Bernie Bytes: Faulk Not Thrilled With Rams

[r8rh8rmike]

Bernie Bytes: Faulk not thrilled with Rams

BY BERNIE MIKLASZ,
Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Good morning from Indianapolis and the 46th Super Bowl.

* Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk seems ambivalent over the Rams' hiring of Jeff Fisher as head coach and Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator. Faulk was the centerpiece of "The Greatest Show" Rams, and the first member of that team to be enshrined in Canton. I'm always interested in what he has to say about his old team, and on Tuesday, Faulk was made available by The NFL Network to discuss the Super Bowl and other matters.

• Faulk on Fisher: No. 28 expects quick results and doesn't seem inclined to give Fisher the benefit of the doubt if the Rams' reconstruction takes longer than expected.

"We'll see. That's all I can say. We will see," Faulk said. "Jeff had a long and illustrious tenure in Tennessee and Houston. How long is (owner) Stan Kroenke going to wait? Will they give him all five years regardless of how bumpy it is? If Jeff hits three of those 8-8 seasons, what do you do? That's a lot of money to be mediocre. You've got to deliver."

• Faulk on Schottenheimer: "I'm sorry, but can you tell me what Schottenheimer did with the Jets that would give confidence that he can be the one to turn this offense around and to get (quarterback) Sam Bradford going? He had better talent to work with in New York than he'll have right away in St. Louis. So we'll see what he can get done."

Faulk made similar and more expansive comments on Schottenheimer in an interview with our friend Mike Sando fromESPN.com; read it here.

(Bernie comment: The Schottenheimer offense with the Jets wasn't great, but there were some positives, including a big-play passing attack that helped the Jets reach the 2009 and 2010 AFC championship game. This past season the Jets were the NFL's best red-zone team, scoring 36 TDs in 55 opportunities. Under Schottenheimer the Jets were ranked 17th, 13th and 13th in the league in points in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. They led the NFL in rushing in 2009 and were 4th in 2010. But overall the Jets' passing game was disappointing, and QB Mark Sanchez, the 5th overall pick in the 2009 draft, hasn't developed into an elite quarterback -- though he still has time to do so. As I've written and said before: Schottenheimer's work in New York was a mixed bag; critics can look at it and find plenty of ammo and apologists can look at it and find plenty of excuses. As always, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle, but I do believe Schottenheimer has something tio prove in St. Louis.)

• Faulk on the future of the Rams' franchise:Is he worried that the team will move? "No, I'm not," he said.

• Does Faulk believe the Rams will stay in St. Louis? "I hope so. I hope that's the case. I would hate to see the city without the team," he said.

• Faulk on the retirement of Mike Martz, his former head coach in St. Louis: "I know that he has a lot to offer. It's bad that he takes a knock for being a passing guy, when you look at today's NFL. And what he did and how we did it - that's what everybody's doing right now."

• Faulk defending Martz's work as offensive coordinator in Chicago: "Martz was working with lesser talent than he's accustomed to working with. And I believe that (in the 2010 season) they were playing in the NFC Championship, at home, against the Packers. With Caleb Hanie in the game afterJay Cutler went down. And they were in the game. If he didn't do a good job, they should have let him go then. Other than (RB) Matt Forte, there wasn't anyone that was fear inducing. I'm defending Mike because I can only imagine how hard it was to game plan with what he had. Look at what Green Bay put on the field offensively. Look at what Detroit put on the field offensively. And you have to play them twice a year? Do your best. And I believe he did his best."

[AvengerRam]

Is it me, or does it seem that the headline and Faulk's quotes are not consistent with one another?

I'd say that Faulk is "taking a wait-and-see approach" with Fisher and is "skeptical" about Schottenheimer. I don't get the "not thrilled with Rams" from his statements.

Imagine that... Bernie trying to stir things up. Shocking.

[r8rh8rmike]

Is it me, or does it seem that the headline and Faulk's quotes are not consistent with one another?

I'd say that Faulk is "taking a wait-and-see approach" with Fisher and is "skeptical" about Schottenheimer. I don't get the "not thrilled with Rams" from his statements.

Imagine that... Bernie trying to stir things up. Shocking.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. When I entered the title, I took a second look to see what was missing, only to find that Bernie completely misrepresented Faulk.

[BEER]

He has become politically corret. We all know time will tell, he needs to give a true opinion or none.

[laram0]

"THIS" is by far the biggest mistake Marshall has ever made related to football. Bigger than any fumble, missed block or dropped pass in his entire career.

What is "THIS" you ask?

"THIS" = Allowing Bernie to interview him!

