More Bernie on Long Choice

[RamWraith]

The key members of the organization were still going round-and-round on the Dorsey-Long debate on the Friday before the draft.

I talked to three people who were in the room.

Ultimately two things swayed it - their strong feeling about Long as a person and some updated medical info on Dorsey that gave them a little pause.

Long was the safer choice. Dorsey had strong advocates, though.

It's easy to frame this stuff after the fact to fit a convenient storyline - once a final decision is made, the organization wants to put out a unified front and version - but I had inside sources all week leading up to the draft and was completely up to date on their board and their thinking.

-B
And to offer one correction on the tidy version of events:

The Rams didn't talk Dorsey up all week ... there was a fairly notable shift in their thinking on Thursday night, which is why I updated my blog to reflect it.

If their attempt was to put out false info, they did a lousy job of it, because they changed their board and their thinking on Thursday ... and on Friday had the final discussion to settle it. And by Saturday most (media) were citing Long as the likely pick in a close call.

-B
Hate to break it to you fellas - but Billy Devaney wasn't the only one talking at Rams Park.
And Devaney praised both guys equally. His comments on Long and Dorsey before the draft were gushing in their praise.

I'm happy they have Long and he'll be a really good player. But I just don't see a reason to revise history or the need to cast him as The Chosen One to fit some storybook notion of how he became a Ram. I understand the man love for Chris, but we don't need to weave mythology to make it a more perfect story.

There was a good debate upstairs over this in the final 24 hours before the draft.

-B

[Bald_81]

This is only making it worse for Chris. Instead of it looking like he was the first choice, it makes him seem like a consolation prize. Just let him go out there and play football without any of this hanging over his head, but there is still no doubt in my mind he is not paying any attention to this non-sense.

[AvengerRam]

This is only making it worse for Chris. Instead of it looking like he was the first choice, it makes him seem like a consolation prize. Just let him go out there and play football without any of this hanging over his head, but there is still no doubt in my mind he is not paying any attention to this non-sense.

What are you talking about?

Dorsey and Long were on the board. The Rams took Long.

End of story.

We know you wanted Dorsey, but there is no story here. Just Bernie trying to save face after being played as a dupe.

[moloch41]

If Dorsey winds up needing surgery on that leg, it's going to look like a brilliant move!!! Seriously tho- DE is a much safer position to pick and it was also a greater area of need for us.

[Yodude]

It's funny....I read this post only to see if Bernie would resort to using the term "man love" when referring to Long again. I was on my way to being disappointed until I read....

I understand the man love for Chris

Nice to see Bernie is still Bernie, and by that I mean...an idiot.

[ramsanddodgers]

Saving face, trying to sound knowledgeable, trying to stay employed... this could almost be a poll...

[AvengerRam]

So you're saying you want a Long Pole...er... Poll about Bernie's Man Love?

How about a song instead?

Oh, passed on Dorsey
Oh, oh, passed on Dorsey
Oh, passed on Dorsey
We love you Long time

(man, that was so wrong on so many levels)

[Mooselini]

Moloch said it perfectly. And as mentioned before, what if Dorsey does need surgery. We'll definately be happy we passed up on Dorsey.

[Bald_81]

Moloch said it perfectly. And as mentioned before, what if Dorsey does need surgery. We'll definately be happy we passed up on Dorsey.

Yeah, and we'll be about as happy as the teams who passed on Adrian Peterson if he doesn't.

[harrydog]

Who knows what is true and what isn't true. Certainly no one here. Bernie may or may not be an idiot, but since I know nothing about him, if you guys say he is I believe you. But that still doesn't mean that Long was their guy all along. What he says is plausible. And does it really matter if he was their guy all along or if the decision was made late?
It just seems funny to me that so many people get so emotional about this.

[txramsfan]

I have a feeling that both players are going to be solid NFL players for a long time in this league. And when it coimes to the type of surgery Dorsey may have, it can be done in the offseason and he probably won't miss a beat.

Chris Long has all the tools to be a solid NFL player, and the drive to possibly be a great one. So does Dorsey.

Good luck to both.

[THEFIELDGOAL]

Bernie sometimes just causes a stir. The real factor will be the durability. And until they both play a down and or a couple games we will not know the extent. But Dorsey does have injury concerns less than Long. So Long is our guy. Given Dorsey is playing across the state. It will be a story to follow once the season kicks off.
Go Rams

[general counsel]

To repeat my prior post on this topic,

"Someday we may be sorry we passed on Dorsey, but we will NEVER be sorry that Chris Long is a Ram"

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Rambos]

"Someday we may be sorry we passed on Dorsey, but we will NEVER be sorry that Chris Long is a Ram"

True...

If Ryan turns out to be a steal and plays well at NT, allowing AC to play DT. I don't care what Dorsey does, we are set on the D line for years to come.

I want to see Dorsey bull rush double teams in the NFL.

The way TD on the NFLN talks about Dorsey you would think Dorsey will make the the pro bowl as a rookie. We will soon see.

[txramsfan]

True...

If Ryan turns out to be a steal and plays well at NT, allowing AC to play DT. I don't care what Dorsey does, we are set on the D line for years to come.

I want to see Dorsey bull rush double teams in the NFL.

The way TD on the NFLN you would think Dorsey will make the the pro bowl as a rookie. We will soon see.

The key is Ryan. He had a decent rookie year, and if he takes that to another level this year the Rams are good at DT. If not, then they will be looking next year at DT in the draft and there may not be another Dorsey.

Ahh, who knows. I don't, I have no idea how either one of these guys are going to turn out.