Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

[r8rh8rmike]

10.29.2009 10:39 am
Could the Tuskers beat the Rams?
By Jim Thomas
St. Louis Post-Dispatch


With a victory Friday over the Las Vegas Locomotives, Jim Haslett’s unbeaten Florida Tuskers (3-0) clinch a playoff berth in the fledgling United Football League.

Haslett’s team has dominated the league so far, outscoring its opponents 96-36. Some members of the Tuskers think they could pose a challenge to lower level NFL teams if they played them, including the Rams.

There are a lot of familiar faces on the Tuskers’ roster, including eight former Rams: CB Fakhir Brown, S Jerome Carter, LB Quinton Culberson, CB Ricky Manning Jr., LB Tim McGarigle, OT Rob Petitti, CB Darius Vinnett, and DT Claude Wroten.

Carter, McGarigle, and Wroten all were Rams draft picks. Brown, Carter, Culberson, Manning Jr., and Petiti all started at least one game for the Rams in recent years.

The Tuskers’ roster also includes former Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson at safety, former NFL defensive rookie of the year Odell Thurman at linebacker, and Tatum Bell and Michael Pittman at running back.

[r8rh8rmike]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I think a better question would be, could the Florida Gators beat the Florida Tuskers?

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

Ugh... please.

[PeoriaRam]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

No. Jim Haslett coaches them. That's all you need to know.

[Tampa_Ram]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

Theres a reason why they play in the UFL and not the NFL. So a big NO to that one.

[tomahawk247]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

They mention the guys in the article but the fact is those guys a FORMER Rams

They cant even make this ball club with the terrible talent we have on our roster, so they cant exactly be any good

[HUbison]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I expect so much better from Jim Thomas.

Listen closely.......no UFL team, no NCAA team, no XFL team, no CFL team, no USFL team could ever beat an NFL team.

[laram0]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

Ummm Who has home field advantage?

[Goldenfleece]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

Normally, I'd put this in the same category as the "Could a good college team beat an NFL team?"

However, this year we've built much of our team from guys off the street, the same as a UFL team would. I don't know that our starting outside linebackers (Vobora, Grant, Lenon...not even sure which two are starting) are any better than Culberson and Thurman. And if their receivers consistently catch the ball, they'd have to be considered a better unit than our group regardless of whether our guys are bigger or faster or run sharper routes.

[HUbison]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I reiterate........no UFL team, no NCAA team, no XFL team, no CFL team, no USFL team could ever beat an NFL team.

[laramsfan73]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

There's a reason why all of those ex-Rams are also ex-NFL players. They would have been picked up by someone if they were as valuable as Jim Thomas insinuates. I wonder if he has even seen a UFL game? I watched one, and was not impressed. I saw the Tuskers play the California Redwoods (intimidating name, isn't it?) No comparison to NFL play. It's second rate football played by NFL wannabes and retreads. Even Thomas should know that it wouldn't even be close! These guys are there because Haslett knows them, period.

[jdh008]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I've watched a couple of the UFL games and the difference in talent and speed of the game is obvious. There are very few explosive plays on either side of the ball and the O-Line play is particularly bad. I guess this speaks to the thought that pretty much every able-bodied lineman is at least on someone's practice squad somewhere.

I think the UFL succeeding could be a very good thing for football and the NFL as well. The UFL doesn't try to fill the game with gimmicks or strange rules and regulations. If the UFL would embrace a role as a minor league of sorts for the NFL, they could take off. After the UFL season is over in November, I'm sure NFL teams would prefer to sign these guys that have been playing rather than guys off the street. There are a lot of guys playing in the UFL that could make NFL rosters when teams are in a pinch.

[RebelYell]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I think at least 9x out of 10 the Rams would dominate. But if the team had a rash of fumbles I'm not sure the offense could generate enough to overcome it. The Raiders beat the Eagles. Bad team do beat better teams occasionally.

[Goldenfleece]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

I've watched a couple of the UFL games and the difference in talent and speed of the game is obvious. There are very few explosive plays on either side of the ball and the O-Line play is particularly bad. I guess this speaks to the thought that pretty much every able-bodied lineman is at least on someone's practice squad somewhere.

I think the UFL succeeding could be a very good thing for football and the NFL as well. The UFL doesn't try to fill the game with gimmicks or strange rules and regulations. If the UFL would embrace a role as a minor league of sorts for the NFL, they could take off. After the UFL season is over in November, I'm sure NFL teams would prefer to sign these guys that have been playing rather than guys off the street. There are a lot of guys playing in the UFL that could make NFL rosters when teams are in a pinch.

I think they'd have better luck if the UFL season wasn't scheduled in the fall when they have to compete with the NFL and college football. Some people are already watching three or four games a week this time of year. Now if it were in the late spring or summer--currently the football doldrums--then it'd have more of an audience.

[r8rh8rmike]

Re: Could The Tuskers Beat The Rams?

Obviously the point Thomas is trying to make is that the Rams should have never let Haslett go because he knows how to coach, knows how to evaluate talent, and knows how to win. Imagine how good the Rams could have been this year if Haslett was running the show.;)

By the way, what is a "Tusker"?