When will you trust?

[Rambunctious]

I'm not talking about blind trust. I'm talking about giving DeSpags some "benefit of the doubt" trust.

It seems every decision they make brings out a new critic of disbelief. A "why aren't they as smart as me" post that challenges the staffs thinking.

The decisions are pounced on individually but few step back an see them as all related.

From Holt, to Pace, to Long, to Amendola, to Saffold, to Barron, to Bradford, to Shurmur and a hundred other little decisions that aren't separate but instead a steady path from one to the next to the next that lead us to our victory over the Pats and Ravens. Yes preseason but still very formidable opponents that a 1-15 team should not beat.

So I'm not saying rubber stamp every move they make but when they don't make a move like going after a Housh or they do make a move like cutting Carpenter.... when will you be able to say... "These guys know what they are doing?"

[sosa39rams]

Already trust 'em.

[LA Rammer]

he is not proven with us. 1-15 season doesn't merit trust, regardless of who screwed up this team. he needs to establish a winning season and then we can talk about it. sorry i just don't sell that easy.

[DPskywalker]

We're not really talking about Spags here, we're talking about Devaney.

I'm totally onboard with Devaney. The 2010 draft class is starting to look A+.

[Azul e Oro]

I agree with the approach even if I don't like or understand every decision; everything these guys have done is consistent with building an effective organization,imo. Nor am I totally comfortable with the religious rhetoric that pops up here & there but I hope that Spags becomes our Cowher/Dungy and that Devaney becomes the next Klosterman(our great GM back in the 70s). I fully expect to see results soon - I don't think these guys would want it any other way- but it doesn't have to be instant dynasty for me to continue to give DeSpags the benefit of the doubt.

Personally, I'm enjoying the journey. It's kind of fascinating to watch this happen; like a home makeover show but with football...lol...

[NJ Ramsfan1]

I have thus far been consistent in saying I have faith in Spags and Devaney. Spags has a great demeanor around players and Devaney has always been a good football man. With that said, trust is earned. It won't happen in a night. WINS are the only thing that will make people believers. There are a lot of positive signs right now, which is a start.

The Rams performance this season will go a long way in determining the trust factor.

[laram0]

he is not proven with us. 1-15 season doesn't merit trust, regardless of who screwed up this team. he needs to establish a winning season and then we can talk about it. sorry i just don't sell that easy.

Exactly right!

Alot of the decisions that Despags (except for the Barron trade) have looked good on paper. The win/loss column will be the proof in the pudding.


GO RAMS!!!!

[The Rammer]

I'll trust them after they don't go Linehan on us. We thought Linehan was doing a good job after we went 8-8 in his first year, but then he got a lot worse.

[Nick]

Yes preseason but still very formidable opponents that a 1-15 team should not beat.

I bet the Detroit Lions were thinking the same thing when they beat the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the preseason of 2008, but they proceeded to go 0-16 that season.

Anyways, I don't have a problem giving Devaney and Spags the benefit of the doubt when it comes to choices for this team. They're the ones that see these guys up close and personal and have access to all the information (as opposed to the limited intel that fans have). So even if I think the Rams should pursue someone else or make a different move, I defer to them if they go another direction and hope they prove me wrong. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. Hopefully it's more the former than the latter.

That being said, I'm kind of with laram and LA RAMMER in that the proof needs to be in the win/loss column, and until the Rams start showing some meaningful progress in games that matter, it's hard for me to get my hopes up based on what happens in training camp or exhibition games.

[jkramsfan]

Exactly right!

Alot of the decisions that Despags (except for the Barron trade) have looked good on paper. The win/loss column will be the proof in the pudding.


GO RAMS!!!!

I agree 100%, weather I trust them or not means nothing,they need to get this program moving forward and win some games.

[macrammer]

I guess one could pose the question "Why all of the trust in Spags?" I see quite a few clan folks really do back him on almost everything. I would say it is more positive then negative.

For me it is very simple. I have faith in him that he is better at coaching a pro football team then anyone else on this board but perhaps not anyone in his ranks. He had no head coach experience and came into an organization that was in a lame duck ownership position. We were the worst team in football last season and has playcalling was, in my opinion, questionable in more then a few games. We now have a new owner, thank goodness. We have not had great ownership since Rosenbloom. Now back to Spags, he gets my complete faith when I see the product on the field not be the laughing stock of the NFL. A few more wins then last year (really, how tough is that, since we had 1) but a much more competitive team that is not overlooked every week by the opponent. This year, no excuses/hall passes for Spags/Devaney. They have really placedf an emphasis on athletics coupled with integrity.

I do agree it is interesting watching it unfold but let's see the difference on the field. We will all know very shortly.

[sjacksonrules]

I guess one could pose the question "Why all of the trust in Spags?" I see quite a few clan folks really do back him on almost everything. I would say it is more positive then negative.

Why all the trust? Because his name isn't linehan lol.

[SavageRam]

By the results of this pole thus far, it looks like the vast majority of fans already give the coach the benefit of the doubt... which is consistent by what I've read here at ClanRam.

I agree with what others have said, the only way for coach Spagnuolo to continue earning this trust is to start translating his (and Devaney's) decisions into wins on the field. IMO, what happens this season is pivotal to those ends.

[PeoriaRam]

I need a winning season. Any fool can turn over the roster. Putting a winning product on the field and/or demonstrating an ability to adapt-that's slightly harder. I felt the same way as many going into last season right after the Preseason, only to watch a Week 1 punking by a bad Seattle team. My jury's out until we can avoid Week 1 punkings by bad football teams.

[LA Rammer]

had to brig this one back, but I think we should redo this poll.