Rams Camp Preview: Five Under-The-Radar Guys To Watch On Offense

Entering camp this week, there are so many questions regarding the St. Louis Rams that it would be impossible to list them all in this space.

 

I mean, when you have a starting quarterback in a make-or-break season, a receiving corps with a second-year player as its leader, a rookie starting middle linebacker, a whole new coaching staff, and are coming off a two-year stretch with a combined record of 5-27, there are some issues on your plate.

 

And it’s likely those questions will dominate the media coverage of the team throughout camp.

 

But one of the great things about camp are the other players, the under-the-radar guys who might be removed from the headlines, but will prove crucial to determining the overall success or failure of the team during the upcoming season.

 

Over the next few days, I’ll examine 10 of these players, five from the offense and five from the defense.

 

Today, we start with the offense.

 

 

TE Randy McMichael

 

When McMichael left the Miami Dolphins after the 2006 season, it was as a guy who had caught 60 or more passes in three straight seasons and hadn’t missed a start in his entire five-year career since being a fourth-round draft pick out of Georgia in the 2002 NFL Draft.

 

Of course that record of success didn’t carry over to St. Louis. In 2007, McMichael caught only 39 passes, tying his career low set as a rookie. Then last year he caught only 11 passes in four games, missing the rest with a broken tibia.

 

But 2009 has the potential to be the comeback year for McMichael.

 

New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is installing an offense that has gotten 50 or more receptions and 600 or more receiving yards from the tight end position in five of the past six seasons.

 

Last season only eight guys were in the 50-600 club: Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Owen Daniels, Chris Cooley, Dallas Clark, Zach Miller, Antonio Gates, and John Carlson.

 

With already favorable reviews from Shurmur during minicamps and apparently no lingering issues from the leg injury, it’s quite possible McMichael gets on that list this year.

 

 

QB Kyle Boller

 

Since being a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2003, Boller has been largely a disappointment. He’s started all 16 games just once, carries a 20-22 career record (with a great defense no less) and a career 71.9 percent passer rating.

 

He’s been replaced as the starting QB twice (Steve McNair and Joe Flacco) and his inability to develop was one of the primary factors in the downfall of former Ravens head coach Brian Billick.

 

But with fragility of Rams incumbent starter Marc Bulger, Boller’s ability to fill in could well be an important story line for the 2009 Rams. It’s important that he come in, pick up the offense, and prove through the preseason that he can run the team in Bulger’s absence.

 

The alternative is the winner of the battle for the third quarterback spot, Brock Berlin or sixth-round pick Keith Null, and nobody wants that.

 

 

WR Laurent Robinson

 

Acquired from Atlanta in exchange for swapping positions in the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft, Robinson was a third-round pick by the Falcons out of Illinois State in 2007. He’s big at 6’2” and fast with a 4.38 40 time.

 

Robinson finished fourth in the NFL in receptions by a rookie in 2007 with 37, behind only Dwayne Bowe, Calvin Johnson, and James Jones, but then missed most of the Falcons’ 2008 revival with injuries, finishing with just five catches in six games.

 

Now in a position to challenge for the No. 2 WR spot opposite Donnie Avery, Robinson should certainly be in store for a career-best season, and could prove to be a major cog in the rebuilt Rams pass attack.

 

 

LG Jacob Bell

 

After signing as a free agent from Tennessee for $36 million prior to last season, Bell was expected to provide an immediate upgrade on the Rams offensive line.

 

And though you could argue Bell wasn’t the worst player on the line last year, he certainly didn’t play up to his contract in year one.

 

One advantage for Bell in 2009 is that he will have a much better center on his right with the off-season addition of Jason Brown from Baltimore. And depending on how things play out in camp, he might have second-overall pick Jason Smith at tackle to his left.

 

Another advantage for Bell is that he’s bulked back up to his Tennessee playing weight after playing at about 280 pounds last season. Now with an extra 15-20 pounds on his 6’4” frame, he should be able to better hold up at the point of attack.

