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The Armani Archetype:2010 Rams Award Show

2011-04-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Highlights of the 2010 Rams Award Show
Christina Armani
4/3/2011
Last week was the 2010 Rams Award show. Six awards were given out and several honorable mentions were given. They didn't make it to the playoffs but 2010 was a turn around year for the Rams. These players who have been recognized worked week after week to get the Rams six additional wins which was no easy feat.

Chris Long won the Defensive MVP award. I love Chris Long and I know he'll make it to the hall of fame like his father did. He had 8.5 sacks last year which is so impressive that his opponents had to double team him. Steven Jackson won the Offensive MVP player and was the top performer for many of the games. Jackson is our top draft pick of the decade but Sam Bradford who won the offensive rookie of the year award is giving him a run for his money. Seventh round pick George Selvie won the defensive rookie of the year award with his 21 tackles and 1.2 sacks. Another rookie named Roger Saffold won the Iron Man award for helping turn the Rams offense into a respectable one. Finally, Danny Amendola won the spirit of St. Louis award for exceeding expectations despite all the things he had going against him. Honorable mentions went to James Laurinaitis, James, Hall, Mark Clayton, Fred Robbins, and Danario Alexander.

Who will win the awards next year? How many of these players will we see on the list again? Will we see any of the honorable mentions on the list? Will Sam Bradford win the Offensive MVP award? Tune in this season to find out.

Rams 2011 Schedule

2011-04-19T17:01:00.000-07:00

Rams Schedule is Out and my Predictions
The Armani Archetype
4/19/2011

Week 1 9/11 vs Eagles - We will most likely lose. The Eagles are a great team.
week 2 9/19 vs Giants - We will most likely win. The Giants are very good but the last thing the Rams want is another prime time disaster. They'll work their hardest to keep that from happening.
Week 3 9/27 vs Ravens - This one is a toss up but I'll have to go Rams.
Week 4 10/2 vs Redskins - This is no brainer. The Rams for sure. The Redskin are terribe
Week 6 10/16 vs Greenbay - This should be a loss. It's unlikely that we'll beat the superbowl champs. We'll have come off a bye so it's not impossible though.
Week 7 10/23 vs Dallas - Win. We almost beat them last year and we're going to be healthier.
Week 8 10/30 vs Saints - Lose. They're a great team. We'll do better then we did last year though.
Week 9 11/6 vs Arizona - Win. They're the worst team in the division and we almost swept them last year.
Week 10 11/13 vs Cleavland - Win. They're our easist opponent this season.
Week 11 11/20 vs Seattle - Win. It's a homegame. They may have won the division but we're still the better team.
Week 12 11/27 vs Arizona - Win. We will sweep them this year.
Week 13 12/4 vs San Fransisco - We will most likely win. We may lose since it's an away game
Week 14 12/12 vs Seattle - We will win. We won't let them embarrass us again in prime time.
Week 15 12/17 vs Cincinnati - They were quite terrible last year. They should be easy to beat.
Week 16 12/24 vs Pitsburgh - Santa will deliver us a win.
Week 17 1/1 vs San Fransisco - A tossup but in the 49ers favor. I'm not holding my breath for a season ending win.

Ok so I have predicted 13 wins. With a new offensive cordinator and healthy wide receivers we can do it. We do have a lot of tough opponents but we have some tough players too. We have been rebuilding for several years now and we're not the same lackluster team anymore. Will I be right again? Tune in this season to find out.

The Armani Archetype: Sam Bradford Offensive ROTY

2011-03-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Sam Bradford is the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year
Christina Armani
2/4/2011

Sadly Bradford didn't win the NFL/Pepsi rookie of the year award. However, he did just win the AP offensive rookie of the year award. Bradford's stats are impressive and second only to those of Payton Manning's. Bradford had 3512 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 219 yards per game. If you think it's shabby, remember that he plays for the team that was the worse last year. He has only had seven fumbles in the year and that is very good for a rookie.

How did the other rookie quarterbacks do? Lets look at Rams second QB choice Jimmy Clausen. He had 1558 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 119 yards per game. How about Tim Tebow? He did have 5 touchdown but had a lot less yardage then Claussen. Lets also look at Colt McCoys stats. He had 1576 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, and 197 yards per game. Bradford helped take his team from two wins to seven wins which was not an easy feat. Congratulations to the AP rookie of the year Sam Bradford! Here's hoping that you are next years NFL MVP.

The Armani Archetype: McDaniels in Shurmer Out

2011-03-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Rams Welcome New Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels
Christina Armani
1/20/2011

The Rams fired offensive coordinator Pat Shurmer right after the season ended. Most fans including myself believe that this is a move that should have happened at the beginning of the season and most fans are happy that Shurmer is gone. Shurmer has been very conservative at best and has cost the Rams at least several games. The final playoff game against Seattle was a heartbreaker and the offensive calls were way too conservative. Shurmer is now going to Cleveland where he will be the head coach.

Earlier in the week the Rams officially announced that Josh McDaniels is going to be the new offensive head coach for the Rams. He has a style similar to the one that Bradford used at Oklahoma and he is known for being rough and tough. McDaniels is looking forward to working with Sam Bradford and with such raw fresh talent who can blame him. The future looks great for the Rams. The question is when does that future start? Hopefully there will be no lockout and the future can start soon. McDaniel’s is excited to get to work but unfortunately he will have to wait until the NFL and the labor union deal with matters at hand.

The Parsons Perspective

2011-01-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Slaughter
By Jeremy C. Parsons
January 4, 2011

Okay, perhaps it wasn't a slaughter as far as the final score is concerned. On paper, a 16-6 game looks like a tough and close contest. In reality, it was anything but that, and it wasn't the Seahawks that slaughtered the Rams so much as it was the Rams slaughtering themselves.

There were a ton of mistakes in Sunday night's game that determined the NFC West champs. I'd say the start of the problems was the lack of protection for Sam Bradford. He was sacked three times, and rushed even more than that, which led to a disappointing and season-low 155 yards. The offensive line was just that- offensive.

In the handful of times Bradford went for the long pass, one was intercepted and the rest were dropped. The Rams weren't able to do anything down field. Since the Rams weren't able to accomplish anything in the passing department, one would think they would have relied on Steven Jackson to run the ball. That only happened 11 times against the Seattle, the 30th ranked defense in the NFL.

There were other issues too, such as plenty of penalties, and terrible officiating. As bad as the officiating was though, this game comes down to Spagnuolo and company. The coaching and decision making was brutal at best. It appeared as if Spagnuolo didn't have an answer for anything, and the Rams were totally unprepared for their most important game in years.

Going into the 2010 season, I truly felt like the Rams were capable of being a 8-8 team. I couldn't have imagined that they'd come close to that AND nearly win the division. Perhaps with a couple of solid draft picks and a coaching change in the offensive coordinator position, the Rams can solidly earn the NFC West crown next season.

In the meantime, I'm sure the 7-9 Seahawks will get knocked back down to reality this weekend in their Wildcard round match up against the Saints!

The Armani Archetype: Sadly my prediction was right

2011-01-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

Sadly, My August Predictions were correct
Christina Armani
1/3/2010

When I first predicted that the Rams would win seven games this season, I was very excited and happy about the prospect. Of coarse that was before I knew that having seven wins would make them one game away from going to the playoffs. I did predict also that the Rams would most likely lose the final game to Seattle and sadly that prediction came true.

Since the game was on NBC, I was able to watch the game and it was a game that the Rams should have won. With beter offensive playcalling, the game would have most likely gone the other way. If you watched the song intro to the game, there was no Seahawks clip so it is indeed very ironic that they won the game.

What does the loss mean for Pat Shurmer? Since the offense wasn't able to produce any big plays (which has been the case for most of the season) it most likely means that he will be fired. If you look at the Rams Facebook page, a lot of them are saying that Shurmer needs to be fired. As an avid follower of the page I have noticed that firing Shurmer has been a topic that has come up for most of the season.

