Marshall Faulk gets it wrong on the Rams
by Ryan Van Bibber on Feb 19, 2010 6:39 AM CST
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PrintWith all due respect, Marshall Faulk can shut the f@#% up. In a recent Sporting News offseason power rankings piece, Faulk made his feelings about the St. Louis Rams perfectly clear.
They've earned the No. 32 spot. It's well-deserved. The Rams are more worried about firing their trainer and their equipment manager than they are worried about the coaches responsible for their play on the field. That says a lot. When the first offseason move you make is to fire your trainer? Perfect. Maybe the draft will help. But at no point last season did I see anything that made me think they were turning the corner. It's painful to watch.
You could quibble with the 32nd place ranking, but precedent and a 1-15 team make it tough to do so. Ruffling my feathers is Faulk's, um, constructive criticism. Nothing made Faulk believe that the Rams were turning a corner? Wrong. The offensive line started working well as a unit, before Jason Smith was injured. Though the defense was still horrible, there was one very notable improvement in MLB James Laurinaitis, who along with SS James Butler and FS Oshiomogho Atogwe gave the Rams the beginnings of a solid middle to their defense. And then of course there was Steven Jackson, who surpassed Faulk and Eric Dickerson to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher.
Faulk seems to really be harboring a grudge about the team firing long-time trainer Jim Anderson, who worked with the Rams for 26 years. I have no doubt Anderson knew what the heck he was doing, but the move hardly seemed conspiratorial. It's not Anderson's fault the Rams have been plagued with injuries for so many seasons. However, things had to change on that front. The turf got replaced too, where is Faulk's complaint about that; after all, he played just fine on the old turf?
Finally, on the coaches, I think there's a pretty broad consensus here at TST that coaching decisions were sometimes frustrating and often times hard to explain. For the most part though, this was a group of rookies, in their first season at three most important coaching jobs: offensive and defensive coordinator and head coach. Here's why I'm not too hasty to judge the coaches harshly at this point: they managed to coach up some scrap heap players. The fact is that we saw some seventh round and undrafted youngsters play above their ability this season. Look at what the Rams managed to get out of guys like David Vobora, LaJuan Ramsey, Danny Amendola, Daniel Fells, Craig Dahl, etc. Now, having a roster full of seventh rounders and undrafted free agents is still the fastest way to 1-15, but you can't deny some of the performances Spagnuolo and his group of coaches managed to get out of players that would have otherwise spent the season on someone's practice squad...or in the UFL.
I have all the respect in the world for Marshall Faulk, and he'll always be one of my favorite players, the kind of guy you tell your kid about no matter how disinterested your progeny is in the subject. But Faulk has it wrong here. This sounds more like an ex-employee who thinks he can do things better, sort of like a guy who wanted a front office or coaching gig and didn't get offered the one he was looking for.
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This reeks of the whole Whitey Herzog, Jack Clark, Ozzie Smith stuff with the Cardinals.
Guys like that always think things were better “back then” and they get their feathers ruffled when their “friends” get the short end of the stick.
Personally, I’m disappionted in Faulk. He’s taking the side of a friend of his and making it into a much bigger deal than it should be.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
Still Angry
Maybe I’m just reading to far into all of this, but I think he is a bit ticked off at the organization for not considering him for head coach or offensive coordinator. This isn’t the first comment hes made and probably won’t be the last. If I remember correctly didn’t he say something about wanting to be the head coach of the Rams.
I cant lie
I agree with Faulk what have the rams done to convince us that they can win at least five games next year
definately stilll angry
yes i was just going to say, he wanted to be apart of front office or something at the beginning of last off season before spags was announced as HC.
Faulk is angry
About a lot of things, being snubbed by the Rams in front office opportunities, and most recently because they took down the “individual” framed MVP pictures of he and Kurt down from the team meeting rooms and replaced them with more recent pictures taken during game time of the offensive and defensive units.
and that was completely blown out of proportion.
The picture’s weren’t “taken down” as some former Rams want you to believe. They were moved so that “team” pictures could be put up because Spags wanted to promote the concept of “team”.
But, Rambler, I have to probably agree that this is also part of him getting his dander up. But, he probably figures he can’t say it’s about the pictures so he’s lashing out at the only thing that lends any credibility to him and that’s the trainer.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
It's Getting Ridiculous
All these players stepping up and running their chops. It’s all about Anderson. Guess what Marshall… times change. All his talk about firing Anderson, and we picked up a solid replacemment and although I don’t 100% blame Anderson, somehow I believe we’ll see less injuries now. ust having a new face and new approach helps.
If Spags did nothing we’d be hearing bitching about how Spags did nothing to address the injury problem.
So sick of all this crap, sick of losing, I hope we step up this year and stuff a sock in all these guys mouths. Respect you Marshall, but get your head outa your anus.
