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Some Bernie--a lot about Martz
Some Bernie--
On Martz
A few responses:
* I haven't hesitated to criticize Martz when warranted. That's what some of you apparently forget. I wrote two columns disagreeing with his strategy in the days after the Carolina loss. The difference is, I took a reasoned approach. I wasn't demanding that he be castrated, or anything like that. Some of the reaction by fans to that game bordered on bloodlust.
* I did review the list of "leftover" players submitted here. Sorry that you missed it.
* Martz's gameday management should be better. How many times have I written that? Many. But I also think this "he isn't a head coach" stuff is ludicrous. Anyone who wins at a rate of .672 as a head coach through an ongoing roster transition is doing a lot of things right. But the hatred of Martz has become so insane -- and it truly is insane -- that now I get e-mails from fans telling me that Martz doesn't deserve credit for the offense. That's right; now some folks don't even want to acknowledge that he put together this offense. It's been one big accident. Luck. That is lunacy.
* As for Vermeil and Tony Banks and history. and me not knowing what went on....I I don't mean to be disrespectful, but it's humorous when other people tell me what really went on in those days, and how I'm wrong....and yet I was there, and the people who are telling me I'm wrong were not.
Shaw encouraged Vermeil to make a change at QB in the meeting after the 1998 season. Vermeil was hedging. He had Martz review tapes of Banks, and wanted an honest, no-holds assessment. After they signed Trent Green, I visited Martz in his office. I wanted to get a handle on Green, and Martz was kind enough to show me some video of Green in Washington. Vermeil walks into the office and makes some comments about Green, and with me right there, he thanks Martz for being the one to lead the charge on signing Trent. Later, Martz then had told me the story about how Dick asked him to review Tony Banks, because Dick was strongly inclined to stick with Banks...but after reviewing Banks, Martz told Vermeil, "if we play Banks this season, we'll all be fired, Dick." Vermeil, laughing, confirmed that story to me at a much later date.
Along these lines...when Green went down, I called Shaw up late that night and asked what they planned to do...he was crushed. He said there was debate inside the organization; Vermeil wanted to sign Jeff Hostetler, and Martz was trying to nudge him into going with Warner. (I don't think Martz was a Hostetler fan). Vermeil made the right decision. And the bottom line is, he made the decision so he gets credit. Perhaps Shaw was overstating DV's interest in Hoss; I tend to doubt that. But it would also be ignorant to pretend that Martz had no influence.
So please....I've told these stories many times. I know exactly what was going on during that period, because I had unusually good access. There are times when as a reporter, you are sworn to some secrecy on some things -- at that precise moment. But I've always tried to relay this type of information as soon as posssible. Ultimately, I get the info out there.
Cheers,
Bernie
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The plus-minus ledger for St. Louis football under Martz is heavy on the plus side. Not even close. It's just that a couple pf his failures have been so monumental, it distorts the overall record.
Martz drives me batty, too. We've had our tiffs. I doubt that he would nominate me for president of his fan club. But to an extent, I think we've lost some perspective on how good of an era this has been for the Rams.
I'm certain I'll be ripped to shreds by Martz's harshest critics -- they're so angry -- but that's OK. I'll take his winning percentage over the WP posted by so many coaches (Cardinals and Rams) before he began making such an impact in 1999.
Cheers,
Bernie
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Vermeil, to his credit, and with some help from his friends, made the adjustment after the long layoff from coaching and he's one of the best. That wasn't the case in 1997 or '98. He was overmatched. And he had an unfortunate infatuation with mediocre players. (He was set to have Tony Banks as his QB in 1999, until Martz convinced him otherwise. Just one example). But quality usually breaks through. In Dick's case, it did....and it was understandable that he'd need time to catch up.
Cheers,
Bernie
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Rams should be about 9-7, 10-6.
And that's about where they should be, given the problems on both lines. Plus the schedule (if it does indeed hold up to be as tough as it looks on paper).
Rams fans are funny. So spoiled.
Now a Rams team goes 12-4, and people want to whizz all over it.
Players "leftovers" from the Vermeil era.
Faulk, Bruce, Holt, Pace and Timmerman were mentioned.
Faulk: Vermeil wanted to trade him when he held out in 1999. Vermeil also wanted to cut down on his playing time because he didn't like the way Marshall practiced. Martz and Montgomery intervened.
Bruce: amazing that someone would even bring him up, considering the poor relationship between Ike and DV. Martz got that back on track.
Holt: drafted in 1999. has had his best years under Martz.
Pace and Timmerman: Pace would be great under any coach. Timmerman was signed in 1999. He's been solid. Both guys have played well for DV and MM.
Cheers
__________________
"I would much rather have a bottle in front of me than a
frontal lobotomy"!!
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Re: Some Bernie--a lot about Martz
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