By MIKE O'HARA
The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- With a little more talking, and a couple of signatures on the dotted lines, the Detroit Lions expect to have Steve Mariucci as their next head coach.

Negotiations between the Lions and Mariucci's agent, Gary O'Hagen, moved forward Monday on a contract that would make Mariucci one of the NFL's highest-paid coaches.

A deal could be reached Tuesday, but the news conference will not be held before Wednesday. The Lions do not want to conflict with Tuesday's memorial services for the seven astronauts killed in the space shuttle Columbia tragedy Saturday.

Only the timing appears to be at stake in Mariucci's becoming the 22nd coach of the Lions. He has been President Matt Millen's first choice since he fired Marty Mornhinweg on Jan. 27.

The Lions were encouraged enough by the progress of talks Monday to release a statement from vice president Bill Keenist that left little doubt that Mariucci is on track to be hired.

"Talks continued today with Steve Mariucci," Keenist said. "While there was significant progress made during those discussions, no deal has yet been finalized that would make Steve our next head coach.

"We are hopeful that an agreement can be reached with Steve by the end of the day (Tuesday)."

There was no comment from Millen, Mariucci or O'Hagen.

Hiring Mariucci would represent a coup -- and a badly needed victory -- for Millen. He has been enamored of Mariucci's coaching style since Millen's days as an analyst for NFL games on the CBS and Fox networks. Millen was almost hired as president after the 1998 season, and his first choice for coach probably would have been Mariucci.

When owner William Clay Ford hired Millen in January of 2001, Mariucci's contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers precluded Millen from hiring him. He turned to Mornhinweg, Mariucci's offensive coordinator from 1997-2000.

As the Lions foundered in two years under Mornhinweg, compiling won-lost records of 2-14 and 3-13, many NFL observers questioned Millen's judgment in hiring what he thought was a Mariucci clone. Mornhinweg was referred to in some circles as "Mooch lite" -- a play on Mariucci's nickname.

Millen announced at a Dec. 31 news conference that Mornhinweg would return for a third season. But his commitment to Mornhinweg never appeared to be strong. When the 49ers fired Mariucci on Jan. 15, after six seasons as coach, Millen saw the opening he was looking for and acted quickly.

Apparently, only timing and previous commitments kept Millen from firing Mornhinweg sooner after Mariucci became available.

The Lions' staff was named to coach the South team in the Jan. 18 Senior Bowl, and the NFL has asked teams not to hire head coaches during Super Bowl week, so as not to take away any focus from the country's signature sporting event.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers scarcely had finished celebrating their victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII than reports began circulating that Mornhinweg's days were numbered. Lions assistants have reported learning the night of the Super Bowl from people outside the organization that Millen would fire Mornhinweg the next day.

That's exactly what happened. Millen and Mornhinweg had a brief conversation the morning of Monday, Jan. 27. At the news conference later that day, Millen acknowledged that he wanted to talk to Mariucci.

Mariucci, 47, is attractive to the Lions on many levels. He is a native of Iron Mountain in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. As a quarterback, he led Northern Michigan to the NCAA Division II championship in 1975.

Obviously, the Michigan connection had no bearing on Millen's interest. Millen is from eastern Pennsylvania. Mariucci's outgoing personality and ability to win in the NFL were more compelling attributes.

When the 49ers hired him in 1997, Mariucci had NFL experience as an assistant coach with the Rams (1985) and Green Bay Packers (1992-95). He was the head coach at California in 1996 when he caught the eye of 49ers President Carmen Policy.

The 49ers believed they were entering a rebuilding phase with George Seifert, who was promoted to head coach in 1989 after a long tenure as a defensive assistant. Seifert had an astounding 108-35 won-lost record and two Super Bowl championships to his credit, but Niners management thought it was time for a change.

Mariucci fit the 49ers' model for a replacement -- young and dynamic, with a good background.

In six seasons, Mariucci had a 60-43 record, four playoff appearances and two division titles. But he did not get the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Policy departed to become president and CEO of the Cleveland Browns, who entered the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1999. That left Mariucci without his strongest supporter in the front office.

The 49ers won the NFC West in 2002 with a 10-6 record and beat the Giants in the wild-card playoff round. They were beaten soundly, 31-6, by Tampa Bay in the divisional round a week later.

Three days later, the 49ers fired Mariucci with a year left on his contract.

The door was open for Millen to pursue him. Within a day or two, he is expected to walk in as coach of the Lions.

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SPELLMAN SENTENCED

Former NFL and Ohio State lineman Alonzo Spellman was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for threatening the passengers and crew on a Delta flight from Cincinnati to Philadelphia last year.

Spellman, who has a history of psychiatric problems, also must spend three months in a rehabilitation center and undergo psychological counseling. He will be barred from commercial flying without approval.

---Enquirer staff and news services

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