Would the Rams have been able to beat the Saints? They would have had a good chance but they most likely would not have been able to go on beyond that. If you asked me, it's better that the Seahawks face major playoff embarassment then us. Anyway, the season is done for the Rams now so as a fan who happens to live close to Baltimore, I now say GO RAVENS!

The Armani Archetype: Rams Likely Fight Seahawks Without Hasselbeck

2010-12-28T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Seahawks Prepare to Battle the Rams Without Matt Hasselbeck
Christina Armani
12/28/2010

As if it things weren't going the Rams was as is, now Pete Carroll has announced that the Seahawks would move forward as if reserve Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is going to be the starting quarterback for the Sunday Night Football game. While it's still uncertain if Matt Hasselbeck will come back or not, what is certain is that he's limited in his mobility. There will be no official news on Hasselbeck until Friday or Saturday but so far this is good news for the Rams.

What does it mean for the Rams if Whitehurst plays? Whitehurst has completed almost 56% of his passes, thrown for 315 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions during the course of this season, including starting one home game against the Giants. He has a unimpressive 54.7 passer rating. Obviously Sam Bradford has a higher passer rating and he has a coach and team who has a lot of faith in him.

One part of the issue with Whitehurst's struggles has been the fact that Carroll has not opened the offense up for the strong-armed quarterback because of his concerns that he'll make too many costly mistakes if he's allowed to push the ball down the field. Whether it's Hasselbeck or Whitehurst as quarterback the Rams are going to win the game. Go Rams!

The Armani Archetype: Rams to Play on Sunday Night Football!

2010-12-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Rams/Seahawks Game Moved to Sunday Night
Chrstina Armani
12/27/2010

It has been a long time since the Rams have played in prime time. I'm sure that all Rams fans who don't live on the west coast or have a sports package such as myself are thrilled for the chance to watch the game. The last time the Rams played in prime time it was a Monday Night Football loss against the Bears. It was a disheartening game to watch but now the Rams have a chance to redeem themmselves.

All of America will be watching the Rams and their first draft pick Sam Bradford fight for their chance to go to the playoffs. Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco is the only quarterback to go to the playoffs his first year, at least so far. If Sam Bradford does it this will be the first time a first pick quarterback will go and it will be done in prime time.

The Rams have not beaten the Seahawks on the road in several years. However, this time it's for all the marbles. The St Louis Rams are hungry for the playoffs and riding high on the wave of a big win. The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a loss and are aware of the fact that they have lost three games in a row.

If the Seattle Seahawks are going to beat the St Louis Rams, it's most likely going to have to be without Matt Hasselbeck. The team however is embarrased at the prospect of going to the playoffs with a 7-7 record. The Seattle Seahawks have had 9loses and all of them have been by at least 15 points. The St Louis Rams have had only 8 losses and a lot of them have been by only a few points, one game by only a single point. The Rams clearly have the morale to win but can they handle the pressure? This fan truly believes they can. Tune in Sunday night to find out!

The Armani Archetype: Seattle Playing Horribly, St Louis Sure To Win!

2010-12-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

Rams Hot, Seattle Cold
Christina Armani
12/27/2010

Last night the Seahawks lost to the Tampa Bay Bucs 15 to 38. When the Rams played the Bucs, the score was 17 to 18 with a 1 point loss. The Seahaks have won only one of their last five games and lets face it they couldn't even beat the 49ers stink. The Rams have won three out of their last five games and you can't blame the Rams for losing to the Saints.

The Seahawks may have to play without their star quarterback Matt Hasselbeck due to his recent hip injury. Even though the Seahawks will have homefield advantage, the Rams and their fans are fired up behind Sam Bradford and the great Steven Jackson too. According to Bradford, "here we are, going into our last regular season game and we control our own destiny. From everything I've heard, Seattle is a very tough place to play. I've heard it's one of the loudest in the NFL so we know that it's not going to be easy to go up there and get a win. But like I said earlier, if you don't get excited for games like this, then you're probably in the wrong business." Bradford knows what to expect and is not preparing for an easy win and will be ready to play his hardest. Looking at the Rams Facebook page, the fans are confident and eager for a win. Many of them will be at the game cheering but I will be watching at home and cheering in spirit.

The Armani Archetype: Rams Opponent Coach Fired!

2010-12-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

Christina Armani
12/27/2010

This morning I woke up to the news that the 49ers head coach Mike Singletary was fired last night after their superbowl run was ended by the Rams. The 49ers have had two losing seasons out of the last two years with Singletary so it's no shock or surprise that he's gone now. There had been talk about firing Singletary after the season, but now the playoff dreams are gone and so is Singletary.

Jim Tomsula is now the interum coach for the 49ers. The 49ers have has several interum coaches in the last few years and of coarse the Rams have too. Unlike the Rams however, the 49ers are looking for a new GM and a new star quarterback. The Rams have Devaney and they have Bradford. As a opponent I do not wish the 49ers luck with their future endevours.

The Armani Archetype: Rams Beat the 49ers

2010-12-27T11:36:00.000-08:00

Rams Win Much Needed Game Against the 49ers
Christina Armani
12/27/2010

Last night the St Louis Rams who were 1-15 last year improved their record to 7-8. The final score of the game was 25-17. Even though the score was 14-12 and the Rams were down by two, they were able to keep the 49ers from scoring anything but a fieldgoal in the second half of the game. The Rams were able to get a field goal a few minutes into the third quarter which was followed by a Bradford touchdown and two more field goals in the fourth quarter.

Sam Bradford was the top performer of the game running for 292 yards and 1 touchdown. This is no easy task when you're a rookie let alone when your opponent really needs the win too. The 49ers are now out of the playoff contention and so that leaves the Rams and Seattle. The Rams vs. Seattle rivalary has been strong for a decade now and has reached the highpoint. I have hated the Seahawks for almost ten years now and am really looking forward to the game next week. Of coarse the Rams are going to win!

The Armani Archetype: Jackson the Greatest Rusher

2010-11-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Jackson Becomes Rams Greastest All Time Rusher
Christina Armani
10/25/2010

While the Rams lost to the Buccaneers yesterday, it was a big win for Steven Jackson. While Sam Bradford was the top performer with two touchdowns, Steven Jackson made Rams history. After seven games, Jackson ran a 110 yard game making his career total a whopping 7,324 yards. It's true that some men where born to run, and Jackson is obviously one of them. His feet have seen a lot of action during the last six years and they surely will see plenty more. “It’s bittersweet,” Jackson said yesterday after t he game. “It’s something that I’ve worked really hard for, for a long time—a goal that I actually set coming in as a rookie in 2004.

Jackson is known for being a work horse so there is no telling what the rest of his career will bring. One thing I can tell though is that all the Rams fans are truly proud of Jackson and honored to have such a great running back. What will quarterback Sam Bradford do in six years? Will he become the Rams greatest quarterback leading them to two superbowl victories in a short period of time? With the team continuing to learn and grow, the possibilities are endless. Of coarse the possibilities are endless for Mr. "Action" Jackson too.

Congratulations Steven!

The Armani Archetype: Extra Extra Rams Win First Game!

2010-11-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

Rams Get First Season Win Agaist Redskins
Christina Armani
9/26/2010

Now that I have enjoyed some victory St Louis spare ribs after the defeat of the team that I hate most I am now ready to write about it. As I predicted, the Rams did win the game but what I didn't predict was what a huge victory it would be. I was ready for a very close game but then the Rams continued to dominate snapping a 14game losing streak.

Sam Bradford even went toe to toe with veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb who received 236 passing yards to Bradford's 235. What one the game was the rushing yards led by none other then Steven Jackson. The Rams are confident that this win was not a fluke and the fans are confident too. The offense with their new quarterback at hand combined for 17 receptions and a whopping 197 yards. Needless to say that's not bad for a team who had a 1 and 15 record the previous year.

