By Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Sunday, Jun. 22 2008
Everything about Steven Jackson is outsized. He laughs big, he runs big, and
oh, my goodness, he talks big.
When the Rams' all-pro running back talks, the truth tends to come out of his
mouth in all of its unfiltered, sometimes uncomfortable glory. I happen to like
that about him, for what his unsettling words usually lack in diplomacy, they
more than make up for with disturbing spot-on honesty.
Since arriving in town four years ago, the man with the flowing dreadlocks has
readily spoken his mind about his playing time, his uneasy coexistence with
Marshall Faulk, his public image, his desire for greatness and his
underachieving teammates. Much to the mortification of the team's always
anxious public relations staff, Jackson has even dared to tread on the
ultra-sensitive subject of the fickle St. Louis fan base.
So how coincidental was it that in the same week the Rams broke out their new,
edgy "Bring It!" ticket sales ad campaign
featuring Jackson stomping through a full page in your sports section, the
outspoken runner was mounting an even more edgy campaign of his own to rouse
Rams fans out of their '07 malaise.
In an interview with Michael Silver of Yahoo.com, "The Train" brought it hard,
chiding Rams fans for selling their tickets to Packers and Steelers fans last
season. ("It was like playing road games," he said. "We ran out of the tunnel
and got booed. It was ridiculous. I was livid.") If you want to characterize
that as controversial, feel free. The truth is, what he told Silver is nothing
we haven't already heard here in St. Louis.
After the Packers game last December, a seething Jackson sat in front of his
locker stall at the Edward Jones Dome and ripped into the fans. "It's a joke,
as simple as that," Jackson said, the words spitting out of his mouth in
disgusted staccato bursts. When someone asked Jackson if at times it felt like
he was at Lambeau Field, the disgruntled tailback barely let the reporter
finish the question. "We were at Lambeau Field," he snapped. "The whole first
level was Green Bay Packer fans. And then we're allowing them to put up signs."
So tell me once again, what did Jackson say that wasn't right on the money
about the state of pro football in St. Louis?
Later in the Yahoo.com article, Jackson basically said there are plenty of
reasons why the 2008 season should be worth the price of admission. He said
because he's in a contract year, he has to produce. He said because the team is
coming off a disastrous 3-13 season, coach Scott Linehan has to produce....
-06-22-2008, 07:29 AM
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