- 2 days ago
The Lions and Taylor Decker didn't end the way Decker wanted.
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00:00Some feedback on the wings
00:01and then we'll get to Taylor Decker
00:02who is not happy with the Detroit Lions.
00:05He sat down with Justin Rogers.
00:06We'll give you some of that.
00:08Then, of course, get back into college hoops.
00:10735, Michigan in the Final Four.
00:14Michigan State season ends
00:15before the Final Four
00:17in the Sweet 16.
00:19Are you talking basketball or hockey?
00:22That's a fair point, John.
00:24Just make sure you clarify.
00:28I don't want to dwell on college hockey,
00:30but yeah, Michigan State, they blew it.
00:33How's that bracket looking?
00:343-1 in the third period.
00:36You've got the best goalie in the sport,
00:37Hobie Baker finalist, and you go home.
00:41All right.
00:44Not a good weekend for the Spartans.
00:46Not a good weekend for the Red Wings.
00:47We talk about Saturday night.
00:49Saturday night, you're down 4-0 at home.
00:51And I just said, look,
00:53the roster is good enough to be fighting
00:54for this playoff spot,
00:55but the team doesn't fight for it.
00:57The team doesn't show it consistently.
00:58I'm mad at the players
00:59more than anybody else right now.
01:01You can do a post-mortem
01:02on roster decisions
01:03and why they are where they are,
01:05but, John,
01:07if they play to their roster,
01:09they beat Ottawa last week
01:10and they beat Philadelphia
01:11on Saturday night.
01:13And they're in right now,
01:14at least going to the finish.
01:16Instead, they're drifting
01:17further and further away.
01:18They've lost eight
01:19of the last ten home games.
01:21And yeah, maybe they just need
01:23to get away.
01:23But there's just no excuses
01:25for this hockey team anymore.
01:27No, and I mean,
01:30it does feel like
01:31they're drifting further away,
01:32but they're still only two points back.
01:35They will play Columbus.
01:37They'll play the Flyers twice.
01:38The Flyers twice.
01:40So there's three teams
01:41with 86 points.
01:42It's Ottawa,
01:43Detroit,
01:44and the Flyers.
01:45Now they're chasing Columbus
01:47for that last spot.
01:48And really, that's what it is
01:49because I don't think
01:50there's anything they can do
01:51to catch up to Boston.
01:53Boston's at 92.
01:53Right, and Montreal's
01:54run away with this.
01:55Yeah.
01:56And so it's just simply
01:57how do they find a way
01:59to get that last wildcard spot?
02:02Can they do enough
02:03in the final couple weeks
02:06to get into the playoffs?
02:08And it is,
02:09after last season,
02:11we heard from Dylan Larkin,
02:13and we saw Steve Iserman
02:15go out and make this team better.
02:18He spent a first-round pick,
02:19made this team better.
02:20They get back to full strength,
02:22and they can't find a way
02:25to put two games back-to-back.
02:28Tech says,
02:29I went to the game
02:30and Edmondson's terrible.
02:31His passes get intercepted
02:32all the time.
02:33He was one of the main reasons
02:34for our tough loss,
02:36Dan in Lake Orion.
02:37That was the first goal of the game.
02:41Tech says,
02:42if you think this team
02:43has the talent to be in the playoffs,
02:45then wouldn't the blame
02:46go on coaching?
02:47If the players are good enough,
02:49but the team consistently falls short,
02:51that becomes a coaching issue.
02:52Do we need to look at
02:53Todd's future employment?
02:54Another says,
02:55when do we start putting blame on Todd?
02:57He's saying all these things
02:57in the postgame,
02:58but nothing ever changes on the ice.
03:00Doesn't that come back to coaching?
03:02Is he more of a speaker than a coach?
03:03I think I'm done with him, too.
03:07I don't know.
03:08I like Todd McClellan.
03:11From what I've heard from him,
03:12he doesn't gloss things over.
03:15He addresses them head on.
03:16Yeah.
03:17And you know where you stand
03:18or they call guys out.