 

If Bell doesn’t step up this season, this could be his last with the Rams. Only the first two years of his contract were guaranteed, and his salary figure of $5 million in 2010 is a whole lot for a guard who spends his Sundays at the feet of his quarterback.

 

 

RB Kenneth Darby

 

Count me among those who think Steven Jackson is going to have a huge year in 2009. The combination of his speed, power, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield are perfect fits for West Coast offense being installed by Shurmur.

 

But you can’t have an objective conversation on Jackson without noting he’s missed four games in each of the past two years.

 

And much like Philadelphia with the occasionally dinged-up Brian Westbrook, Shurmur needs somebody among the Rams stable of runners to step into the Correll Buckhalter role in St. Louis.

 

Darby is just one among the group of guys looking to fill that No. 2 role. Also competing for carries will be Antonio Pittman, Samkon Gado, and rookie Chris Ogbonnaya, selected in the seventh round out of Texas.

 

But Darby is my horse in this race.

 

Selected in the seventh round out of Alabama by Tampa Bay in the 2007 draft, Darby still has just 34 carries on his NFL resume. But he’s big at 210 pounds on his 5’10” frame, and showed last year a knack for catching the ball out of the backfield with 19 in very limited playing time.

 

He also had very good averages per touch (4.4 yards per rush and 9.6 yards per reception), and returned seven kick-offs for 173 yards (24.7 yard average).

 

Granted those numbers are from a very small sample size, but Darby seems to me to be the best compliment to Jackson of the stable of backs.

 

 

Rookie Contract Updates

 

There isn’t any news on the remaining four unsigned Rams draft picks, but the full details on third-round pick Bradley Fletcher’s contract are now available.

 

An All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention at corner for Iowa in 2008, Fletcher signed a four-year, $2.642 million contract. He will have base salaries of $310,000 in 2009, $395,000 in 2010, $480,000 in 2011, and $565,000 in 2012. The deal included an $892,298 signing bonus.

 

Financial terms on fifth-round WR Brooks Foster’s four-year contract remain unavailable. LT Jason Smith (first round, Baylor), LB James Laurinaitis (second round, Ohio State), DT Dorell Scott (fourth round, Clemson) and QB Keith Null (sixth round, West Texas A&M) remain unsigned.

For St. Louis Rams, Signing Smith, Laurinaitis On Time a Top Priority

While it’s obviously too early to tell how the Rams’ 2009 draft class will turn out, there’s little question that their first two picks, Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith and Ohio State middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, will have to have hugely successful rookie seasons if the Rams have any hopes at turning around their dismal performance of 2008.

 

Now they just need contracts.

 

With just a week until the opening of camp (rookies, quarterbacks and selected veterans report on July 29), Smith and Laurinaitis are two of four remaining unsigned rookies from the Rams’ 2009 NFL Draft class.

 

Rams lead negotiator Kevin Demoff doesn’t seem particularly concerned.

 

“I don’t lose any sleep,” Demoff told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “These things have a way of working themselves out…I would be shocked if there was a holdout.”

 

“I’m extremely confident that those guys will be here,” Demoff went on to say. “Unforeseen things happen, but I’d be very disappointed in both us and them if they weren’t here on time.”

 

And so would Rams fans.

 

New head coach Steve Spagnuolo is trying to set a new tone for the future, and Smith and Laurinaitis are two of the most important guys in rebuilding the talent level on the roster.

 

They need to be there from day one, and it’s not just for public relations or making a positive impression, though those are two important benefits. It’s because both guys need to be prepared to start in Week 1 at Seattle. That’s a little more than six weeks after camp opens, not exactly a lot of time to transform from college Big Man on Campus to NFL starter.

 

The two contracts to look at for Smith are those of 2008 first overall pick Jason Long, an offensive tackle like Smith, and 2008 second overall pick Chris Long, the defensive tackle selected out of Virginia by the Rams.

