9002120222
DETROIT FREE PRESS
901108
Thursday, November 08, 1990
METRO EDITION
1D
MITCH ALBOM
SEE ALSO METRO FINAL CHASER PAGE 1D
Copyright (c) 1990, Detroit Free Press
FONTES' COACHING STYLE HARD TO FIGURE
Now let me get this straight. On Sunday, Andre Ware isn't important enough
to dress in uniform. And on Wednesday, his coach tells him, "You're my
starting quarterback." Geez. Andre must've had a hell of a Monday and
Tuesday.
Of course, the team doesn't even practice on Monday or Tuesday, so this is
kind of strange. But then, so are a lot of things Wayne Fontes does. He shifts
like the wind. He's hard to figure. I'll tell you this. I wouldn't want him
putting his arm around me and saying "You're my guy." It's the kiss of death.
Ask Rodney Peete. Last year, when he matured into a worthy NFL
quarterback, Fontes smiled. He gave Rodney a hug. "You're my guy," he told
him.
Then the Lions went out and drafted Ware.
At the press conference, with Rodney 3,000 miles away, Fontes was all
smiles again. He lit a cigar. He turned to Andre and said, "You're my guy."
Time passed, and Andre disappeared in the maze of contract negotiations, and
Peete got injured in the second game of the season, and Fontes turned to Bob
Gagliano, a nice and talented quarterback who must have "kick me" taped across
the back of his jersey. And here came the smile. Here came the hug. "Bob,"
said coach Fontes, "you're my guy."
And today, we're back to Andre. Who's the guy next week? Eric Hipple?
Now, understand, starting Ware Sunday might not be a bad move. True, the kid
has never started in the NFL, and true, many a rookie quarterback has been
shattered by coming out too soon, but, who knows? Ware could have a decent day
against Minnesota.
That's not the point. Like so many moves in sports, it isn't what is
done, but how it is done that raises eyebrows. This move hurt a lot of
feelings. And you wonder: what is Wayne Fontes thinking?
You aren't angry, Bob?
Don't ask Bob Gagliano.
"Are you angry?" he was asked Wednesday.
He looked at the TV cameras and the assorted notepads. He grinned. He bit
his lip. "Would you be?"' he finally said.
"Hell, yeah," said a reporter.
Nuff said. Let it be known that Bob Gagliano is too mature to pout. But
for two years now, whenever they need someone to pull Detroit's bacon out of
the fire, he does it. And he has been told he's No. 2 on the depth chart.
Then, suddenly, Peete goes down, and Gagliano sees himself leapfrogged for
rather curious reasons. This has left him, well, a little ticked.
I don't blame him one bit.
As for Peete? He has to wonder if this isn't the day they change the locks
on his future. Ware has been looming out there, with his multi-million dollar
contract, like the President's son. No matter how well Peete played, it
seemed inevitable that Ware had an inside track. When Peete got slammed on the
knee by Washington's Eric Williams Sunday, and he tried to walk and his leg
turned to rubber, somewhere, in the back of his mind, a voice whispered:
"Wally Pipp."
Now. Fontes insists that as soon as Peete is healthy, he gets the job
back. All day Wednesday, Fontes kept saying "Rodney is my quarterback." And
since Fontes said the same thing last year, and then the Lions went out and
drafted Ware, I'm sure Rodney takes great relief in this.
But use a little common sense. If Ware has two good games, the Lions win,
they are sniffing around in playoff territory, do you really think he gets put
back on the bench? Just because the coach said so two weeks ago? Yes?
Sit down. I have to tell you something about Santa Claus.
Did Ford have a better idea
We are talking about being honest here. We are talking about earning the
trust of your players. Everyone knows Ware eventually will get his chance.
But why now? Is this the best thing for team unity? After all, the season is
just halfway finished -- rather early to start educating a rookie quarterback.
Besides, although Gagliano has his ups and downs, he did lead the Lions past
Minnesota a few weeks ago. If you ask me, he has earned the right to start
when Peete is hurt. What has Ware done to deserve it?
Some think this all has to do with last Sunday. That loss to Washington
was the biggest embarrassment since John Denver's last album. After the game,
Fontes met in private with owner William Clay Ford. And so now everyone
figures Ford said something like, "How's about playing that kid quarterback
who I'm paying all those millions? Maybe he can make a first down."
Fontes, of course, denies this, saying over and over, "this is my football
team." Hey. After Sunday, who else would want it?
But let's be clear here: the lessons from Sunday had to do with 1) Defense.
2) Barry Sanders. The Lions' quarterbacking didn't surrender 674 yards. It
actually ranks quite high in NFL offensive production. Why fix what ain't
broke?
You have to wonder. Maybe Fontes really wants Andre running his offense
and this is the perfect opening. Maybe Fontes wants people to forget Sunday
and buy tickets for this weekend. Maybe he just wants to please the owner. Who
knows? You ask me, I think it's all three. But I could be wrong.
After all, I just listen to what he says.
Mitch Albom will sign copies of his new book "Live Albom II" at 7 p.m.
Friday at Little Professor Book Store, Westgate Shopping Center, Ann Arbor; 2
p.m. Saturday, B. Dalton's, Southland Mall, and 4 p.m. Saturday at Book Nook,
Allen Park.
ANDRE WARE; COLUMN; DLIONS; RODNEY PEETE;Lions