03:19I've said all along, though,
03:19it's an issue that you have to call guys out
03:21a dozen times in an 82-game season.
03:25Last month,
03:26they're just jerseys out there.
03:28Basically said the same thing
03:30with the not playing smart.
03:32Yeah.
03:33I mean, you can lead a horse to water,
03:34but you can't make him drink.
03:35We can bring in a different coach
03:36to say back check,
03:37put shots on net,
03:38enter the zone with some urgency.
03:40If the players are tuning guys out
03:42or just don't want it bad enough,
03:44then I don't know that it matters
03:45who the coach is.
03:48Look, you shouldn't need
03:49Connor McDavid to get in the playoffs.
03:51Doesn't it feel like that?
03:52Like, well, they don't have enough stars.
03:54It shouldn't matter
03:55to get in the playoffs.
03:56Right.
03:57If you're talking about
03:57trying to gain the one seed
03:58or make a Stanley Cup run.
04:00Different story.
04:01Yeah, but to just get that last wild...
04:03Then we're only talking about
04:04the last wild card spot.
04:05One measly wild card spot.
04:07When they play their best,
04:08they should be a playoff team.
04:09Right.
04:09And asking a team
04:11to play their best
04:12the majority of the time
04:14is...
04:14Think about questioning that.
04:16Like, that's a problem right there.
04:18Especially when you know
04:19what's at stake
04:20every single night.
04:21We're going to put it
04:22on a silver platter for you
04:23multiple times down the stretch.
04:25Do you want it?
04:25And their answer every time is
04:26no.
04:28No.
04:28No, thank you.
04:29No.
04:30Hey, Ottawa's missing
04:32half their team.
04:33They're on a back-to-back.
04:34Do you want to win the game?
04:37How about Saturday night?
04:40Saturday night,
04:41everything you could have
04:42asked for is happening.
04:43All the right things around you
04:45are taking place.
04:46You're getting the help
04:48you desperately need.
04:50It's losses from
04:52everybody of significance.
04:54Columbus, Pittsburgh, Ottawa,
04:56they all lose.
04:57All you got to do is win.
04:58Go get your playoff spot.
05:02Beat a Flyers team
05:03that's not even in the field.
05:05Just win the game.
05:06How about score a goal
05:08before they get
05:08four goals?
05:13Come on, guys.
05:16Anyway,
05:17text says,
05:18Jim, you're dead wrong.
05:20They don't have the talent
05:20to be a playoff team.
05:21They're not more talented
05:22than Philadelphia.
05:25Would this person have sent
05:26this text two weeks ago?
05:28Like, the Flyers have played
05:29well since the Olympic break,
05:30but let's not act like the
05:30Flyers are a juggernaut.
05:33Flyers also have a minus goal
05:34differential for the record.
05:36Yeah.
05:36I mean, it's like versus like,
05:39and they can't find a way.
05:41And it's when you got to have it
05:44and you've got to have
05:46at the end of the season
05:47and you know you're within a point,
05:50within two points,
05:51or you have a point lead.
05:53I just don't understand
05:54why they can't put
05:56a good performance out there
05:58and got to have it games.
06:00Right, and it's not an excuse
06:02to say, well,
06:02it was a back-to-back, right?
06:03So they played Buffalo,
06:05had to travel,
06:06played a back-to-back.
06:08Ottawa was on a back-to-back
06:09when they beat Detroit.
06:10Philly was on a back-to-back
06:12yesterday and beat
06:13the Dallas Stars.
06:17Pittsburgh's going to be
06:17on a back-to-back
06:18tomorrow night
06:20in Pittsburgh.
06:21Would you be surprised
06:22if the Pens beat the Wings
06:23on a back-to-back?
06:24There's just no excuses.
06:28Text says Larkin has to go.
06:30Need a culture move.
06:31Another says the group
06:32has no juice.
06:33Reminds me of the Lions.
06:35Jim, do you still think
06:36Fulk is a laser beam move?
06:38Dude's a bum.
06:39Wasted a first-round pick.