 

Jake Long signed with the Dolphins for $57.75 million over five years with $30 million guaranteed. Chris Long signed with St. Louis for five years and $48 million with $22.385 million guaranteed

 

It’s obviously not quite so simple as just splitting the difference, but you can expect Smith’s deal to end up right around $54 million over five years with $26 million guaranteed. (Those numbers go up if Smith signs a six-year deal instead of a five-year contract, though the per-year average would average out at just about the same.)

 

As for Laurinaitis, the 35th overall pick, neither the player chose immediately ahead of him (Oregon safety Patrick Chung by New England) or after (Ohio State teammate Brian Robiskie by the Browns) have inked deals.

Last year’s 35th overall pick, corner Brandon Flowers, signed with Kansas City for $3.215 million over four years with a $1.51 million signing bonus.

 

Here is the full run-down of the Rams draft picks and contracts:

 

OT Jason Smith, First Round (second overall) out of Baylor: Unsigned

 

LB James Laurinaitis, Second Round (35th overall) out of Ohio State: Unsigned

 

CB Bradley Fletcher, Third Round (66th overall) out of Iowa: Four-year deal including a signing bonus of $892,298 (total value undisclosed)

 

DT Dorell Scott, Fourth Round (103rd overall) out of Clemson: Unsigned

 

WR Brooks Foster, Fifth Round (160th overall) out of North Carolina: Four-year contract (terms undisclosed)

 

QB Keith Null, Sixth Round (196th overall) out of West Texas A&M: Unsigned

 

RB Chris Ogbonnaya, Seventh Round (211th overall) out of Texas: Four-year deal worth $1.816 million with a $66,000 signing bonus

 

Rams Open Up

 

With the Rams back in St. Louis after holding last year’s camp in Wisconsin, area fans will have ample opportunities to catch the rebuilding squad: A full 32 practice sessions and scrimmages during training camp are currently scheduled to be open to the public.

 

Considering most St. Louisans couldn’t go five deep on a list of current Rams, now is the time to get to know the new crop. Here’s the schedule released by the team. For up-to-date practice schedules please call the training camp hotline at 314-516-8852.

 

Thursday, July 30 (quarterbacks, rookies and selected veterans): Practices from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:30 p.m.

 

Friday, July 31: Practice from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

 

Saturday, August 1: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4:25 p.m.

 

Sunday, August 2: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4:25 p.m.

 

Monday, August 3: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4:25 p.m.

 

Tuesday, August 4: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4 p.m.

 

Wednesday, August 5: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

 

Thursday, August 6: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4 p.m.

 

Friday, August 7: Practices from 8:15 to 9:55 a.m.; Scrimmage at 6:30 p.m. (Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.)

 

Saturday, August 8: Practice from 2:45 to 4 p.m.

 

Sunday, August 9: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

 

Monday, August 10: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4 p.m.

 

Tuesday, August 11: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

 

Wednesday, August 12: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4 p.m.

 

Sunday, August 16: Practice from 2:30 to 4:45 p.m.

 

Monday, August 17: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 1:25 to 2:45 p.m.

 

Tuesday, August 18: Practices from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m. and 1:25 to 2:45 p.m.

 

Wednesday, August 19: Practice from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

 

Sunday, August 23: Practice from 2:30 to 4:45 p.m.

 

 

Final Note

 

I know it’s a tough economy, and businesses everywhere are scrambling for dollars, but the Rams’ official training camp this year is called the “2009 St. Louis Rams Bud Light Training Camp presented by Russell Athletic.”

 

Seems a bit much, no?

Trading Headaches: Why Denver and Arizona Should Swap Boldin, Marshall

Normally, talking about disgruntled NFL receivers goes right up there with a Bill Belichick press conference on the originality scale. There’s just been so much said and written and blathered about that it’s just not fun anymore.

 

But watching the latest news tidbit on Brandon Marshall on Tuesday (reportedly told a cop he hated Denver during a 2007 traffic stop), I had a thought:

 

Brandon Marshall for Anquan Boldin.

