William Clay Ford’s Detroit Lions could perhaps learn a lesson from the big 3 automakers begging for mercy in an unforgiving world. And perhaps the big 3 could cast their gaze upon the Detroit Lions and figure out what they need not do in this time of crisis.

In this article I’m going to highlight some mistakes either the big 3 or the Detroit Lions have made and the lessons that the other can learn from those mistakes.

Mistake: Asking the federal government for bailout assistance without a formal model of your plan for the money. In turn making your company and yourself look foolish.

Lesson Learned: The Lions should present a plan to the football league, their fans, and everyone in-between of how they plan to win. I think that without said model they’ll continuing tumbling down an endless spiral (one they’ve already been in since 1950). At least this way the fans will know better than to support this franchise.

Mistake: Waiting 8 years to fire Lions’ GM Matt Millen.

Lesson Learned: The big 3 shouldn’t have to analyze this one too hard. When a big change needs to be made, start at the top.

Mistake: The Fords.

Lesson Learned: If you can’t fun a football organization and your son can’t run the family business, then maybe ownership (of anything) really isn’t in the cards for you.

Mistake: The Lions’ players aren’t fuel efficient. (They never “play” a full for quarters, you see?)

Lesson Learned: Make cars that are fuel efficient! Perhaps gas prices are falling, and that’s good. But the masses have learned that gasoline prices WILL rise, if not now, then eventually. Knowing that, everybody is ready for new, fuel efficient vehicles. Everybody is ready to start paying at the pump with their credit cards again.

Personally, my truck get about 18 mpg. That was an awfully low number when gas was $4.19 a gallon. Gas isn’t so bad now, $1.60 on average where I currently live (that low even for people paying with credit cards!), but I know it will rise again. Before that happens I’d like to get a car that more economically friendly, who wouldn’t? It’s time the big 3 learnt the lesson they should.

On one hand we have a failing auto industry, on the other a failing football team. It’s strange to think they can learn anything from each other, perhaps even illogical. I believe however that they can, will, and will have to in order to flourish.