I was at the Rams and Redskins game last year and it was a game that the Rams should have won. This time the Rams had hometeam advantage and an offense that is growing every week. Next week the Rams welcome the Seattle Seahawks to Edward Jones Stadium and it will be on to win number two.

The Armani Archetype: Rams lose first game to Cardinals

2010-11-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

Rams Lose Season Opener to Cardinals
Christina Armani
9/12/2010

The Rams lost a heartbreaker of a game to the Cardinals. While the Rams rushed the ball better (courtesy of Steven Jackson of coarse) the Cardinals received better and passed better. The bright spot of the game was Sam Bradford's first touchdown and it was beautiful. The rookie debut put all the questions of the arm to rest but now there are other questions. How will the rest of the season look for Bradford? How will the Rams stop the interceptions? Will Mark Clayton keep intercepting the other team? Will the Rams learn to capitalize on opportunities? Most fans believe that the season still looks good for the Rams. It will be hard for the Rams who have suffered some major injuries durin the preseason but the Rams will show everyone that this team is moving forward. As for most fans, we are looking forward to next week and a nice victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The Armani Archetype: Extra Extra Rams Finally Win Away Game!

2010-11-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ram Win First Away Game At Last
Christina Armani
11/29/2010

Although I predicted that the Rams would lose the game, the Rams did defeat the Denver Broncos. Of coarse to my credit, it was a very close game and the Rams only won by three points. Needless to say I am very proud of the Rams and am sure that more away games will be won. The win was a team effort as Sam Bradford rushed for 300 yards and the swiftness of Steven Jackson. With the Rams constantly growing and improving an away game was in the cards sooner or later. The Rams are now five and six and tied for first place in the division with the Seattle Seahawks. While the division is still fairly open, it should be Saint Louis and Seattle battling it out for top place perhaps even until the very final game when they play eachother again. The good news is that the Rams have already beat the Seahawks once and should have no problem doing it again for a tiebreaker. Speaking of division rivals, the Rams face the 3 and 8 Cardinals next week.

Originally I did predict that the Rams would likely lose the game it seems certain that the Rams are on a hot streak and going to win. After the Cardinals the Rams face the defending champs in New Orleans. Now that the Rams have gotten over their away game slump the Rams have a very good chance to win. I am sure that it will be another very close game as it was last year.

The bright spot of the game was Sam Bradford's three touch downs. Although he has been close in previous games, this is the first time that he has made three touchdowns in three games. This is the reason that Bradford was chosen and why he is paid so much money. Will Bradford have a four or even five touchdown game before the season is over? If it does happen it will most likely be against the 49ers or the Seahawks but if the team continues to grow as they are it is going to happen.

The Armani Archetype Midseason Report

2010-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

A Midseason Special Report
Christina Armani
11/1/2010

So far it has been a topsy turby season for the Rams. The Rams are four and four after a few heart breaking loses. So far the Rams have yet to win a game on the road. The good news is that a bye week is coming up and the Rams will get to recharge and regroup. The bad news is that the Rams will face a 49ers team who also has a bye week and the hometeam advantage as well. The Rams do enter their bye week with a nice win over Carolina but of coarse the 49ers are going into their bye week with a win too.

Even before the season started I predicted a toss up for the 49ers game giving the Rams a little bit of an edge. It is going to be a nailbitter of a game for sure and I am still confident that the Rams will win it. Will the Rams have seven wins like I predicted at the beginning of the season? The end of the season will tell. I am confident that the Rams will have seven wins and if they can get things together maybe even more. The Rams can still win a few more games so there is still hope for the St Louis Rams.

The Armani Archetype: Majority Owner Stanley Kroenke

2010-08-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Kronke Officially Becomes Majority Leader
Christina Armani
8/25/2010

Although it's no surprise since it has been a topic for most of the summer, Stanley Kroenke is now the majority owner of the Saint Louis Rams. Kroenke is now the 7th majority owner that the Rams have had. Seven is my lucky number so hopefully this is a good thing. The last two years have not been good for the Rams so this should be a change for the better.

There is a lot of debate on whether the Rams are going back to L.A. or staying in Saint Louis. I personally have a bunch of St Louis Rams merchandice including a border that I still have to put up in my room so they better not move. Their will be a bigger fanbase and more sponsers in L.A. but chances are high that the Rams are staying put at least for now.

From personal experience I know that moving a team is a very touchy subject. Of coarse it can depend on how the team moves too. The Colts quietly left Baltimore to go to Indi in the late 70's. There are still a ton of angry Baltimorians both young and old. The Houston Oilers left to go to Tennessee and while I have never been to Texas I am sure that there are still a lot of angry Oilers fans out there.

California already has the Chargers and the 49ers and also the Raiders so why on earth does Caliornia need a fourth team? However, Los Angelas is making a movement to get a football team and even has a site called losangelasfootballstadium.com. Right now there are around six teams targeted by Los Angelas including the Chargers, the Jaguars, the Bills, and the Seahawks. the Vikings, and the Rams. Of coarse after "Lets Ram it" is it really the best idea to take the Rams back to LA?

The Armani Archetype - Bold Season Game Predictions

2010-08-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

My Predcitions For Outcomes of the Games
Christina Armani
8/14/2010

Most sports analyists are predicting that the Rams will win four or five games this season. However, I predict that we will win at least seven games. Chances are that we may even have a winning season depending on when Bradford gets to start. The Rams have been having bad seasons long enough. It's time to turn things around. With a good start to the season we should have a good rest of the season. Below are my game predictions.

Week 1 vs. Cards - Win. With Warner gone it shouldn't be hard to beat them.
Week 2 vs. Raiders - Lose.
Week 3 vs. Redskins - Win. The Redskins suck. Enough said.
Week 4 vs. Seahawks - Win. It's our turn!
Week 5 vs. Detriot - Win. They aren't tough to beat unless your the Redskins!
Week 6 vs. Chargers - Lose. They are a good team.
Week 7 vs. Buccs - Lose. I don't think the Bucc will stop here.
Week 8 vs. Panthers - Lose. They are a good team.
Week 9 - Bye Week
Week 10 vs. 49ers Win/Lose. Most likely we will win since we normally win after a bye week.
Week 11 vs. Falcons - Lose. They are a good team.
Week 12 vs. Broncos - Lose. They are a good team.
Week 13 vs. Cards - Lose/Win Most likely will be a loss. We normally don't beat a division team twice in a season.
Week 14 vs. Saints - Lose/Win We aren't likely to beat them. However, it may happen since we almost beat them last year after dealing with swine flu.
Week 15 vs. Chiefs - Win. Bradford should be playing by now. If not we may or may not win.
Week 16 vs. 49ers - Win/Lose. I am optimistic about beating them twice but it can go either way.
Week 17 vs. Seahawks - Lose/Win. It'll most likely be a loss but if Bradford plays it can go either way.

The Armani Archetype - Rams Summer Recap

2010-08-14T08:44:00.001-07:00

A Recap of the Rams Summer Events
Christina Armani
8/14/2010

The biggest news is that Issac Bruce was given to the Saint Louis Rams and will retire with us. In fact, St Louis Rams had a welcome home message for several weeks. Most fans including myself are thrilled by this news. Bruce there it is!! In other news, Isaac Bruce was released by the Rams and then traded to the Patriots. I hate the Patriots as all Rams fans do so I am not happy about this. As for good news, Terrell Owens is not going to be a Ram. The Rams flirted with the idea of taking T.O. during the summer, but they didn't want him to end up upstaging Bradford or any other quarterback. T.O. is now a Bengal and I don't him sharing the spotlight with Chad Johnson and while we don't play the Bengals this year they will still be an interesting team to watch.

In other news Atogwe has resigned his contract and is staying with the team. While there was a little drama and uncertainty over the matter, Atogwe decided to stay with the Rams just before the end of his last contract. I am happy about this and hope that he has a great season.

In interesting news the Rams are going back to their original color! That is right the Rams are going to be sporting a red jersey during the preseason game against the Vikings tonight. Chances are the Rams will lose the game to the team that almost went to the superbowl but hey it's only preseason.