 

That could work.

 

Both are Pro Bowl receivers (Boldin three, Marshall one). Both have multiple 100-plus reception seasons. Both have multiple 1200-yard receiving seasons.

 

The trade would allow both teams to come out on the other side having ditched out on their own disgruntled player while not losing any on-field talent. That’s an incredibly difficult thing to accomplish (see the Broncos’ trade of Jay Cutler to Chicago), and the primary reason why both guys are still stuck in unhappy situations.

 

There are a few factors that could tilt the scales one way or the other, but they even out when considered in aggregate.

 

Boldin is 28 (29 in October) and Marshall turned 25 in March. Also, Boldin has only played the full schedule twice in his six seasons, missing a combined 16 games.

 

Marshall has only missed two games in his three-year career, and the one he missed over the last two seasons was due to a suspension, not injury.

 

Those are both factors in favor of Marshall.

 

But—and this is a biggie in today’s NFL—Boldin has a clean record.

Marshall, on the other hand, already has the aforementioned suspension on his record. He’s been arrested/cited somewhere between three and 300 times since entering the league and is just one small slip-up away from feeling the full wrath of Commissioner Goodell.

 

That’s a plus for Boldin.

 

Think about this from the teams’ perspective.

 

Denver gets rid of Marshall, a total pain in the ass who will likely ditch out after a year anyway. Instead, they get one of the toughest wide receivers in the league, a guy who still showed up and gave it everything he had despite a two-year-running conflict over his contract (no small thing).

 

And unlike replacing Cutler with Kyle Orton, the Broncos can actually sell this to their fans as an improvement in on-field talent. Boldin and Eddie Royal would still be one of the best WR duos in the AFC, and definitely the best in the AFC West.

 

Arizona, meanwhile, gets to end its ongoing drama regarding Boldin’s contract and replace him with Marshall, an absolute beast on the field with seven 100-plus receiving yard games over the past two seasons (Boldin has five).

 

And can you imagine being an NFC West defensive coordinator facing a trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Marshall and Steve Breaston? That’s arguably scarier than Fitzgerald-Boldin-Breaston, if only because Marshall is a little bit more flexible in stretching the field than is Boldin.

 

Would this trade ever happen? Probably not. Like so many “what-ifs” during the NFL offseason (or any other league’s offseason), chances are fairly high this goes nowhere. Why take a chance when you can do nothing instead?

 

So Marshall is likely destined to be a malcontent in Denver, waiting to get franchised next season, then hold out.

 

Then he’ll get hurt (hamstring, quad or something like that), and finally hit free agency, get paid big by Al Davis, then get robbed, beat up and left unconscious in an alleyway after spraying champagne on unhappy patrons at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas (That was a Javon Walker reference if you didn’t recognize it).

 

And Boldin will likely finally get a new deal with Arizona, then get unceremoniously traded or released in three years after injuries slow him down just enough to no longer force the defense to respect his deep ability (think Torry Holt, except Boldin actually accepts contact rather than falling down like a soccer player).

 

But maybe working with Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner actually settles down Marshall, and instead of Javon Walker, he becomes a modern-day Cris Carter.

 

And maybe playing in Josh McDaniels’ system prolongs Boldin’s health (worked for 32-year-old Randy Moss) and he goes on to be the best Broncos receiver since Rod Smith.

 

Maybe.

 

We’ll see.

Hope for the Downtrodden: Upward Mobility and the NFL

When the deluge of NFL prediction columns start rolling in a month or so, look for a common denominator in the teams being picked to win their divisions: Almost all of them will be teams who were at least 8-8 last year.

 

Precious few will be the bottom dregs of the 2008 standings, teams like Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati or, heaven forbid, the Detroit Lions.

 

But chances are at least one team from the bottom of 2008 will be playing playoff football in January 2010.

 

Now it won’t be the Lions. I’m all for making bold predictions, but that’s just stupid.

