Say what you will about Spags and Billy D but..

[Holt Your Horses]

One of the things that gets me most excited about the upcoming season/s is that Jeff Fisher, who I think is a great coach, inherits a decent (not fantastic) roster from Spags.

Granted the team went 2-14, but I dont think anyone would disagree in saying that the previous Rams coaches inherited teams that were in ruins. A ridiculous amount of injuries and a tough schedule both played a role in the abysmal win-loss record, but not by any means are we devoid of talent. Spags has been criticized quite a bit on this board for his 'four pillers' approach, and to be fair it is warranted. That being said the locker room he left behind is filled with team first guys who will work hard. Throw in some players to fill the gaps and let that solid locker room gel around an experienced coaching staff and I think the Rams will be in a good place.

It is my opinion that although Spags/Billy D didnt win much while they were here, we will look back in a few years and be grateful for some of the guys they brought in.

Fisher is lucky to be in this situation compared to what Linehan and Spags were thrown in to, regardless of how they coached.

Just my two cents.

[Rambos]

I agree with this, but anytime you get a new coach they will want their guys. It will be interesting to see how the roster shapes up once Fisher and the new GM get to work. So some player we think are in the future plans may not be here in the long run.

[TylerBishop]

I agree w/ Rambo's. Fisher could very well re-build some areas we think are OK, and keep some things that may be unpopular.

I'm thinking in particular that he could re-build our CB situation and not do much with the O-line, but that's purely speculative. So many factors, like OC, DC, and GM go into that.

Either way, no doubt there is a much better stable here than the one Spag's started with, but they only gave us 4 guys in the draft last year, and failed in FA. That is a big reason why they lost there job.

[NY RAMFAN]

Even though I whole hartedly agree, if you browse thru the threads, every end of season we got the same type of topics.
Every season we need 1 or 2 OL, or DT, CB, ML, now is WR to be a playoff caliber team, and every season we come short.
I do think we have the talent, or at least some decent amount of talent ON THE FIELD... now we need it OFF THE FIELD
Hope Jeff is the answer

good rammings

[Canadian Rams Fan]

When the Rams first hired Spags, I told my brother this was a great hire. I still stand behind that comment. I loved what he and Billy D were able to accomplish.

I told him its a shame that he will have to turn this roster around, have to rebuild the team from being in shambles with some poor talent and aging players at key positions. Not to mention some poorly structured contracts. I remember saying to him that he will do all the grunt work between him and Billy D and not be around to see the fruits of his labor.

So I agree 100% that we will look back in a few years and be thankful for Billy D and Spags. I wish them both well and I am keeping a close eye on coach Spags. Hopefully he will land as defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons and be very succestul.

As for Scott Linehan, I have to dissagree. This guy had so many questionnable personnel movements. Not to mention we have seen so many players cut during his era that have gone on to have some good careers elsewhere. Some bad drafts (Tye Hill, Adam Carriker, etc... etc...) and free agent aquisitions (Drew Bennett) that have not gone well.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that coach Fisher will help turn this thing around and fairly quickly. He has a good structure in place already and will bring in some of his guys to play his system. He has some good and promissing young talent with which to move forward with in Chris Long, Roger Saffold, Jason Smith, Sam Bradford, Robert Quinn, James Laurinaitis, Lance Kendricks, Danny Amendoala, Bradley Fletcher, Darian Stewart he does have some cornerstones is some of these players and some future pro-bowlers.

The future is looking bright. I cant wait to see what this offseason is going to be like. Its going to be exciting to see him build his staff and bring in some talent through free agency and the draft. I for one am excited.

Go Rams 2012

[SLSG]

For as bad as the Rams have been, the roster should have WAY more talent that it does. With all the high picks, this roster should be stacked. Instead, it only has a few building blocks.

[mh-i]

I don't have the same warm and fuzzy memories of Spags and Devaney that you do. In fact I don't believe anybody will remember them in a few years. The fact is the Rams have had great draft position for 5 or more years. Eventually things come around again. This is no idifferent than the 90's. If anything Spags and Devaney prolonged the turn around.

[Rambos]

I don't have the same warm and fuzzy memories of Spags and Devaney that you do. In fact I don't believe anybody will remember them in a few years. The fact is the Rams have had great draft position for 5 or more years. Eventually things come around again. This is no idifferent than the 90's. If anything Spags and Devaney prolonged the turn around.

I'm not sure how much of the poor drafts can be Spags fault, certainly not all 5 years worth since he was here just three. I'm sure Spags did not have as much say in the picks that Fisher will or Billy had. I like Spags and his defense. His lack of experience as a head coach was costing us too many close games for me to back him any longer as our head coach. Spags will be a force wherever he goes. Which brings up a scary thought. Long and Laurinaitis are coming up for new contracts, I hope they don't hook up with thier old head coach when that time comes.

[RAMFANRAIDERHATER]

For as bad as the Rams have been, the roster should have WAY more talent that it does. With all the high picks, this roster should be stacked. Instead, it only has a few building blocks.

You hit the nail right on the head. Even though injuries and a tough schedule played a big part in this years debacle, the Rams single biggest issue is their success (or lack of) in picking talent in the draft and FA's. Especially in the Linehan/Martz era. This team should be one of the deepest in the LEAGUE, just based on the fact that they've been one of the most dismal year in and year out. They've had good draft position for way too many years to only have a few good players and a good base to start from.

Nobody has evaluated and groomed talent worse than the St. Louis Rams.

