When all else fails, lower your standards.

[AvengerRam]

I'm through being disappointed with this team. From this point on, I have no expectations for the Rams this year. I can no longer be disappointed. The team will either meet my expectations or I will be pleasantly surprised.

You buying this?

Not sure if I am. That nagging little voice that says "don't give up hope - the Rams can still make the playoffs!" can still be heard. The voice is faint, and its tone far less confident, but its still there, isn't it?

NO! I will not allow this team to break my heart again! I will not give in to the temptation of false hope! I will resign myself to the fact that the best thing you can say about this team is that it has a group of players who, with the right free agent additions and draft choices, might form the core of a future playoff team.

I will let go of this season... my heart will grow cold. I will no longer care.



Um... what time is the game on Sunday?

[RAMMAN68]

I'm through being disappointed with this team. From this point on, I have no expectations for the Rams this year. I can no longer be disappointed. The team will either meet my expectations or I will be pleasantly surprised.

You buying this?

Not sure if I am. That nagging little voice that says "don't give up hope - the Rams can still make the playoffs!" can still be heard. The voice is faint, and its tone far less confident, but its still there, isn't it?

NO! I will not allow this team to break my heart again! I will not give in to the temptation of false hope! I will resign myself to the fact that the best thing you can say about this team is that it has a group of players who, with the right free agent additions and draft choices, might form the core of a future playoff team.

I will let go of this season... my heart will grow cold. I will no longer care.



Um... what time is the game on Sunday?

Unfortunately AV I know exactly how you feel. I had a gut feeling that they would find a way to loose that game on Sunday and it didn't let me down. Even though I wanted and expected a victory; something deep down inside me just knew they wouldn't rise to the occasion.

This team has a way of playing mediocre and some how I feel that they are ok with it. I hear talk of improvement, but no action.

The new team motto should be "I tried my best now where's my pay."

[ramstiles]

If the rams play the way they did sunday you will be disappointed again At the start of the game your expectations may not be high and you might not expect them to win but if they play like thatagain disappointed.

[laram0]

When I tell myself to lighten up not give up, The Rams reel me back in with that unexpected win. For instance I've already prepared myself for a loss this weekend. That way it won't bother me so much and I can deal with it. But in the past when I've used this apporoach they've come out and won. Then I'm right back where I started from. Intense!!!!

Does that make any sense....

[methodical_reaction]

It could be much worse, we could be whiner fans...still mentally masturbating on the days of Steve Young and Joe Montana, hopelessly pineing over the...(chuckle chuckle) loss of illustrious players such as Kevan Barlow and Brandon Lloyd...(tee hee)

God I'm glad I'm not like that.

[bruce4life]

I didn't really have big expectations for this team this year until they started 4-1 and thought that they actually had a legit shot at making the playoffs and doing some damage but after this 4 game losing my prediction in the beginning of the year that our rams would be an 8-8 ballclub seems to be true

[jkramsfan]

I'm through being disappointed with this team. From this point on, I have no expectations for the Rams this year. I can no longer be disappointed. The team will either meet my expectations or I will be pleasantly surprised.

You buying this?

Not sure if I am. That nagging little voice that says "don't give up hope - the Rams can still make the playoffs!" can still be heard. The voice is faint, and its tone far less confident, but its still there, isn't it?

NO! I will not allow this team to break my heart again! I will not give in to the temptation of false hope! I will resign myself to the fact that the best thing you can say about this team is that it has a group of players who, with the right free agent additions and draft choices, might form the core of a future playoff team.

I will let go of this season... my heart will grow cold. I will no longer care.



Um... what time is the game on Sunday?

do you think our expectations were to high to begin with ?

[AvengerRam]

do you think our expectations were to high to begin with ?

As far as I'm concerned, 1999 was the only year that my expectations were not too high.

