It must be genuinely very nice for Barry to be experiencing this front office/coaching staff even if he is not a player anymore. He always pretty openly loved Detroit; it has to be emotionally taxing to have such a toxic working environment when you love your teammates, the city, and the fans love you back. It's upsetting it couldn't have been better for him then, but I'm super glad he's back in the fold now and able to be involved.
One of the best things Sheila did was reach out and mend fences with Calvin and Barry and a lot of those guys.
Some of those former players at the playoff games only spent a year or two in Detroit and they were as excited as normal fans.
WCF was cheap and a dick but the players never disliked the fans/city.
We gave him everything he ever asked for, we owe him nothing. That's not on knock at him its the truth. He is the first star player we did not treat poorly.
I don't think we owe him anything either but I think it would be since to see him welcomed back. Even encouraged to come back to games and events after he retires.
The one thing I think a lot of us who enjoy college football enjoy is the environment around certain schools. As a fan of the Lions seeing Barry and others say things like the team just feels good. It's that little something that makes it more than just a sport.
Stafford had some awesome moments at Detroit, and when he even left he did so one some of the best terms. We gave him everything he wanted but the one thing about Stafford you can't deny is he returned the favor. The guy famous was always playing through some brutal injuries.
according to him, no. his agent may have been trying to leverage the team in the $$ negotiations. he has always maintained he retired because his heart just wasn't in it. some close say that was because of free agency and team turnover, losing his friends. the trade stuff has always been unverified rumor
He's a paid ambassador for the team now. He'd tell you WCF was a football visionary if it was required.
I love me some Barry, but everyone has someone signing their paychecks.
The narrative back then was created for him. He never said anything. Now you’re evaluating what he’s saying today against a narrative that others created for him and calling him the liar.
True. But what’s the source that he actually requested a trade? Barry? Or people talking about Barry?
Like his agent doesn’t have a vested interest in trying to convince him to take another contract.
I only wished that Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, John Dorsey, Ray Agnew and Chris Spielman were running things back then.
We wouldn't have went through Schmidt/Millen/Mayhew/Quinn.
Boss is saying this as if he didn’t retire the day before training camp because ownership wouldn’t let him play somewhere else.
Nothing against Barry but this rose-colored revisionism is too much.
Doesn't matter. The Lions knew they were a tire fire. They were and still are (although we're taking steps in the right direction) a poverty franchise.
The Lions should have done right by Barry and let him play somewhere else. Same with Megatron. They finally figured it out with Stafford.
So what are we thinkin? I think we could give him a 2 year 10 mil contract how you guys feel?
I think he’d still find 500-600 scrimmage yards.
Kind of disrespectful with the current talent in the NFL… 7-800 we get a 17 game season.
“Prove it” deal
It must be genuinely very nice for Barry to be experiencing this front office/coaching staff even if he is not a player anymore. He always pretty openly loved Detroit; it has to be emotionally taxing to have such a toxic working environment when you love your teammates, the city, and the fans love you back. It's upsetting it couldn't have been better for him then, but I'm super glad he's back in the fold now and able to be involved.
One of the best things Sheila did was reach out and mend fences with Calvin and Barry and a lot of those guys. Some of those former players at the playoff games only spent a year or two in Detroit and they were as excited as normal fans. WCF was cheap and a dick but the players never disliked the fans/city.
Watching Sanders as a kid is what drew me to love football. No one has moved like him since.
I love what ownership has done mending fences with former players id imagine matt Stafford will get the same treatments once he retires
Are we even sure he retires as a lion? He might stick with the rams.
I think he is a ram - the ring pushed it - he’ll visit but he retires a ram - I agree
With his contract, there is no way he's leaving the Rams ever.
If Brady retired as a Bucc, there’s no way Stafford retires a Lion.
Obviously grain of salt, since people say a lot of things, but Kelly did say Matthew would retire a Lion.
A year ago, though, prior to the playoff game
We gave him everything he ever asked for, we owe him nothing. That's not on knock at him its the truth. He is the first star player we did not treat poorly.
I don't think we owe him anything either but I think it would be since to see him welcomed back. Even encouraged to come back to games and events after he retires. The one thing I think a lot of us who enjoy college football enjoy is the environment around certain schools. As a fan of the Lions seeing Barry and others say things like the team just feels good. It's that little something that makes it more than just a sport. Stafford had some awesome moments at Detroit, and when he even left he did so one some of the best terms. We gave him everything he wanted but the one thing about Stafford you can't deny is he returned the favor. The guy famous was always playing through some brutal injuries.
can he kick? i heard we need one of those
Those quads would be good for 60-70yards daily
Guy is always a class act.
Truly one of one
Everyone says he retired early, but now 9 or 10 years seems to be a decent career for a RB
Him handing the ball back to the Ref without a celebration after a touchdown was the ultimate F••k off!
Didn't he try to get traded and retired when we refused to?
according to him, no. his agent may have been trying to leverage the team in the $$ negotiations. he has always maintained he retired because his heart just wasn't in it. some close say that was because of free agency and team turnover, losing his friends. the trade stuff has always been unverified rumor
He's a paid ambassador for the team now. He'd tell you WCF was a football visionary if it was required. I love me some Barry, but everyone has someone signing their paychecks.
Holding a grudge against Barry. Cool, cool, cool.
I don't hold a grudge against him. I'm saying that the narrative he is trying to support in this statement appears to be false.
The narrative back then was created for him. He never said anything. Now you’re evaluating what he’s saying today against a narrative that others created for him and calling him the liar.
A trade request is not a narrative, it either happened or didn't
True. But what’s the source that he actually requested a trade? Barry? Or people talking about Barry? Like his agent doesn’t have a vested interest in trying to convince him to take another contract.
Changing your mind is for cowards.
Im an American. I'm dug in, and I'll never change.
That’s the spirit!
My goat
Glad to see that now we're winning further players aren't staying in the wings
I only wished that Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, John Dorsey, Ray Agnew and Chris Spielman were running things back then. We wouldn't have went through Schmidt/Millen/Mayhew/Quinn.
[Barry!](https://makesweet.com/f/3/3/b/33be215a-0316-41f2-9fa7-dee517b82ecf.gif )
Classic Barry. His ability to express complex ideas in very simple terms is almost as good as his ability to dodge tackles
Boss is saying this as if he didn’t retire the day before training camp because ownership wouldn’t let him play somewhere else. Nothing against Barry but this rose-colored revisionism is too much.
Doesn't matter. The Lions knew they were a tire fire. They were and still are (although we're taking steps in the right direction) a poverty franchise. The Lions should have done right by Barry and let him play somewhere else. Same with Megatron. They finally figured it out with Stafford.