Lions' Clay criticizes NFL for decision to fine Millen

The league fined the Lions president for failing to follow minority-hiring policy.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -- Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford sharply criticized NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's decision to fine team president Matt Millen for failing to interview a minority head coaching candidate.
When it comes to diversity hiring, Ford says, the Lions have a better record than both the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers -- the team whose owner drafted the guidelines that Millen was fined for violating.
Tagliabue fined Millen $200,000 last week for failing to follow the league's minority-hiring policy before he hired new coach Steve Mariucci in January.
"This is deliberately singling out the Lions, putting a focus on us for violating a policy that -- as we talk right now -- has not been formalized or approved by the membership," Ford said Monday.
"I think it is a shame and totally unwarranted," Ford said from his team's training camp. "I've lost a lot of respect for the commissioner because of the way he has handled this.
"He has made a scapegoat out of the Detroit Lions, and I think the timing showed that. He waited six months, then nailed us on the eve of camp opening when attention would be on us."
Tagliabue declined comment Monday.
Turning down interviews
The Lions said five minority candidates turned down interviews because it appeared inevitable Mariucci would be hired.
The policy was put in place Dec. 20 based on guidelines set forth by the diversity committee, headed by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney.
Ford took aim at Rooney as well as Tagliabue, saying that the Lions' record of recruiting minorities was better than that of the Steelers.
Under Millen, the Lions have 12 blacks in top positions while the Steelers, according to their 2002 media guide, have no black executives. Detroit has seven blacks in coaching, personnel or training staff positions.
"I think we've got an excellent record," said Ford. "We've got a record not because we're trying to satisfy anything [but] because we pick good people. And the Steelers and the league office have a terrible record. They're great ones to be picking us out," he said.
Unpleasant talk
Ford and Tagliabue talked on the phone after the decision was made, but Ford said the conversation did not go well.
"I just kept getting madder and madder until I hung up on him," he said. "I was just getting the usual legalese double-talk. He really couldn't argue with any of my points."
Ford said the team has not decided if it would appeal the fine.
"I've got an open mind about that," he said. "We are going to explore our options, but I have the feeling that it is a fait accompli."
Ford's son Bill, the team's vice chairman, called the decision the "height of hypocrisy" on Sunday, and William Clay Ford said Monday that he agreed with that characterization.