There hasn't been too much other news but the Rams seem to have had a great traing camp and the rookie's are excited to get out there and play the game. Sam Bradford has had a lot of success in training camp but since he's not fully ready to start yet, A.J. Feeley will be the starter for the Rams for now. Lastly, I'd like to point out that Suh ended up missing the start of training camp due to contract negotitiations. That's right, there are opportunities he missed that he will never have. Meanwhile, Sam Bradford has been at training camp from day one and working hard. Hopefully this is a sign that Bradford was the right choice for us.

A Return to Glory?

2010-08-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

By: Chris Kalna----August 2, 2010

Just 12 summers ago San Diego Chargers safety Rodney Harrison changed the fate of an organization, a city and two men's lives forever. Heading into the 1999 NFL season, the St. Louis Rams had a good chance to become the worst franchise of that decade. They had assembled a 45 and 99 record and had been 22-45 since relocating from Los Angeles in 1995. Only the Bengals of Cincinnati rivaled their futility throughout the 90's carrying the baggage of a 48 and 96 win/loss mark. But hope was on the horizon in St. Louis as hometown quarterback Trent Green held the reigns of the suddenly renewed Rams. In 32 pass attempts during the '98 pre-season he had completed an amazing 28 of them. With All Pro wide receiver Isaac Bruce in his prime and newly acquired running back Marshal Faulk ready to bring some notoriety to the organization and end a lifetime of gridiron suffering for many fans of St. Louis football.

And then CRACK, Trent Green's left knee was mangled like a trailer after a springtime tornado tore through its park. The twister being Harrison who had came crashing into the left knee of Green, ending his season, while crushing the hearts and hopes of an entire city. Though then Ram coach Dick Vermeil assured everyone that the team would be just fine, using phrases such as "rally around" and "confidence." his tears told us the true story and his heavy heart spoke volumes.

After finishing the '08 season 4-12 St. Louis and its PSL owners would have been thrilled with a competitive squad in '09 that would possibly finish above .500 for the first time since arriving from So-Cal. Enter Kurt Warner. An unknown ex-grocery store shelf stocker and Arena League chucker. The rest is history as Warner went on to throw for 4,353 yards and 41 TD's leading the Rams to Super Bowl glory and leaving the poor Bengals as the losingest NFL team of the 90's.

Now the next potential savior of St. Louis has slipped his #8 jersey over his impressive frame and has the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. While thousands wait to see if Sam Bradford, 50 million dollars richer is the next Peyton Manning or the next Ryan Leaf. Only time will tell the true story, for adjusting to life in the NFL at the most cerebral and challenging position in all of football has been a struggle for many of the games brightest stars.

Troy Aikman, former Dallas Cowboy Hall of Fame quarterback can attest to the obstacles that a talented young first round draft pick will have to hurdle. Dallas drafted Aikman out of UCLA first overall in the 1989 NFL draft. Zero wins and 11 losses later, a concussed Aikman was left to watch the rest of his season from the sidelines as his new team finished the year 1-15. The Cowboy captain who eventually would lead America's Team to 3 Super Bowls in the decade ahead experienced a very brutal NFL education early in his storied career. To match his dismal starting record of 0-11 Aikman threw for 1,749 yards and just 9 touchdowns while heaving up 18 interceptions. His completion percent of 52.9% was horrible and his Quarterback rating of 55.7 that year was equally dreadful. The next year, 1990 he did not show much of an improvement either as he tossed 11 TD's, another 18 int's while compiling a completion percentage of only 56.6% with his QB rating a lowly 66.6. Although the following season he showed marked advancement he still flung up almost as many ints, 10, as TD's, 11. But his completion percentage rose dramatically to 65.3%. Then, after being surrounded with an awesome offensive line and Hall of Fame offensive weapons, Troy flourished and guided his team to a 13-3 regular season record in 1992 and a 52-17 Super Bowl victory over the Buffalo Bills while also being named the MVP of the game.

Patience is a virtue. Just ask John Elway the first round and first overall pick of the epic 1983 quarterback heavy draft. Drafted out of Stanford by the Baltimore Colts, Elway refused to play for that franchise and ended up in Denver bringing success to a floundering organization. But only after a slow start. His first season with the Broncos he navigated the team to a 4-6 record, compiling stats that could embarrass even JaMarcus Russell. He threw the ball at a 47.5% clip, tossed 14 int's and reached his targets in the endzone only 7 times compiling 1,663 yards in passing. Though several seasons later he would guide the Denver blue and orange to 3 Super Bowl appearances he never could win the big game. Atleast not until he was surrounded by the right talent. Like Kurt Warner and Troy Aikman, Elway flourished once Denver rostered true talent. Terrell Davis, one of only a handful of running backs to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in a season drew plenty of attention allowing #7 to exercise his strong arm while winning back to back titles. Along with Davis, Elway had two spectacular threats at pass catching positions. Shannon Sharpe, arguably one of the greatest tight ends ever and Rod Smith an All Pro receiver provided excellent targets for the aging Elway. Retiring after his 2nd Super Bowl party in '98, Elway entered the Hall in Canton five years later.

Maybe the worst freshman campaign of any Hall of Fame quarterback belongs to Pittsburgh Steeler great, Terry Bradshaw, another first overall selection of the 1970 draft. During that season Bradshaw hit only 38.1% of his intended targets and apparently the other 61.9% of those wounded ducks landed in the oppositions mits because he heaved up 24 interceptions to go with just 1,410 yards passing. The eventual 4 time Super Bowl Trophy hoister did not become a champion overnight. As soon as the Steelers began enveloping Bradshaw in talent, the Pittsburgh franchise became the dynasty of the 1970's. Lynn Swann, John Stalworth, Franco Harris and Rocky Blier on offense helped usher Terry Bradshaw along and develop him into a championship caliber quarterback.

On the other side of the coin you have a few QB's who have defied logic and had productive Rookie season's. Dan Marino, who also came out of the '83 draft and piloted the Dolphins to many winning seasons did not start his football career slowly. He hit the ground running and had a 7-2 record in 9 games started, passing for an impressive 20 td's and only 6 int's. Marino's qb rating for his first 11 contests was a remarkable 96 and his completion percentage was 58.4% Though he only went to one Super Bowl, losing handily to the San Fransisco 49ers, Dan Marino is still considered in some circles as the best qb to ever fling the pigskin around a stadium. The '84 schedule, Marino's first full season, seemed to be a breeze for the qb and his Dolphins, as they went 14-2. He completed 64.2% of his passes and tallied 5,084 yards through the air! His qb rating was 108.9 because he tossed 48 touchdowns, a record then, to only 17 ints. But the athletes that made up that exciting young team of '84 were as equally responsible for such success. Marino's number one wide receiver, Mark Clayton received 73 of his qb's passes that season equalling 1,389 yards while hauling in 18 td's! On the opposite side of the field the other wideout, Mark Duper exploited defenses league wide with 1,306 yards and added 8 TD's in addition.

Very comparable to Marino's fast maturation process, Peyton Manning, 1998, first overall draft pick out of Tennessee excelled early and often in his career shedding an early light on his long term future. Although Manning's Colts went only 3-13 during Peyton's rookie debut season, he still managed to throw for 3,739 yards and 26 TD's, but flung 28 ints too. In 1999, his second season in the NFL, Peyton made giant leaps forward. Manning passed for 4,135 yards, 26 scores to 15 int's, while witnessing his QB rating soar up to 90.2 from 71.2. Again though, Manning's success can easily be traced to the talent that he played along side. His Colts had a ridiculously fast wide receiver in Marvin Harrison racking up 1,663 yards and 12 td's. To coincide with that unreal passing attack, the Colts had another weapon in running back Edgerrin James who totaled 1,553 yards rushing, scoring 12 different times.

