St. Louis Rams: TST Has Your Back; ESPN? Not So Much...

NFL fans sites are great things. They're a place for like-minded, rabid lovers of favorite teams to gather. We pontificate, arm-chair quarterback, and moan a bit, but that's just a small part of why a place like Turf Show Times is here. You see, we actually love the Rams. We yearn for their greatness to emerge with every play. Yeah, it's been tough, but it's what true NFL fans do. We have a talented writing staff here at TST, and a lot of our articles are a part of the daily read-s list for any number of mainstream media reporters. Make no mistake: SBNation is taken seriously in the sports world...

I wrote a little piece the other day about Bruce Arians' post game comments after the Thursday night contest. I took Arians to task for - what I think - were poorly chosen comments about the Rams. I was right to do so, and I have little doubt Arians' words will be remembered by Jeff Fisher for a long time to come...

If you aren't familiar with my work here at TST, let me give you a little overview. I'm not a writer who normally posts rants, and I believe I'm an extremely positive person when it comes to the Rams. I write - what some MAY consider - odd articles, and I don't lean toward statistics based themes. I write observational things, and more than a few short stories that I think try to hit home with Rams fans. When I do decide to point at a personally perceived Rams weakness, I point at a position group, and try to draw out my readers' thoughts. But at no time - EVER - do I waiver in my support of the St. Louis Rams. Confused why I'm mentioning this? Let me explain...

I read a piece at ESPN today where a writer for their Rams blog took what I think was a rather lame position on Arians' comments, and who took a jab at Jeff Fisher in the bargain. He pointed to Fisher's win-loss record while defending Arians; mentioning his time in Tennessee as a linchpin for his reasoning. He failed to give any kind of back story on the challenges Fisher faced with a tight-fisted owner who forced Vince Young on him, and caused quite a few of his "8-8" season. Jeff Fisher is a respected coach in the NFL for a reason. He built some pretty damn good teams in Tennessee, but had to watch as free agency and a bad front office let them be torn apart. Coaches can only do so much, and they have to play the hands their dealt.  When Jeff Fisher came to St. Louis, he marked the end of a long string  of novice, former coordinators and who crippled the Rams. Bad general managers added to the carnage, and we as fans of the team we love were left wallowing in misery.

Fisher's made a few miscues, but there isn't an NFL coach who hasn't. He makes a coaching choice, and if they didn't work out he isn't afraid to make a move. He's searching still for just the right mix, and he'll never stop until he finds what he's looking for to make this team the very best in the NFL. But the writer at ESPN has lost faith, even though he owes his current position to the very team who not long ago employed him? Some will say he's trying to create a professional distance, and that may be true. But he writes for a RAMS FAN SITE, and while calling things into question at times is a writer's responsibility, semi-veiled shots in defense of Arians' comments are weak at best...

I often wonder if the St. Louis Rams actually know who their friends are in the NFL media world? Here at Turf Show Times, we have a staff that takes every slant. There's Ryan, and our new fearless leader Joe "3k" McAtee, who slashes his talents with passion and observation, to Frank Dobozy's detailed analysis numeric-inspired prose... We have Eddie P, who brings keen insight on players, and new additions C_Daniels, Charles Martel, northwestRAMSfan, sambmeyer, misone, and Papa_Lurch spinning the constantly morphing views readers  need to have so they can see every angle. Mike Dietrich brings us fantasy football views that I really need to listen to more often. Eric "I love Google, but don't tell anyone" Nagle and VTramFan are stalwart staff members who have been here through the Rams darkest of times. Joe Stanfill brings his talents to us from years of honorable military service. Add in Tyler Bishop, D. Hawkins, the incredible Tevin Broner, Joe Mazzi,  young staff member Billiken13, plus moderators Daniel Doelling and the Siberian nomad Sergey606 - who plays with rocks... This is the crew who form the foundation of a true St. Louis Rams site! Did I forget someone? Hmm?

Brandon "DC" Bate... Some may think I give him little mentions in my pieces to give him a hard time... OK, I do, but why not? In truth, he's my "brother from another" here. He won't tell you this, but I'm the one who helped him conquer his trouble with spelling tough words like "the", "it", and "Brandon"... SEE! I did it again! But I count him as a friend beyond this site, so I get to say whatever I want, and may even add a word or two to an article he writes from time to time... (hehehehe!)

This little ramble into the staff here aside, I can't help but wonder if the St. Louis Rams and Jeff Fisher really appreciate this crew of amazingly talent guys who write about their team without being paid for a single word? The person I mentioned above from ESPN gets paid, and is a former Rams employee, but he shows none of our faith, fervor, and love for the St. Louis Rams. Now he's defending a guy who slams the team he writes about, using kid-gloves, and mushy words signifying little other than doubt?

Me, I'll stay here at Turf Show Times, because I know who my Rams friends are, and who we will always be. The St. Louis Rams need to do the same...