Tweet
12.11.2009 10:49 am
Will We See Keith Null in Nashville?
By Bernie Miklasz
It’s Friday, always a good thing.
Is Keith Null Ready to Go? The sorry, sad state of Rams football has reached the bottom and I say that because of the constant caterwauling for rookie Rams QB Keith Null. Things were bad last year, and plenty gruesome in 2007. The coaching and drafting have been abysmal. Players have had their careers destroyed by injuries. Coaches have disappeared. The franchise has lost 21 of its last 22 games. The team is for sale. And with so much failure — we’ve taken a battering as fans — it’s really difficult to identify the absolute low point. But I believe we have seen it, reached it. I believe we have arrived. When the only source of hope among the fan base is an obscure rookie QB fron Division II who never took a snap from under center until this year, when young Mister Null is viewed as the savior, when he is compared to Kurt Warner … well, ouch. Thud. Hi. We’re here. The bottom. That we’re actually talking about the kid is sad enough; that we’re actually arguing about the kid — with some promoting the idea that he could emerge as The Answer and The Chosen One — has confirmed an unfortunate reality. Yes, these are the Worst of Times for NFL football in The Lou. It’s come to this.
I’ve been portrayed as some evil leader of an anti-Null campaign simply because I thought it would be foolish to throw the raw youngster to the hounds when he’s never been prepped to start an NFL game. He’s a project, and projects take time. And I thought it would hurt the kid to be handed over to defensive tackles, defensive ends and blitzers when he hasn’t done as much as run the Rams offense in practice. Yes, the idea of sending Null out there to fail and get the flesh ripped from his bones and his brain scrambled by attacking defenders just seemed cruel to me. Why do it to the kid? I have, however, been in favor of giving Null some work here in there. Give him a series in the first quarter, a couple in the second half. Ease him in. That would be the smart play. But things have changed. Marc Bulger is injured and out. Kyle Boller is the starter, and the banged up Boller (thigh) has been limping around all week. Boller figures to get smacked around Sunday in Tennessee. The Titans are not friendly to opposing QBs. And because of Boller’s limitations in practice this week, Null has gotten some reps with the first-team offense. He’s gotten a chance to get a feel for things, even if it’s just practice. In other words, Null has benefited from actual pregame preparation for the first time. What does that mean? It means that if Null has to play Sunday, he should be a little further along in his readiness. Not close to being where he needs to be; but at least he’s had some legit prep time. And that’s important. I have a feeling we’ll see Null on Sunday. Boller throws his body around, he takes hits, he leaves himself vulnerable. At some point the Titans will likely deck him, and he won’t know where he is, and Null will be sent into the huddle. Null’s long-suffering fans will get a chance to see The Chosen One lead the horns into battle. And I say: bring it on. Free Keith Null! Give the peeps what they want. Let’s do it. It’s (almost) Nullie time. And when he throws that first TD pass, we’ll sing it out: Whoa, Nullie!!!
Will We See Keith Null in Nashville?
By Bernie Miklasz
It’s Friday, always a good thing.
Is Keith Null Ready to Go? The sorry, sad state of Rams football has reached the bottom and I say that because of the constant caterwauling for rookie Rams QB Keith Null. Things were bad last year, and plenty gruesome in 2007. The coaching and drafting have been abysmal. Players have had their careers destroyed by injuries. Coaches have disappeared. The franchise has lost 21 of its last 22 games. The team is for sale. And with so much failure — we’ve taken a battering as fans — it’s really difficult to identify the absolute low point. But I believe we have seen it, reached it. I believe we have arrived. When the only source of hope among the fan base is an obscure rookie QB fron Division II who never took a snap from under center until this year, when young Mister Null is viewed as the savior, when he is compared to Kurt Warner … well, ouch. Thud. Hi. We’re here. The bottom. That we’re actually talking about the kid is sad enough; that we’re actually arguing about the kid — with some promoting the idea that he could emerge as The Answer and The Chosen One — has confirmed an unfortunate reality. Yes, these are the Worst of Times for NFL football in The Lou. It’s come to this.
I’ve been portrayed as some evil leader of an anti-Null campaign simply because I thought it would be foolish to throw the raw youngster to the hounds when he’s never been prepped to start an NFL game. He’s a project, and projects take time. And I thought it would hurt the kid to be handed over to defensive tackles, defensive ends and blitzers when he hasn’t done as much as run the Rams offense in practice. Yes, the idea of sending Null out there to fail and get the flesh ripped from his bones and his brain scrambled by attacking defenders just seemed cruel to me. Why do it to the kid? I have, however, been in favor of giving Null some work here in there. Give him a series in the first quarter, a couple in the second half. Ease him in. That would be the smart play. But things have changed. Marc Bulger is injured and out. Kyle Boller is the starter, and the banged up Boller (thigh) has been limping around all week. Boller figures to get smacked around Sunday in Tennessee. The Titans are not friendly to opposing QBs. And because of Boller’s limitations in practice this week, Null has gotten some reps with the first-team offense. He’s gotten a chance to get a feel for things, even if it’s just practice. In other words, Null has benefited from actual pregame preparation for the first time. What does that mean? It means that if Null has to play Sunday, he should be a little further along in his readiness. Not close to being where he needs to be; but at least he’s had some legit prep time. And that’s important. I have a feeling we’ll see Null on Sunday. Boller throws his body around, he takes hits, he leaves himself vulnerable. At some point the Titans will likely deck him, and he won’t know where he is, and Null will be sent into the huddle. Null’s long-suffering fans will get a chance to see The Chosen One lead the horns into battle. And I say: bring it on. Free Keith Null! Give the peeps what they want. Let’s do it. It’s (almost) Nullie time. And when he throws that first TD pass, we’ll sing it out: Whoa, Nullie!!!
Comment