Yes, the Rams will make a coaching change

[Marc Bulger Fan]

By Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

09/28/2008

His friends all tell you not to sleep on Chip Rosenbloom. His friends say he is the perfect blend of his mother's grace and his father's strength, a mighty fine blend that makes him the sort of even-handed tactician who will navigate this failing franchise out of these troubled waters.

These are not yes men and glad-handers. These are the wise men and reliable associates who promise that he won't stand idly by as his inheritance is whittled away. I happen to believe them. From everything I've heard and observed of the new owner of the St. Louis Rams, he fully understands what needs to happen to stop the decline of this winless franchise.

So I think I have the answer to the question that is on everyone's mind in the dispirited universe of Rams loyalists.

Yes, the firing of Scott Linehan is coming, and it's coming soon.

My educated hunch is that it happens sooner rather than later. I don't think it really matters whether or not Rosenbloom waits to see if Linehan's players fail to respond to his leadership for the fourth straight week against the unbeaten Buffalo Bills on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. We all know the besieged coach has been living on borrowed time for far too long.

If it were my decision, the results of this game would hardly matter. Letting Linehan go at this point would be a humane act of kindness for a man unable to quell the internal mutiny that has been bubbling since midway through last season's 3-13 collapse and has caught fire again during this embarrassing 0-3 start to the '08 season.

Winning big or losing close shouldn't save Linehan's job. It's unfair to allow Linehan to suffer in isolation like this. The losing has left him on an emotional island, with few friends or allies in the building. He sees enemies, both real and imagined, lurking everywhere. It benefits no one to have this drag on much further. It hurts the team dramatically, but it's also causing major damage to Linehan's reputation too. So the only decent thing to do at this point is to end this quickly and allow him to get started on salvaging his career before it's too late.

The only reason I could see for Rosenbloom's hesitation at this point is that he is smart enough to understand that firing Linehan is a two-fer deal.

As soon as the coach goes, the public will expect that general manager Jay Zygmunt shouldn't be too far behind. They are an inseparable pair, intrinsically linked ever since the general manager not only handpicked Linehan, but also deliberately created the hostile environment that paved the way for his arrival: the carefully orchestrated sabotage of Linehan's predecessor, Mike Martz.

Even though I would love to see Zygmunt and Linehan escorted out of Rams Park in tandem, it doesn't really matter how you time their exits. While Zygmunt is my primary target in this constant drumbeat for change at Rams Park — and he represents the most easily identifiable target for the venom of Rams fans — most logical people can handle postponing his exit until the end of the season.

The simple reality is we can all harness our frustrations for a few more months if we know Zygmunt is in dry dock. Linehan's firing will be the first step in the move to remove the general manager as the ultimate authority in the building, too. Working quietly behind the scenes, Rosenbloom can effect as much change as if he made a showy twin killing of Linehan and Zygmunt this week.

As dreary as things have become, there is some good news that Rosenbloom should hear. Everywhere I go, from the barbershop to the mini-marts, from the WalMart to the stoplight where angry fans shout at me from idling cars, people are furiously passionate about your franchise. In spite of all this maddening failure over the past few seasons, the football fans in St. Louis still care about your product, and there are a lot of them out there. They e-mail constantly. They call every sports talk show in town. From the disenfranchised Southern Californians to the disenchanted St. Louisans, they love this team but hate what it has become.

They still care. They care even though your so-called GM has wrecked this product with bad draft after bad draft after bad draft. My man B. Miklasz already began to lay things out for you about the incompetent drafting patterns. Well, here's one more telling pattern: between 2000 and 2004, the Rams drafted 42 players, many of whom should make up the veteran heart and soul of this team right now. Yet only three players from those drafts — Steven Jackson, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Chris Massey — remain on the current roster.

Is it a coincidence that 2000 was the season that marked the rapid ascent of Zygmunt as the ranking authority in the Rams hierarchy?

Nope. Not even a little bit.

The fans still love this team in spite of this wretched failure. They will be in the sold-out Dome once again Sunday afternoon waiting for some sort of change they can believe in. This is an impatient lot, though, and if something good doesn't happen soon, we're all going to find out just how thin that line is between love and hate.

STLtoday - Yes, the Rams will make a coaching change

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

Scorpions - Wind Of Change | Video

[NJ Ramsfan1]

Excellent article, and I agree with it in its entirety. It should not matter what the score of today's game is, Scott Linehan needs to go sooner rather than later. I am not one of those fans who calls for a guy's head at the slightest whiff of trouble- but Scott Linehan has been given too many benefits of the doubt. His first year, they were 5-8 before winning their next three. Everyone claimed the Rams played hard and pointed to their strong finish as a reason for hope. Last year, despite the abysmal finish, people defended Linehan (with some justification) for the crippling injuries that decimated the Rams. This year, there is no excuse.

The culture of discontent and negativity that surrounds the Rams right now is the reason a change must be made. There is also the very real threat of irreparable damage being done to several very good players, including Marc Bulger, who are fed up with this circus- and could be lost for good if this nonsense continues.

