What is the Rams Identity?
by VTramsFan on Aug 19, 2010 3:25 PM CDT
in 2010 St. Louis Rams season
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PrintI've been a Rams fan for a long time. Since 1983 to be exact. I've seen many different teams and coaches come and go. From Chuck Knox to John Robinson, to Vermeil, to Martz to (gasp) Linehan, and now Spags.
Each team and progression, I felt the Rams had an identity. Whenever you heard the word, "Rams" you would immediately picture something in your mind, whether it be a player or just a general playing style in general.
As an example, In 1983-84 you would think Eric Dickerson and a styfling defense. in 1989 if I said "Rams" you'd immediately be thinking John Robinson, ground attack, Jim Everett and Henry Ellard. You kinda knew what you were getting.
And of course who could forget 1999-2002 and "The Greatest Show on Turf". Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and the gang tearing it up every week scaring opposing defenses.
Looking at other teams today, when I say "Colts" an immediate identity comes to mind. Manning and the air show.
However, when I say "Rams" today... nothing pops into my head. I'm not being rude or cruel, I love the Rams more than you can imagine, but seriously.. who are we? And more importantly, who are we trying to become?
Steven Jackson is a beast, but even HE doesn't produce any type of identity for the team in my mind.. not to the extent i've seen in the past. Love ya Steven, no disrespect. Keep in mind, this post isn't about individual talent, this is about team identity.
Currently we have a defensive minded head coach Steve Spagnuolo, and have drafted Sam Bradford, a QB touted by many as being the next Peyton Manning, coupled with a beast for a RB.
My whole point is, WHO are we? What direction are we going? Where do YOU see us as far as identity for the next 5 years.
Will we be an offensive powerhouse behind Sam? Will we be a terrifying defense and tough nosed team?
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Pretty thought provoking
My 1st thought on current identity is “lambs”.
In 5 years we should be known as “Bradford’s” team as the Colts are know as “Manning’s” or “Peyton’s” team.
Just my “provoked” thoughts ;-)
Yep, Lambs
An old high school buddy or two were niners fan and me a Ram.
Lambs and forty whiners, sheesh, miss those days!
We are definitely in a transition stage so this is a great time to ask this question
I think we all have an idea of where we’d like to see the Rams go with their identity, and we express it every time we comment on here. personally, I think we are in the entertainment industry and, in that, we have to be interesting again. It helps attract fans, and therefore income, and it attracts FAs which is an aspect of team-building we don’t possess.
Personally I’d like to go back in time and redo about 8 drafts, is that too much to ask? OK fine. I want us to be a defensive oriented team. I want sacks, interceptions and defensive intimidation. But I’m afraid without an offensive identity we won’t be interesting. We’ve starrted in that direction and committed ourselves the moment we picked Bradford over Suh. So here we are, Jacksons team with a little Bradford mixed in if you want to be positive. But, currently, like RB says we’re the lambs.
Offense is where we're headed
We’ve kinda been filling our D out with B+ guys from the draft already, so I’m not sure there’s much room to improve. However, our O has lots of potential to improve, particularly at TE and WR, where Fendi and Julio Jones (it’s destiny) could be mainstays. I’m so pumped for the days when teams are saying " ok, we’ll blitz two more for Bradford, we got Onobun doubled, and we’ll stack the box for SJax, then we can double Jones, wait…they have more players!!!!". I see good fortune ahead :)
Julio Jones for Rams 2011
We are ...
A Cinderella story headed for the Division title.
I like where you're thoughts are.
Why the pessimism people? If we don’t believe we could win the SuperBowl this year, then what’s the point of watching?
Go Rams!
"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."
"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."
-Kobe Bryant
Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"
"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."
-Sam Bradford
It is not pessimism, it is what it is.
Until we prove differently, our current identity will not change. Remeber, identity is in the eye of the beholder (actually beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I thought I would plagiarize the thought).
Now, I am with you that by the end of the year, the proof will be there :-)
PS-my football teams do not “need” to win SuperBowls (or have the chance to win them) every year to watch them, I just want to see good games. I am tired of not caring (or turning off the TV) by the beginning of the 4th quarter.
