Anything regarding Goff. I completely agree that Fisher's staff was utterly unfit to develop him. But precisely because of that, I honestly don't know how to evaluate Goff. Of course, this whole "raw" thing is such a muddy concept. Players get labelled as being raw for lots of reasons. In some ways, I figure Goff was NOT raw. He'd actually played several years at Cal and goby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Tavon is like a scorer on a bad NBA team. Someone has to score, and on a bad team, there's a lot of slack in non-competitive games. Guys put up numbers on dead teams, then fail to replicate that scoring when the competition heats up. They know how to score by themselves in space but they can't contribute to a well integrated offense. Tavon is a gadget player. On a horrific offense with nothingby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I think perhaps that anyone who thinks Fisher knew what he was doing ... well ...by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
But perhaps unrealistic? If I could get anything of value for TA I'd trade him in a heartbeat. But I doubt anyone would give us much for him. If I couldn't get much value, I'd cut him. TA is a gadget guy, and to figure out "how to use him," as fans call for each year, you have to build gadget packages that pull your offense away from the core competencies that make an offeby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Cut him, eat the cap money, and start building a grown-up WR corps. But that's just me.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteRamBillMcVay seeks "guys that handle the ball in general." "You can't have enough playmakers," McVay said. "Certainly, that's something that we're always looking to upgrade. That receiver position is very important. A lot of yards and offensive production goes through that room. We want to try to find a way to get the best players on the field." Guys that hby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteArticle Was it scheme or talent? Did they draft the wrong players, or did they simply not develop them well enough? All of the above. My sense of these things is that its difficult to pinpoint responsibility for success or failure. Not impossible, but difficult, because so many factors are at play. Robinson is pretty clearly a bust at LT. But how about Havenstein, who has looked goby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I'll simply raise the question here "You have to have playmakers" ... to do what? Everything is relative, from player talent to levels of success. We are probably 2-4 levels short of what we need to compete. My sense is that discussions like this tend to shift levels. We know we need to break the losing habit. We'd like to flash to a Super Bowl ala '99. But there are several levels bby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
LOL. You just said in one sentence what I said for about 2,000 words! Well done, sir.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Thanks for all who voted (and apologies for the typo on the numbers in the survey list). There was a range of responses. The most common answer is 50/50. The comparison of those favoring coaches to those favoring players is 15-12, with 1 Other. (You can still vote!) I voted 70/30, coaches. Here's why. I often discuss sports in a ceiling/floor framework. Obviously, a team cannot do betterby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteLesBaker We disagree on Kroenke. His interests aren't winning titles, he's said so. It's the coin, he's in this game for the money. Well, we've been through this before. I'll just summarize my view of SK, based on the Rams and, to a much lesser degree, Arsenal. I dunno much of anything about his other teams. I am always suspicious of laments based on the accusation that someone isby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Is how many of those years Ram fans entered with high hopes of success. Mea culpa--me too. It took me until about 3 years ago to BEGIN to realize how fragile and misleading those hopes have been. I think perhaps last year was the first time I genuinely didn't have very serious expectations. A couple of sanguine moments I guess, but I managed to keep in mind pretty much at all times the reasonsby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I was deeply convinced that we were dead as long as Fisher was at the helm. To have a chance, we needed a new skipper and officer corps. But, I DO NOT assume that we will now get better. It's always a crap shoot to hire a new coach. Always. Even proven HCs often fail to recapture the magic when they get a new gig. So what do I know? Not a damn thing. I know nothing about this kid except whby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I've actually posted before on this. The tendency is for people--from fans to FOs--to instinctively reach for a coordinator with a reputation thought to correct a team weakness. In our case, obviously, offense. But a HC does NOT have to provide the scheme to correct a team's weakness. The HC's job is to build a winning culture based on competitive discipline that gets the best out of the teby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuotesanfRAMMan, the NFC West is a mess! sanfRAM It is, indeed. And as late as this summer, AZ and SEA were assumed to be contenders. The whole division was seen as really