Bernie burns Jackson

Bernie Bits: Jackson's ire should go to teammates, front office
By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/16/2006

Memo to Steven Jackson:

Instead of disparaging Rams fans who have supported your franchise by selling out every home game since the team moved here in 1996, you should man up and speak out against those who deserve your criticism.

Instead of suggesting that Rams fans have gone soft, go ask members of the defense why they're so soft against the run.

Instead of blasting Rams fans who didn't show Monday because they sold their tickets to Bears fans, ask your teammates why they didn't show up for recent games against Carolina, Arizona and Chicago.

Instead of questioning the loyalty of hard-working people who save their money and hand it over at the ticket window in support of the franchise, ask your teammates if they're being loyal to the fans by refusing to play hard in gutless performances in losses to Carolina and Arizona.

Instead of suggesting that the Rams would be better off back in Los Angeles, why not ask your bosses about the reasons the team moved here in the first place.

(Hint: The management team that made horrible personnel decisions in LA is making terrible personnel decisions in STL, and that leads to losing football and fan unrest.)

Instead of dogging Rams fans for profiting by selling tickets to Bears fans, ask your teammates about the paychecks they're stealing with their half-hearted efforts and repeat mistakes.

If Jackson wants to take a stand, he ought to quit picking on anonymous fans from a safe distance and directly confront his teammates and his bosses. Because the Rams' players, coaches and executives are responsible for the deterioration of the on-field product, which is creating ambivalence among customers.

One more thing: If Jackson thinks it's inexcusably wrong for Rams fans to sell their tickets to the highest, out-of-town bidder, we'll see if he holds himself to that same standard when he becomes a free agent.

When he's faced with a decision to stay in St. Louis or sell himself to another team for a bigger paycheck, we'll see if Steven Jackson sticks to his principles.

As others see us

Hal Pilger, Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register, speaks out on behalf of Rams coach Scott Linehan:

"No doubt the Rams are deficient in many areas on offense, defense and special teams. But the Rams have been deficient in these same areas for some time, and well before Linehan's time began in St. Louis. Most of the pieces — good, bad, broken or simply Not Ready For Prime-Time — already were in place when Linehan took over. He deserves the opportunity to evaluate during a full season, and again once it ends, and he deserves the opportunity to ferret out the infidels and incompetents and replace them with his choices — draft or otherwise.

"Linehan deserves the chance to go into next April's draft with a full season as Rams coach under his belt, and he deserves the chance to make any changes he deems necessary regarding his staff of assistant coaches. And Linehan deserves at least one year of on-the-job training as an NFL head coach."

Reading time, 3 minutes

Free Jon Alston.

I love how this is SUCH A BIG DEAL. At least he's a hard worker, and obviously he cares about the team because he wants to get support from his fans. And not getting that must be tough, and he's a human being, and if it was a mistake thing to say, it was a mistake. Why are we acting like we gotta get rid of him all of the sudden? He's one of our only EFFICIENT people on the whole team, Bernie, you puzzle me, you puzzle me...

Quote:

---

When he's faced with a decision to stay in St. Louis or sell himself to another team for a bigger paycheck, we'll see if Steven Jackson sticks to his principles.

---

What? This has nothing to do with principles period.

I think he is suggesting it has the same amount of principles as a fan selling their ticket to the highest bidder. No better or no worse.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bernie

Instead of disparaging Rams fans who have supported your franchise by selling out every home game since the team moved here in 1996, you should man up and speak out against those who deserve your criticism.

---

Jackson was asked a question about the crowd on Monday and gave an answer. Relax Bernie. Besides, selling out games is not the issue, doing everything to help your team win at home is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bernie

One more thing: If Jackson thinks it's inexcusably wrong for Rams fans to sell their tickets to the highest, out-of-town bidder, we'll see if he holds himself to that same standard when he becomes a free agent.

---

Just brilliant. Does Bernie really think these situations relate to each other?

I really don't see anything wrong with what Steven said about the fans. My brother has 4 season tickets to the Steelers and he is poor. He has 5 (going on 6) kids and a wife that stays home. He never has the opposing fans in his seats. He sells half the tickets to other Steeler fans at cost because he really can't afford them. I am sure he could sell the tickets for a profit, but he is not that kind of football fan.

I think the St Louis fans that have sold their tickets for profit should give them up. This should not be a money making opportunity for the season ticket holders.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by r8rh8rmike

Jackson was asked a question about the crowd on Monday and gave an answer. Relax Bernie. Besides, selling out games is not the issue, doing everything to help your team win at home is.



