The media created myth of SB36

[Curly Horns]

The media crucified Martz after SB36. Martz was the scapegoat for their inept analysis and belichick was made out the genius. Many fans jumped on this bandwaggon and are still riding it today.

This is the same media that never mentioned the officiating at all. Not a word - Not a peep. NOTHING!! And yet fans buy into their crap about Martz being out coached. It's preposterous to say the least.

For those fans who do not know the game and who have seemingly forgot the events leading up to and the game itself; let's recap.

The Rams and patriots played during the regular season at Foxborro. The Rams prevailed but it was a close game.

The oddsmakers inflated the odds and made the Rams a huge favorite before the start of SB36. This was done to increase the amount of wagering. The Rams were not as big of favorite as the oddsmakers made them out to be. The oddsmakers were simply trying to increase the volume of wagers.

Leading up to the game Martz said that he thought the game would be close. He indicated that belichick was the brightest defensive mind in the game. He stated that the belichick coached defense would be and had been the Rams offense's toughest test.

Not many seem to remember these comments from Martz. The stage was set by the brightest offensive mind giving the brightest defensive mind his due and stating it would be a close hard fought game.

There was no posturing by Martz that his team was vastly superior to the pats. That existed only in the minds of fans and much of the media.

Well as we all know the game was close. Very close. Certainly the belichick defense was well schooled in playing on the edge of the rules and the officials were intent on letting them play their game.

Martz stayed true to his form. He was an aggressive play caller who went with the pass first philosophy. Attack, attack and attack again. This was Mike Martz and this was his Rams team. Running against the pats defense was at a premium, just as it still is today.

The Rams made some mistakes during the course of the game and Wilkins missed a FG. Asside from the mistakes and the poor officiating, via the non-calls, against the pats defense, the game boiled down to the pats final drive.

Redmond did not get out of bounds, to stop the clock, but the refs indicated otherwise. Lovie blitzed only one time, and they had Brady sacked, but he got away with intentional grounding.

Well as we all know - The rest is history. The game was close and hard fought just as Martz predicted. And yet fans, who do not listen and do not understand the game, perpetuate the media created myth that belichick was a genius and Martz was a goat.



:helmet:

[tanus]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

excellent post Ferter. i couldnt agree more.

[LaRamsFanLongTime]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

That damn Media!! They are always messing with the Rams. They cause all our problems.

Jumping on the bandwagon huh? Lets see Marshall is averaging almost five yards a carry and 7 yards a touch. Running was not so hard against those pats and should have been used more in the Super Bowl. 17 carries was not enough in my book. Remember the Rams were undefeated when Marshall had over 20 carries that year. He was the offensive player of the year and he was used sparingly in the second half? When you are down you go to your big dogs and no one on that team was better then Faulk that year. Everybody that played the Rams said having to keep their eyes on Marshall distracted their defence.

Martz stayed true to his form. He was an aggressive play caller who went with the pass first philosophy.

Yeah he did stay true to his form he choked in a big game and did not get his players ready to play. Like you said he knew they were in for some trouble they should have been better prepared. I wont put that whole game on Martz shoulder but to act like the HEAD COACH is not responsible on some level for a loss like that????Its all just the media hype??LOL

I will never cry about the officiating I watched the Lakers win 3 championships despite bad officiating it can be done.

[Curly Horns]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

You are the classic example LaRamsFanLongTime.

Yeah, go ahead and open your book of woulda, shoulda, coulda. If you had a clue you would realize my post centers around your type of speculation.

You simply assume that Faulk would have been able to run at will against the pats defense. Yet it is all speculation. You have not an inkling of proof. Yet you berate and crucify Martz on pure speculation alone.

You state that Faulk was a threat, which is true, but the pats defense was keying on Faulk. The Rams tried to utilize him in the passing game, but he was being held.

You then go on to state that Martz choked. I guess you say this because you think he should have ran the ball more? If the run had not been successful, and the pats win the battle of field position, I imagine you are the type that would say Martz choked because he would not pass more?

What proof do you have that Martz did not prepare? What proof do you have that the players were not ready to play? Is your proof the fact that they lost a close hard fought game? If so, you don't understand the game and I really don't know why I should waste a minute of my time responding to your flawed thinking. But first, let me just finish with your ending

You go on to laugh about a loss like that. Again, I guess you did not read the post? You are the type who figured the Rams should have won the game by a large margin? I mean what the hell does it mean when you say "a loss like that"?

And then your final abstract summary is to compare the NBA to the NFL? Good God man, get a freaking clue.



:helmet:

[.ramfan.]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

Just watched Ramtime's videos again and all I got to say is wow! There should have been both fines and penalties given to the Pats. Terrible job by the officials.