I agree with you on the good games thing...
…but it’s still all about winning.
I have the hope/faith that this team can do anything if enough players make the leaps and bounds from Year 1 of Spags to Year 2. I don’t care if that’s enough to hospitalize me for mental issues, I believe it.
GO RAMS!
"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."
"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."
-Kobe Bryant
Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"
"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."
-Sam Bradford
Our offensive identity is a solid #2 RB away from...
…a dominant ground Offense team, ala ’09 Jets, but with a better rook QB and much better lead RB. All we really need is O-Line health, because the talent level is there.
On defense, I think we’re much closer, but we need an outside linebacker (though at the rate Larry Grant is improving, that might not be true much longer), and an extra defensive tackle someday (cue Suh craving most of us had).
That said, we can be similar to the Jets last year but we’re gonna have to stay healthy and maybe pick up an extra HB still. Also, one or two of our receivers will have to emerge.
"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."
"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."
-Kobe Bryant
Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"
"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."
-Sam Bradford
I think...
our identity is…
A great young coach who can work miracles with his scheming despite a ton of (formerly) subpar players on defense…
AND…
A young offense that has all the talent (besides a #1 WR which we’ll get next year) to be great but has some growing pains that still need to be endured.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Aug 19, 2010 5:16 PM CDT reply actions
Identity?
I would say ROLLER-COASTER. The history of this team defines the term. I’ve been a fan a little longer. Went to my first game in 1972 and saw Roman Gabriel led Rams smash John Brodie’s 49ers and been a fan since. Saw Eric Dickerson break the Rushing record and still remember my wife wanting to call 911 when she saw my face after the Jim Everett Flop.
Every team in every sport has experienced this, but not like the Rams. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another 10 years to reach elite statis again.
Today, I see the Rams past the down loop getting ready to climb up, but I am a realist thinking any more than 5 wins is a bonus and will keep the current staff and players intact and maybe attract a few more few agents next year.
Everett Flopped?!
Huh last time I knew Everett was still the Rams all time passing leader.
Ignorance is bliss and way too many people are happy.
NFC Championship game VS 49ers
Remember now? Yes, the 49ers had our number that day, but watch that play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWALEh7fT5w
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
Me and you are best Rams friends
Salute for he long time fan, I bow to you!!!!
Anyhow, your right about flop, jynx, etc; but, Golden State Warriors is right about there with Rams.
How about we move to the 21st century
Spags is old school. Great defense and run the ball. Problem is your players have to be better than their players to succeed. That ain’t gonna happen now or in the near future. Look at last years super bowl teams. Colts like 31st in the run and Saints around 24th. Their defenses were not in the top ten. It’s a passing league folks. That is all that really matters – score points with the passing game. SJ had 1400 yards and 4 crappy touchdowns. A great running game is good for running out the clock and making the play action pass work – and that’s about it. Until this offense moves to the 21st century we will never be an elite team.
This is very true.
I have been barking up this tree for the last year or so. Some of our worst years were when we had our highest running totals including the Bettis years. But I do think that Shurmur is the rotten apple not Spags. Where Spags/Devaney go wrong is not aggressively pursuing talent, so that Bradford has an open receiver every now and again.
Ignorance is bliss and way too many people are happy.
Who are we trying to become...
a respectable NFL franchise on the field. Simple as that.
