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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Jim Schwartz was hired to turn around the Detroit Lions and he did it for three seasons. He failed to keep the Lions going in the right direction the next two years -- and it cost him his job. The Lions fired Schwartz on Monday, one day after their late-season slide ended with a loss at Minnesota. He had two years and nearly $12 million left on his contract. Schwartz informed the players of the decision during a team meeting. "I feel awful for him," Lions centre Dominic Raiola said. "I feel like we let him down." Team President Tom Lewand said the search has begun for what he thinks is one of the most -- if not the most -- attractive opportunities for a head coach in the NFL. "I can verify that by the number of calls we have already gotten since the announcement was made," Lewand said. "Going through a thorough process is extremely important. That doesnt necessarily it has to be a long process." San Diego Chargers offensive co-ordinator Ken Whisenhunt is among the potential candidates. Whisenhunt led the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl during a six-year run as their coach and Lions general manager Martin Mayhew is a former Washington Redskins teammate. The Lions also let offensive co-ordinator Scott Linehan and wide receivers coach Tim Lappano seek other jobs, saying the rest of the staff is under contract, including some assistants for the 2014 season. Detroit flopped to a 7-9 record this year after a 6-3 record start put the franchise in a position to win a division title for the first time since 1993. "That is the reason we are sitting here having this conversation," Lewand said. Schwartz was 29-51 over five seasons, including a 10-6 mark in 2011 that lifted the Lions to their only post-season appearance this century. The former Tennessee Titans defensive co-ordinator was hired in 2009 when Detroit was coming off the NFLs first 0-16 season. "Jim inherited a very tough job," Mayhew acknowledged. Schwartz led the Lions to two wins in his first year, six the next and to double digits in victories two years ago for the first time since 1995 to help them end an 11-year post-season drought. The Lions lost their last eight games last year after a .500 start. They collapsed again this season with four straight losses and six in a seven-game stretch -- blowing fourth-quarter leads in each setback -- after they took control of the NFC North race. Detroit and the 2000 San Diego Chargers are the only NFL teams since 1940 to lose fourth-quarter leads in seven games in a season, according to STATS. "From where we were in 2008 to where we are now its a big difference," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "We owe a lot of that to him. Hes a really smart guy and helped us get to where we are. Obviously, we didnt win as many games as we needed to or as we should have this year." The Lions took on the personality of their demonstrative and emotionally charged coach and that wasnt always good news for them. When Detroit ran the ball instead of having turnover-prone Stafford throw late in regulation of its 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Giants in Week 16, the crowd reacted with a loud chorus of boos. Schwartz responded by looking away from the field and screaming something toward the stands. Schwartz negated a video review and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct by angrily throwing a challenge flag last season when Houstons Justin Forsett scored after two Lions tackled him, leading to a defeat during an eight-game, season-ending slide. The previous year, Schwartz had a heated exchange with San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh and had to be separated following their postgame handshake. "The stuff that happened with Harbaugh just was an incident," Detroit guard Rob Sims said. "The stuff with the fans just was an incident. Thats not an everyday occurrence." Schwartz was 12-32 in games in November or later for a .273 winning percentage that was the worst for a coach in five-plus straight seasons with a team since Denvers Lou Saban won one-quarter of those late-season games from 1967-1971, according to STATS. His .363 winning percentage overall with the Lions is the worst by an NFL coach in his first five full seasons since John McKay won fewer than 30 per cent of his games with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-1980. The Lions gave Schwartz an extension entering the 2012 season, when he had one year left on his four-deal worth about $11 million. The second contract made him the longest-tenured coach the franchise has had since Wayne Fontes led the Lions from 1988-96. Bobby Ross, Gary Moeller, Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Dick Jauron -- on an interim basis -- and Rod Marinelli all had a chance to lead a franchise with only one playoff victory since winning the 1957 NFL title before Schwartz got a shot to be a head coach for the first time at any level. The Lions would like to hire someone, who runs a 4-3 defence and has head coaching experience, but theyre not going to overlook assistants who fit the profile theyre looking for. "The goal isnt to hire the biggest name or the most popular candidate and win the next press conference," Lewand said. "Its to win football games in 2014 and to win a championship." Nike Vapormax Flyknit 3 Φθηνα . