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Bulger finally escapes Rams Park
By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
04/05/2010
Marc Bulger is free at last. You should feel happy for him, not sad.
His inevitable departure finally occurred Monday, under cover of the Cardinals’ Opening Day. The Rams cashiered Bulger and turned the page on his increasingly frustrating quarterback era.
Bulger, who also turned 33 on Monday, can pursue a back-up role with a good team (his best option) or sign up to compete for work for another bad team.
Marc should be delighted, despite losing his chance to collect $8.5 million from the Rams this season. He did what he could for this franchise, sacrificing his body in the process.
Bulger threw for a lot of yards here (22,814) and made a couple of Pro Bowls. He led the Rams to the playoffs and dazzled fans during the good days with his pinpoint passing accuracy.
Try as he might, though, he could not prevent the spectacular collapse of this once-great football team. He could not convince Alex Barron to remember every snap count. He could not get in sync with Donnie Avery’s free-lance route running.
He didn’t yell and wave enough on the sideline to appease Rams fans. Many of them believed Bulger just didn’t care enough to raise his voice.
The Rams staggered to 3-13, 2-14 and 1-15 finishes during the last three years on his watch and that relentless failure took a toll on everybody.
He became the fall guy, figuratively (in the forums, chat rooms and sports talk radio shows) and literally (with one violent injury after another). Offensive coordinators and head coaches came and went during that span, but Bulger stayed put, taking the heat and the punishment.
Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace left . . . but Bulger remained behind, trapped, as an unpopular reminder of better times. The guaranteed portion of his $65 million contract kept him on the job longer than was prudent for either side.
The Rams refused to release Bulger after the season even though the entire free world knew he was finished here as quarterback. Other NFL quarterbacks were turned out or traded by their teams, but Bulger had to pretend he was wanted at Rams Park.
This team held out hope that he could somehow become a trade chip, despite his unwieldy salary. When the big-spending Redskins landed Donovan McNabb, that pipe dream ended abruptly.
His emancipation came not long after the Rams took a good look at Oklahoma star Sam Bradford at his college day workout and planned his private pre-draft session.
(To be safe, the Rams are also taking a long look at Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. This team could still trade out of the first overall pick in the right scenario.)
“It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate,” said Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said in his obligatory prepared statement. “I was fortunate as a first-year head coach to have Marc on our team. I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”
Given the money Bulger has already collected in his career, he’ll be fine. The only remaining question is if he has enough motivation left to revive his career elsewhere.
If he is smart, he will seek a soft landing in a supporting role for a good team. Bulger is a bright guy and a good teammate. Arizona would have been a lovely destination, but former Browns quarterback Derek Anderson got that gig instead.
Maybe Mike Martz will want him up in Chicago to assist with the Jay Cutler Project. Bulger wouldn’t play up there unless Cutler got hurt, but crazier things have happened.
Most of the other good opportunities have been gobbled up by now, but somewhere in America a quarterback fails every 10 minutes. Perhaps another coach will dust off some old game video and see that Bulger could offer something now that he has finally escaped Rams Park.
By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
04/05/2010
Marc Bulger is free at last. You should feel happy for him, not sad.
His inevitable departure finally occurred Monday, under cover of the Cardinals’ Opening Day. The Rams cashiered Bulger and turned the page on his increasingly frustrating quarterback era.
Bulger, who also turned 33 on Monday, can pursue a back-up role with a good team (his best option) or sign up to compete for work for another bad team.
Marc should be delighted, despite losing his chance to collect $8.5 million from the Rams this season. He did what he could for this franchise, sacrificing his body in the process.
Bulger threw for a lot of yards here (22,814) and made a couple of Pro Bowls. He led the Rams to the playoffs and dazzled fans during the good days with his pinpoint passing accuracy.
Try as he might, though, he could not prevent the spectacular collapse of this once-great football team. He could not convince Alex Barron to remember every snap count. He could not get in sync with Donnie Avery’s free-lance route running.
He didn’t yell and wave enough on the sideline to appease Rams fans. Many of them believed Bulger just didn’t care enough to raise his voice.
The Rams staggered to 3-13, 2-14 and 1-15 finishes during the last three years on his watch and that relentless failure took a toll on everybody.
He became the fall guy, figuratively (in the forums, chat rooms and sports talk radio shows) and literally (with one violent injury after another). Offensive coordinators and head coaches came and went during that span, but Bulger stayed put, taking the heat and the punishment.
Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace left . . . but Bulger remained behind, trapped, as an unpopular reminder of better times. The guaranteed portion of his $65 million contract kept him on the job longer than was prudent for either side.
The Rams refused to release Bulger after the season even though the entire free world knew he was finished here as quarterback. Other NFL quarterbacks were turned out or traded by their teams, but Bulger had to pretend he was wanted at Rams Park.
This team held out hope that he could somehow become a trade chip, despite his unwieldy salary. When the big-spending Redskins landed Donovan McNabb, that pipe dream ended abruptly.
His emancipation came not long after the Rams took a good look at Oklahoma star Sam Bradford at his college day workout and planned his private pre-draft session.
(To be safe, the Rams are also taking a long look at Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. This team could still trade out of the first overall pick in the right scenario.)
“It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate,” said Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said in his obligatory prepared statement. “I was fortunate as a first-year head coach to have Marc on our team. I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”
Given the money Bulger has already collected in his career, he’ll be fine. The only remaining question is if he has enough motivation left to revive his career elsewhere.
If he is smart, he will seek a soft landing in a supporting role for a good team. Bulger is a bright guy and a good teammate. Arizona would have been a lovely destination, but former Browns quarterback Derek Anderson got that gig instead.
Maybe Mike Martz will want him up in Chicago to assist with the Jay Cutler Project. Bulger wouldn’t play up there unless Cutler got hurt, but crazier things have happened.
Most of the other good opportunities have been gobbled up by now, but somewhere in America a quarterback fails every 10 minutes. Perhaps another coach will dust off some old game video and see that Bulger could offer something now that he has finally escaped Rams Park.
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