tough until very recently. Projecting next year's powerhouses from last year's winners is almost never safe!by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Quotewaterfield He does have a history that one can actually look at. I haven't done it but people I know that follow the Arsenal and Nuggets, etc say he wants to be competitive because that translates into profits. But apparently he does not have that same win at all costs drive that a few owners like Mara, Rooney, Kraft, Jones has-or had. You could see the enthusiasm those owners all had in tby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteZooey He is building a brand. That's why the Rams are playing in England. And winning helps the brand, but it's not more important than the increase in his wealth and prestige. But all people are hearing is that I don't have a torch ready to storm Fisher Castle. Whatever. People really seem to be projecting onto Kroenke what they want, and they got Fisher fired, so why stop projectby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
There are worse coaches than Fisher, believe it or not. A BAD HC hire could make us worse. There is no guarantee. But, we now have a CHANCE to break through to competitiveness. Fisher had reached his limit. The 1st 4 years, we bumbled around but the players did keep playing. This year ... no one was listening to him any more. We now have a chance. But this next hire had better be good.by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
My old friend, I wonder where this idea comes from. You don't become a multi-billionaire in real estate by keeping overhead low. You do it by understanding when to invest for outsized returns. Consider the fact that SK is paying the bill for his grandiose stadium. He is NOT asking for that bill to be paid by tax payers. Why? Because he is such a nice guy? No, because his calculus tellsby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Folks, I was delighted to see that Fisher is history. And given that he is history, I figure let's leave him in the dust. I have little more to say about him. However, there are lessons to be learned looking back. And IMO, Fisher's regime offers a superb chance to consider the profound significance of competitive discipline. When fans talk about a new coach, they generally react in a directby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I like Snead. I am not saying he is the best in the business, and he's young, but IMO, he's done well. I never like the "Snisher" meme, and argued against it repeatedly on another board. I think Snead has done his job much bvetter than Fisher has done his. And remember that Snead did not hire Fisher. His reputation is not on the line for Fisher's hire or even, most likely, for hisby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
It's a BUSINESS decision. Businesses frequently spend some money hoping for a payoff. If it doesn't payoff they drop the initiative. In this case, the decision is money-oriented, but it's not simple. If Fisher does well, then they have locked in a lower price than if they had waited. If he doesn't, then they risk little in comparison with the many millions they lose by not listening tby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Williams has no idea how to take advantage of the resulting lack of coverage for the other 10 defenders! Why does everyone praise Williams? He is FAILING with this talent!by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
They locked him up at a price in case he made good. If he didn't ... they can cut him VERY cheaply. Remember--as I say below, coaches' salaries have no effect on the cap. If the owner can afford a cash hit, it will have no effect on the team. I see no problem here. The Foles and Tavon deals were different. They affected the cap! That does affect the team!by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteL.A.Rams That is an excellent article. The only questionable item in the article is the statement, "The Rams can't be that dumb."by RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
This article's reasoning is PRECISELY what I have been thinking all along. And I think the reticence of the FO to announce anything is telling. Now, a word about the contract. As I understand it, the extension guarantees Fisher some money for Year 6 and establishes a number for a Year 7 option. Obviously, the only risk for the team is Year 6. IMO, a guarantee of a year's pay means nothing aby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
Your post engages the biggest unit problem we have, and it's a pretty big one. Can't do a helluva lot without at least a solid OL. When I think of a new HC/GM thinking of coming in, I see us as an attractive package. A really promising QB. Good RBs. A defense with superb talents in a few places, and proven capability everywhere. Excellent special teams talent (except for Z). If it were me, I'dby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com
I remember the days when we used to talk back and forth about things like the GSOT and Derby trying to avoid relegation! Now, I am not sure how long you've been following our Rams. Dunno if you remember the era of coaches like Chuck Knox and John Robinson. Very similar to the Wenger dynamic. Except that we had never had a dominant era like Arsenal's. Anyway, it's amazing how many competitivby RFL - RamsFootballFans.com