Be Like Pace

Hey guys I'm new here and I just need to say I was at the draft this past weekend and my heart really wanted to see the Rams draft Mark Sanchez with the number two overall pick. However, the obvious and correct desicion was to go with Jason Smith, a left tackle who can be essential to the team's ongoing heartaches on the offensive line.

With the signing of center Jason Brown, I now have faith that this o-line will at least seem somewhat adequate compared with the one we've seen in the last couple of years.

I met Jason Smith shortly after he was drafted on Saturday, (I managed to finagle my way into the VIP section) and of course all I wanted was an autograph for my brand new Rams draft cap. However, as he quickly signed my hat (looked like something any 2 year old could scribble on a wall), I managed to fit three words in to the number two overall pick:

"Be like Pace."

Now, I have no idea if he heard me because the rush of the media and all the people following him appeared to have flustered his image. Compared to the high profile Michael Crabtree who looked like he had already been there and done that, Smith seemed to be going with the flow and letting life take him wherever it may. But my message was clear and weather or not he heard me isn't where the true meaning of this story lies.

Jason already knows what he has to do. He is already very well aware of the state of the team he is going to play for this year. What I said to Jason has an underlying idea of how he needs to play. He needs to play the same way Orlando Pace played when he led the Rams to multiple playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory.

And you know I really would have liked to see Mark Sanchez don the blue and gold but you know what? This is just another example of playing by the book in the NFL, and the team needs to understand that this will take time. Rebuilding a club through acquiring defensive and offensive linemen takes time.