheet comprised of 12 categories and independently ranked candidates on a scale of one to five. When an interview concluded, they would debrief for an hour, then load their scores into a database Disner created. Potential GMs who voiced a need for sole power or a handpicked partner were often dismissed. The Lions were looking for leaders who could adapt and work together for a common goal, open to differing opinions in an effort to steer an egoless ship.

Through their process, they believe they found just that in Holmes and Campbell.

“People can BS you to a point, but then you could tell — this person is really not our kind of person or they’re not going to buy into this kind of structure,” Wood said. “Those two guys not only bought into it, they were embracing it.”

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Inside the Detroit Lions' exhaustive search for a coach, GM

Holmes is a former HBCU football player and journalism major who parlayed a PR internship with the Rams into a job with the club’s scouting department. Promotions ensued. Area scout. National scout. Director of college scouting. This was important, considering the Lions wanted to build through the draft. Holmes’ eye for talent, paired with his communications skills, ultimately put him on Detroit’s radar.

“Of all the guys that we interviewed, Brad really stood out in terms of the draft process,” Wood said. “And we knew that was going to be our path to getting the team rebuilt.”

Some of the Lions’ GM interviews lasted two or three hours. Holmes’? A mere 90 minutes. The poise, clarity, vision and confidence to make things work no matter the circumstance — it was exactly what the Lions were looking for. Five minutes into Holmes’ interview, Wood reached for his pen and wrote four words in the top corner of his notes.

“This is the guy.”

At the same time, the Lions were far along with coaching candidates, including New Orleans Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell.

The Lions were familiar with Campbell, who made a lasting impression as a player for 10 seasons — three with Detroit. Campbell saw the struggles of the organization firsthand, playing for Detroit’s infamous 0-16 team in 2008. Upon retirement, Campbell rose through the ranks as a coach, including a stint as the Miami Dolphins’ interim head coach for 12 games in 2015. He’d interviewed for several jobs. But there were several conversations taking place behind the scenes to determine whether he’d be a fit as Detroit’s head coach.

One of those was between Spielman and former Saints head coach Sean Payton. Spielman called plenty of Saints games over the years while working as a television analyst and was able to see Campbell in practice. He quickly noticed the presence Campbell had in front of players. He had their respect.

Of course, that was just Spielman’s opinion. So he called Payton, Campbell’s boss.

“Sean, it’s Chris Spielman. Tell me about Dan Campbell.”

Thirty-two minutes later, Spielman was able to get in his next word: “Thanks.”

He heard everything he needed to hear.

As Detroit’s collective searches reached their finish lines, Wood introduced Campbell and Holmes to one another via text. The Lions had their guys, hailing from different NFL backgrounds and chosen simultaneously through a thorough, detailed process of elimination.

“We knew that not only were they going to be great for the program in culture, but they were going to bring people with the same mindset that have an egoless point of attack for building a team,” Spielman said. “That’s been proven.”

 

[Morethan1]

Each member of the search committee had a grading sheet comprised of 12 categories and independently ranked candidates on a scale of one to five. When an interview concluded, they would debrief for an hour, then load their scores into a database Disner created. Potential GMs who voiced a need for sole power or a handpicked partner were often dismissed. The Lions were looking for leaders who could adapt and work together for a common goal, open to differing opinions in an effort to steer an egoless ship.

Through their process, they believe they found just that in Holmes and Campbell.

“People can BS you to a point, but then you could tell — this person is really not our kind of person or they’re not going to buy into this kind of structure,” Wood said. “Those two guys not only bought into it, they were embracing it.”

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Inside the Detroit Lions' exhaustive search for a coach, GM

Holmes is a former HBCU football player and journalism major who parlayed a PR internship with the Rams into a job with the club’s scouting department. Promotions ensued. Area scout. National scout. Director of college scouting. This was important, considering the Lions wanted to build through the draft. Holmes’ eye for talent, paired with his communications skills, ultimately put him on Detroit’s radar.