Are you sensing a pattern yet? An NFL team can have a good quarterback, but without surrounding talent, they will be mediocre at best. So investing a possible 80 million dollars in to Bradford's shoulder, the Rams must exercise patience with this young man and realize that success may not come in 2010. So too should the fans. Let him learn on the fly, by trial and error and maybe soon this franchise will see the light again.

So when you experience frustration during the upcoming Sunday's just remember what happened to the Bradshaw's and Aikman's of early draft pick fame. But also recall that these qb legends have plaques in Canton, Ohio to make up for their early career struggles.

So in summation, let's remember that the NFL draft is a crap shoot, and resembles more a box of chocolates, than an exact science. And like Forrest Gump once said, "You never know what you're gonna get." So please remember to exercise patience while waiting eagerly for this franchise to finally turn the corner and umbrella Bradford with the talent that he deserves to play with for years to come. And maybe St. Louis will witness a return to glory.

Chris Kalna

An Undeserved Punishment

2010-07-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

An Undeserved Punishment

By: Michael Schulte

If the NFL is really committed to parity in its league then it needs to stop crippling its lesser teams by putting them in catch-22 when it comes to the NFL Draft. Sure it's great that the Rams just got the first pick in the 2010 Draft. It's a dubious honor that no one strives for, but every year somebody has to be that team. It used to be that no one wanted to have the first draft pick for the sole reason that it meant that their team was the worst team in the NFL the year before. Now the reason is twofold. First of all, the reason stated above still applies. But now teams also have to throw money into these high draft picks in order to sign them. This makes no since, and instead of accommodating long-suffering, subpar NFL franchises, this current policy punishes teams that are trying to improve.

It is pretty obvious that when a team is in the position of picking in the top ten of the NFL draft that they need much more than just one unproven player to help them out, yet because NFL rookies now command so much money in their first contract lesser teams find themselves not having enough money to spend on other needs. One year of notoriety might not affect a team's cap numbers too much, but teams that continually find themselves in the cellar like the Browns, Lions, Raiders, and Rams have to spend millions and millions of guaranteed money to unproven draft picks who sometimes do not even work out in the National Football League. I want to specifically highlight the Rams because well this is a site about the Rams.

Rams fans have one thing going for them. Our team won the Super Bowl eleven years ago. I have never seen a fan base hold onto to one championship with so much pride and valor. But then again who can blame us? All we have ever experienced is losing. Winning that Super Bowl still means more to this city than other Super Bowls have meant to teams like the Steelers and the Patriots. They win too much and take their championships for granted, but Rams fans truly cherish the few winning seasons the Rams have had since moving to St. Louis from Los Angeles. For this reason, it is especially depressing to see the state of the Rams today. Instead of improving with young players, Rams fans have had to patiently sit through more than a handful of failed drafts with prospects that never panned out. Millions and millions of dollars later the Rams are still trying to improve through the draft. The past few years they have drafted Chris Long, Jason Smith, and now finally Sam Bradford.

According to FoxSports.com in 2009, the Rams player with the biggest salary was not the face of the franchise—Steven Jackson, it was not former all-star Marc Bulger, and it was not all-star center Jason Brown. No, instead the highest paid player on the Rams was Christ Long. Now I do not understand the precedent where a second year player who did nothing incredibly special in his rookie campaign could be the highest paid player on the Rams. But the thing is not only did he have the highest salary, but his base salary was also ten million dollars higher than any other Rams player besides Jason Brown.

This is less than fair for a team like the Rams. They need to be out working the free agent market looking for other proven players to help them fix this mess they are in. The National Football League is continuing to hinder teams like the Rams because they have so much money wrapped up in unproven rookies, and underproductive draft busts that they cannot go out and fill all of the holes they desperately need to fill. Do not get me wrong. I am a huge Chris Long fan. And I think he was a tremendous asset to the team last year. He improved greatly in his outside contain, and I think we can look for similar improvements this year, but bottom line is that the guy is not worth sixteen percent of the Rams total payroll. (For more information on Rams salary figures in 2009 visit http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/st.-louis-rams/salary/67051)

After two season of shelling out millions and millions of guaranteed money to Chris Long and Jason Smith, the Rams will be forced to shell out millions more if they want to sign quarterback Sam Bradford. It is expected that Bradford will command close to a seventy-eight million dollar deal with forty-five to fifty million dollars being guaranteed money. Bradford might turn out to be the next Peyton Manning—I'm not sure. But right now he is a rookie who is unproven. He also played in the spread offense at Oklahoma against some weaker Big 12 defenses so how are the Rams to know if those stats can hold up in an NFL style offense against top defenses week in and week out. (SIDENOTE: The more Bradford makes the more money quarterbacks like Manning and Brady can command when their contract expires. This leads to inflation in the free agent market which then further hinders smaller market teams like the Rams especially if the NFL remains capless.) The issue at hand is that if Bradford fails like Tim Couch, Ryan Leaf, and JaMarcus Russell before him, then the Rams as an organization will be devastated for years to come. The Rams franchise will continue to be a bottom-dweller which hurts not only the Rams, but also the NFL because then the Rams will start to lose the casual fans and less people will be up to spending money on Rams NFL merchandise.

I want to make this clear that while I am specifically arguing for a change in the system from the point of view of the Rams, this point of view could be the same for many teams. The Lions and the Browns—although both teams seem to be on the up—are two teams that jump out at me as being in very similar situations in recent year, but I am also sure that there are many other teams taking huge hits because of recent draft busts. I also want to make clear that I know the rookie pay scale is not the only reason for the Rams financial woes. It's not Roger Goddell's fault that they have made so many poor draft decisions for so many years. It is also not Roger Goddell's fault that the Rams continually make poor choices in free agency. (Can anybody say Drew Bennett?) And finally it is not Roger Goddell's fault that it took the Rams five to six years of failure to finally realize that they need real football people running their draft. But what I am trying to say is that the Rams would be greatly helped by the new system and I think teams that will inevitably be in this same situation in the future would also appreciate having a revised pay scale.

In my opinion the NBA does it the right way with their rookie wage scale. For those of you unfamiliar with the scale, how much money a rookie receives in the first two years of his contract are set based upon where he gets picked in the draft (For exact numbers look at http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9302). This system has worked wonders for the NBA and it prevents draft busts like Darko Milicic from consuming too much of a team's payroll.

It is finally time for Roger Goddell to adopt a similar plan in the new collective bargaining agreement. According to an article I read in ESPN, both the owners, the veterans, and the union agree that as a whole the rookie pay scale in the NFL has gotten completely out of hand, and I think change is fast-approaching. I am all for the idea of having the first three years of a rookie's contract being at a set salary based on where he gets picked in the draft. I think this is fair for everyone. In no other profession besides sports do people get paid more when they first enter the business than when they leave. It only makes since for football to change their ways. After three years, if a rookie has performed at a high level then by all means shower him with guaranteed money. At least then an organization knows what they are getting.

T.O. Idea KO'd

2010-07-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

By Chris Kalna - -July 26th, 2010

Terrell Owens has been an enigma. His career numbers are worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. His career antics are worthy of raised eyebrows. Guilty of being as talented and physically gifted as any wide receiver of his era, yet at the same time being as frustrating and disrupting as any wideout of his generation. A generation that has embraced the "give me the damn ball" persona that fellow wide reciever Keyshawn Johnson created while playing for the New York Jets early in his career.

The position of wide receiver in the National Football League is a demanding one. Requiring its best athletes to possess an air of supreme confidence on the field and apparently off of it as well. Lately the behavior of many of the NFL's premier wide receivers of today has been self serving, irresponsible and narcissistic. Brandon Marshal, Randy Moss, Chad Ochocinco, Carolina's Steve Smith, Vincent Jackson, Santonio Holmes, Mike Sims-Walker, Michael Crabtree, Plaxico Burress, Donte Stallworth, Matt Jones, the late Chris Henry, Anquan Boldin, and T.O. all have made some serious headlines over the last several years. Disturbing actions ranging from shooting themselves accidentally, to vehicular manslaughter. Changing their last name, to admittedly not playing hard on every down. This is the baggage that comes with today's primma donna wide receiver.