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way. nike vapormax γυναικεια . The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made. By releasing Bailey, the Broncos would open up cap space with the 12-time Pro Bowl player scheduled to make around $10 million next season. http://www.vapormaxgreece.com/nike-vapormax-2019-greece.html . -- Slugger Jose Abreu, All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and closer Matt Lindstrom are on the disabled list. nike vapormax Ελλαδα . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. nike vapormax φθηνα . -- Top-ranked Stacy Lewis birdied the last three holes and five of the final six Thursday for an 8-under 64 and a share of the lead with Mi Jung Hur in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic.MONTREAL -- Troy Smith is looking like he will grow into the job as the Montreal Alouettes starting quarterback after all. After the offence was stifled in a season opening loss last week in Calgary, Smith and the entire Alouettes team were a notch better in a 24-9 victory over the struggling B.C. Lions on Friday night. Montreal (1-1) posted the first win by an East Division team over a western club this season and dropped the Lions to 0-2. "There wasnt a lot of difference in play calls, it was just the quarterback making different reads and doing different things," said Smith. "Obviously, having a little more time with the co-ordinator and the offensive line coach is going to help you. "Im kind of greedy in the sense that I like throwing touchdown passes and I didnt get one, so Im still chomping at the bit to get my first one of the season, but if we keep getting wins, thats the most important statistic." Running back Brandon Whitaker and linebacker Chip Cox scored first quarter touchdowns and Sean Whyte kicked three field goals and a single for the Alouettes. The defence made the real difference, sacking B.C. starter Kevin Glenn five times, picking off two passes and recovering a fumble. Smith was sacked only once and was not picked off. Smith completed 17 passes for a relatively modest 187 yards, but he helped the Alouettes pick up 203 yards on the ground with a few timely rushing first downs. The Lions produced only one Paul McCallum field goal with Glenn at quarterback. Backup John Beck had an eight-yard TD toss to Courtney Taylor with 1:20 left in the game on a drive aided by three Montreal penalties. It was their first TD since they got two in the first quarter of a loss last week at home to Edmonton. "This is a tough business to be in because you can be so high one day and so low the next," said the 35-year-old Glenn, who became the starter when Travis Lulay was placed on the six-game injured list with a shoulder injury. "Weve just got to make sure we stick together and try to turn this thing around. "Its a long season. The most important thing is to stick together as a team." The concern for B.C. going into the game was having newcomer Ryan Cave starting at left tackle after only two practices with the team this week. It wasnt all his doing, but Montreal spent much of the first half in the Lions backfield, either sacking Glenn or hurrying throws. Bowman said the defence didnt key on Cave.dddddddddddd "The way (defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe) called the game, it wasnt anything against Cave," said Bowman, whose four sacks was one short of a team record. "I actually thought he played OK. "Coach Thorpe called a masterful game. We didnt take advantage of one player, but their scheme in general." The defence came up with the first score 7:36 into the game on a play that had the crowd of 20,018 on its feet. Defensive lineman Scott Paxson reached up a hand to pick off Glenns throw, then flipped the ball to Cox to run 20 yards into the end zone. It was a fifth career TD for Cox. "I had contain on that play," said Paxson. "The quarterback threw the ball a little low and I got my hands on it. After that, I wasnt really thinking. I saw I was about to be tackled so I pitched it to Chip." Cox had one defensive tackle, leaving the 2013 outstanding defensive player two short of moving into the top-10 in CFL history. Smith led a nine-play, 71-yard drive capped by Whitakers 32-yard TD run at 13:27. Whyte added a pair of field goals in the second quarter, one of them set up by an Andrew Harris fumble that was recovered by Jerald Brown on the B.C. 43 yard line. The other came after Smiths 37-yard pass to S.J. Green, which appeared to hit the ground. However, B.C. coach Mike Benevides said spotters got the replay late and the referee ruled that the next play had started before the challenge flag was thrown. "That would have been a difference of three points," Benevides said. "Id love to get the replay on time." Montreal back-up quarterback Tanner Marsh fumbled on a third-and-short play into Solomon Elimimians hands at the Montreal 40 to set up McCallums 24-yard field goal to put B.C. on the board 5:41 into the second half. Glenn had a promising drive die when he was intercepted by Marc-Olivier Bouillette in the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Glenn threw only seven picks all of last season with Calgary, but has six in two games with the Lions. B.C. finally scored with Beck in the game. "I wanted Beck to get some work,"said Benevides. "He had some time to warm up, so I got him in there to get some game reps." The schedule doesnt get easier for the Lions, whose next game is at Saskatchewan on July 12. The Alouettes stay home to face 2-0 Winnipeg next Friday. ' ' '