[NJ Ramsfan1]

Agree with R8rh8r & AV- the headline would lead us to believe Faulk is thoroughly disgusted and ripped the Rams. Not so. He merely expressed skepticism, which is understandable given the Rams recent track record on everything from players to coaches to front office people.

[tomahawk247]

Faulk questions giving that amount of money to Jeff Fisher, and questions the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer. Isn't that what a lot of fans did?

[GROUND DOG 39]

I don't know what more the Rams could have done, after sacking SS. If not Fisher and CO, then WHO.? Mike Martz.??? Maybe Faulk thought the Rams should have hired Josh McDaniels as HC. Seeing as he predicted 40+ points for the Rams offense, in the first game last season.! I don't know. Thanks for bursting my bubble anyway Marshall. Great timing.

[dgr828]

Im sure Faulk hasn't been thrilled with the Rams for sometime now.
Im sure after SB XXXIV Faulk wasn't thrilled with Dick Vermeils departure.
Faulk couldn't have been thrill about losing to New Orleans in the 2001 l
playoffs, when Az dropped the rock on the Super Dome rug thus
ending St. Louis' 1st Superbowl run.
Faulk couldn't have been thrilled with all the clutching, grabbing, holding and cheating in SB
XXXVI.
Remember when Faulk walked out in the middle an interview with Kurt Warner, not
a very thrilling Rams moment.
The Rams haven't been consistantly competitive since Faulk retired.
One can understand "Mr. Thrilla's" reservations about the new Rams regime.

[AvengerRam]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Marshall Faulk as a player: big fan
Marshall Faulk as a commentator: not so much

[Truth]

I don't know what more the Rams could have done, after sacking SS. If not Fisher and CO, then WHO.? Mike Martz.???

Given his relationship with Martz, that's probably EXACTLY who he would've hired, despite the trail of destruction left behind wherever he coaches.

[Fargo Ram Fan]

Is it me, or does it seem that the headline and Faulk's quotes are not consistent with one another?

I'd say that Faulk is "taking a wait-and-see approach" with Fisher and is "skeptical" about Schottenheimer. I don't get the "not thrilled with Rams" from his statements.

Imagine that... Bernie trying to stir things up. Shocking.

Nope, its just you. He is indeed "not thrilled". Being skeptical and somewhat doubtful certainly qualifies as "not thrilled". His comments are honest, informed and objective...as opposed to some of the polly-annas we have heard from, regarding these hires. Frankly, its incredibly refreshing to hear someone of his standing be this honest.

[LA Rammer]

players know. faulk stating this isn't a quick fix and possibility of mediocre football? I am inclined to believe him. I’m not too thrilled with all this. If Rams were to move back to LA I think it would pressure this organization to win, but st. Louis would be happy to keep the team and settle for mediocrity.

Seems as if he is disillusion with the Rams, Faulk has separated himself from this team? Pretty much.

Hope he is wrong and we have lots of winning in the future.

GO RAMS!!!

[AvengerRam]

Nope, its just you.

Me and the people who agreed with me in responding to this thread, you mean.

He is indeed "not thrilled". Being skeptical and somewhat doubtful certainly qualifies as "not thrilled".

The only thing he might have been "doubtful" about is the hiring of Schott. Otherwise, his statements were merely ambivalent.

His comments are honest, informed and objective...as opposed to some of the polly-annas we have heard from, regarding these hires. Frankly, its incredibly refreshing to hear someone of his standing be this honest.

You crack me up, Fargo. Whatever the issue is, you always take the downer side and complain about anyone who shows the slightest bit of optimism. I have no doubt that if you were posting here in January 2000, you would have written something like "sure they won, but what kind of a champion needs a tackle at the one yard line to in a title?"

[AvengerRam]

players know. faulk stating this isn't a quick fix and possibility of mediocre football? I am inclined to believe him. I’m not too thrilled with all this.

I am not aware of anyone saying that the mere hiring of a coaching staff would be a "quick fix." Rather, most of us see it as a step in a positive direction, as we finally have an experienced HC, backed by experienced assistants/coordinators.

If Rams were to move back to LA I think it would pressure this organization to win, but st. Louis would be happy to keep the team and settle for mediocrity.

That may very well be the most moronic opinion I've read on the L.A./St. Louis issue.

Seems as if he is disillusion with the Rams, Faulk has separated himself from this team? Pretty much.

I don't know if he has that negative a feeling, but who cares? Faulk may have been a genius at finding a hole in a defense, but that does not mean he knows how to build an organization.

Hope he is wrong and we have lots of winning in the future.

You do? Really? I'm not sure I buy that given your other comments.

(See how it feels when someone reads into your words and overstates them?)