Where's your SPIRIT?

[Bar-bq]

We're just hours away from the first RAM game of the season and the board has been almost ghostly over the weekend. So I'm offering a call to arms.

WHERE'S YOUR SPIRIT?

• Are you brimming with anticipation?
  
  
• Plagued by Doubt?
  
  
• Immobilised by fear?
  
  
• Overcome by that once-in-a-lifetime sensation of being completely overjoyed, slightly intoxicated, and worried sick?
  
  
• Are you more interested in your fantasy lineup?
  
  
• Are you confident?
  
  
• Bashfully appalled?
  
  
• Ready to make a bold prediction?
  
  
• Sick of rhetorical questions?
  
  
• Sure we're going to win on Sunday?
  
  
• Prophesying doom?
  
  
• Confident in Drew Bennett?
  
  
• Have you got the Pace Fever?
  
  
• The Incognito-Mumps?
  
  
• Obsessive-Compulsive-Touchdown Disorder?
  
  
• So damn sure we should have traded the bank for Chris Johnson?

The season is best when shared with everyone. So don't hold back. It's going to be a great year.

GO RAMS!

[RamWraith]

I am tense and focused. This is an important game for us. A win could be huge -- a loss could be devastating and make an already fragile team break. The team showing up to play and being 110% motivated will be the biggest test.

I agree BBQ, all the boards have been as quiet as I have seen in many years. I think the nerves are at an all time high.

[AlphaRam]

I was the only Rams fan in the Linc Thursday evening for their kickoff part...how's that for spirit. I figured this would be more dangerous than the actual game as there is no fear of them losing their season tickets for attacking an opposing fan. There was no security in the parking lot where I tailgated for about 6 hours. I projected Rams aura all evening into the stadium. The Rams will win. On another note, I think I am bigger than their linebackers.

I guess I didn't get any trouble to speak of as they sensed the Pimp Daddy Alpha power. How's that for spirit?

I went to the Rams Kickoff Party last night at the Linc with thousands of Eagles fans. Other than some comments questioning my sexual orientation and the marital status of my parents when I went into the restroom, I wasn't hassled beyond anything that I haven't heard elswhere. The group I was tailgating with stayed outside when PA Gal and I went in. We'll see how Sunday goes. BRM will be here Sunday to protect me...lol. I did hang out at the Linc parking lot for about 7 hours and had alot of fun.

Other notes....
- The Eagles feel confident that they will win Sunday. They are in for one hell of a surprise.
- I thanked many Eagles fans for coming to the Rams Kickoff Party last night. Some of them laughed, some of them were shocked.

[UtterBlitz]

It is raining like crazy here. Hanna has come visiting. Does anyone know if the Eagles stadium is open and what the field conditions are? Do they have turf or grass in there?

My football spirit is alive and well. I need to adjust two fantasy teams and make my knockout team pick today. I can't wait to see what the Rams look like this year. I have not seen any of the preseason games and I am in the dark, but very hopeful. I think the defense may just come together this year and surprise a few teams.

I think this game will be close and fun to watch. I hope they win.

I have no faith in Bennett.

[r8rh8rmike]

There's just so many questions when it comes to the entire team, I don't know what to think. The only thing I have no worries about is the ability of Donnie Jones, everything else has me apprehensive. I HATE not having much to base a reasonable opinion on, especially with a game that very well could define our season.

I want a win in the worst way, but I guess I could live with a solid effort by the entire team as something to build on. Pins and needles would be a good description of where I am now, so I can't imagine the anxiety I'll feel right before kickoff. At least it's an early game.

I'm going to start early. Hail Mary, full of grace............

[Mooselini]

I'm ready for the season. I'm wearing my Holt jersey, Rams hat, Rams foam finger, drink soda out of my Rams cozie, ontop of my Rams coaster.

So to answer I do have the spirit...I just hope that I can watch it...AHHHH I hate arizona.

[Fat Pang]

Reasonably relaxed.

Season doesn't hinge on one game, so whilst I'm concerned as to how we do this weekend, its not a disaster if we drop one. Whilst style can't be taken over substance, I'd like to see a decent performance in the event of a loss that will give us hope for the first eight games.

I don't know why exactly but this off-season has felt longer than any of recent vintage.

Game on.

[OldSchoolRamFan]

I am excited PERIOD. It's football season, I have my new Long Jersey, my new sideline hat, lots of munchies, an excited 11-yr old daughter, and lots of upcoming football. My two best friends that watch the games with me every Sunday are a Chargers fan and a Seahawks fan (obviously they've fared much better the last couple of years), BUT my spirit is high nonetheless. GO RAMS!!!!!

