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BY JEFF GORDON
Post-Dispatch Online Sports Columnist
Friday, Sep. 24 2004
New Orleans Saints tight end Ernie Conwell looked over the Rams roster the
other day and saw many names he didn't recognize.
His old team has pretty much turned over since the "Greatest Show on Turf" blew
away the NFL with its high-powered attack.
Saints defensive tackle Brian Young hooked up with his old Rams running mate
Grant Wistrom for dinner before the Seattle Seahawks played in New Orleans.
They, too, had to marvel at how quickly things change in pro football.
It's the nature of the business. The Rams have reached the playoffs in four of
the last five years, winning two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl in the
process.
And yet the player turnover has remained constant, due to free agency and the
constraints of the salary cap. Successful teams will always lose key players
through this system.
If the Rams defense still had London Fletcher, Dre' Bly, Wistrom and Young --
four home-grown playmakers who departed for big free-agent dollars -- nobody
would be concerned about the unit.
Post-Dispatch scribe Jim Thomas asked Rams coach Mike Martz if he wonders about
what sort of team he would have today if not for the cap.
"You try not to think about those things," Martz said. "That's just not the way
it is. That's just not life in the NFL today. That's just not reality."
Rams fans have been complaining about the caliber of recent drafts. They lament
the regression of linebacker Tommy Polley, the halting progress of defensive
tackles Damione Lewis and Ryan Pickett and the second lost season for injured
defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy.
But fact is, the Rams organization has developed plenty of talent. Keeping it
has been the greater challenge.
The one offensive lineman the Rams have drafted and developed the last few
years, Ryan Tucker, left for larger dollars. So did slot receiver Az-Zahir
Hakim, one of the catalysts of the '99 championship run.
So did Conwell, a terrific blocker and receiver. So did fullback James Hodgins,
a powerful lead blocker. So did possession receiver Ricky Proehl. The list goes
on and on.
"There is really nothing you can do about it," Martz said. "You're always happy
for guys like Dre' Bly and Az Hakim and Ernie and all these guys that move on
and make more money. It's part of your family. It's the Rams family.
"When they leave, it's still . . . as happy as you are for Grant Wistrom out
there (Seattle), it hurts to see him go. You end up lining up against all these
guys. It's hard."
With Jay Zygmunt managing the salary cap and Charley Armey locating some
bargain replacements, the Rams have stayed competitive in this environment.
They have done some creative things to keep the roster well-stocked with Pro
Bowl-caliber players.
But there is no way to keep everybody.
"That's what's hard, there is nothing you can do about it," Martz said.
"Sometimes they think, can't you just do this and that with a contract? It's
just not there."
So the Rams try to get the most from what they have. Armey has scrambled to
fill holes, bringing former standouts like Chris Dishman and Kwamie Lassiter
back in from the streets.
The coaching staff is trying to coach up their kids and get more from their
young linebackers, cornerbacks and interior defensive linemen. The Kevin
Garretts and Brandon Chillars of this team will be critical to the season
outcome.
It's a battle for the Rams, just as it's a battle for the 0-2 Kansas City
Chiefs, the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 0-2 Miami Dolphins.
The bad teams cherry-pick talent off the good ones. Piracy leads to parity,
which is the way the NFL likes it.
Post-Dispatch Online Sports Columnist
Friday, Sep. 24 2004
New Orleans Saints tight end Ernie Conwell looked over the Rams roster the
other day and saw many names he didn't recognize.
His old team has pretty much turned over since the "Greatest Show on Turf" blew
away the NFL with its high-powered attack.
Saints defensive tackle Brian Young hooked up with his old Rams running mate
Grant Wistrom for dinner before the Seattle Seahawks played in New Orleans.
They, too, had to marvel at how quickly things change in pro football.
It's the nature of the business. The Rams have reached the playoffs in four of
the last five years, winning two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl in the
process.
And yet the player turnover has remained constant, due to free agency and the
constraints of the salary cap. Successful teams will always lose key players
through this system.
If the Rams defense still had London Fletcher, Dre' Bly, Wistrom and Young --
four home-grown playmakers who departed for big free-agent dollars -- nobody
would be concerned about the unit.
Post-Dispatch scribe Jim Thomas asked Rams coach Mike Martz if he wonders about
what sort of team he would have today if not for the cap.
"You try not to think about those things," Martz said. "That's just not the way
it is. That's just not life in the NFL today. That's just not reality."
Rams fans have been complaining about the caliber of recent drafts. They lament
the regression of linebacker Tommy Polley, the halting progress of defensive
tackles Damione Lewis and Ryan Pickett and the second lost season for injured
defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy.
But fact is, the Rams organization has developed plenty of talent. Keeping it
has been the greater challenge.
The one offensive lineman the Rams have drafted and developed the last few
years, Ryan Tucker, left for larger dollars. So did slot receiver Az-Zahir
Hakim, one of the catalysts of the '99 championship run.
So did Conwell, a terrific blocker and receiver. So did fullback James Hodgins,
a powerful lead blocker. So did possession receiver Ricky Proehl. The list goes
on and on.
"There is really nothing you can do about it," Martz said. "You're always happy
for guys like Dre' Bly and Az Hakim and Ernie and all these guys that move on
and make more money. It's part of your family. It's the Rams family.
"When they leave, it's still . . . as happy as you are for Grant Wistrom out
there (Seattle), it hurts to see him go. You end up lining up against all these
guys. It's hard."
With Jay Zygmunt managing the salary cap and Charley Armey locating some
bargain replacements, the Rams have stayed competitive in this environment.
They have done some creative things to keep the roster well-stocked with Pro
Bowl-caliber players.
But there is no way to keep everybody.
"That's what's hard, there is nothing you can do about it," Martz said.
"Sometimes they think, can't you just do this and that with a contract? It's
just not there."
So the Rams try to get the most from what they have. Armey has scrambled to
fill holes, bringing former standouts like Chris Dishman and Kwamie Lassiter
back in from the streets.
The coaching staff is trying to coach up their kids and get more from their
young linebackers, cornerbacks and interior defensive linemen. The Kevin
Garretts and Brandon Chillars of this team will be critical to the season
outcome.
It's a battle for the Rams, just as it's a battle for the 0-2 Kansas City
Chiefs, the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 0-2 Miami Dolphins.
The bad teams cherry-pick talent off the good ones. Piracy leads to parity,
which is the way the NFL likes it.