06:40Do you guys know
06:41what's going to happen?
06:43The Wings are going to
06:44miss the playoffs
06:44by one point
06:45and the pick they traded
06:46is going to end up
06:47in the top three
06:48because of the stupid lottery.
06:53I know that's the worry.
06:54I don't want to live
06:54in that world.
06:55Yeah.
06:56All right.
06:57Let's move on.
06:58I mean, we'll take calls.
07:00We're kind of juggling
07:00a lot today.
07:01We mentioned Tigers.
07:02We mentioned Michigan.
07:02We mentioned Red Wings.
07:04I would love
07:05John Jansen's feedback
07:06on this Taylor Decker drama.
07:09So he met with
07:10Justin Rogers,
07:11who did like an exclusive
07:13one-on-one breakdown.
07:15Justin Rogers,
07:16Detroit Football Network,
07:17detailed how things
07:18fell apart so quickly.
07:20Decker claims
07:21on his exit interviews,
07:23two things were made clear.
07:25The Lions wanted him back
07:27and Decker was not interested
07:28in taking a pay cut.
07:29However, when the two sides
07:30reconvened after Decker
07:32announced he'd returned
07:33for his 11th season,
07:34he was blindsided
07:35when the team told him
07:36or told his agent
07:37the only way he'd return
07:38if there was a pay cut.
07:39There wasn't much discussion.
07:41He turned down the offer
07:42before the two sides
07:43even discussed numbers.
07:46Okay.
07:47So my take on that is
07:50he told them
07:51he wasn't going to take a pay cut.
07:54That doesn't mean
07:55they have to accept that.
07:58And in fact,
07:59they accepted that
08:00that he wasn't going to
08:01take a pay cut.
08:02And then when they came back,
08:04they reconvened.
08:06And he says,
08:07in my week since
08:07notifying the team
08:08of my return,
08:09there have been
08:10numerous discussions,
08:11many of which
08:11were a surprise to me
08:12and we could not
08:13find common ground.
08:14Therefore,
08:14I decided to request
08:15my release.
08:18I was in a similar situation.
08:20Ten years with the team.
08:23I was blindsided
08:24because a couple of days
08:28before I was due
08:29a huge bonus,
08:30they flew me in,
08:32said,
08:32hey,
08:32we're going to release you.
08:33And it was
08:35well after free agency.
08:37This happened early enough
08:39that if Decker wants
08:39to go out
08:40and find a team,
08:41he's taking his time.
08:42He's deciding
08:43if he wants to play
08:44for another team
08:44or not.
08:44Sounds kind of like
08:45he does.
08:49I don't have an issue
08:51with what the Lions did.
08:52I don't either.
08:54Now,
08:55he says,
08:57there's a blurb
08:58where he,
08:59yeah,
08:59here's what's driving
09:00Decker crazy.
09:01This does feel
09:02a little personal.
09:03Since talking to Campbell
09:04on February 23rd,
09:05he hasn't heard
09:06from team leadership.
09:07There wasn't a follow-up
09:08from his coach.
09:09Holmes never reached out
09:10and Decker
09:11had to make
09:11first contact
09:12with position coach
09:13Hank Fraley,
09:13a man he publicly
09:14went to bat for
09:15when Campbell was hired.
09:16And given everything
09:17he had to the franchise
09:18for a decade,
09:19Decker expected more.
09:20He wanted to hear
09:21from his coach,
09:22from the general manager.
09:22He wanted a simple
09:23thank you on his way
09:24out the door
09:25and just as badly,
09:26he wanted to say
09:26thank you for everything
09:27the organization
09:28has meant to him.
09:30Okay.
09:33Could the Lions
09:33have sent him
09:34an edible arrangement?
09:36Yes.
09:36Is that really
09:37the issue here?
09:38You didn't want
09:39a pay cut.
09:40So this was always
09:41a moot point.
09:42Right.
09:43You weren't playing
09:44up to that level.
09:45They needed
09:46the cap space.
09:48This is a business.