“Of all the guys that we interviewed, Brad really stood out in terms of the draft process,” Wood said. “And we knew that was going to be our path to getting the team rebuilt.”

Some of the Lions’ GM interviews lasted two or three hours. Holmes’? A mere 90 minutes. The poise, clarity, vision and confidence to make things work no matter the circumstance — it was exactly what the Lions were looking for. Five minutes into Holmes’ interview, Wood reached for his pen and wrote four words in the top corner of his notes.

“This is the guy.”

At the same time, the Lions were far along with coaching candidates, including New Orleans Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell.

The Lions were familiar with Campbell, who made a lasting impression as a player for 10 seasons — three with Detroit. Campbell saw the struggles of the organization firsthand, playing for Detroit’s infamous 0-16 team in 2008. Upon retirement, Campbell rose through the ranks as a coach, including a stint as the Miami Dolphins’ interim head coach for 12 games in 2015. He’d interviewed for several jobs. But there were several conversations taking place behind the scenes to determine whether he’d be a fit as Detroit’s head coach.

One of those was between Spielman and former Saints head coach Sean Payton. Spielman called plenty of Saints games over the years while working as a television analyst and was able to see Campbell in practice. He quickly noticed the presence Campbell had in front of players. He had their respect.

Of course, that was just Spielman’s opinion. So he called Payton, Campbell’s boss.

“Sean, it’s Chris Spielman. Tell me about Dan Campbell.”

Thirty-two minutes later, Spielman was able to get in his next word: “Thanks.”

He heard everything he needed to hear.

As Detroit’s collective searches reached their finish lines, Wood introduced Campbell and Holmes to one another via text. The Lions had their guys, hailing from different NFL backgrounds and chosen simultaneously through a thorough, detailed process of elimination.

“We knew that not only were they going to be great for the program in culture, but they were going to bring people with the same mindset that have an egoless point of attack for building a team,” Spielman said. “That’s been proven.”

The Lions named Holmes their new GM on Jan. 14, 2021. Less than a week later, Campbell was named their new head coach.

Detroit’s vision for the future was very much collaborative, starting at the top. There was an understanding that the effort would take time, and time would be afforded. They would pick and choose spots to spend when it made sense but build through the draft, with Holmes’ eye for talent leading the way.

The Lions withheld quarterback Matthew Stafford’s trade request from GM candidates until a hire was made. When informed, Holmes was unfazed. He’d either have a QB at his disposal or the draft capital to build a roster around a new one. After having discussions with Stafford, Holmes ultimately traded him to the Rams. In return, the Lions received quarterback Jared Goff, a player Holmes helped the Rams draft No. 1 overall in 2016, plus a bevy of picks that would jumpstart Detroit’s rebuild.

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford and the Lions’ uncertain future at QB after the trade that changed everything

Those who’ve worked with Holmes say he has a great “bullsh– detector,” an ability to cut through the noise and learn how a player is truly wired. He values the opinions of those around him, listening and gathering as much info as possible before making a final call — in tandem with Campbell and others.

“I knew right away that he could evaluate and that gave me great confidence. That’s all I needed to know,” said Lance Newmark, the Lions’ senior director of player personnel who’s entering his 26th season with the organization. “That’s such an underrated part of it. And you think, ‘Oh, that’s an automatic,’ but it’s not.”


Holmes and Campbell didn’t know each other before connecting in Detroit, but their philosophies were always aligned. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
The Lions were on the clock with the seventh selection in the 2021 draft, the first pick of Holmes’ tenure. Sitting there on the board was Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell. Holmes and the Lions phoned in the pick so quickly the league told him to take more time in the future. He did it again the following year.

It’s that genuine passion that appeals to so many in the organization. Players included.

