When will I learn?
First, it was Kyle Turley. I hated him. I hated his attitude, his obnoxious antics, and even his tatoos. He, along with Joe Horn, personified everything I hated about the then-rival Saints.
When he became a Ram, everyone said "great acquisition!" and "he's going to be a great bookend with
Orlando Pace." So I put aside my hate, and embraced him as a Ram.
What did I get? A player who went from mediocre, to injured, to disruptive, to gone (with a nice cap hit on the way out for our troubles).
Then, it was Jason Sehorn. I couldn't stand him. I couldn't stand how his pretty boy looks and famous wife (not to mention his unusually low melanin level for a CB) made him more famous than his play on the field merited. I couldn't stand the bogus "legend" of how he was the guy who shut down Randy Moss.
When he became a Ram, though, I was confronted with many who encouraged me to buy into his signing. And, besides, the Rams needed DBs in a big way. So I put aside my feelings again.
What did I get? Burnt toast, and lots of it, with a big helping of whiff on the side.
Finally,
Jim Haslett came along. I wanted someone else - anyone else. I didn't like his pseudo tough guy (how tough can you be from the sideline anyway?) image. I didn't like his Saints defenses. I didn't like him.
But, he wasn't Larry Marmie. So I told myself - as a DC only (instead of a Head Coach), he could be great. He did a good job way back when in Pittsburgh, after all. And so, once again, I talked myself into embracing someone I really didn't like.
Well, fool me thrice!
From where I sit,
Jim Haslett has done nothing to improve this defense. In some ways, it could be argued that the defense has taken a step back. I believe there is more talent on this year's defense than there was on last year's (the addition of
Will Witherspoon alone confirms this). And yet, they're embarrassing themselves on a weekly basis.
Don't get me wrong... most of the blame should always go to the guys ont he field. But a good DC would find a way, it seems to me, to address at least some of the deficiencies.
I don't have all the answers. I don't know if putting eight men in the box and forcing the Chargers and the Chiefs to beat the Rams by air, or blitzing until the cows came home would have been the best solution.
But its frustrating to see a defense that is unable to help an offense (with at least three skill players having potential Pro Bowl years) win games.
Haslett was a bad hire.
There, I said it.
I should have said it from the beginning.