[sprtsmac]

I didn't really have big expectations for this team this year until they started 4-1 and thought that they actually had a legit shot at making the playoffs and doing some damage but after this 4 game losing my prediction in the beginning of the year that our rams would be an 8-8 ballclub seems to be true

I'm in the same boat, Bruce. When the Rams beat the Broncos off the strength of our defense my hopes and expectations were raised. They stayed raised with us starting off 4-1 even though I knew we could have easily been 1-4. But like you said, 8-8 seems to be about right.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

The thing that makes it hardest for me to give up hope is that in every loss we were reeaaaaaallllyyy close to winning...the wins were reaaaalllllyyy close to losses too so it's also hard to be confident. Had we gotten blown out of the water in any of the losses it would be much easier to write off the season....and had we smacked down any of the teams we beat I would be more secure in my confidence.

I have not lost hope; the fight the Rams are putting up against better teams has kept me hopeful....frustrated as hell, but hopeful. Yes that hope grows dimmer after each loss, but I still feel that lingering bit of confidence that something could and might come of this season.

We have many things wrong, but enough things right with our team that even if we don't make the playoffs we are building foundations for the future. That in itself gives me hope knowing that this coaching staff and front office actually care about the future of the Rams and desire to bring long term, lasting greatness to this football team.

With as many horribly rotten things that needed to be fixed on and off the field I think we all jumped the gun thinking about playoff glory for this season. Then again with our all weapons on offense it's hard not to be confident....I'm so confused.....aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh :\

[majorram]

I need hope, man I had hope in the early ninties when we were really BAD!!!it doesn't matter who we are playing espcially now in the NFL with the notion anybody can beat anybody.... every time our boys set foot on the field I HOPE........I wish I could lower my expections man I'm trying ...thats why I get soo disappointed at game end

but we have some great building blocks for the future, the O will always keep us in the game... I just get so dam frustrated with stupid mistakes that the team makes.......

I like having hope in each game............

steve:l

[BigGameMN]

I didn't really have big expectations for this team this year until they started 4-1 and thought that they actually had a legit shot at making the playoffs and doing some damage but after this 4 game losing my prediction in the beginning of the year that our rams would be an 8-8 ballclub seems to be true

Exactly my feelings. I had low expectations coming into the season, I thought we would go 7-9. But then we went 4-1, I really got excited. But, alas, a 4 game losing streak that included some tough losses to swallow brought me back down.

[RamsFanSam]

OK, Av, I'll bite.

I was also wondering if I expected too much. I was not a happy camper after Sunday's loss. But, while trying to bend a piece of 1 1/4" EMT on Monday, I had an epiphany. (Or, maybe I ruptured something.)

Consider our losses this season.

1. The whiners - we played lousy. They knew everything we were going to do. They had our number.

2. Seattle - twice. One game lost on a questionable call, the other lost due to a questionable play. Both times, we were literally within seconds of victory. Bad luck, or bad planning?

3. Kansas City - Another team who has our number.

4. San Diego - I'm not disappointed in this loss, as SD was clearly the better team. Besides, with so many of their players awaiting trial, we knew they were going to play hard.

One loss to a better team. Two losses to teams who had our number. Two losses due to time dilation. (Read Einstein's theory of relativity.)

Disappointing? Yes. Do we suck? No. Do we need more time? Definitely.

Lower MY standards? Never!

[Varg6]

I had a bad feeling when we lost to the Seahawks in the EDJ. After that, I had an awful feeling about the season. I didn't want it to be true, I wanted to deny it, but I just couldn't. I had that gut feeling, and sure enough, we lose every game after that loss. Now we all had a shot at watching MNF, Carolina's next...I WANT a victory...but at this point, can we get one?

...I can't wait till the draft! lol

[tomahawk247]

the things im really annoyed about are continued lack of a run defense, the lack of a red zone offense and the fact that backup quarter backs can somehow beat this defense.

Im happy with the way certain players have played, i like the improvements in others but there are still holes on the team.