Sign Leonard immediately

***general counsel*** · -10-11-2006

Now that pisa is signed, Leonard should be next. I was so encouraged to read that linehan has personally spoken to leonard in addition to the approach to the agent. There is no question that todays nfl is a business, and that is fine, but sometimes its more than dollars and cents.

I think its great that linehan is putting his arm around leonard. Regardless of what you think of leonards off the field history, there can be no real question as to his importance to the rams defense. This is not a guy that we are going to replace in the draft or in free agency. He is a dominant pass rusher and plays the run exceptionally well. He plays all out and plays hurt. He makes big plays at key points in the game.

He is about 30, and when we pay him, there is a legitimate shot it will bite us in the butt a bit cap wise down the road. My view on that? SO WHAT!!!! This is not a guy that we can afford to have hit the open market because if he does he is going to get what will seem like an outrageous amount of money because he is about as good a pass rusher as there is in the nfl and certainly one of the best all around guys at his position. He is a core player on defense and i dont see any way around that conclusion.

I hope that he considers how patient the team has been with him during his troubled times and can settle on an amount to stay with us for the rest of his career. Its not likely that leonard will ever create warm and fuzzy feelings in people's hearts and i understand that, but on the field the guy is truly a force of nature.

My favorite leonard story is from the sb 36 debacle. My memory may be bad on this because i have refused to ever watch a replay. I was at the game, sitting ten rows or so off the field on the side where we scored the td to tie the game in the fourth quarter. After the kickoff, the pats were deep in there own zone and the play was directly in front of me. I remember vividly thinking that they would run out the clock and play for ot and when brady dropped back to pass (i believe on the first play) i almost stroked out. I will never forget leonard bearing down on brady like a man possessed. He was about an inch away from hitting bradys arm just as brady let go. Less than half a step and he creams brady and its a fumble. I will never forget the look of determination and effort on leonards face as he attacked that qb.

Meanwhile, whatever we pay him in the contract, i hope that the deal includes a driver, and i dont mean a golf club.

Ramming speed to all

general counsel

***jjigga3000*** · -10-12-2006

Look for Little to be signed in a couple of weeks, to an extension. We have the budget so it should be no problem. We know we have a good end with adeyanju. So I think they wanna get the vertership solidified on the front four.

***RealRam*** · -10-12-2006

It is great to see Coach Linehan admire and support Little. It seems certain that both SL and Jim Haslett advocate keeping LL a Ram up to retirement.

And I absolutely agree, GC:

He is about 30, and when we pay him, there is a legitimate shot it will bite us in the butt a bit cap wise down the road. My view on that? SO WHAT!!!! This is not a guy that we can afford to have hit the open market because if he does he is going to get what will seem like an outrageous amount of money because he is about as good a pass rusher as there is in the NFL and certainly one of the best all around guys at his position. He is a core player on defense and I dont see any way around that conclusion.

Nice narration BTW, of the SBXXXVI play. :r Just like a replay on the screen.

Interesting how SL also remembers LL "destroying" a game against him when he was 'on the other side'. In fact, he mentions that they (not sure which team) thought Little was going to be a no show due to a torn pectoral but instead created havoc.

I trust everyone in the Rams organization wants Leonard Little to continue a Ram and will carefully but certainly make it happen.

Let's do it -- sign him PRONTO! [Two weeks okay be me, JJ!]

***general counsel*** · -10-12-2006

the game linehan is referring to was rams vs vikings, when little had three sacks in less than a quarter, including a forced fumble. I remember watching in disbelief as they kept leaving the tackle one on one with little. It may have been bryant m;s rookie year, but i am not sure about that.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

***majorram*** · -10-12-2006

GC you took the words out of my mouth... get the guy signed... we all know that Pure pass rushers in this leaque are HARD to come by and if he hits the open money ... man this guy is going to get Paid.....I'm sure the FO will sign Little before seasons end or Franchise him....

steve:l

***Varg6*** · -10-12-2006

If they sign Pisa, I'm sure they're going to sign Little as well. It'll just take a matter of time. But, I honestly don't think that it'll be that long of a wait. Like some other posters said, in the next few weeks, if that...We'll see his extension...

**laram0** · -10-12-2006

If you were Jim Haslett what would your take be on LL.

SIGN HIM NOW !

***Jimmyrid*** · -10-12-2006

I'm really glad about the Tino situation and we got him signed to a new contract. I think picking up a really good SAM player in the off season would be really good. Does anyone know who will be avaialable as a SAM player in the offseason that we might be interested in?.

As a lot of you guys say get Little tied up now!!. What I love about this guy is his speed. I have seen most of the games either on the net or on Sky in the UK and the thing I dig most that I have seen in those games is his get in the face attitute towards the quarterbacks. He's like a dog with a bone just never gives up.