 

But when you look at the 2009 Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks and Raiders, don’t just assume that because they stunk last year they must also stink this year. We’ve had too many examples in recent history of zeros-to-heroes.

 

It has happened before. It will happen again.

 

The problem is figuring out which team.

 

 

FIRST, SOME HISTORY

 

A franchise has improved its year-over-year win margin by six or more games 52 times in the history of the NFL and AFL*.

 

The breakdown: 31 teams improved by six wins, 11 by seven, five by eight, three by nine and two by 10.

 

Fifty-two really doesn’t sound like a lot, especially when you consider that list includes teams like the 1931 Portsmouth Spartans (later to become the Detroit Lions) and the 1950 New York Yanks (not to be confused with the New York Yankees).

 

But the extreme upward mobility has gone into hyper drive over the past decade. Teams have improved by six or more games 17 times just over the past ten seasons, including three teams last year, the Dolphins, Ravens and Falcons – all with first-time head coaches. Overall, nine of the 17 have been by first-time head coaches.

 

Moreover, at least one team has improved by six or more wins every year since 1997. In 2004, 2006 and 2008, three teams did it each year.

 

* This only includes consecutive seasons where the team played the same number of games. So the 1924 Chicago Cardinals improved from five wins in 1924 to 11 in 1925, but the fact they went from playing 10 games to 13 skews the result.

 

Also, the 1988 Bengals improved their win total by eight, from four in 1987 to 12 in 1988. The only problem is that the NFL schedule was only 15 games in 1987 as a result of a 24-day players’ strike that reduced the 16-game season to 15.

Week Three was canceled, and Weeks Four through Six were played with replacement players. To me, that makes it incomparable to the rest of the margins of improvement. So any team for which the jump involved 1987 was also excluded.

 

You can find the complete list of 52 here.

 

 

THE FIRST-TIMERS CLUB

 

Pop quiz: What do the following current and former pro football head coaches have in common?

 

Al Davis, Bobby Ross, Chuck Knox, Eric Mangini, Jim L. Mora, Jim Haslett, John Harbaugh, John Fox, Marvin Lewis, Mike Smith, Potsy Clark, Sean Payton, Ted Marchibroda, Tony Sparano, and Vince Lombardi

 

The answer is obvious from the sub-head: Every single one of them improved their team’s record by six or more wins in their first year as a head coach.

 

By number of wins improvement:

 

Six: Potsy Clark (1931 Portsmouth Spartans, later to become the Detroit Lions), Vince Lomardi (1959 Green Bay Packers), Chuck Knox (1973 Los Angeles Rams), John Fox (2002 Carolina Panthers), Marvin Lewis (2003 Cincinnati Bengals), Jim L. Mora (2004 Atlanta Falcons), Eric Mangini (2006 New York Jets), Romeo Crennel (2007 Cleveland Browns), John Harbaugh (2008 Baltimore Ravens)

 

Seven: Bobby Ross (1992 San Diego Chargers), Jim Haslett (2000 New Orleans Saints), Sean Payton (2006 New Orleans Saints), Mike Smith (2008 Atlanta Falcons)

 

Eight: Ted Marchibroda (1975 Baltimore Colts)

 

Nine: Al Davis (1963 Oakland Raiders, still in the AFL)

 

Ten: Tony Sparano (2008 Miami Dolphins)

 

So we may look at Josh McDaniels, or Todd Haley, or Steve Spagnuolo and think to ourselves, “Give him a year or two to figure things out.” But there is a lot of history to suggest a new head coach can have an immediate dramatic impact despite their lack of experience (or maybe because of it).

 

 

BUT CAN THEY WIN IT ALL?

 

Probably not.

 

In the Super Bowl era (1966 on), ten teams have won the Super Bowl having won fewer than 10 games the prior season. But if we’re talking about last year’s crop of fewer-than-seven win squads, the news is bleaker.