Just brilliant. Does Bernie really think these situations relate to each other?

---

i think bernie's point is a good one on this,will jackson go to the highest bidder or show some loyality to the rams just like he wants ticket holder to do.point taken bernie

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UtterBlitz

I really don't see anything wrong with what Steven said about the fans. My brother has 4 season tickets to the Steelers and he is poor. He has 5 (going on 6) kids and a wife that stays home. He never has the opposing fans in his seats. He sells half the tickets to other Steeler fans at cost because he really can't afford them. I am sure he could sell the tickets for a profit, but he is not that kind of football fan.

I think the St Louis fans that have sold their tickets for profit should give them up. This should not be a money making opportunity for the season ticket holders.

---

Well said. The fans in St. Louis are very arrogant. Do they know how greedy they are? Us fans outside of the city and state of Missouri would kill to have tickets to every game and watch our Rams play! But sadly we can't, and they can and sell the tickets at a very large and greedy price, because there arrogant.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jkramsfan

i think bernie's point is a good one on this,will jackson go to the highest bidder or show some loyality to the rams just like he wants ticket holder to do.point taken bernie

---

I guess you could make the leap to connect the two, I don't see it. If fans don't want to support the Rams, fine, don't buy tickets and jump on another bandwagon. It makes no sense to me to be a fan and then not support your team because times get a little tough, but that's just me.

As far as Jackson, the man is giving his heart and soul out on the field and you can't ask for anything more. When he becomes a free agent, there is certainly no implied loyalty. Many things can happen in negotiations, just ask London Fletcher.

The bottom line for me is if your a fan of the Rams, support them, and if you're a player, give it you're all. If you decide to jump off the Ram bandwagon or go to another team, all bets are off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Varg6

Why are we acting like we gotta get rid of him all of the sudden?

---

Who's saying we need to get rid of him? Bernie is usally pretty clueless but even he isn't suggesting getting rid of him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ramsbruce

Who's saying we need to get rid of him? Bernie is usally pretty clueless but even he isn't suggesting getting rid of him.

---

Well he mentioned free-agency...as if we weren't going to try to re-sign him before he hits the market lol

Bernie gets to much attention. He is just another hack looking for a story.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Varg6

Well he mentioned free-agency...as if we weren't going to try to re-sign him before he hits the market lol

---

No, that's not what he wrote at all IMO. Bernie writes that Jackson will have to choose between staying in St. Louis or taking a bigger contract with another team. If Bernie didn't think the Rams were going to try to resign him, then Jackson wouldn't be able to choose to stay here. He'd have no contract offer, and would have to go elsewhere. The situation in this scenario is that it's Jackson's choice to stay or go, meaning the Rams want him to stay but it's on Steven. I don't see where you get the idea that anyone's saying to get rid of him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nick

No, that's not what he wrote at all IMO. Bernie writes that Jackson will have to choose between staying in St. Louis or taking a bigger contract with another team. If Bernie didn't think the Rams were going to try to resign him, then Jackson wouldn't be able to choose to stay here. He'd have no contract offer, and would have to go elsewhere. The situation in this scenario is that it's Jackson's choice to stay or go, meaning the Rams want him to stay but it's on Steven. I don't see where you get the idea that anyone's saying to get rid of him.

---

Right, nobody not even Bernie is saying get rid of him. I'm not sure how anyone comes to that conclusion from his article.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RamWraith

One more thing: If Jackson thinks it's inexcusably wrong for Rams fans to sell their tickets to the highest, out-of-town bidder, we'll see if he holds himself to that same standard when he becomes a free agent.

When he's faced with a decision to stay in St. Louis or sell himself to another team for a bigger paycheck, we'll see if Steven Jackson sticks to his principles.

---

Ok, Bernie's got a good point there I think and I think most of us know the answer, Jackson would probably (like almost all players) take the money. So yes, in that sense you could point to a double-standard. But it's really not anything I would choose to make a big deal out of, Steven was just disappointed to see so few fans in the right colors, I can understand that. When you are forced to go to a silent count in your own dome things are pretty damn bleak, I don't think I've heard of that before. It's a small thing, just the kind that Bernie *loves* to make a huge controversy out of, just like the beginning of the season where Linehan wouldn't let Haslett talk directly to reporters etc. Relax a little for once Bernie, and direct your focus to more substantial matters.