[fearsome foursome]

I believe that Spags and Devaney left this team in better shape than most people think. Sure, they made some mistakes like letting some young talent go for aging vets but I think that was because they knew that it was win this season or they would be gone. I don't really get some of the complaints by a few on this board. The four pillars thing worked pretty good for the 1999 Rams when the major stars like Holt, Warner, Bruce and Faulk would all be considered four pillars guys. And the fact that Spags didn't yell at his players when they were on the field. I remember a couple of coaches like Landry and Walsh that did OK without a lot of onfield theatrics. I'm happy we got Fisher, I always liked him but I would have liked to see Spags get one more year.( and no, I don't like losing)

[ljcrayton]

NO NO NO.

Don't you guys dare start praising these 2.

Trust me, Fisher has just as much crap to deal with that spags did. I mean, Spags had to deal with having no talent and Fisher is gonna have to deal with having talent that can't stay healthy...is that really any better?

Seems like you guys are forgetting about the many conversations in here and the chatroom about the complete rebuild AGAIN of the rams. What happened to a list of about 10 players we should keep. That's not leaving a new headcoach anything. He has a QB, an aging RB, 1, maybe 2 receivers if lloyd resigns, 2 defensive lineman, a poor mans urlacher and a safety.

You tell me how that's leaving anyone in good shape. I read earlier someone praising Spags for not yelling, i recall many of times in the last 3 years of people begging either him or Sam to yell, get mad and spark a fire and i remember how we praised SJ39 for finally doing it.

Everyone, I never like to see a person lose a job, but I don't believe in giving any credit when none is due.

You think i'm telling a story here, go look at the teams we beat in spags' best year.

Chargers
seahawks
whiners
cardinals
panthers
redskins
broncos

only one of those teams were 8-8 and it was the chargers. really guys, a good head coach would've won atleast 10 games because a good coach would've ran through the nfc west with ease.

[RockinRam]

Solution: Trade up and grab Andrew Luck.


That way if Bradford gets injured, we have an amazing QB to take his place! Great depth ya?

[Fettmaster]

What exactly did those two accomplish? They give awards for losing 38 games in three years now? OK yeah, they turned over the roster. And they filled it with a bunch of softies and old guys who don't contribute. And they found some pieces, sure. But even a blind man can land a dart on a large enough board.

It'll be very interesting to see the roster moves made this off season.

[sosa39rams]

NO NO NO.

Don't you guys dare start praising these 2.

Trust me, Fisher has just as much crap to deal with that spags did. I mean, Spags had to deal with having no talent and Fisher is gonna have to deal with having talent that can't stay healthy...is that really any better?

Seems like you guys are forgetting about the many conversations in here and the chatroom about the complete rebuild AGAIN of the rams. What happened to a list of about 10 players we should keep. That's not leaving a new headcoach anything. He has a QB, an aging RB, 1, maybe 2 receivers if lloyd resigns, 2 defensive lineman, a poor mans urlacher and a safety.

You tell me how that's leaving anyone in good shape. I read earlier someone praising Spags for not yelling, i recall many of times in the last 3 years of people begging either him or Sam to yell, get mad and spark a fire and i remember how we praised SJ39 for finally doing it.

Everyone, I never like to see a person lose a job, but I don't believe in giving any credit when none is due.

You think i'm telling a story here, go look at the teams we beat in spags' best year.

Chargers
seahawks
whiners
cardinals
panthers
redskins
broncos

only one of those teams were 8-8 and it was the chargers. really guys, a good head coach would've won atleast 10 games because a good coach would've ran through the nfc west with ease.

This, no offense, is the dumbest post I've ever read on this forum. "A poor mans Urlacher"? Yeah, because a top 5 MLB in the league is just trash.

Spags and Devaney have done wonders for this upcoming regime. Spags inherited the oldest, most paid piece of crap in the NFL. He left it as one of the younger teams that have the most cap space in the NFL with cornerstones. Chris Long, Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, James Laurinaitis, Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Quintin Mikell, Darian Stewart, Donnie Jones, Robert Quinn, Rodger Saffold, possibly Jason Smith, and killer amounts of cap room. Seems like a nice roster too me. If these guys could stay healthy, we add a Justin Blackmon, some FA's, another few pieces in the draft, and we are a playoff team.

[ljcrayton]

This, no offense, is the dumbest post I've ever read on this forum. "A poor mans Urlacher"? Yeah, because a top 5 MLB in the league is just trash.

Spags and Devaney have done wonders for this upcoming regime. Spags inherited the oldest, most paid piece of crap in the NFL. He left it as one of the younger teams that have the most cap space in the NFL with cornerstones. Chris Long, Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, James Laurinaitis, Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Jerome Murphy, Quintin Mikell, Darian Stewart, Donnie Jones, Robert Quinn, Rodger Saffold, possibly Jason Smith, and killer amounts of cap room. Seems like a nice roster too me. If these guys could stay healthy, we add a Justin Blackmon, some FA's, another few pieces in the draft, and we are a playoff team.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and frankily i see nothing special about animal jr. Is he a good linebacker...yes. Is he someone I'm gonna break the bank for...definately not. We have a lot of potential yes, but what's the point if they only gonna play 8 games and spend the rest either on IR or watching the game from the sideline.

We got some good players, but we had good players when martz took over and look what he did.

I wish you guys could just rewind to the painful seasons we endured. Ya'll praising now, but when we were 1 game from the playoffs and we still couldn't make it i wasn't hearing anything about how good of a job despags did.

And the only reason anyone on our defense is top anything is because they on the field dang near the whole game. and really, cuz i can name 10 mlb's i'd rather have.


lawrence timmons
ray lewis
brian urlacher
patrick willis
ray lewis
vilma
james farrior
john beeson
aj hawk

and that's just off the top of my head.


(i love this site lol)