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  • #1

    Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

    01.01.2010 3:26 pm
    Spagnuolo “praying and hoping” for a win, not Suh
    By Bill Coats
    St. Louis Post-Dispatch


    St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo didn’t wake up on the first morning of 2010 with visions of Ndamukong Suh dancing in his head. Spagnuolo’s dream is a victory Sunday over the ***** to close out his first season here.

    The draft can wait.

    Spagnuolo wants his 1-14 outfit “to play as a team, basically do what they’ve been doing, which is to have tremendous fight, tremendous resolve. It’s a character group of guys; I’ve always said that. Just praying and hoping to finish out a winning note. That’s what we’re all hoping for this week.”

    Notes & quotes:

    *Barring a major surprise, rookie QB Keith Null will start his fourth consecutive game Sunday. He got the vast majority of the first-team snaps this week.

    *DE Leonard Little sat out again Friday while his knee heals where an infection was drained. He’s listed as questionable for the game. “He hasn’t gotten, obviously, any reps this week. But he’s been doing this a long time, so that doesn’t concern us,” Spagnuolo said. “It’s all about the wound healing. We’ve got 48 more hours, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”

    *RB Steven Jackson (back) and LB Paris Lenon (toe) also are questionable. Probables are WR Donnie Avery (thigh), LB James Laurinaitis (knee) and DE Chris Long (hamstring). T Jason Smith is doubtful, and CB Quincy Butler (ankle, knee) is out.

    *Roger Allen, an undrafted rookie from Division II Missouri Western State, is expected to start at left guard. He saw his first regular-season action last week after Mark Setterstrom torn his left triceps late in the first half. Getting into a couple of games at the end of the season will “definitely give me a little boost and momentum into the offseason and in camp” next summer, Allen said.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

    We already got one win. Don't be greedy!

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

      Spags wants them to "basically do what they've been doing" and if they do that the 1st round pick is ours and Suh will be a Ram.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

        Well, what he suppose to say? "Yeah we all suck pretty bad, so I hope the guys go out and lose this one." I doubt any head coach would say that simply because he has to work with these people on a day-to-day basis, and IMO Spags wouldn't risk the respect that he's earned from them. But I bet that Devaney and everyone else in the FO won't be heartbroken over a loss. I'm totally ok with Spags mentality. Thats what you want in a head coach.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

          I have little doubt that Spags and the team want to win, regardless of what might transpire in the draft. They practice, work, prepare and plan every week to get a victory. From the impressions I've gotten throughout the season, Spags is a fighter, and I see no reason why this week, facing a hated rival at home, he'll change his mind set. IMO, ending the season with a win and getting a chance to feel good in the lockerroom after the game is a great first step toward turning things around.

          That said, I'll be rooting hard for a Rams win AND a Detroit win so we can have our cake and eat it too.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

            Originally posted by r8rh8rmike View Post

            That said, I'll be rooting hard for a Rams win AND a Detroit win so we can have our cake and eat it too.
            lol yep i'm going to be rooting like a mofo for the Lions come Sunday!!!

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

              Well, we certainly control our own destiny. If we don't get Suh, it'll be our own fault.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                While I truly admire our coach's desire to win this game,I don't think that this 1 win will propel us anywhere unless we acquire talent to back-up the desire. There may be no garantee that Suh will be the beast EVERYONE thinks he will be. I like his chances. I'll take a loss today in exchange for a stronger team for years to come. I've got to agree with r8rh8rmike and TheRammer, I'll be rooting like crazy for the Lions.
                That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                  First and foremost, Spags has to say that. He'd be roasted for any other answer, so it's a non-issue for me.

                  As for the draft, does anyone remember the 2003 draft following the 2002 season when, in a relatively meaningless game at the end of the year, the 6-9 Jamie Martin-led Rams hosted the 10-5 San Francisco ***** at the end of the year and won the game, propelling them to a 7-9 record?

                  The Rams picked 12th that season (a pick they used on Jimmy Kennedy). Had they lost that game and went 6-10, they would have picked 9th at worst, 7th at best. That would have potentially given them a shot at Byron Leftwich, Jordan Gross, Kevin Williams, Terrell Suggs, and Marcus Trufant (ie. the players that went in the 7-11 range).

                  Don't get me wrong - it's entirely possible that dropping to the second spot would not be bad for the Rams. Perhaps they take Gerald McCoy and still get their DT. Perhaps they take Eric Berry for more help in the secondary. Perhaps they take Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen and find their franchise QB.

