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Tinoisamoa and Hargrove Moves Send the Right Message
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” – Abraham Lincoln
Last season, the Rams fell apart. There’s no other way to put it. They simply fell apart.
There was no unity at any level. The Front Office was not on the same page with the coaching staff. The coaching staff, in a state of flux, was not on the same page with the team. The team had players in and out of the doghouse, searching for a role, uncertain where they stood.
And so, the team fell apart.
This year, though there is still a lot of work to be done, the team seems to be coming together. Early victories will tend to do that, but it seems to be more significant than the mere incidental impact of success. Players seems to be enjoying and embracing their roles. The lineup, apart from moves necessitated by injuries, has been relatively stable. Leaders have emerged, and the team has fallen in behind them.
In the past week, the Rams have made two somewhat unusual personnel moves – a midseason contract extension (Pisa Tinoisamoa) and a midseason trade (Anthony Hargrove).
These moves could be evaluated on their individual merits. Signing Pisa long-term is great from the standpoint of stability and avoiding an offseason bidding war for his services. He has been a productive player, and continues to improve. Critics may point to the price paid and Pisa’s difficulty avoiding injuries (though they have not kept him off the field).
Trading Hargrove brings a 5th round pick, which is decent value for a player who was drafted in the third round and hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. That said, one could reasonably ask how a draft choice benefits the Rams now, only six games into the season.
The real story, though, is what these two moves, viewed together, communicate to the team.
Pisa has played, and played well, through an injury that would sideline a lot of players (it’s the second year in a row he’s done that). He’s been rewarded.
Hargrove deserted the team. He’s been traded.
Pretty clear message, huh?
Football players are like any other employees. If you send the message that dedication and hard work will pay off, while self-centered conduct will be detrimental, players will respond in a manner that helps build the team.
So, when looking at these moves, consider their real impact.
These moves send the right message.
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