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
by VTramsFan on Feb 19, 2010 9:38 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Is that a hint to get my chunky arse writing Van? :-)
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
well put.
rec
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
I agree, but I do find it intersting
that some of our players, including past ones like Marshall Faulk, have spoken out so much about the firing of the previous trainer. Wasn’t one of the reasons why we brought the new guy in is because other players would swear by him?
The House of Spears reigns supreme
That's a good point, however...
this whole thing reminds me of talking to my dad’s friends about the Cardinals or my old high school’s basketball teams or whatever. If there was someone who they either knew or they remembered from when they were a kid, they always say those are the ones who are better.
It’s like this. I was just in St. Louis for the weekend and took a tour of Busch Stadium. The guide we had was awesome, however she didn’t like Tony LaRussa and she didn’t really hide it. As the tour progressed, some things came to light. Her favorite player was Scott Rolen and it’s now Brendan Ryan. Both players spent considerable time in LaRussa’s “doghouse”. Rolen was traded because of it (and he was far from innocent) and Ryan’s playing time suffered because of it (but I’d say Ryan’s one of LaRussa’s “boys” now).
Anyway, she then made a statement that was completely false. She said that the best years the Cardinals have ever had were when Whitey Herzog managed the team. This is so false it’s not even funny. The Cardinals have never had a stretch of success like they’ve had under LaRussa but her bias changed her interpretation of the facts. Since Herzog went to 3 World Series in 6 years (and it happened 20 years ago…) then he must be better. But in a lot of the years they didn’t go, the team was pretty bad plus he quit in the middle of the 1990 season.
Anyway….long story…and I just got into a 15 minute conversation after I wrote that last paragraph so I’m totally lost and I’m stopping now.
But the point is……….Faulk is being silly.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
faulk should be in the rams organization
he has a great football mind and i have no doubt he can help out our team
Well, right now he's comming off like a know-it-all.
And I, for one, don’t think that fits too well into a front office. God forbid they actually change something, Marshall.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
how could the team do nothing considering the injury situation these last few years?
I realize part of that had to do with aging players, but not all of it. I’m sorry when two of your first round picks from the last three years suffering season-ending injuries something has to be done. If your company lost sales for the last three years, would you keep the same sales manager?
Turf Show Times
by Ryan Van Bibber on Feb 19, 2010 9:56 AM CST reply actions
If he played with Marshall
then I guess you should.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
Well lets be honest here
I’m to sure if you can “train out” concussions. Strength training and preventative training is one thing, but I’ve never heard of brain weights.
The House of Spears reigns supreme
Psh
I did like 20 reps of brain lifting this morning. My brain is so strong now, I can bend the spoon like the little kid in the Matrix.
Brainroids
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Feb 19, 2010 3:24 PM CST up reply actions
Not to be confused with hemroids
but sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between the two.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
Faulk and a job offer
I can’t find the link, but does anyone remember a recent discussion in which Devaney revealed that they did indeed talk to Faulk about a role in the front office, but Faulk wasn’t interested because it wasn’t as high up the ladder as he felt it should be?
Maybe it was in a chat at the PD or somewhere like that. I’ve Googled the shit out of that topic and can’t find it. I know I read it somewhere though. Help?
Turf Show Times
by Ryan Van Bibber on Feb 19, 2010 9:58 AM CST reply actions
FAULK WRONG?
Your about a stupid ass! I am one of the greatest RAM FANS EVER, way back to Jones, Olsen and Gabriel, do you remember them? Marshal is not a DISGRUNTLED EX-EMPLOYEE as is right about the RAMS. Obviously you never played in Pro Sports. If the RAMS Offensive line was much improved and the Defense was much better then why did the RAMS Q.B.‘s all have their collective ASSES handed to them? I watched several games and everyone of them the R.B. looked like OLYMPIC SPRINTERS going down the field, there was no tackling, the Q.B.’s were torching the secondary. The RAMS weren’t the worse team, it was DETROIT and only cause they lost to the RAMS! Your attacking the wrong person, go after the Offensive Coordinator, did they have one? cause you couldnt tell by the play calling. So if anyone should shut the F#CK up it’s you!
by California Mobile CPR on Feb 19, 2010 12:25 PM CST reply actions
wow
someone woke on the wrong side of the bed this morning…
but I do agree, Marshall should shut the hell up…He isnt in the trenches anymore or in anyones front office. If he was sooo brilliant then someone would have picked him up in that regard allready. Alot of former players feel as if they know better, but the reality is they feel as if their palying career should earn them a coordinator or head coaching position/GM spot when that simply isnt the case. Playing doesn’t equal coaching or running an organization; in fact very few players make good coaches unless they work themselves up thru the coaching ranks…a prime example would be Singletary in SanFran
I love, even though others HATE, WHEN PEOPLE WRITE STUFF IN CAPS
I’M OBVIOUSLY not CRAZY. I KNOW PEOPLE WILL NOT ignore me- they will LISTEN TO ME WHEN I WRITE IN CAPS! it’s especially useful as a distraction from the fact that I SPELL WORDS WRONG- EVEN MY FAVORITEST PLAYER EVER MARSHAL FAULK.
