Building a Team, A History?

[Barry Waller]

This is a story about a football team that had been one of the worst franchises ever for five years plus.

Though there were years of just mediocre play, mostly everything was a negative for their fans.

On offense, their young passer was failing to live up to expectations, and fans were ready for a change, but some looked at his surroundinf cast, one second round receiver who had shown promise his rookie year, but was by no means a star, and a fourth rounder with some deep threat potetial as well as possibly punt return skills.

Their tight end was a former 2nd round draft pick, who was hurt a lot and no star, just a solid overall type.

The offensive line had some good players, and the defense, thanks to a young combination of top draft picks, and undrafted guys who had become stars, was at least adequate. The team had parted ways with their Pro Bowl running back, top receivers, and other veterans on both sides of the ball.

The running game was in the hands of a couple young draft picks, but no star, and no intent to add one.

Their esteemed new veteran head coach, coming off a hiatus after previous NFL success, including a Conference Championship, hadn't seen huge success on the field right off the bat, but the team had shown signs of better toughness and attitude, from what had been seen with previous coaching staffs

This time, the team had hired a bunch of high paid, highly thought of assistants, and a GM known for being with orgaizations that were big, consistent winners.

Even with all this seemingly positive components, fans, hungry for a winner, were ready to throw it all away, and get rid of this old time football coach, and go to a newer, more wide open style.

Besides, they said, this team can't and won't go after star free agents to get them anywhere but .500, not like other teams do every year. They get some second rate free agents, for whom they pay top tier prices, who are usually gone a year later, and little else, and the team suffers from missed early, middle. and late draft picks for years.

Two of the most talented and most effective players were their kicker and punter, which says a lot about them..

Does all this sound familiar?

I'm not talking about the 2013 Rams. I am talking about the 1998 Rams.

They struggled again in 1998, but this team, with Sam Bradford already in place, is far better that that team, with Tony Banks still under center. Teams like Dallas , San Francisco, Denver, and Green Bay and others seemed to have such a roll going in 1998 that no one would ever challenge them for years.

That 1998 Rams team didn't spend a dime on top free agent WR, but luckily, that second rounder who was just OK as a rookie had become one of the best in the NFL, and Isaac Bruce was joined by 4th rounder Az Hakim, who had made a huge leap in play after doing nothing as a rookie.

Those guys still were not enough, but then the Rams drafted Torry Holt, and Dre Bly and traded for Marshall Faulk for a #2 and #5 pick. Even wasting a 3rd on Rich Coady, four little old draft picks, a guard in free agency, and young guys finding their game and believing, and bang, the Greatest Show on Turf, WITHOUT buying a high priced WR or TE, or DE, or DT, or LB, or CB, or OT, or C.

This is all fans need to know, when they (A female canine animal, especially a dog) and moan and cry, and point fingers.

It's all happened before. And it all came out pretty good.

[Truck]

Kurt Warner isn't showing up next year sadly.

[Barry Waller]

I contend that the Rams would have won in 1999 with Trent Green, who clearly was better than Warner in pre-season.

And Sam Bradford is already a million times better than Tony Banks.

Plus it took years before Kurt Warner and Trent Green reached their potential.

Plug Sam Bradford into that 1999 team, and I am certain they would have been a great offense anyway.

[Curly Horns]

Whatever!

We still need an improved offensive line.

[PARamfan]

Barry I remember that 1998 was so frustrating to watch because you could see there WAS enough young talent on that team and the attitude with which they played was right. I remember telling people after that season we were just a couple players away from being a playoff team and that we needed a better QB, desparately need a RB,(biggest need IMO) and an improved O-line. Our defense was already ready to make that playoff run. Of course I got laughed at but no one was laughing at me at the end of January 2000. So I'm prepared that things may or may not be what we would like next year as far as the wins and losses go but I'm going to be looking for that continuing progress and attitude toward something that I WILL expect come the start of the 2014 seson. I think the Rams may be some "experts" Dark Horse pick as early as next year but they could also slip backwards next year go off everyone's radar and come back unannounced in 2014. Just like they did in '99.

[gap]

I contend that the Rams would have won in 1999 with Trent Green, who clearly was better than Warner in pre-season.

And Sam Bradford is already a million times better than Tony Banks.

Plus it took years before Kurt Warner and Trent Green reached their potential.

Plug Sam Bradford into that 1999 team, and I am certain they would have been a great offense anyway.

I agree with most of what you say above, but I gotta disagree with the last statement. Sam will have to work on his presnap reads, and a bit more work on a quick release, before he could have been great in that offense. Even with his very quick release, Kurt took a lot of hits. I am not sure Sam would have been successful there. IMO, it would have been a good to very good offense.

Back on topic, this team was a team that had some holes, but also was not as bad as their record.



gap