Lions’ Marinelli mad at columnist

Rob Parker of the Detroit News apologized for his question, which angered the coach.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Rod Marinelli was as angry publicly on Monday as he’s been in three seasons as coach of the Detroit Lions.

Leading the NFL’s first 0-15 team didn’t do it.

A question from a columnist did.

Detroit News columnist Rob Parker asked Marinelli if he wished his daughter married a better defensive coordinator, taking a shot at his son-in-law Joe Barry, after Sunday’s 42-7 loss to New Orleans.

Marinelli didn’t answer the question during his news conference, saying it wasn’t the right stage for a response, but lashed out after thinking about the exchange.

“Anytime you attack my daughter, I’ve got a problem with that ...” Marinelli said. “It was premeditated. I think there’s something wrong with that.”

Did it cross the line?

“Big time,” Marinelli said.

Parker attempted to diffuse the situation.

“I apologize to Rod and his family,” Parker said in a telephone interview after Marinelli’s comments were relayed to him. “It was never my intent to hurt anyone. It was just to lighten the moment.”

The Lions will close the schedule at Green Bay, where they haven’t won since 1991, hoping to avoid sealing a perfectly imperfect season.

Parker, who has regularly asked Marinelli about the possibility of firing Barry, tried to explain his relationship with Marinelli in a column published Monday.

“On the surface, you might think it’s adversarial,” Parker wrote. “He hates me and I hate him. In reality, it’s one built on mutual respect.

“Sunday, with my attempt at humor, I was trying to get Marinelli to lighten up, have some fun after a rough day,” Parker added. “Who knows, Marinelli, a straight shooter who never goes off script, might actually have given us a funny quote. He didn’t. My attempt failed.”

Marinelli, a Vietnam veteran, has remained calm as he answered questions after each of his 37 losses since he became a head coach for the first time in 2006, and he refused to let Parker’s question rattle him when it was asked.

“There was intent to maybe stir me up, which is never going to happen,” he said. “I can shoulder anything you bring — easy.”