Rob Parker

Lions' Marinelli steadfast, but why?

ALLEN PARK -- It was only fitting Lions coach Rod Marinelli talked about believing in the invisible.

After all, Marinelli's team has been invisible through 13 games this season -- not a single victory.

Yet, Marinelli on Monday, as he has throughout this season, refused to admit perhaps his beliefs are wrong.

He claims he's gotten rid of all the bad apples in the locker room, changed the organization's culture, gotten the players to practice with a purpose during the week and play hard on Sundays.

Still, he has nothing to show for it. Something, apparently, isn't getting through.

"It's the invisible, I guess," Marinelli said. "I believe in the invisible. I do.

"I think you go on and have faith in what you do. If you don't have it, you're nothing."

Now hear this ...

Marinelli, a former military man, then broke into his usual don't-give-up-the-ship talk.

It sounds good, but it never explains why he hasn't been able to win in three seasons with the Lions.

He's 10-35.

"You're not a man," he said. "You come out like that and give up. I have no respect for you. But if you just say, 'I give up. We're not good. We can't do this. Oh, woe is me,' and look for pity, that's disgraceful to me.

"I look for every positive I can find on this football team to get them better. Now, you can dwell on the negative all day. But that's what everybody else does for me."

Marinelli, who had never been a head coach at any level when he was hired by Matt Millen, was asked if he ever doubted himself or had given any thought that maybe he doesn't know what he's doing.

Or maybe, he's simply not a good coach.

"No, I have never done that," Marinelli said.

Here's a qualifier

That's almost as shocking as the Lions' play this season.

With three games left -- at Indianapolis, home vs. New Orleans and at Green Bay -- Detroit appears destined to be the first 0-16 team in history.

Marinelli said if his team didn't win a game, then, indeed, it would be the worst ever in pro football.

"By record, yeah," he said.

But, Marinelli still thinks it's noble to fall on his sword every week to protect his players.

It's not.

"It's not all his fault," center Dominic Raiola said. "Guys are going out there playing on Sunday. It's our fault.

"That's the easy way out for the coach to take it on himself. The players that go out on Sunday need to shoulder the blame. At some point, you have to be a football player and play football. For 13 weeks, it can't be all the coach's fault."

Marinelli's put-it-on-me was understandable after the first couple losses. It was even funny after six or seven losses.

But now, after a sea of losses -- 20 of 21 dating to last season -- it's just downright sad.

Anybody can see that.

You can reach Rob Parker at rob.parker@detnews.com.