While fans kick him, Gus tries to move on

[RamWraith]

By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
11/29/2007

Rams fans weren’t too happy with quarterback Gus Frerotte after Sunday’s debacle.

During the live chat after the game here at STLtoday.com, we received dozens of demands for his immediate termination. Some suggested his play warranted even more aggressive action.

But Frerotte is still a Ram. And he may well start against Atlanta, since Marc Bulger’s concussion kept him sidelined during Wednesday’s practice.

So he is trying to set aside his botched pass to Isaac Bruce and his muffed snap during the final sequence of the Rams’ loss to Seattle.

“Everybody says that the game isn’t won or lost on the last play, but when those things happen to you and you’ve played a long time, you’ve played 14 years, it’s a difficult thing to forget about,” Frerotte told reporters Wednesday. “You miss a throw before that to Isaac then you fumble a snap -– no matter what happens, it’s hard for somebody who cares.

“You feel like you just let everybody down. It’s like anything else, you think about it for a day then you just have to move on. Right now I don’t even think about it, I just have to focus on the Falcons. Whether I’m going to play or not, I don’t know what’s going to happen with Marc. I have to focus to get ready to play again. I’ve been through all kinds of situations in this league and you have to let it go.”

Frerotte is a stand-up guy. He didn’t hide from reporters after Sunday’s loss and he handled their queries Wednesday, while Bulger was off to see the doctors.

He walked through the botched fourth-down snap one more time for the benefit of the TV cameras and the microphones.

“Sometimes those things happen in a situation like that,” Frerotte said. “You see it happen to people a lot on the goal line. Guys get fired up down there and sometimes those things happen.

“Just going up I told myself that we can’t have that and then it happened. It was shocking and disappointing to me. It was a tough thing, but we’re over it now.”

Gus is a pro. He has been a decent starting quarterback in this league. All things considered, he is a good back-up, too -– compared to some of the kids and lesser veterans thrust into those roles elsewhere.

He still has a terrific arm. He can still make plays downfield to receivers like Bruce and Torry Holt. He has a terrific grasp of Scott Linehan’s offense.

Of course, Rams fans don’t see it that way. They lament the trading of Ryan Fitzpatrick, a mobile youngster capable of making things happen on the fly.

Those are attributes this team could use at quarterback, given all the offensive line injuries and all the breakdowns in pass protection.

Upon further review, trading Fitzpatrick was a mistake. Frerotte is even more stationary than Bulger is. When his pocket collapses, he inevitably becomes trapped.

The Rams might have won another game or two with a more elusive player behind center. Sacks, tipped passes and rushed throws have ruined this season for this team.

But Fitzpatrick is in Cincinnati and Frerotte is here, positioned to play if Bulger can’t. Another start would give Gus a chance to make amends to Rams Nation -– but he knows it is not that simple.

What happened against the Seahawks can’t be undone. The sports business is cruel that way. There are winners and losers and that’s it.

On a 2-9 team, happy endings are tough to come by.

“It’s over now,” Frerotte said. “I can’t change anything that’s happened before. It’s a lesson that I can learn from personally. It’s something I teach my kids. Bad things happen and you can’t change the past. You have to move on and just work harder so that those kinds of things don’t happen anymore.”

Wish him luck, because he may need it.

[TekeRam]

I've been torn up about the loss coming like that, but I've never though he should be dropped. He's just a number two QB and nothing else. He's played 14 years and knows it. I just think we might as well play Berlin because I think we have almost as good of a chance to win with him as Gus.

[Rambos]

I will stay with the vet, Gus had a good game until the end.

[Keenum]

Common Gus, shake it off and get ready for next week.

[Fortuninerhater]

Thanks Gus. Keep up the good work, and don't worry these guys don't understand you're protecting our draft status.

[BM_Face]

By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
11/29/2007

Gus is a pro. He has been a decent starting quarterback in this league. All things considered, he is a good back-up, too -– compared to some of the kids and lesser veterans thrust into those roles elsewhere.

Gus should NOT be playing in the NFL. He is a terrible back-up, he is 'Bad News Gus', he throws to the wrong team, and he costs the Rams games. He is one of the worst players in the NFL right now. I said it before, Gus should be sitting on a bench in Canada. $3.5 million! Oh My Gawd! gorams.

[keith m. klink]

look around the league , gus isn't a bad #2 . even though he has played horrible alot of the time , he has made many mistakes that an old pro just souldn't make , rookie type mistakes . we could go get jeff george . at 45 years old , he still has a cannon for an arm .