An open letter to John Shaw

[eauclare]

This is my first post on this forum. This is a letter I'm going to send him.

Dear Mr. Shaw: With all due respect, it's time to put ego aside and take a long hard look at the numerous mistakes made to create the mess known as the 2007 St. Louis Rams.

1. THE FRONT OFFICE: It's time to hire a true GM. Not one in name only, but a football man who has FULL authority to make ALL final football decisions. The HC and his staff should have input, but in the end the GM has final say. JZ is good at dealing with the cap. Let him work with the GM and make the numbers work. This should be his only duty. Hire a Floyd Reese type to be GM. Someone who is a known commodity and evaluator of talent.

2. COACHING: It's very apparent that Linehan has lost control and the confidence of this team. If I'm not mistaken, you said you hired him because you wanted to keep the offense running at a high level. Well, how has that worked out? If the next hire is to be an offensive minded coach, get one who develops a system utilizing the talent he has instead of making the players adjust to his scheme. A guy like Jason Garrett or Norm Chow would be a good HC choice.

3. FREE AGENCY AND THE DRAFT: No more getting FA's past there prime. Get younger players that are ascending and mix in some veterans still in their prime. Yes, you may have to overpay for some. Let the GM and HC make decisions on FA's and the draft. LET THE FOOTBALL MEN HANDLE THE FOOTBALL DECISIONS. JZ job is to make sure it is financially feasable and nothing more.

Items 1 and 2 need to be done ASAP with the intent of hiring the best and brightest at each level.

Mr. Shaw, to put it in draft lingo, the "Rams are on the clock." With all due respect, nobody is on the clock more than this front office. If these moves are made with sincerity and not as window dressing, I believe you will see support from the dwindling members of Ram Nation.

Don't and in a year or two there will only be a handful of people in the Jones Dome who have nothing better to do with their Sunday or their entertainment dollars.

People who cover the Rams have stated that you and the FO do care about winning. Put ego's aside and show the fans you are serious by making some bold moves. This franchise was and is a proud franchise. I believe they have a great longtime fan base that is rapidly becoming disenchanted with the dysfunctional manner in which business is being conducted.

This franchise is at a crossroads. I hope you make the right decisions.

Respectfully, a die hard Ram fan who expects and demands something better than that which is currently being provided.

[RAMarkable]

Welcome to the Clan, eauclare. Your letter is excellent and I, like many other Rams fans, can only hope that Mr. Shaw will take your recommendations to heart. However, I am not at all confident he will. All of these problems have been transparent for years now, and yet the more things change the more they remain the same.

WHAT SAY YE?

[eauclare]

I agree, but at least it will make me feel better. Kind of like a person who complains about a politican, but never votes. If nothing else, I get to vent.

Once more games are blacked out and psl's aren't renewed, maybe then he will get the message.

[TekeRam]

Definitely welcome eauclare! And congrats on an excellent first post as well. I would suggest that we set up some sort of petition that all of us can sign to attach to this wonderful letter. I also applaud you for your suggestions of possible coaches as well, as they are good ones that the clan hasn't even thought of yet, though admittedly, Jason Garrett I think is a little inexperienced as a coach, but then again, I'd also say Oakland's is as well. But of course, they at least have a win.

[ramsanddodgers]

VN eauclare!

I hope you do send it to the Rams' FO (although they may have already read it on here?).

I heard Herm Edwards on ESPN Radio today and he said one needs to remember that there are coaches, players and then fans and one needs to remember that.

IOW, they may read your letter and maybe appreciate your sentiments I doubt it will do much more than make you feel better for expressing your concerns/thoughts .

Hmmmm.. maybe if we put it in the form of a petition on here.....

[RAMarkable]

I agree, but at least it will make me feel better. Kind of like a person who complains about a politican, but never votes. If nothing else, I get to vent.

Once more games are blacked out and psl's aren't renewed, maybe then he will get the message.

I agree. Sadly it seems the only way to get Shaw'a attention is through the pocketbook. I guess its too much to ask that he just do the right thing by the fans, eh?

WHAT SAY YE?

[ramsanddodgers]

Definitely welcome eauclare! And congrats on an excellent first post as well. I would suggest that we set up some sort of petition that all of us can sign to attach to this wonderful letter. I also applaud you for your suggestions of possible coaches as well, as they are good ones that the clan hasn't even thought of yet, though admittedly, Jason Garrett I think is a little inexperienced as a coach, but then again, I'd also say Oakland's is as well. But of course, they at least have a win.

Hey Teke, you must have been posting this as I was formulating mine.... you know what they say about great minds, though!

[badmoforamfan]

3. FREE AGENCY AND THE DRAFT: No more getting FA's past there prime. Get younger players that are ascending and mix in some veterans still in their prime. Yes, you may have to overpay for some. Let the GM and HC make decisions on FA's and the draft. LET THE FOOTBALL MEN HANDLE THE FOOTBALL DECISIONS. JZ job is to make sure it is financially feasable and nothing more.

Preach on brother. Aside from maybe WW the Rams have had some of the worst luck in the league with free agents (IMO). They need to grow their own players. I truely hope that if the Rams do make a coaching change that they bring in a guy that builds this team through the draft. Let's face it people; this team ain't turning it around without a major ovehaul. I'd rather see the team spend those wasted FA dollars on scouting.

I would prefer the promise of a future rather than a prayer for a quick fix!

[blood85]

.....Or Else he must return my team to CALIFORNIA!!!!

[jjigga3000]

.....Or Else he must return my team to CALIFORNIA!!!!

That's what I'm saying, but truthfully I don't know if they would get much support from the community. Not at this point.

[TekeRam]

I'm divided about the Rams going back to LA. They haven't missed either the Rams nor the Raiders for the last number of years because USC(god forsaken trojans... go Bruins!) football has been so good as of late, but with Stanford upsetting them and USC down in the Pac-10 standings, if they don't run the table and get to a good bowl, there could be some rumblings for a true NFL team. Now, since I've now moved to Kentucky and am only 5 hours away from my beloved Rams, I can't say I'd be completely happy with a move back to LA, but I guess I'd rather have the Rams in LA than the Saints or Bills or another team.

[HUbison]

ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE: THE LA VS. STL DEBATE IS DEAD. IT DOES NOTHING BUT CAUSE DISSENT AMONG MEMBERS.

So how about we get back to the John Shaw letter, shall we? Thanks much.

[HUbison]

1. THE FRONT OFFICE: It's time to hire a true GM. Not one in name only, but a football man who has FULL authority to make ALL final football decisions.

My friend, I must congratulate you. Within the first 3 sentences of your very 1st post, you have managed to strike upon the holy grail of resurrecting this Rams squad.

Until Zygmunt is demoted/canned, nothing is going to change. However, I'm convinced that won't happen until Shaw is demoted/canned. And I'm quite certain that won't happen until Georgia sells/di.......well, let's just say, until she turns over that really bad tarot card.

But, having said that, get an actual football guy, like the aforementioned Reese, give Softli more room to work, and this team can be back in business before we know it.

P.S. Great first post, btw.

[TekeRam]

Rumors have been going around that Savage will get canned in Cleveland this year, and he's a darn fine GM in my opinion. I'd love it if we could get him.

[jkramsfan]

I agree. Sadly it seems the only way to get Shaw'a attention is through the pocketbook. I guess its too much to ask that he just do the right thing by the fans, eh?

WHAT SAY YE?

i agree, but you have to hit him hard,I think the embarassment of having a half empty dome on Sundays may strike a cord also,but who knows,this FO is a ltttle different.