“There are clips that I see online of that pick when it happened,” Sewell said. “To see him react like that to pick me, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s on.’ If he asked me to go swim 200 miles, I’d swim 200 miles. I’d go as far as he wants me to go.”


Newmark raves about Campbell’s involvement in the scouting process. The coach never blows off a meeting, values the input of those underneath him in the organization and has a unique ability to make everyone feel at ease in a high-stress environment.

He’s the same way with a coaching staff comprised of former players you’ve probably heard of. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell. Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. Cornerbacks coach Dre Bly. Campbell claims that playing experience is not a prerequisite to landing a job on his staff. He simply wanted assistants with a vast knowledge of the game who were comfortable in their skin.

Take linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard. Known for his free-flowing dreadlocks during his NFL playing days, Sheppard eyed a transition to coaching upon retirement. But there aren’t many coaches who look like him, and Sheppard was worried his appearance might negatively impact how those with hiring power viewed him.

 

[Morethan1]

So in 2019, he called Campbell — someone he grew close with during their time together with the Dolphins — for some advice. Should he cut his hair to further his coaching career? “Are you crazy?” Campbell said. “If anybody’s hiring you, they’re hiring you because of you. You got those calls because of who you are, not because of somebody you’re trying to become.”

Campbell’s philosophy boils down to this: If players can’t be themselves, the Lions will never get the most out of them. That’s true for his coaches, too.

“I can be myself here,” Sheppard said. “That’s a secure feeling. To be able to be yourself, in a safe space, doing something you love to do — it’s why I’m blessed, man.”

Culture only means so much if wins never follow, and the early days in Detroit were tough for Campbell and Holmes. The Lions were winless in their first 11 games of 2021 and ultimately finished 3-13-1.

There was hope for more in Year 2. Detroit continued to build through the draft, led by homegrown defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, whom they took at No. 2. The on-field product was better, but early on, the results were more of the same. The Lions limped to a 1-6 start.

Was Campbell the right man for the job? Was Holmes doing enough to provide the team with talent? As speculation grew, Hamp spoke to local media in late October to put rumors to rest. “What I really have is confidence in the process we went through in the first place when we hired Brad and Dan,” Hamp said. “It was extremely thorough, and we really believe we’ve come up with the right people.”

Behind the scenes, confidence in what the Lions were building never wavered. The internal belief was that this was a young team still finding its way, learning how to win. It was only a matter of time.

“I’ve been in team meetings when you could tell the team has kind of checked out on the coaching staff, and that wasn’t the case here,” Wood said. “The team was 100 percent together, 100 percent behind the head coach.”

“The film was talking to me: It’s coming. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s coming,” Spielman said. “You could see it.”

The Lions would go on to win seven of their next nine games, taking down three playoff teams along the way. Detroit found itself in the hunt — an unthinkable position just months prior.

The late-season run set up a meaningful regular-season finale against the Packers at Lambeau Field, a game that was flexed to “Sunday Night Football.” It was Detroit’s first and only prime-time game of the season, a chance to show the NFL what it had been building and potentially punch a ticket to the postseason. But it was a little too late. The Lions’ fate was decided minutes before kickoff, as the Seahawks’ Week 18 win over the Rams eliminated Detroit from playoff contention.

Nothing to play for? Not quite.

In dramatic fashion, the Lions beat the Packers 20-16 in what proved to be Aaron Rodgers’ final game in Green Bay, perhaps marking the beginning of a new era in the NFC North. Detroit went 5-1 in the division and finished 9-8 for its first winning season since 2017. All while fielding the NFL’s second-youngest roster.

Playoffs or not, the Lions were going to end on a high note.

“I think anybody that expected anything different doesn’t know the Detroit Lions,” left tackle Taylor Decker said in the locker room. “I think it’s that simple.”

 

[Morethan1]

So in 2019, he called Campbell — someone he grew close with during their time together with the Dolphins — for some advice. Should he cut his hair to further his coaching career? “Are you crazy?” Campbell said. “If anybody’s hiring you, they’re hiring you because of you. You got those calls because of who you are, not because of somebody you’re trying to become.”

