Who's your choice for OC?

[RamsSB99]

Some people ask why any OC would want to come to the Rams and work under Linehan and for such a wacky Front Office.

I think its a very attractive position because this offense was poor last year mostly because of injuries to the OL and the rest of the cast. Next year with a healthy OL, QB, and RB we should see dramatic improvements on offense. The next OC will benefit from a healthy offense and show a dramatic year over year improvement.

Not to mention this front office has proven before with Martz their willing to promote a OC they like and are afraid of losing to the HC position.

I think the next OC with a good showing has a shot at the HC position within the next few years. If the FO has a good OC that is sought by others, they will do as they did with Martz and promote him to HC.

[Chris58]

Some people ask why any OC would want to come to the Rams and work under Linehan and for such a wacky Front Office.

I think its a very attractive position because this offense was poor last year mostly because of injuries to the OL and the rest of the cast. Next year with a healthy OL, QB, and RB we should see dramatic improvements on offense. The next OC will benefit from a healthy offense and show a dramatic year over year improvement.

Not to mention this front office has proven before with Martz their willing to promote a OC they like and are afraid of losing to the HC position.

I think the next OC with a good showing has a shot at the HC position within the next few years. If the FO has a good OC that is sought by others, they will do as they did with Martz and promote him to HC.

I disagree. This situation is different than the Vermeil/Martz situation. Vermeil retired opening the door for Martz. If an OC comes in and turns the offense around, Linehan will get the credit and a contract extension. So the best we can hope for is a good coordinator who only wants to be the OC. An OC with aspirations of a HC position might take the Rams job only to leave after a year for a HC job. If that happens we end up with a merry-go-round and no offensive continuity. I'd almost rather have Linehan be the HC/OC and let him live with the results. If he fails he is fired and we can go out and bring in a whole now coaching staff.

[RamsSB99]

I disagree. This situation is different than the Vermeil/Martz situation. Vermeil retired opening the door for Martz. If an OC comes in and turns the offense around, Linehan will get the credit and a contract extension. So the best we can hope for is a good coordinator who only wants to be the OC. An OC with aspirations of a HC position might take the Rams job only to leave after a year for a HC job. If that happens we end up with a merry-go-round and no offensive continuity. I'd almost rather have Linehan be the HC/OC and let him live with the results. If he fails he is fired and we can go out and bring in a whole now coaching staff.

See Below:

by Jay Mariotti
January 30, 2000

Contrary to reports, the culprit was not Vermeil as much as offensive coordinator Mike Martz, whose go-for-the-jugular approach already has guaranteed him assurances that he eventually will replace Vermeil.

As the game approaches, he is confessing to friends that the issue has crossed his mind. "I've given it thought and discussed it some with my wife," Vermeil said. But then he quickly shifted, saying he probably will return, win or lose.

By MIKE FREEMAN
Published: January 23, 2000

Martz has been an invaluable asset in the development of this offense. There was speculation that several franchises, including the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, were looking for head coaches and wanted to interview Martz when the season ended, so St. Louis management moved quickly to make sure he didn't go anywhere. Martz was promised that he would replace Vermeil when the head coach retires, which will probably be after the 2002 season.

By Jim Thomas
01/01/2006

By the end of the 1999 regular season, the Rams were playoff-bound, and Martz had become a hot head-coaching prospect.

Before the Rams' playoff opener with Minnesota, the New England Patriots called to formally express interest in Martz for their vacant head-coaching job. Sensing they had something special, the Rams reached a highly unusual agreement: On Jan. 15, 2000, the eve of the NFC divisional playoff against the Minnesota Vikings, they agreed to make Martz their head-coach-in-waiting.

Whenever Vermeil retired, Martz would take over as head coach. (With Martz off the market, the Patriots later settled on Bill Belichick.)

"Whenever" turned out to be two days after the Rams' dramatic Super Bowl victory over Tennessee.

"The program is in real good shape, and Mike Martz is prepared to take it over," Vermeil said at the time. "The coaching staff is intact, and I think he could follow the lead of a great example that was established years ago with the *****, when Bill Walsh stepped down and turned it over to George Seifert. Did they not go on and win the Super Bowl?

"I believe that Mike can do that. I believe this organization can do it."

These quotes appeared just before the Superbowl when Martz was getting attention around the league for head coaching positions. The Rams decided prior to this to gaurantee Martz the HC position when Vermeil left. I believe one of two things happened Vermeil felt the pressure and retired or the front office helped force the issue either way they where not going to let Martz leave STL without offering him the HC position. I also don't believe they will let another offensive coordinator go that they like without offering him Linehans position HC.

[Fortuninerhater]

I've read quite a few posts here since the season ended and I've come across a lot you guys who talk like you're looking forward to Linehan failing. What kind of fan is that? Even if you don't like him personally, you should be looking forward to supporting him in turning our franchise around. He is the head coach whether you like it or not.

I'll be taking notes, so as to prepare myself to watch how you all come crawling back next year when we're healthy and playing like we all expected to play this year before we were ravished by injury. And if you're one of those who come crawling back on your hands and knees, you can best believe I'm going to call you on it.

[txramsfan]

I have nothing against Linehan personally. One, I don't know him so I can't have a personal problem with him.

If Linehan has the Rams playing at the start next year like he finished 2006, then I will feel like he's learned that starting the season is just as important as ending it. Right now, he's got a lot to prove and I'm not going to give him blind faith. Nothing would make me happier as a Rams fan than to see the Rams playing top notch football all of 2008. However, he hasn't earned the right (for me, and speaking for me only) for me to just give him a free pass and say "OK Scott, here's the contract extension".

[BEER]

With those choices, I go with Al Saunders. The most experienced, the most proven, and the most similar (in philosophy) as Mike Martz.

So we can make NFL history by rushing -19 yards..."Lions - 18". NO way.
Im with Cam.