It should not come as a complete surprise though. Peter Gent an ex-Dallas Cowboy wide receiver known more for his famous book "North Dallas Forty" than catching passes was a pioneer in trouble making. The book which was successfully adapted into a popular motion picture during the 70's shocked the NFL and its fan base. His dirty fiction tell all was basically a biography on America's Team, the Cowboys of the late 1960's and early 1970's exposing the outlandish actions of the world's most popular franchise.

Another ex-Cowboy wide out Butch Johnson was one of the first inventor's of the post touchdown celebration. After scoring he would emulate an old gunfighter by pulling out both fingers and blowing on them as if they were smoking six shooters. Andre Rison of Atlanta Falcon fame had plenty of trouble. Not only getting into one of the ugliest on field dust ups with cornerback Deion Sanders but also having his house burnt down by his wife,"Left Eye," a singer from a once popular female hip-hop group. So today's wide receivers are just following in the footsteps of their NFL ancestry. Along with over the top media coverage just adding fuel to an already raging inferno of inflated ego's, this behavior only seems to be multiplied and magnified to fit perfectly onto our flat screens and lap tops.

The athlete of today has an appetite for attention. They crave it, they need it and some would almost die without it. We as fans feed there self absorbed and self obsessed cries for love with applause and vindicate their insecurities just because they can run the 40 in 4.3 and jump higher off of the ground than most of us can off of a trampoline.

Having stated all of this I still think the Rams should have signed Terrel Owens. He has accumulated 14, 951 receiving yards while hauling in 144 touchdowns, 61 of those for 40 or more yards! He is a physical freak of nature, with the build of 20 something still much in his prime. He may have lost a step, but his swagger and big play ability still surpasses anything the Rams will roster this autumn.

His age should not be a factor as other older wideouts have proven in the past. Rod Smith of the Denver Broncos and an alum of Missouri Southern State caught 6 touchdowns and totaled 1,105 yards as a 36 year old. Jerry Rice tallied 1,157 yards and 9 TD's at the same age and All Pro Derrick Mason racked up 1,037 receiving yards at age 34 being targeted by a rookie quarterback named Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens. To compare Donnie Avery last season led the Rams charge with 589 yards receiving and hit pay dirt just 5 times.

The media question T.O.'s drive and determination. They question his motives for still wanting to suit up in an NFL jersey at age 36. Well I will tell you why he still wants to play the brutal game that is American football. It is because he has a competitive desire to still win a championship. That is the one thing that his resume' lacks. A Super Bowl ring. He has been to one with Philadelphia, playing that game with an injury that was not fully healed while Donovan McNabb ran out of gas while losing to Tom Brady and New England. His 49er teams never made it to the big game and Tony Romo's Cowboy's have always seemed to be next years champs.

Now after a non eventful season playing in Buffalo, where the Bills had fired their offensive coordinator just weeks before the seasons kickoff resulting in a horrible offense. Terrell Owens, aging superstar, needs a home. A home that may not offer him a chance at a ring, but a chance at something maybe even more fulfilling. A chance to instill a winning attitude with a little swagger. A home where he could have molded our young receivers into well rounded versatile wideouts. Sure he's 36 and his once crisp routes may take a little longer to develop, but with age comes wisdom.

To me it is about putting the most talented team on the field come September. NFL teams are not supposed to play for draft picks. No matter what his past consists of we should not turn a blind eye toward the numbers that he has put up. Those career statistics are not an accident. They were a direct result of natural talent, hard work and a determination that most pedestrians cannot fathom.

So as St. Louis fans anticipate the start of another disappointing gridiron season, they can look forward to their Rams trotting out on to the field pass catching stalwarts such as Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola and Keenan Burton instead of a potential Hall of Fame superstar. A superstar that may have required enough attention from defenses to allow Steven Jackson some breathing room to run and a big enough target for a rookie quarterback to find downfield before being driven to the turf exposing that vulnerable million dollar shoulder.

Now please excuse me a moment while I put the popcorn away.

Chris Kalna -- July 26th, 2010

The Armani Archetype: Payne in, Atogwe out?

2010-04-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Rams aquire Kevin Payne, rumors say Atogwe is out.
Christina Armani
4/30/2010

On the 27th the St Louis Rams traded an undisclosed 2011 pick for the Bears safety Kevin Payne. Payne is 26 years old, 6 foot even, and 211 pounds. Our current safety Atogwe Oshiomogho has get to sign his one year contract and if he doesn't sign the contract before June 1st he will become a free agent.

As for Payne, he was a liability to the Bears last year which is why they let him go. Payne is a big hitter and a big guy and with the Rams being one of the worst teams on both offense and defense, it's time for us to get a bit tougher. There are also rumors that we'll acquire running back Brian Westbrook who was released by the Eagles. He will be a welcome addition to the team and Steven Jackson does need a break. Most Rams fans are happy about Payne and believe that Lovie Smith coached him well. The Rams don't have many veterans on the team other than A.J. Feeley and Steven Jackson and the Rams can sure use some experienced players.

In a conference yesterday Payne told the press that he is comfortable playing as either a strong or free safety. Although it's unsure what his role will be with the Rams, what is sure is that he'll add some depth to the team and make us a lot better. Of coarse, if the Rams don't add Payne to the roster the Rams will get their 2011 pick back and Payne will go to another team. Chances of that happening are unlikely but we'll know by June when Atogwe's deadline comes up.

The Armani Archetype: Sam Bradford

2010-04-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Sam Bradford - 1 week Later
Christina Armani
4/29/2010

One week ago the Rams drafted Sam Bradford as the first pick in the NFL draft. As I stated in my previous blog, they should have drafted Dmanukong Suh who ended up going to the Lions. As for other quarterbacks, Jimmy Claussen was picked in the second round and Colt McCoy went in the third round. The Rams could have picked Suh and then taken either quarterback but the Rams figured that Sam Bradford will be the only franchise quarterback. Fans who are supporting Bradford have already gave him the nickname "Iron Sam" which I believe is a much cooler nickname than "Sam the Ram." There has been a lot of buzz on the official facebook page about not taking Suh but after a week it has finally died down. I can't blame the fellow fans since Suh is supposed to be the best defensive tackle prospect in a decade but I believe that the worse of the Suh buzz is over.

Sam Bradford has been welcomed into St Louis and has had his picture taken with his number 8 jersey. He has a big smile on his face but of coarse if you signed an 80 million dollar you'd be smiling too. There are still fans who are worried about his shoulder injury but what NFL player hasn't had an injury or two? A lot of times injuries only make a person stronger and as a Rams fan I hope that's the case. Warner also had a shoulder injury and had a bad year or two afterwards but he was able to make a great comeback. Drew Brees has also had shoulder injuries and came back to win the Superbowl last year. In fact, Sam Bradford even had the same rehab doctor as Drew Brees so that's a great sign. There are a lot of fans who are backing up and supporting Bradford so that should boost his morale and confidence.

As for me, I am still upset that we didn't take Suh but Bradford is our quarterback now so I will support him and back him up. How do I think Bradford will do? I think that unless he's put in too early he's going to do great. With some help on the offensive line and Steven Jackson taking charge of the defense I believe that the Rams are headed to the Superbowl in the next two or three years. What happens if Bradford ends up being a bust? It'll be back to the drawing board and we'll most likely take a quarterback from another team. Chances of that happening are low though but only time will tell. However, I was serious about the jersey and I won't buy or ask for one unless he gets us a Superbowl win.

The Armani Archetype: Why Rams

2010-04-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

Why I'm A St Louis Rams Fan
Christina Armani
4/20/2010

You may be wondering how an east coast girl became a Rams fan. Allow me to tell you my football story. I grew up actually hating football. Of coarse that was back when Baltimore didn't even have a team. I've always hated the Redskins sense Redskins fans would always pick on me as a kid. I still hate the Redskins more than any other team despite the fact that my boyfriend loves them. Hopefully if we ever get married and have a child it'll be a girl since it probably won't be hard to convince her to become a Rams fan like me.