Zygmunt has outlived his usefulness- some might say he was never useful to begin with. The stat about the Rams only having 3 of their 2000-2004 draft picks on their current roster is not only shocking but pathetic. It is a direct indictment of Zygmunt and his minions' inability to evaluate talent.

The Rams have a ton of work ahead of them in fixing this mess. Why not start now?

[makersncoke]

Excellent article, and I agree with it in its entirety. It should not matter what the score of today's game is, Scott Linehan needs to go sooner rather than later. I am not one of those fans who calls for a guy's head at the slightest whiff of trouble- but Scott Linehan has been given too many benefits of the doubt. His first year, they were 5-8 before winning their next three. Everyone claimed the Rams played hard and pointed to their strong finish as a reason for hope. Last year, despite the abysmal finish, people defended Linehan (with some justification) for the crippling injuries that decimated the Rams. This year, there is no excuse.

The culture of discontent and negativity that surrounds the Rams right now is the reason a change must be made. There is also the very real threat of irreparable damage being done to several very good players, including Marc Bulger, who are fed up with this circus- and could be lost for good if this nonsense continues.

Zygmunt has outlived his usefulness- some might say he was never useful to begin with. The stat about the Rams only having 3 of their 2000-2004 draft picks on their current roster is not only shocking but pathetic. It is a direct indictment of Zygmunt and his minions' inability to evaluate talent.

The Rams have a ton of work ahead of them in fixing this mess. Why not start now?

Great post, well said. I hope that Chip has someone in place to replace Linehan. I don't like the interim coach thing, all it does is prolong moving forward untill next year. The ideal situation would be for the new coach to come in get his system in place and working then the team would know what they need draft and pursue in the offseason. I agree with Burwell that Ziggy is most likely here until the end of the year, but as he said he will be dry docked untill then.

[AlphaRam]

I am willing to accept the coaching job.

[eldfan]

Great post, well said. I hope that Chip has someone in place to replace Linehan. I don't like the interim coach thing, all it does is prolong moving forward untill next year. The ideal situation would be for the new coach to come in get his system in place and working then the team would know what they need draft and pursue in the offseason. I agree with Burwell that Ziggy is most likely here until the end of the year, but as he said he will be dry docked untill then.

Most coaches are in contracts NFL and college so unless they get someone that is not in football or retire I don't know what they can do. I would say if they could get a big name coach he would want a allot power probably would want to wear both hats.

[TekeRam]

Mort on NFL Countdown this morning reported that Linny might get canned win or lose today, which is music to my ears.

As for who we get to replace him, Mort said Haslett is the probable successor, which isn't great, but at least he has experience. We'll have to see who gets the nod after the season, but my vote is for Jim Schwartz, DC of the Titans. He has them playing hard with only one or two stars, and mostly just guys who know their roles and do them well.

[eldfan]

Mort on NFL Countdown this morning reported that Linny might get canned win or lose today, which is music to my ears.

As for who we get to replace him, Mort said Haslett is the probable successor, which isn't great, but at least he has experience. We'll have to see who gets the nod after the season, but my vote is for Jim Schwartz, DC of the Titans. He has them playing hard with only one or two stars, and mostly just guys who know their roles and do them well.

Man always good news bad news.

[ScottD413]

Mort on NFL Countdown this morning reported that Linny might get canned win or lose today, which is music to my ears.

As for who we get to replace him, Mort said Haslett is the probable successor, which isn't great, but at least he has experience. We'll have to see who gets the nod after the season, but my vote is for Jim Schwartz, DC of the Titans. He has them playing hard with only one or two stars, and mostly just guys who know their roles and do them well.

I can live with Haslett as long as he is gone at the end of the season too. Our D is attrocious and he needs to be fired as well.

As far as Zyggy goes, if Chip doesn't fire him at the end of the season the Rams are not going to improve. He is the main problem and it needs to be addressed.

I know everyone, including myself, wants Linehan fired. But we need to realize that until the 3 headed hydra of Linehan, Zygmunt, and Haslett are gone the Rams are doomed to failure

[Mooselini]

BYE BYE LINEHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I can't wait to see him get fired.

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

I would love to too Marshall come back and do this. People will say he has no experience, but what coach did not have experience at one time? Marshall knows the in's and outs of football, and the guy's love him.

I didn't know Ziggy was so close to loonyhan, so I doubt his meeting with Marshall was about that, but I can alway's hope.

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

Well we know you won't get them lost getting them to the airport.

I am willing to accept the coaching job.

[rams 24/7]

Marshall faulk may not have the experience, but he does have the intelligence to be a coach in any sorts....remember how ppl use to say Marshall faulk was the reason for the GSOT, A running back is the reason for all that exsplosive offense? it's wasn't only because he had 1,000 rushing and 1,000 recieving in the same year, it's because he could read defenses when Markz was scratching his head Marshall use to tell markz don't call certain plays or it real create a turnover. Markz would listen and they will score......if you ever look at a faulk interview they always ask him will he become a Head Coach in the National Football League. But his answer is always, "I don't know becuase I don't know if I can deal with young players with bad attitude and who's not willing to learn from somebody who understands the game better"....Now I'm not sayin Faulk for Head Coach but he needs a job with us doing something to help turn this around.