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JimYoungblood53
Steve and Klosterman did not want George Allen, he tried to talk Carroll out of Allen. Klosterman and Steve were pushing for Dan Reeves.
The chronology was in early January Walsh was the front-runner, even rumored to have a lock on job, but Knox was not quite out the door, but it was inevitable.
Rams had a list of Walsh (a Klosterman favorite), Malavasi, Coryell. They may have had an eye on George Allen but he was not yet available.
In mid-January Allen was fired, so the candidates, public anyway, were Walsh, Allen, Coryell, and Malavasi. Walsh was eliminated as was Coryell . . .not talk of them in late-January. Carroll wanted George Allen but got pushback from Steve and Klosterman and from players. Steve went to Pro Bowl and the star rams players didn't want Allen, especially Isiah Robertson. And Allen opened his mouth and criticized the Redskins owner. Rosenbloom didn;'t think that was becoming.
So he paused. Klosterman and Steve brought in Dan Reeves and wanted him. But they failed, Carroll pulled the trigger on Allen like on last day or two of January.
Allen's agent also was one of the Rams attorneys...so there was a cozy relationship with Carroll.
Anyway, that is what happened, at least what is publically known.
Good to know I thought I read Steve was in favor of Allen, but actually found this article in the New York Times archive that supports your post exactly. Articel was erroneous with the age of Carroll Rosenbloom being 67, he was 76 so that is a typo.
Allen on the Line, Hoping for Rams’ Job, But Opposition to His Selection LoomsThe selling of George Allen is continuing this weekend in Los Angeles with E. Gregory Hookstratten acting as the seller and Carroll Rosenbloom, president and sole owner of the Rams, the intended buyer. Hookstratten is both
the legal counsel for the Rams and attorney for Allen; who was deposed 10• days ago as head coach of the Washington Redskins by that team's president, Edward Bennett Williams: So Hookstratten is pushing one client to another.
The Rams’ house is divided. Don Klosterman, the general manager, is allied with. Steve Rosenbloom, the owner's son, in opposition to Ed Hookstratten in the Allen matter, opposing as best they can. Hookstratten is not only an adviser but a playmate in the Rosenbloom social set, and he in turn has been mesmerized by the Allen magic.
It is understood that Klosterman and Steve Rosenbloom resist this appointment to one of the best jobs in the National Football League because they feel once Allen has set either foot within the front door he will gradually en gulf the organization and erode their powers.
That was Allen's history with the Redskins, 1971‐1977, and in an earlier tour with the Rams, 1966‐1970. He was dismissed that time, too, by the late Dan Reeves, the president. Another .Dan Reeves, a former player and now offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys under Tom Landry, is the coaching choice of Klosterman and Steve Rosenbloom. Reeves was sched‐uled for another interview with the boss;, Carroll Rosenbloom, this week at the Rosenbloom estate in Belair. Sources in Washington said Allen left last Thursday for Los Angeles and perhaps he, too, has appeared at the Rosenbloom manse.
Allen may well be one of the best coaches in the business, displaying a steady track record of success. With a team of the Rams stature, the Super Bowl seems within easy reach. For the 67-year-old Rosenbloom that is the only goal.
However, Allen seems to do things to owners, to disenchant and to disassemble while winning. As for Ram players, there is some antipathy to the suggestion Allen might be their next coach. Isiah Robertson, the team's allpro linebacker, said succinctly last week, “Yes he's coming, I'm going.”
Rosenbloom Sr. defies prediction. He will make his choice, Allen or ‘Reeves or Ray Malavasi, the leading candidate among the holdover assistant coaches, or someone else, this week.
Meanwhile what of Chuck Knox, the former Ram coach who resigned 18 days ago to go to Buffalo? Knox took himself from somewhere near the top of the league (the Rams), to somewhere near the bottom when he signed up with the Bills as head coach and vice president of football operations.
“It's a challenge,” the 45-year-old Knox said recently in justifying the most surprising of the six recent coaching moves within the- N.F.L. “It's the opportunity to structure a program right from the bottom, from zip.” He will have complete control of the Bills’ destiny and he has a five‐year contract with an annual- salary in excess of $100,000.
But there had to be something more to the move than the challenge of Buffalo. Were the Southern California fans turned off by the conservative, run-oriented Knox offense? bid the presence of Joe Namath rock the boat? How about the impatience of Carroll Rosenbloom?
The Rams under Knox lost only 15 regular season games of 70 in five seasons and five of those by 2 points or fewer.
“We played all the best teams and the attendance did not go down as some believe,” the coach said. “The capacity of the Coliseum was reduced down to 71,000 and the $2 and the $4 seats eliminated. The lowest‐priced seat is now $10 and the team made more money than ever before.”
Joe Namath was a positive addition, Knox said. “Only he couldn't move on account of his knees.” And Rosenbloom?
“Look, I don't want to get into that,” said Knox. “I left friends with everybody and I want to keep it that way.”
Knox left for Buffalo with some haste. The owner of the Buffalo team, Ralph Wilson, went trolling for a new coach to succeed Jim Ringo early this month. He called Rosenbloom and asked permission to talk with Knox about the opening. Permission was granted, which gave Knox a message. He was less than indispensable around Los Angeles although his Rams’ contract ran through 1981. The Rams reached the playoffs in every one of his five seasons there, but they never reached the Super Bowl. That was his failure.
Wilson flew to Los Angeles on Jan. 9. Wilson and Knox, reached an agreement on Jan. 11 and Knox held a news conference in Buffalo on Jan. 13. Then he moved on to Tampa and coached the National Conference team in the Pro Bowl, which his squad won last Monday night.
The Knox‐Rosenbloom relationship was not the best. History would indicate that Rosenbloom and his coaches have short marriages. In 1963 he discharged Weeb Ewbank, who had won championships for him at Baltimore. Don Shula abandoned him for Miami in 1970.
The late Don McCafferty, who won Rosenbloom's only Super Bowl with the 1971 Colts, was left behind when Rosenbloom swapped the Baltimore franchise for the Los Angeles one. He hired Knox, then an assistant with the Detroit Lions, in 1973.
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www.nytimes.com]
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2023 08:26AM by den-the-coach.