Get a life or learn to write.
LOUD NOISES!
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
Umm...
Obviously you never played in Pro Sports
Have you?
If the RAMS Offensive line was much improved and the Defense was much better then why did the RAMS Q.B.‘s all have their collective ASSES handed to them?
Did you read the article? Van’s exact words were:
the defense was still horrible
And our line was plagued with injuries and did show improvement, that doesn’t mean they’re top 5 just because they improved.
And finally, something I agree on:
go after the Offensive Coordinator
Marshall Faulk was a great player
and a very heady one. He was terrific during his years with the Rams.
However, this kind of outburst demonstrates one of the reasons why he hasn’t been given a big job in anyone’s front office. You just can’t say things like that in a head office position. He is sounding off without knowing all the details that went into the decision. All he is doing is driving the last nails into the coffin holding any chance he had to be in the Rams front office.
Perfect summary...
I think you hit it on the head Andyrose. He was a great player, but there was a reason we got him for a 2nd and a 5th. I remember in the NFC championship game watching him pick up Holt and put him on the line when he got flattened so the Rams wouldnt have to burn a TO. High IQ player, but no switch between his brain and mouth, so no front office job.
Classic knee-jerkery
I get it. He’s upset that he was slighted and that the team he catapulted to the Super Bowl has fallen so low. But why put the trainer and the coaching staff in the same light in terms of who to fire is too impulsive of a reaction.
Our coaching staff has been in place one year, and we’ve already made some changes to that. Anderson was around for more than a quarter century; how many other teams can say they’ve provided as much loyalty? Is the NFL trainer equivalent to a Supreme Court appointment in that its theirs until they die?
Shaun Alexander’s comments on the #30 Seahawks came off as much more apt:
That’s better than I thought they would be. They’ve had two back-to-back bad seasons, two back-to-back injury-filled seasons. They haven’t carried the games, especially taking care of their home turf like they used to.
If Marshall wants to be taken as seriously as a commentator as he was on the field, he needs to be a bit more realistic in his analysis.
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
I disagree with Faulk
but without him, no Superbowl. So he can say whatever he wants, even if he sounds like a mother-in-law.
And in a certain way I like the fact that he still care about his old team
Bottom line...
Winning cures everything. If the team starts winning games then Marshall Faulk and Jack Youngblood will be singing cum-by-ya with Spags and Devaney.
They'll be singing what?!
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Feb 19, 2010 7:35 PM CST up reply actions
Uh oh, Van
I’m pretty sure you’re going to draw the ire of Bernie. FYI, he was whining about Rams fan on “other message boards” the other day and how they are picking on him and not taking people like Faulk and Mike Lombardi more serious.
Sorry Van....
People on TST rightfully disrespect my opinion all the time. But when proven ex-Ram superstars like Jack Youngblood and Marshall Faulk tee off on the current group that wears the horns, something ain’t right. That’s why we’re 1-15.
I can see where a team that has fallen to 1-15 would have a champion like Faulk so upset, especially when he was one of our brightest lights in the history of the team, i said one of so don’t crucify me about him not being the best ever,lol
If practice makes perfect....
Yet nobodies perfect.....
Then why practice ???
Marshall Marshall Marshall
you guys seem to forget Marshall is an analyst for NFLN, analyst do what he did, offer up opinions. Thats exactly what it was, it was HIS opinion……..and as accomlished as he is and what he has done for this franchise, his opinion should be respected. Why is it that every time a former Ram has an opinion(Faulk and Youngblood) everyone on this board says they have a bone to pick w/ the organization? I’m a Ram fan since 1979, so I consider myself diehard, but I don’t get all upset when someone critisizes our team, especially when we went 1-15 the year before…………It did kind of surprise me that we went 1-15 and the only staff fired was a trainer………Spags should be seriously looking at everyone underneath him
Jake Locker in 2011
Come on are u guys serious
really look at what the rams have done this year with the 1-15 season ( which wasn’t surprising to me, although I didn’t like it). Marshall is right point blank he is criticizing the team he loves and played for. Take a step back and look at what he said, he gave his opinion where he was right. Did you guys enjoy watching the rams get blown out by the Titans, 49niners, Colts,and more. I live in FL and got the chance to watch my team play on TV for the first time this season against the Titans and it was very painful to watch. VanRam made a great point that
Look at what the Rams managed to get out of guys like David Vobora, LaJuan Ramsey, Danny Amendola, Daniel Fells, Craig Dahl, etc.but this team has passed up on some nice talent. All I am saying is that our team did earn that spot because of our play and decisions
What talent has this team passed up on?
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
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