09:50They could have
09:50patted you on the ass
09:52one more time
09:53or stopped by
09:54or made one more
09:55phone call.
09:56But is that really
09:57the issue here?
09:57You didn't want
09:58a pay cut.
09:59They wanted a pay cut.
09:59It's a business.
10:01When you're
10:03cut like that
10:04or you request
10:05your release,
10:08I've said this before.
10:09There are so many
10:10professional athletes
10:11that would like
10:13the opportunity
10:14to determine
10:15how they leave
10:16an organization
10:17or game.
10:19Yet,
10:20there are
10:20only a handful
10:22in the history
10:23of any sport
10:24where you actually
10:25get to dictate
10:26that moment.
10:27And I wasn't
10:29of that talent.
10:31Taylor Decker
10:32isn't of that talent.
10:33like you didn't
10:35you're just
10:35not there.
10:37And if you
10:38spent a decade
10:39there,
10:39yeah,
10:39I don't
10:40even if they
10:41had called
10:41and said,
10:42Taylor,
10:44we really
10:45appreciate
10:45everything that
10:46you've done.
10:47I mean,
10:47Sheila could have
10:48made that call.
10:49Dan could have
10:49made that call.
10:51Brad Holmes,
10:52Hank Fraley,
10:53hell,
10:53the equipment
10:53managers could have
10:54made that call.
10:55And I don't think
10:56it would have
10:56made a difference.
10:57It wouldn't have
10:58made a difference
10:58for me.
10:59I still would
11:00have left
11:01with bitter feelings.
11:02I think it's so
11:03important you said
11:04that because I
11:06can't say it that
11:06way,
11:06but you were in
11:07that spot,
11:08but I feel the
11:09same way you do
11:10like his bitterness,
11:12whatever resentment
11:13is there would be
11:14there regardless
11:16whether they gave
11:17him a thank you
11:18note or made
11:20one more phone
11:21call or return
11:22to call.
11:23He didn't want
11:24to play on a
11:24pay cut,
11:26right?
11:26At least they
11:27offered him a pay
11:28cut.
11:29Right.
11:30You know,
11:30hey,
11:30the discussions
11:31were if you're
11:32going to come
11:32back,
11:33you may have
11:33told us you
11:33weren't going
11:34to take a
11:34pay cut.
11:34All right,
11:35you make your
11:35feelings known
11:37and I'm telling
11:38you if you want
11:39to come back,
11:40you're going to
11:40have to take a
11:41pay cut.
11:41It kind of
11:42feels like he
11:43had been public
11:43about contemplating
11:44retirement.
11:45It kind of felt
11:45like it was only
11:46going to be worth
11:46it to him at a
11:47certain number.
11:48I'm not going to
11:49go put my body
11:49through this again
11:50for less.
11:52Okay,
11:52then go somewhere
11:53else and find
11:54that number.
11:55And he hasn't.
11:56Yeah,
11:57it hasn't
11:57materialized yet.
11:58the answer just
11:59might be that
12:01your appetite's
12:02bigger than your
12:02stomach.
12:04Right?
12:04Yeah,
12:05I mean,
12:05what's worth it
12:06to you to play
12:06football is not
12:07what the league
12:07thinks you're
12:08worth to play
12:08football.
12:09So then you're
12:10in limbo.
12:10And that doesn't
12:11mean the Lions
12:11disrespect are all
12:12the other teams
12:13disrespecting him
12:13too.
12:14Or is this market
12:15what his market
12:16is?
12:17The market is
12:18what the market
12:19is.
12:20And is there a
12:21place for him to
12:22play?
12:23Sure.
12:23Of course.
12:24there might even
12:25be a place where
12:25he comes back to
12:26Detroit,
12:27but it's going to
12:28have to be at a
12:29number that works
12:31for the Lions.
12:32And maybe that
12:33ship has sailed.
12:36Did the Lions
12:36handle this right?
12:37Or is this just
12:39how the business
12:39goes?
12:40Does he have a
12:40right to be upset?
12:41It's 97.1.
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