In 1999 I was invited to a Super Bowl party and I enjoyed watching the commercials. I also enjoyed rooting for the Broncos and watching them win. I decided to regularly watch the superbowl for the commercial but that changed the next year. Yes, I became a die hard Rams fan on January 30, 2000 which was also the day I learned there was a team named the Rams please don't judge me! Before that day I was a little partial to the Ravens since they were the home team and the Ravens are now my second favorite team.

What happened that January night? During that superbowl by brother decided to root for the Titans so I decided to root for the Rams. As we all know the Rams won by a yard and it was very exciting for me to watch the team I was rooting for win the superbowl. Warner's amazing performance helped too and the Rams should have never let him go. Another thing that also helped is that I'm an Aries. This isn't a fact that is said much but yes the Rams are the only team to have the same name as an astrological sign. They also had a very good year in 2001 and 2002 and did go back to the playoffs a few times after 2001. If you ask me, the Patriots cheated and they are third on my list of hated teams.

Who is my most hated division rival you ask? Good question indeed. Most Rams fans will say it's the San Fransisco 49er's but not me. It's the Seattle Seahawks who are second on my hate list.

The Armani Archetype:Why Suh

2010-04-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Why the Rams Should Draft Ndamukong Suh
Christina Armani
4/6/2010

All my friends and family know that I want the Rams to draft Ndamukong Suh as their first pick. I have been in favor of Suh from the beginning and am still strongly in favor of Suh. Why should the Rams draft Suh? It's simple! Suh is the best and even Mel Kiper Jr. concurs with that fact. The Rams need the best and Suh is healthy and strong. While the Rams have had quarterback issues the last few years, what good is a great quarterback if he doesn't have enough protection? Lets also remember what happened last year with the draft. The Lions drafted Matt Stafford who is a quarterback and the Lions had a terrible season. Do you have to draft high to get a great quarterback? How high was [sorry for the reference fellow Rams fans but Tom Brady drafted again? Oh yeah, that's right he was a sixth round pick.

The Rams are seriously considering Sam Bradford and while he did win a Heisman he now has an injured shoulder. Sure his shoulder seems fine now but his shoulder will take a lot of punishment if he's going to play for the Rams. I'm not the only Rams fan who is worried about Bradfords shoulder and the management and coaches should be worried too. Ndamukong Suh has won AP Player of the Year and if you go to espn.com of wikipedia.com you'll see that his stats are fairly consistant and that he works well solo. We Rams fans all know that Suh will be working mostly solo so he'll be a great advantage for the team. Sam Bradford scored 88 touchdowns in his college career but now there is the issue of his shoulder surgery. Lets also remember that Keith Null and A.J. Feeley still haven't got a chance to really shine, oh and we still have Kyle Boller too. The Rams can also easily end up with Tim Tebow for a second pick and Tebow has also won a Heisman Tebow also scored 88 touchdowns and he has 1,000 yards on Bradford. Tebow may need a little help in the passing areas but he can easily work on those areas with Steve Spagnuolo.

There are a bunch of Rams fans that do want Bradford but from what I've read in forums and fansites the majority of us fans still want Suh. In fact, on the Rams official Facebook page you will find fans saying that Suh is too big of an impact player to pass up on. I've also been reading more posts from today that concur with my idea that we should draft Suh and then draft Tebow. Some are saying we should draft Colt McCoy but as long as we draft Suh this Rams fan will be happy. Protection has been a huge issue for the Rams and drafting a quarterback first is not going to help with that problem. It's also not fair to draft a new quarterback for our first pick when there is still Null or Feeley or Boller who have yet to show their true talent as a Ram.

Why else should we draft Suh? Steven Jackson needs help and Suh can provide him with lots of it. In 2009 he had 82 tackles and 12quarterback sacks which was an improvement from 2008. It looks like Suh is just gonna get better and better. He has the promise of being of being a dominating tackle in the NFL and the Rams are in dire need of a dominating tackle. I have seen video highlights of both Suh and Bradford and they both look great. Of coarse I am more impressed by Suh's performances and he seems like he enjoys playing football more than Bradford does. The Rams are normally known as a defensive team and the Rams need a player who is large and in charge like Suh. Suh looks like a man who can take a lot of punishment and if you're going to be a Ram you're going to be dealt a lot of punishment.

The Armani Archetype: Bulger Thoughts

2010-04-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Bye Bye Bulger
Christina Armani
4/5/2010

I got a Mark Bulger Jersey for Christmas last year and now less than four moglad nths later he is no longer a Ram. I knew that Bulger probably didn't have much time left in Saint Louis when I asked for the jersey but it was cheaper than a Steven Jackson jersey so I decided to take a gamble anyhow. I do regret my request for the jersey now but I will hang on to the jersey though and in a few years it'll be a throwback jersey.

While whether the decision to release Bulger may or may not have to do with the fact that the Rams are looking to draft Bradford is unknown, what is known is that Bulger had to sit out most of last season due to injuries. Most Rams fans are happy that Bulger is gone and want the team to move on and be good again. "finally" and "thank you" are words that have been thrown out by fans via Rams Facebook sites and very few seem to be upset to see him go. As for myself, I'm glad that he's gone too but mainly because I never got over the fact that he replaced Warner. In fact, there are some fans saying that we're doing the same thing we did to Warner, but I respectfully disagree. Warner was with us half as long as Bulger was, and the Rams were having better seasons with Warner. Bulger has starred in nearly 100 games for us and has never taken us to the superbowl so it's time for the Rams and us fans to move on.

What is in the future for Bulger? Well, Bulger is almost 34 years old so the best future he's likely to have is playing back-up on a good team. Maybe with a good team and a good defense to protect him he can still have a few good years left in him. Pehaps he will retire now, after all he does have over $20 million dollars just from the $65 million/8.5 million a year contract he signed three years ago. As a Rams fan I do wish him well but most of my well wishes are reserved for the Rams 2010/2011 season. Oh, and incase you're wondering I do not want Sam Bradford, I want Ndamukong Suh. Will I ever buy a Bradford jersey if the Rams do draft him? Not unless he wins us a superbowl.

The Parsons Perspective

2009-12-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

A Texans Two-Step in St. Louis
By Jeremy C. Parsons
December 23, 2009

The St. Louis Rams lost for the seventh time at home last Sunday to the Houston Texans. That's the bad news. The good news is, despite the team dealing with the flu, ten guys on injured reserve, and a bulging disc in Stephen Jackson's back, this team is actually getting better. Yes, there was that 40-point loss to Tennessee the week before, but let's pull that game out of the equation, and take a look at the rest of the season.

In the first eight games of the season, the Rams were outscored 27.6 - 9.6. In the six games since then, they have been outscored, on average, 26 - 13.6. Again, let's take out the lopsided game to Tennessee. The five games since the halfway point of the season look like this, with the Rams only being outscored 21.8 - 15, on average. That's a huge improvement, and makes me think with a little more luck, and a couple of less interceptions, the Rams could have possibly led the weak NFC West this season.

Yeah, in was another loss, but it was a tough loss. It was a hard-fought game, and despite injuries and let's face it- lack of talent, the Rams are starting to hang tough. More importantly, since Tampa Bay got their second win of the season, that now puts the Rams at the top of the draft list. Solid draft picks and free agency should help the Rams tremendously next season. The loss to the Titans solidified that the Rams can get the job done, they just don't have the record to show for it. They're simply missing a few key elements that will change in the off-season, and with that in mind, there is no reason why this team shouldn't be capable of having a winning season in 2010.