Campbell’s philosophy boils down to this: If players can’t be themselves, the Lions will never get the most out of them. That’s true for his coaches, too.

“I can be myself here,” Sheppard said. “That’s a secure feeling. To be able to be yourself, in a safe space, doing something you love to do — it’s why I’m blessed, man.”

Culture only means so much if wins never follow, and the early days in Detroit were tough for Campbell and Holmes. The Lions were winless in their first 11 games of 2021 and ultimately finished 3-13-1.

There was hope for more in Year 2. Detroit continued to build through the draft, led by homegrown defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, whom they took at No. 2. The on-field product was better, but early on, the results were more of the same. The Lions limped to a 1-6 start.

Was Campbell the right man for the job? Was Holmes doing enough to provide the team with talent? As speculation grew, Hamp spoke to local media in late October to put rumors to rest. “What I really have is confidence in the process we went through in the first place when we hired Brad and Dan,” Hamp said. “It was extremely thorough, and we really believe we’ve come up with the right people.”

Behind the scenes, confidence in what the Lions were building never wavered. The internal belief was that this was a young team still finding its way, learning how to win. It was only a matter of time.

“I’ve been in team meetings when you could tell the team has kind of checked out on the coaching staff, and that wasn’t the case here,” Wood said. “The team was 100 percent together, 100 percent behind the head coach.”

“The film was talking to me: It’s coming. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s coming,” Spielman said. “You could see it.”

The Lions would go on to win seven of their next nine games, taking down three playoff teams along the way. Detroit found itself in the hunt — an unthinkable position just months prior.

The late-season run set up a meaningful regular-season finale against the Packers at Lambeau Field, a game that was flexed to “Sunday Night Football.” It was Detroit’s first and only prime-time game of the season, a chance to show the NFL what it had been building and potentially punch a ticket to the postseason. But it was a little too late. The Lions’ fate was decided minutes before kickoff, as the Seahawks’ Week 18 win over the Rams eliminated Detroit from playoff contention.

Nothing to play for? Not quite.

In dramatic fashion, the Lions beat the Packers 20-16 in what proved to be Aaron Rodgers’ final game in Green Bay, perhaps marking the beginning of a new era in the NFC North. Detroit went 5-1 in the division and finished 9-8 for its first winning season since 2017. All while fielding the NFL’s second-youngest roster.

Playoffs or not, the Lions were going to end on a high note.

“I think anybody that expected anything different doesn’t know the Detroit Lions,” left tackle Taylor Decker said in the locker room. “I think it’s that simple.”

There’s a palpable buzz around Allen Park these days. Holmes and Campbell have a running bit, wearing shirts with photos of one another at their news conferences. National media came to town in droves this summer hoping for a peek behind the curtain of one of the NFL’s most fascinating teams.

The Lions are the favorites to win the NFC North after laying the foundation. They addressed defensive holes in the offseason, adding safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley via free agency and Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with one of their two first-round draft picks.

Fresh off a top-5 scoring season, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson withdrew from head coaching consideration elsewhere to stay in Detroit. Goff is coming off a Pro Bowl campaign. Amon-Ra St. Brown, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is a budding star who had 1,161 receiving yards in 16 games last year. Jahmyr Gibbs, the other 2023 first-round pick, will pair with free-agent acquisition David Montgomery at running back, working behind one of the league’s best offensive lines.

In the process of this rebuild, the Lions have reinvigorated a fan base that never left — patiently waiting for a winner.

“I’d never been to Detroit, never really pictured myself playing for the Lions growing up, but it’s just cool now to see where it’s at and the national attention that we’re getting,” linebacker Alex Anzalone said. “If I were a kid now, my perception would be way different than what’s been in decades past.”


