Lions Raiola Unapologetic to Rude Fans

December 9, 2008

By Slavica Milosevska-Senior Investigative Reporter-Football Reporters Online

The Detroit Lions have been the butt of most jokes these days. Fans may have gone too far in expressing their annoyance with the team by making personal insults. When is enough, enough? Dominic Raiola drew that line when he responded to fans' verbal abuse by making lewd hand gestures in Sunday's game where the Lions, now 0-13, lost to the Minnesota Vikings 20-16. "I'm just so frustrated. I'm tired of being a doormat. For people to just talk to us how they want to talk to us, I'm just not gonna put up with that anymore," asserted Raiola.

When asked if apologetic about the foul gesture on Monday, there was no regret. "I wish everybody out there came into the film room and watched the film, watched the effort put out there. And, yeah, everybody makes mistakes, everybody messes up - and I'm talking for everybody right now - and, yeah, they're paying customers. But we're trying to put some wins on the board and give them something to cheer about. And I don't know what to say, other than what I said yesterday." Raiola also stated, “I don't take one thing back."

The Lions may be the first team of all time to lose all 16 games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently the only team to have lost every game in a season; however, this was in 1976 when there were only 14 games. On Sunday, the Lions were in the same position as in 2001, 0-12 facing the Vikings at home, but that year they had their first victory of the season in game 13.

Raiola believes he is targeted by fans because since he has been on the team as of 2001, the Lions stats have worsened. “I’m just tired of hearing it coming at just me,” expressed Raiola. “It’s coming at me because I’ve been here for years. I’ve been through the losing. Me, Jeff and whoever else are the head of the losing.”

Raiola may be fined for his actions. According to NFL spokesman Randall Liu, the league will look into the situation. Other NFL players have been fined for similar behavior.

This year Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior was fined $7,500 for making an obscene gesture to Cleveland Brown fans when they celebrated a teammate's injury. St. Louis Rams lineman Richie Incognito made an offensive gesture to a television cameraman during practice also in 2008. San Fransisco kicker Joe Nedney was also fined $7,500 for making obscene gestures in 2007. Micheal Vick was fined for flicking off fans in 2006, and in his last season, he was fined $10,000 by the NFL then donated $10,000 for lewd gestures to the fans.