Dave "Howland" Randell
Co-Creator of RaptorsHQ.com
by RaptorsHQ - Howland on Aug 19, 2010 6:38 PM CDT reply actions
I think our identity is "Spags Team"
I know that is not a popular opinion to some but I disagree. Lets be frank. We could have handed Vermeil last years team and we would have lost 15. They were deflated,injured,lacked any depth and in many positions talent. They had a quarterback suffering from post tramatic stress syndrom ( flinching at the sack he was about to take even when there was nobody around him ) They had brand new offensive and defensive playbooks in front of them. Most importantly the had cancers like Incognito rotting team moral. Spags decided to wipe the slate clean and build the team from the ground up. Guess What. They all bought in, those who didn’t like Incognito metioned above were gone. We were going to be a 4 pillars team and a clean team that stopped all the costly penalties and if you were a teammember that didn’t want to play by those two rules he got rid of you. Then he started trying to infuse some talent through drafts. Last year wasn’t a bust by any means. Can anyone deny that Laurianatis got robbed of Rookie of the Year. This year was another successful draft. Bradford has all the looks of the real deal. Hopefully we all realize NO talented free agents want to be a Ram right now so we are stuck using the draft. He has done a darn good job with the crappy hand he was given. Heck, even SJ’s respect for Spags pours out of him everytime Spags is mentioned. I think he is really doing a good job of turning this team around and uniting them in a common “identity”. The only way I see him failing is in keeping Pat Shurmur. If he fails it will be because of Shurmur not his ability of being a good head coach. When I think of our current Rams what immediately pops into ming is lovable underdogs. All of the young players he brought in are very humble likable guys that you pull for. Think about it. Laurianatis, Bradford, Grant, Payne, Onobun, Amendola (is there one you could root for more?), Gilyard, Saffold. All of the young men are character people and most people have more patients when dealing with good likable kids. Lovable underdogs…. and if they become winning underdogs they will owe it to Spags ……with a hint of Devaney. : )
It is all on Spagnolo to give this team personality
Regardless of the players a team has or does not have a team takes on the personality of the Head Coach as well as O.C. and D.C. its the system they install that give the team personality,Good example using the Greatest show on turf ,it was not just Warner and Marshal,and Bruce,and Holt,it was the Coaching and with out Martz there would have never been a greatest show to watch,now the problem is Dick V. Cleaned house in 1988 only 7 players remained from the previous years team,and he did not bring in cast offs and B grade players to rebuild the Rams,I think Sags is trying to install I hard nose attitude that will become the personality of this team ,but we still need some work on that,maybe this year it will start to show ,I sure hope so,but regardless the personality starts from Head Coach .If he is a leader it will show but I fear he is just Devaneys puppet
i disagree
when i think of Rams, i DO think Steven Jackson and the replacements…. granted, these past few years, you cannot deny this is true
its a terrible identity but, honesty’s a bitch…..
now on though, its probably going to be Bradford and TBD because if the Rams want to go anywhere, well Bradford is gonna need to be the center of it
The 1st thing that comes to mind is a team with a roster composed of 80% misfits, 6-7th rounders, castoffs and old men. You can't win in the NFL with 10-12 good players and the crappiest OC in the league.
Right now we’re “the Greatest Show of Smurfs.”
really don't get how you say something like that and say
we will win 4-6 games…. its probably not realistic to assume a team of 80% “UFL” quality can win any games (which is why i disagree that its this lopsided)
by stlcardsfan4 on Aug 19, 2010 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions
My friend, we could've easily won four games with last years inept crew except for the bad luck and poor coaching factor.
Remember the Jax, Houston, Washington and New Orleans games? Good NFL teams have bad days and bad NFL teams have lucky days. Plus, this year’s schedule is MUCH easier.
RamChop, I gotta give you
the award for consistency. Your message never varies. I’m almost getting to the point I can recite it from memory. I’m not judging the content, I’m just impressed by the consistency.
I think your first sentence
is a little bit of an exaggeration to make a point, but I understand the basic point that the Rams terrible drafts and personnel decisions during the Martz and Linehan eras have caused the team to be without the core of solid players they should have. The second sentence is clearly true (although whether it applies 100% to the Rams or not is open to some question).
I just think your understandable frustration leads you to exaggerate the negatives a little, and that’s why you irritate so many other posters who are trying to stay positive. For instance, it’s far too early to say whether a player drafted in the last two years is going to be a bust or not. There have been a lot of players who didn’t blossom until their 3rd or 4th year (or even later). Yes, it’s frustrating to watch the injuries and foul-ups some of our young guys experience, and we all wish they were doing better, but it’s too early to write them off.
I don’t think anyone’s message, including yours, is totally right or totally wrong. On balance, I think your message is closer to the truth than someone who really believes we’re going to have a winning season this year, but there are a lot of shades of gray that exist between those two positions, and I think the truth falls somewhere in that gray area.
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