Before that comes into play, there are still two games left this season, as the Rams take on the NFC West Division champions, the Arizona Cardinals. With the flu bug out of the way, and quarterback Keith Null getting a chance to take more snaps at practice, the Rams might have a solid shot to defeat the Cardinals this weekend. After throwing a ridiculous five interceptions against the Titans, Null looked considerably better against the Texans, going 18-of-27 for 173 yards, 1 touchdown, and only 1 interception. He will start against the Cardinals, without a doubt, and should be in a comfort zone this weekend to possibly give them a run for their money.

2009-11-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

NFL's TV Policy Hurts St. Louis Fans Again

2009-09-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Last night, the St. Louis Rams defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 17-9 in their annual game for the Governor's Cup, moving their preseason record to 3-1 and wrapping it up on a positive note as they prepare for their regular season opening game next weekend in Seattle. However, if you were a fan in the St. Louis area tuning to KTVI FOX 2 as the game was going on, you would probably be forgiven for wondering if the Rams even played a fourth preseason game this year. NFL policy prohibits home games from airing live in a team's home market if the game is not sold out, and since the Edward Jones Dome was not filled to capacity last night, St. Louis fans expecting to watch football last night were forced to wait for late night TV to see the game.

Granted, while it is disappointing that the majority of Rams fans in the metro area were unable to witness their team's victory last night, this is still the preseason we're talking about. There have been some interesting stories throughout the league already, but at this point in the preseason, most football fans are probably ready for the regular season to start. Hopefully more tickets will sell and network communication will improve for the September 27th regular season home opener against the Packers.

Rams Preseason Thoughts

2009-08-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

It's mid-August, and that means another NFL season is upon us. Unfortunately, this might not inspire much excitement in the typical St. Louis sports fan these days after the past two largely forgettable seasons. We're certainly a far cry away from those “Greatest Show on Turf” glory days, and while it might be naïve to think that the Rams might be revisiting those days anytime soon, the revitalization of the franchise under new head coach Steve Spagnuolo has at least begun to inspire a new wave of optimism. The Rams finally had a chance to prove themselves this past Friday in their first preseason game against the New York Jets, and if their 23-20 victory was any indication, perhaps this new optimism is not unfounded.

First up, let's look at the Rams' offense. The biggest question going into this season from the last one has to be the offensive line. Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson are a solid core for the offense, but the lack of pass and run blocking really hurts their effectiveness. In the few series the Rams' first team offense was out on the field in the first half, we definitely saw flashes of both good and bad. On one hand, Bulger completed all four of the passes he threw for 77 yards and Jackson looked good on the couple of carries he received, but on the other, Bulger was sacked three times. Hopefully these issues were the result of some preseason jitters that will work themselves out as we get closer to the start of the season. The second half saw some big plays from the Rams back up squad that ultimately helped them secure the win. Running back Samkon Gado had a huge play on his first carry in the third quarter, taking the ball 77 yards downfield for a touchdown, and rookie quarterback Keith Null threw an important 13-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Sean Walker that ended up securing the victory. Time will tell what players will continue to step up in the preseason, but it was good to see players fighting for those lower depth chart positions on the roster come through when the game was on the line.

Defensively, the Rams looked sharp too, especially against the run as they held the Jets to only 102 yards total rushing for the game. They also forced some important turnovers, including a Leonard Little forced fumble early on to get the Rams their first points of the game and a muffed punt recovery later on that set up the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. The only time the defense looked particularly shaky was when the Jets put in rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez for a drive in the first half. Even though this is only his first year, Sanchez figures to be a stand out player for the Jets this season, and much of the defensive team facing him on the Rams side was relatively inexperienced as well. Overall, Coach Spagnuolo's decision to start the team with full pad tackling in practice early on seems to have paid off this early in the post season.

It's never easy to predict a team's performance in the regular season from watching second and third string players in preseason games, but already we can see this is a revitalized Rams team that is just playing harder than it was last year. Before long we'll all be waiting impatiently for the season to start and the games to matter once again, but for now, I look forward to seeing what they can do in front of the hometown fans at the Edward Jones Dome next week.

-Carl

2008-12-06T07:47:00.001-08:00

Rams vs Dolphins,Live Score,TV Time

2008-11-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

Rams vs Dolphins
Time:1:00 PM ET
TV: CBS

Rams vs Bears Preview|Rams Game Score,TV Time

2008-11-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

The Rams vs Bears at home- game time Sunday, November 23, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Rams game score on this page. TV coverage of the Rams vs Bears is on FOX. Find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Rams blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Rams game preview,score, news and more at Ramsmix.com!

Rams-49ers|Preview, Rams Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-11-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

The Rams at 49ers- game time Sunday, November 16, 4:05 PM ET. Get the latest live Rams game score on this page. TV coverage of the Rams vs 49ers is on FOX. Find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Rams blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Rams game preview,score, news and more at Ramsmix.com!
Wanted Rams Fan Talk! Are you a big Rams fan with something you want to share, we will post all civil items submitted to FanTalk@Sportsmixed.com in the Rams blog section. Wanted Rams Featured Writers! Ramsmix.com is looking for 3-5 writers to write on a more regular basis about the Rams, if interested please contact us at Writers@Sportsmixed.com

Rams vs Jets|Preview, Rams Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-11-08T22:44:00.000-08:00

The Rams at Jets- game time Sunday, November 9, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Rams game score on this page. TV coverage of the Rams vs Jets is on FOX. Find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Rams blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Rams game preview,score, news and more at Ramsmix.com! Submit all game talk for the Rams to FanTalk@Sportsmix.com, all submissions posted.

Rams vs Cardinals Preview,TV Time|Live Rams Game Score

2008-11-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

Ramsmix.com - The latest live Rams Score,News and Talk! The Rams at home vs Cardinals - game time Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET. TV coverage of the Rams vs Cardinals is on FOX. Find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest Rams blog talk and rumors. Also find the opponents game spin.

Rams-Cowboys|Preview,Rams Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-10-16T22:04:00.001-07:00

The Rams at home vs Cowboys- game time Sunday, October 19, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live Rams game score on this page. TV coverage of the Rams vs Cowboys is on FOX. Find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. Always get the latest Rams game preview,score, news and more at Ramsmix.com!

Rams-Redskins|Preview,Game Score,TV,Recap

2008-10-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

Always get the latest Rams game preview,score, news and more at Ramsmix.com! The Rams at Redskins - game time Sunday, October 12, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score on this page. Also find Rams game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Rams vs Redskins is on FOX.

Bye Week

2008-09-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Bye Week
Next Game
SUN, OCT 12
Rams at Redskins

Rams vs Bills Score-Game Preview,TV,Stats, Time, Recap

2008-09-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

The Rams at home vs Bills - game time Sunday, September 28, 4:05 PM ET. Get the latest live game score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Rams vs Bills is on CBS. Always get the latest Rams score, news and more at Ramsmix.com!

Rams vs Seahawks Score -Preview, Recap, TV, Time, Game Stats

2008-09-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

Rams vs Seahawks
Final Score 13-37 Rams Lose
Always get the latest Rams score and more at Ramsmix.com!
The Rams at Seahawks - game time Sunday, September 21, 4:05 PM ET. Get the latest live score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Rams vs Seahawks is on FOX.

2008-09-16T10:25:00.001-07:00

Rams vs NY Giants Score-Preview, Recap, TV, Time, Game Stats

2008-09-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Rams at home vs NY Giants - game time Sunday, September 14, 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live score on this page. Also find game previews and recaps for the game instantly updated from local and national news in addition to the hottest blog talk and rumors. TV coverage of the Rams vs NY Giants is on FOX. Always get the latest Rams score and more at Ramsmix.com!

2008-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Rams vs Eagles, Time, Live Score, TV, Stats, Photos, News

2008-09-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

The St. Louis Rams at Eagles on Sunday, September 7, at 1:00 PM ET. Get the latest live game score and photos right on this page. Also get the latest talk and game news after the game updated constantly from local and national news and blogs. TV coverage of the Rams vs Eagles is on Fox. Always get the latest Rams score at Ramsmix.com!