Lions' Marinelli won't accept Parker's apology
by Tom Kowalski Monday December 22, 2008, 2:45 PM
Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli said today that he wants no part of any type of apology from Detroit News columnist Rob Parker.
After Detroit's 42-7 loss to the Saints on Sunday, Parker spent several minutes grilling Marinelli about the performance of his defensive coordinator -- and son-in-law -- Joe Barry and why Barry wasn't fired for the team's poor defensive production. After the often-intense exchange, Parker said, "On a lighter note -- do you wish your daughter had married a better defensive coordinator?''
Marinelli didn't respond at that time, but he addressed the situation today.
"Anytime you attack my daughter, I've got a problem with that. In a room of stink ... and as a man and it was premeditated. I think there was something wrong with that, yeah.''
When asked if Parker had crossed the line, Marinelli said, "Big time."
Marinelli refused to address two questions about what he meant by "room of stink.''
"I'll leave it at that,'' he said, adding that he had not talked to Parker and had no desire to do so.
On why he didn't immediately respond to Parker's question, Marinelli said: "I just don't think that's the right stage for that. To me, it's not. It's the wrong stage for the game of football and for me to even react to something like that, on a stage about football -- it's a kid's game, it's for the kids. It's wrong.''
When asked about Parker's apology column, Marinelli said: "I didn't read it, but I was told a little bit about it. I don't accept anything. There are so many times people will say ... I had an assistant coach (Jim Colletto) one time make a remark with you guys that he didn't want to embarrass a player (Drew Stanton), did he take that remark back? Would you guys let him? No, you went from our practice field and ran to the locker room and put a microphone in front of the player -- and (the coach) didn't mean it that way. Do you remember that? To me, this is worse. Because his intent was to stir me up which is never going to happen. I can shoulder anything you bring. Easy. I can shoulder anything you bring.''
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