This team didn’t arrive overnight. It took patience aplenty. But Holmes and Campbell can look back now, together, with the full belief that they’re better off for approaching things the way they did.

“I do think that we — let’s call it ‘took our medicine,’ in the past couple of years,” Holmes said last week. “Me and Dan talk about it all the time. We’ve coached the Senior Bowl. We’ve had to do ‘Hard Knocks.’ We’ve done all that. We’ve gone through a lot of darkness to get to this point, but that’s where the grit comes, in terms of just not really wavering or putting your head down or getting discouraged.”

“You have this vision of where you want to go, where you see it going and what it’s going to take to get there,” Campbell said. “You don’t always know the timeline, but you know you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. And so, I think we’re both very pleased.

“We’re not acquiring talent, we’re acquiring football players. I feel like we’ve got the most amount of those that we’ve had in three years, which gives me a lot of hope.”

Of course, that’s all any of this is right now — hope. Lions fans have been sold enough of it to last a lifetime. Through two years, this regime’s greatest on-field accomplishment is finishing a game above .500 and barely missing the playoffs. It’s fair to be skeptical, to want to see it before you believe it. After all, these are the Detroit Lions we’re talking about.

But if this works, if the Lions take the next step, if the Lions win their first division title in 30 years, if they win their first playoff game since the 1991 season and maybe more along the way, you’ll know the process, plan and relationship that led to it all.

(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images and Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

Should be a WAAAAAY bigger story

In March 2023, Shelley Smith, who worked 26 years as an on-air reporter for ESPN, received a call from Stephanie Druley, then the network’s head of studio and event production. Druley said she wanted to talk about something “serious” that needed to stay between the two of them, Smith recalled. She then told Smith that Smith needed to return two sports Emmy statuettes that she had been given more than a decade earlier.


That request was one of many ESPN made of some of its biggest stars last year after the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the organization that administers the Emmys, uncovered a scheme that the network used to acquire more than 30 of the coveted statuettes for on-air talent ineligible to receive them. Since at least 2010, ESPN inserted fake names in Emmy entries, then took the awards won by some of those imaginary individuals, had them re-engraved and gave them to on-air personalities.

Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Chris Fowler, Desmond Howard and Samantha Ponder, among others, were given the ill-gotten Emmys, according to a source briefed on the matter, who was granted anonymity because the individual is not authorized to discuss it publicly. There is no evidence that the on-air individuals were aware the Emmys given to them were improperly obtained.

“I think it was really crummy what they did to me and others,” said Smith, who worked at ESPN from 1997 until her contract expired last July.

The fraud was discovered by NATAS, which prompted an investigation by that organization and later by ESPN. Those probes resulted in sanctions beyond the return of the trophies. While it is not known who orchestrated the scheme, Craig Lazarus, vice president and executive producer of original content and features, and Lee Fitting, a senior vice president of production who oversaw “College GameDay” and other properties, were among the ESPN employees NATAS ruled ineligible from future participation in the Emmys.

In a statement, ESPN said: “Some members of our team were clearly wrong in submitting certain names that may go back to 1997 in Emmy categories where they were not eligible for recognition or statuettes. This was a misguided attempt to recognize on-air individuals who were important members of our production team. Once current leadership was made aware, we apologized to NATAS for violating guidelines and worked closely with them to completely overhaul our submission process to safeguard against anything like this happening again.


“We brought in outside counsel to conduct a full and thorough investigation and individuals found to be responsible were disciplined by ESPN.”

Adam Sharp, of NATAS, said in an email: “NATAS identified a number of fictitious credits submitted by ESPN to multiple Sports Emmys competitions. When brought to the attention of ESPN senior management, the network took steps to take responsibility for the actions of its personnel, to investigate thoroughly, and to course correct. These steps have included the return by ESPN of statuettes issued to fictitious individuals and commitments to implement further internal accountability and procedural changes at the network.”

