If you read only one thing this morning, besides Turf Show Times, of course, then direct your soon-to-be irrelevant browser over to the Post-Dispatch's mid-90s style website and check out what Bernie Miklasz wrote this morning about the St. Louis Rams and lame duck head coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams lost again yesterday, despite playing one of their more inspiring games of the season, probably their best game outside of the win over New Orleans. Following the game, Spagnuolo gave a press conference that showed exactly why he needs to go, as well as why people have mixed feelings about firing him.
Speaking yesterday after the game, Spagnuolo offered his usual array of talking points, the same ones he used after all 14 of the Rams' losses this season. The team fought hard. Players did a great job. A few things here and there and it would have been a game. Yada, yada, yada. He also said that he was proud of his team and that they showed "growth" as the season went along.
Suddenly having the league's worst offense and worst run defense and a 2-14 record that forced the team to buy tickets in order to meet the sellout requirements is progress.
Does that sound out of touch with reality? It does to me.
Spags is right in that the Rams do have a good foundation to build upon. They have players like James Laurinaitis, Chris Long and, most essential of all, a franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford. But besides those youngsters and Steven Jackson, the team has little else to show for a payroll butted right up next to the salary cap.
Miklasz says it all with a single question:
Where are the standards?
The Rams finished with a 2-14 record. It doesn't matter how hard they fought in a meaningless season finale. They floundered. They took a step backwards as a team. In a billion dollar business, there is no reward for a good effort. There's no reward in watching one or two players play well while the team keeps losing.
Chris Mortensen reported last night that Spagnuolo and Bill Devaney will be fired. We still have no confirmation of that, but I suspect we'll know more by the end of the day.
Here's the video of Spagnuolo's press conference after the game yesterday, courtesy of our friends at 101 ESPN.
Spagnuolo on Rams Season "Disappointing in a Lot of Ways" from 101ESPN on Vimeo.