[live4ramin]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

Martz was out-coached.

All he had to give that last half was that dumba**-I don't have a clue- someone will save me smirk.

Run or pass BB had Martz'z answer. Give the right man his respect.

[sbramfan]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

The Rams didn't catch many breaks in that game, but I will say that Martz was outcoached in that game.

The Rams won the first contest, and the Pats blitzed like crazy. In the superbowl, Belichick changed his strategy and rarely blitzed. Belichick has an incredible record of beating teams he has already played earlier in the year. He learns. He adjusts.

Martz is just Martz. "We do what we do". No adjustments. And it made it that much easier for Belichick to strategize against.

Bad Calls...Yes. Bad decision by Kurt Warner to throw the out...Yes. Poor prevent defense by the Rams in the last 2 minutes...Yes. Mike Martz outcoached by Belichick...Yes.

[Fat Pang]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

No less an authority than Jim Mora, the whiners DC at the time said that he was "amazed" at what Belichick got away with in that game and I think he used the word "mugged" to describe what happened to the Rams WR's.

He then of course, said that if they could get away with it then he was going to do it too and I don't think this was an opinion exclusive to Jim. Look what happened the following season, teams weren't just doing it to the Rams WR's they were doing it to everyone, passing yardages fell, scoring was down and people were complaining.

That wasn't rectified until last season.

The only criticism that I would level at Martz in that game was his failure to adjust to how the game was being refereed. I don't think that you could say that he was comprehensively outcoached however. A 3 point margin certainly wouldn't suggest it and it wasn't my impression of the game.

Martz wasn't the reason we lost the game, we lost the game because we played a good team coached by a good coach who have gone on to prove they deserved it.

We lost one to a 4th qtr field goal and we won one on a 4th qtr tackle.

[Milan]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

Just watched Ramtime's videos again and all I got to say is wow! There should have been both fines and penalties given to the Pats. Terrible job by the officials.

What are these videos and how can I see them?

[rebel13]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

Wow!! Very good post. Great points from both sides. I agree with both of you on many points. Martz was outcoached which was not hard as he is a moron. The officiating was indeed terrible. BB is a great coach; his players stay with him and play hard for him - all the time. I think, that without the help of the officials, the Rams blow the patriots away in a route.

[tanus]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

so let me get this straight, you first say the guy was outcoached and that mike martz is a moron.

then you go on to say the rams would have blown out the patriots had it not been for the horrible officiating.

so which is it? how you can be out coached if the only reason you lost was because of the horrible officiating?

please make up your mind and try again. thank you.

[RamJackson39]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

I think Martz was outcoached. Here's why, he didnt adjust. That was the problem. If the Pats are attacking Warner like that and mugging receivers, you need to switch to the running game. This is where Martz failed miserably as a coach. If you stopped the passing game, then you would win. Now, it wasnt easy to stop the passing game, but it was done and Martz was unable to adjust.

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

The Rams should have won. They were the best team that year. When they played the Patriots earlier in the year - in Foxboro - the Rams won 24-17 only because Martz ran out the clock in the red zone at the end of the game.

A combination of factors lead to the Rams losing, including horrific officiating, Warner playing with the rib injury suffered against Green Bay, poor playcalling by the Rams, and a bit of bad luck.

Maybe the Rams were not quite the juggernaut the press made them out to be, and the Patriots were certainly better than the weak underdog they were portrayed to be, but the bottom line is that the Rams should have won.

It was a missed opportunity and, as we know all to well, opportunities don't come every day.

[r8rh8rmike]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

The only criticism that I would level at Martz in that game was his failure to adjust to how the game was being refereed.

I tend to agree with this. If Martz would have taken what the officials were allowing, he could have negated the advantage the Pats were getting, or forced the game to be called fairly. To me, that was a lost opportunity.

[mh-i]

Re: The media created myth of SB36

I haven't watched the game since it was played but I seem to remember that most of the Pats first 17 points were set up off of Rams turnovers. Didn't most of Brady's passing yardage in the game come on the final drive? The Rams were 14 point favorites for a good reason. The game was to be played indoors AND the Rams were on a 3 roll where they were scoring points by the bucket load. After watching the Rams all that season I thought the Rams were gonna win by a blowout also. The Pats did what they had too to win but the bottom line is that if the Rams don't turn over the ball they probably win the game. Maybe Martz could have done more to make adjustments but in my opinion turnovers decided the game. Right or wrong, the losing coach being crucified by the press should be expected. Oh, and since Belichick has won 3 Super bowls now, I think folks saying he is a better coach than Martz is in no way out of line.