An ESPN spokesperson said Lazarus declined to comment, and Lazarus didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. Fitting was let go by ESPN in August after 25 years at the company. He did not respond to voice and text messages.

The nexus of the scheme was “College GameDay,” the show that Fitting helped turn into a cultural phenomenon and a revenue machine. From 2008-18, it nabbed eight Emmys for outstanding weekly studio show. But on-air talent was, until 2023, prohibited by NATAS guidelines from being included in a credit list in that category. Hosts, analysts and reporters on “College GameDay” could win individual awards, such as outstanding host, studio analyst or emerging on-air talent, and they could win for an individual feature. But they were not eligible to take home a trophy for a win by the show. That rule was meant to prevent front-facing talent from winning two awards for the same work (termed “double-dipping” in the NATAS rulebook).


ESPN circumvented the rule by inserting fake names into the credit list it submitted to NATAS for “College GameDay.” The Athletic reviewed the credit lists for the years the show won: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. In each one of those seven years, names similar to the names of on-air personalities – and with identical initials – were listed all under the title of “associate producers.”


While reviewing the 2010 and 2011 credit lists, The Athletic found three additional names that could not be verified that also closely resemble the names of “College GameDay” talent: Erik Andrews (Erin Andrews) in 2011; Wendy Nickson (Wendi Nix) and Jenn Brownsmith (Jenn Brown) in 2010. Nix confirmed that she was given an Emmy around 2010 and said she had no idea it was improperly obtained; it just arrived in the mail one day. She was not contacted about returning it before or after she left ESPN in August 2023. Brown, who left ESPN in 2013, confirmed she also was given one and didn’t know it was ill-gotten. She said: “This is all news to me and kind of unfortunate because you’ve got people who believe they rightfully had one. There are rules for a reason … it’s unfortunate (those were) abused and for so many years, too.” Brown said she has not been contacted by ESPN about returning it. Andrews, who left ESPN in 2012, declined to comment through a spokesperson.

When asked why people at the network would scheme to secure trophies for on-air talent, one person involved in the ESPN Emmy submission process in recent years said: “You have to remember that those personalities are so important, and they have egos.” Smith, for one, pushed back at that and remarked how some executives lined their office shelves with statuettes. One executive interviewed during ESPN’s probe said that some company leaders were obsessed with the Emmys, using the numbers of wins each year to prove their dominance over competitors: “It’s very important to the people who go (to the ceremony) and the old-school television guys.” Additionally, many at ESPN thought the rule preventing on-air personalities from getting statuettes for a win by the show was stupid. They may have just decided to do something about it, the rules be damned.

@Rekkapryde , you know if it were another network that did this, ESPN would it plastered front and center on their splash page

 

[lib123]

Can somebody share this please? @Morethan1

How much could Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein make in free agency?

The Athletic recently polled 16 front-office officials, asking what they would deem a “fair” contract for Hartenstein in free agency.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Morethan1]

Can somebody share this please? @Morethan1

How much could Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein make in free agency?

The Athletic recently polled 16 front-office officials, asking what they would deem a “fair” contract for Hartenstein in free agency.

www.nytimes.com

using their best free-agent tool on a backup center, they gave the midlevel exception to five-time All-Star John Wall.

The decision meant losing Hartenstein, who signed with the New York Knicks for $18 million over two years, more than he could have received from the Clippers.

Soon, the Knicks will face a similar, though not nearly as extreme, obstacle with the same man.

Because Hartenstein signed a new contract with the Knicks two years ago, a quirky rule in the collective bargaining agreement caps what they can offer him this summer, when he will become a free agent again. New York cannot present him with more than $16.2 million in starting salary.

A two-year offer from the Knicks would max out at $33.7 million. A three-year one couldn’t be more than $52.4 million. And a four-year one, the longest contract the Knicks could offer Hartenstein, would be capped at $72.5 million.