[GreatestShow99]

Plagued by Doubt.

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

Excited as hell that the season is finally here, and I do believe we can win this game. I think the offense has a lot of tricks to pull. I believe our defense is as solid as it can be if we stay healthy.

Getting my Rammie Pom Poms out! (Now where did Hubby hide them?:/)

[Goldenfleece]

Baby, I'm all spirit. R-A-M-S. Rams! Rams! Rams! Wait, is that our chant? Who cares! It's a new season, a new chance to bring home that trophy. People will say we are old, but we've got young new receivers who looked good in the pre-season. We've got the makings of a strong, young defensive line in Carriker, Ryan, and the rookie Long. People will say we lack depth, but when the starters are healthy, we really don't have a lot of holes.

A few modest predictions...

• The combo of our DTs, Spoon, and Atogwe will hold up well against inside runs, but Little and Long are bound to be caught out of position at times when speedy backs run to the outside. Lining up the inexperienced Culberson behind Long in formation won't help with that.
  
  
• If we get a decent pass rush without blitzing, our corners will look a lot better. We hang them out there in man coverage so much of the time right now, they're bound to get burned sometimes.
  
  
• We will live or die by our offensive line when we have the ball. If Bulger has to rush his throws all the time, we won't even get a chance to find out whether our receivers are any good. On the other hand, if the line holds up reasonably well, we could go right back to being a top ten offense.
  
  
• I think Pace is washed up. He has been out of action for a long, long time. I'd love to see him prove me wrong.
  
  
• I'd be less worried about Bennett's lack of production if it weren't for all the drops. You can't be a deep threat without speed, and you can't be a possession receiver without good hands. Where exactly does that leave him? My guess is third or fourth on the depth chart by season's end.
  
  
• I think that our passing offense will struggle a little bit initially but will come together down the stretch as Bulger builds chemistry with his new targets and the team as a whole becomes more comfortable with the system. Hopefully, it will come together in time to make a late playoff push.
  
  
• I think Jackson will have another big season...but really, who doesn't think so?
  
  
• Given McMichael's talent and Saunders' history, I think Randy McMichael is a dark horse Pro Bowl candidate.

[RamOfDenmark]

Just nervous. Really don't know what kind of team we have this year. The first game is critical, if we play like last season it could really break the spirit of our players I believe. Win or lose, we can't let ourselves get run over and humiliated, I think this team is as fragile as many fans are right now. We've heard the same talk over and over "we're much better than last year" etc. from fans and players, but do we dare to believe it? Not until we see it. I really feel like we're on the edge here, if we stink up the place again tomorrow it's going to be a long long year, but if we play relatively competent mistake-free football (win or lose) it might ignite the small spark of hope that I think we all have that we're better than we've looked and that we'll still be playing come January.

It's unnaturally quiet before the storm and I'm not sure what to expect.

[clarasDK]

I am a little depressed right now. Season start in less than 24 hours. The NFL actually made it possible to follow all ram games in HD via Internet for us guys not living in the US and what happends? I got to take a plane to Munich for some conference So I will miss our victory over the Beagles!

I really like that the Rams are one of the major underdogs this weekend. I think we can surprise a few people who forget that we have one of the best WR's, RB's and a very good QB. Add the WR problems the Beagles have and I think we might actually be able to outscore them.

GO RAMS!

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

Originally Posted by GreatestShow99

Plagued by Doubt.

Do I need to pop you with my pom poms?

[curleyski]

everybody i work with says we are to be blown out by the second quarter. these clowns must be ***** fans or just plain rams haters, i don't know which one. but i do know that we have to be better than last year and we have some pretty good pieces of the puzzle to be a damn good team! i am always so excited for the first game that my frickin hands shake and i get that weird feeling in my stomach and it doesn't go away until the last second of the game. this is a game we can win and the eagles are gonna blitz and do it often so we have to keep marc upright and not running for his life all the time. steven will be great as always, torry too but i think randy mcmichael will be the key here with quick passes and hopefully great playcalling. when is ritchie cognito gonna show that mean nasty bad a$$ streak he is famous for with out getting any 15 yarders?? he could be huge too. some keys to the win: pass protection, playcalling ( no vanilla),and no drive killing picks pleasee!!! we are winning this weekend, sorry eagles, rams go 1-0 baby!! orlando pace, if you are reading this give us one more "hall of fame" year from you !!