                  But at the same time, it's also nice to be able to have a shot at better prospects. In the Rams' case, picking first overall gives them a shot at a guy widely believed to be the best prospect in this class. Perhaps more importantly and less specifically, the first pick in the draft gives the Rams the chance to draft anybody they want. Whomever they view as the best, they'll be able to take him.

                  There's a certain value to that as well, but not one the coach can come out and recognize at the expense of a win.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                    It doesn't matter how they get there, The Rams need the first pick. It's Suh or bust!
                    :helmet:

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                      We have lost so many games since 3 seasons, this one could be the most advantageous for us. We really need Suh even if I hate lose against the whinners.
                      Si vous croyez en vous, que vous avez de la fierté, et que vous ne lâchez jamais, vous serez un gagnant.
                      Le prix de la victoire est chère, mais la récompense en vaut la peine.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                        Why the hell are the Niners making this soo hard?

                        I want us to at least have a chance at winning, but we come up short...but not actually WIN the game! I want Suh

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Spagnuolo "Praying And Hoping" For A Win, Not Suh

                          Originally posted by Fortuninerhater View Post
                          Well, we certainly control our own destiny. If we don't get Suh, it'll be our own fault.
                          It'll be because our team did what they are supposed to do, and that is to WIN.

                          It is all moot if Detroit also wins, but I will NEVER want the Rams to lose a game regardless of any cost/reward scenario.
                          RnD

                          GO RAMS!!

                          Comment

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                          • MauiRam
                            Defense-first Spagnuolo appears to be leaning toward Bradford
                            by MauiRam
                            By Jim Thomas
                            ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
                            04/15/2010

                            From the start of his tenure in St. Louis 15 months ago, coach Steve Spagnuolo was clear on his vision for the Rams. He wanted to build a winner on the foundation of a strong defense and a powerful running game.

                            As recently as mid-February, not long before the NFL scouting combine, Spagnuolo reiterated a variation of that win-in-the-trenches philosophy.

                            "I've said this from the beginning, you build from the inside out," Spagnuolo said. "You start with the linemen and move your way out."

                            Which seemed like a pretty strong hint that the Rams were leaning toward defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska or Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft April 22. By almost universal acclaim, both are regarded as rare talents for the position.

                            "They're both going to be really good football players," veteran NFL scout Dave Razzano said. "You can't go wrong with either. There hasn't been two d-linemen like this in a while."

                            That may be true, but all signs continue to point to the Rams taking quarterback Sam Bradford of Oklahoma with the first pick in the draft.

                            Team sources recently told the Post-Dispatch that there was indeed a point during the offseason when Spagnuolo wanted to go defense with the first pick.

                            But that no longer appears to be case. As early as late February, Spagnuolo insisted that despite his defensive background, he could pull the trigger on a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick.

                            "I'm broadening my spectrum, my thought process," Spagnuolo joked at the combine. "I know we all get labeled as head coaches — defensive guy, offensive guy — but when you sit in this particular seat that I'm blessed to be in, you've got to look at it as a team."

                            So if Spagnuolo as head coach says that quarterback is what's best for the team at No. 1 overall, then that's what will happen, trenches be damned.

                            There are practical reasons to feel this way, as one veteran NFL coach bluntly points out.

                            "Steven Jackson's a great player, but the Rams' issue is they have absolutely no game-changers on the football team," said the coach, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "Jackson's it. … They have no game-changers on offense. No game-changers on defense."

                            It has taken years for the roster to deteriorate to this point, the coach said. "And there ain't a guy that's been there that isn't culpable to some degree for it, including the present group."

                            Which feeds into why you take a talented quarterback prospect (Bradford) over a talented defensive tackle (Suh or McCoy). Simply stated, the quarterback position can change the game more than any other position.

                            "Two of the...
                            -04-15-2010, 08:49 AM
                          • TakeSuh
                            please take suh
                            by TakeSuh
                            this is the first time i have fallen in love with a player, ive watched his highlights both juinor and senior year, and i wonder, how the hell did no one know about this guy his juinor year. if mccoy was an all american sophmore year with 6 sacks 13 tackles for loss and one interception, why wasnt suh an all american his juinor year if suh had 7.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss 3 passes blocked 2 interceptions returned for touchdowns, 3 touchdowns and 1 blocked kick?