 

[Morethan1]

year career. He became the Knicks’ first-string center in December after Robinson went down with an ankle injury. But even once Robinson returned, Hartenstein never departed the starting lineup.

The Knicks leaned on the Jalen Brunson-Hartenstein pick-and-roll, arguably their most dangerous offensive option. If two opponents rushed to Brunson, the middle of the court opened up for Hartenstein, one of the team’s best distributors. The Knicks could generate corner 3s, layups or Hartenstein’s patented push shots. On the other side, he anchored a physical defense.

His foul rate dropped, a trend he attributes, in part, to Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who he says has him “more prepared” for games than any coach for which he’s ever played. Meanwhile, the Knicks thrived, reaching 50 wins for the first time in 11 years and earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference before falling in the second round of the playoffs.

If Hartenstein were to re-sign, the Knicks would intend to keep him as the starter moving forward. The rest of the league seems to view him as a first-stringer, too — even if he’s played that role for only a season.

Those in the poll who were the lowest on Hartenstein still proposed the same average annual value for him that the Knicks handed Robinson in a four-year contract two summers ago: $15 million a year.

 

[Morethan1]

away from the Knicks with a short-term deal, too.

“I think he’s a very realistic ‘Bruce Brown contract’ candidate,” one poll participant warned.

The Brown contract is every basketball geek’s new reference point. Chances are, the veteran wing started a trend.

A year ago, Brown found himself in a similar situation to Hartenstein’s, hitting the open market with his incumbent team, in this case, the Denver Nuggets, capped at how much it could pay him.

Brown received offers around the midlevel exception. In the end, he opted for a short-term agreement: a balloon payment of $22 million for one season guaranteed with a $23 million team option tacked onto Year 2.

 

[Morethan1]

system Hartenstein knows fits him or a locker room with a bunch of Hartenstein’s friends already in it or a head coach Hartenstein respects immensely) is a way to make none of their actions personal.

If another team tops the $72.5 million over four years New York could offer, the Knicks could still give Hartenstein the most they are allowed and tell him they value him more; these nasty rules just prevent them from going higher. Unlike in other free-agency situations, where feelings can get hurt, contract talks with Hartenstein could remain strictly ego-boosting.

The Knicks can say they want Hartenstein back. They can reasonably offer him their max.

Two years ago, free agency wasn’t about only money for Hartenstein. It was about finding a basketball home, which he hoped would be in Los Angeles. It was the Clippers who chose to look elsewhere.

This time, the Knicks are hoping to lock Hartenstein in and that a potentially life-changing amount of money doesn’t pull him elsewhere.

(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Knicks could offer a one-year contract to Hartenstein that is worth $16.2 million. A one-year offer from the Knicks cannot be higher than $11.1 million.)

(Photo of Isaiah Hartenstein: Sarah Stier / Getty Images

 

[lib123]

system Hartenstein knows fits him or a locker room with a bunch of Hartenstein’s friends already in it or a head coach Hartenstein respects immensely) is a way to make none of their actions personal.

If another team tops the $72.5 million over four years New York could offer, the Knicks could still give Hartenstein the most they are allowed and tell him they value him more; these nasty rules just prevent them from going higher. Unlike in other free-agency situations, where feelings can get hurt, contract talks with Hartenstein could remain strictly ego-boosting.

The Knicks can say they want Hartenstein back. They can reasonably offer him their max.

Two years ago, free agency wasn’t about only money for Hartenstein. It was about finding a basketball home, which he hoped would be in Los Angeles. It was the Clippers who chose to look elsewhere.

This time, the Knicks are hoping to lock Hartenstein in and that a potentially life-changing amount of money doesn’t pull him elsewhere.

(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Knicks could offer a one-year contract to Hartenstein that is worth $16.2 million. A one-year offer from the Knicks cannot be higher than $11.1 million.)

(Photo of Isaiah Hartenstein: Sarah Stier / Getty Images

Thanks man!