                            YouTube - Ndamukong Suh Heisman Highlights
                            sums up his senior year

                            almost sums up his entire career, (missed some key tackles and plays)
                            YouTube - Ndamukong Suh Tribute
                            -03-29-2010, 08:14 PM
                          • TakeSuh
                            suh: beast or manbeast?
                            by TakeSuh
                            YouTube - Ndamukong Suh Heisman Highlights
                            you decide the last highlight is from last years colorado game where he picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown to seal a win for the cornhuskers.
                            -02-02-2010, 09:54 PM
                          • r8rh8rmike
                            Rams Are Ready: "They've done everything we've asked", Spagnuolo Says
                            by r8rh8rmike
                            09.11.2009 2:28 pm
                            Rams are ready: “They’ve done everything we’ve asked,” Spagnuolo says
                            By Bill Coats
                            St. Louis Post-Dispatch

                            Some six months after the start of the offseason conditioning program, the St. Louis Rams have arrived at the cusp of their season-opener. A relatively light 90-minute practice wrapped up on-the-field preparations for Sunday’s clash with the Seahawks in Seattle.

                            Rookie coach Steve Spagnuolo said his club is ready.

                            “They’ve done everything we’ve asked with a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “There’s no guarantee that pays off in wins, but I’ll tell you what, I’d rather go in feeling that way than the other way.”

                            Spagnuolo stressed that the credit for a strong ramp-up to the season should be shared.

                            “All the coaches, all the players, the whole organization, everybody in this building I think has prepared really well,” he said. “It’s time to play a game here in 48 hours, and hopefully we’re where we need to be and we can win a football team.”

                            Notes & quotes:

                            *S Craig Dahl (hamstring) and G John Greco (wrist) won’t play Sunday. LB Larry Grant (knee), who Spagnuolo ruled out earlier in the week, has made a rapid recovery and is listed as “questionable.”

                            *QB Marc Bulger took nearly all the first-team snaps and reported no ill effects from his broken right pinky finger. “I asked him how he felt,” Spagnuolo said, “and Marc said, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go.’”

                            *Here’s a guess at the Rams inactives for Sunday: Dahl, Greco, Grant, G Roger Allen, T Eric Young, S Anthony Smith, DT LaJuan Ramsey and Keith Null (third quarterback).

                            *The Rams (0-8) haven’t beaten the Seahawks since 2004, when they did so three times — twice in the regular season, and then in the playoffs.

                            *The Rams haven’t won a season-opener on the road since 2001 (20-17 at Philadelphia).

                            All for now . . .
                            -09-11-2009, 02:15 PM
                          • r8rh8rmike
                            "Dr." Spagnuolo Finds Injury Judgements Difficult To Make
                            by r8rh8rmike
                            11.13.2009 2:04 pm
                            “Dr.” Spagnuolo finds injury judgments difficult to make
                            By Bill Coats
                            St. Louis Post-Dispatch


                            Judging whether to shut down a slightly injured player or to let him suit up and take the field is one of the more difficult tasks for an NFL head coach. The St. Louis Rams’ Steve Spagnuolo is finding that out during his rookie season.

                            “Every individual’s different,” he said. “That’s part of me learning the team. That’s what this whole year will be. I’ll have a better idea of how guys react to injuries. They all react differently.

                            “And I’ll tell you what: A lot of these guys react real good.”

                            Spagnuolo trusted the judgment of cornerback Ron Bartell, who has been nursing a sore thigh nearly all season but has remained in the lineup. Now, defensive lineman C.J. Ah You is in a similar predicament. The high-ankle sprain that he suffered Oct. 25 vs. the Colts has improved greatly. But is it enough that he could be effective Sunday vs. the Saints?

                            “C.J. is questionable right now,” Spagnuolo said after Friday’s practice. “He didn’t do a lot today, very limited. He’s still fighting that ankle. I’d like him to be a hundred percent on Sunday, so I thought it best to back off a little bit. He got plenty of the reps he needed Wednesday and Thursday.”

                            Notes & quotes:

                            *G Richie Incognito (foot) spent another day on the sideline with strength coach Rock Gullickson.

                            *WR Ruvell Martin got some reps with the first-team offense. Still, Spagnuolo hasn’t dressed more than four WRs for a game this year. So on Sunday, it likely will be Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson.

                            *Spagnuolo reported that Burton “had a real good week of practice. He looks real confident to me in what he’s doing out there, and he’s really helping all those other guys. A real pro.”

                            *With Ah You limited, Victor Adeyanju took some first-team snaps at defensive tackle.

                            All for now…
                            -11-13-2009, 04:03 PM
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