 

Only three teams have gone from a below-.500 record to Super Bowl champions in one year: the 1981 San Francisco 49ers in Joe Montana’s first year as a starter, the 2001 New England Patriots in Tom Brady’s first year as a starter, and the 1999 Rams in Kurt Warner’s first year as a starter.

 

As you might expect, those three also accounted for the biggest year-over-year win margins ever by a Super Bowl winner: the Patriots went from 5-11 to 11-5, the 49ers from 6-10 to 13-3, and the Rams from 4-12 to 13-3.

 

So it’s not likely.

 

But it’s not impossible, either.

 

All you need is a future Hall of Fame QB ready to break on the scene.

 

(How you feeling, Browns fans? Think Quinn has it in him?)

 

 

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

 

The stats say at least one of the losing teams from last year will make the playoffs. The stats say that at least one of the teams who only won four or five games last year will win 10 or more this year.

 

But who?

 

Let’s run down the below .500 teams from 2008 and assess their chances to make the leap in 2009.

 

(In order of 2008 record)

 

San Francisco: 7-9

 

Their defense should continue the progress made last year, and the offense can only improve with the addition of Michael Crabtree (not to mention the addition-by-subtraction of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator). In a division with no clear power, the chances of San Francisco taking the next step into the post-season are fairly good. But winning the Super Bowl with Shaun Hill or Alex Smith seems like a long-shot.

 

Buffalo: 7-9

 

They brought in Terrell Owens to balance the passing offense with Lee Evans, but the jury remains out on Trent Edwards. Another complicating factor is the division and conference.

If they can’t pass up the Patriots and Dolphins in the AFC East, they’re looking at teams like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Indianapolis in the Wild Card race.

 

The roster isn’t devoid of talent, but the chances for even making the post-season are slim at this point. And, if they do make the playoff field, I don’t see any way they can fight through the loaded AFC into the Super Bowl.

 

Green Bay: 6-10

 

The Packers have the offense to make the post-season and advance to Miami. The question is how quickly the Green Baydefense can adapt to the 3-4.

They have some good pieces, and addressed a huge need at NT with B.J. Raji in the draft, but there will still be some people in new roles (Aaron Kampan) and others adapting to a different philosophy.

It usually takes at least a year or two to get everybody in place and comfortable with their roles. Right now, the Vikings and Bears seem like better picks in the NFC North.

 

Jacksonville: 5-11

 

The Jaguars’ chances really hinge on which David Garrard shows up. If he’s the guy who threw 18 touchdowns to three interceptions in 2007 and earned a fat extension, then Jacksonville should be fine. They beefed up the offensive line in the draft, added Torry Holt and return the makings of a very good defense.

 

But if Garrard is no better than the guy who muddled around the field last year, making dumb mistakes and generally looking confused, then Jacksonville is in a tough spot in a very competitive AFC South.

 

I think they can add three or four wins to the record, but I don’t think that will be enough for the post-season.

 

Oakland: 5-11

 

JaMarcus Russell is entering his third year in the league and his second as a full-time starter. In his last three games of 2008, he completed 49 of 78 pass attempts (62.8 percent) for 626 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. That included a Week 17 win at Tampa Bay that knocked the Buccaneers out of the playoffs.

 

The Raiders also have the best collection of running backs in the league with Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush (who I think will have a Michael Turner-with-Atlanta-like effect next year with some other franchise).

 

Al Davis takes more crap from football fans that anybody, and much of it is deserved. The way he handled the Lane Kiffin situation was atrocious. Signing Javon Walker to ludicrous money last offseason was even worse.

But when he gave the full-time gig to 2008 interim coach Tom Cable, he made the right choice. He has the ear of that team. And in the NFL, having guys respect you and play hard for you is half the battle.

 

Do I think they’ll win the Super Bowl. No. But in that division, Oakland is a viable threat to win 10 or 11 games.

 

Cincinnati: 4-11-1

 

You look at the Bengals roster and you can certainly see the makings of a double-digit win squad. But you can also see the makings of a double-digit loss squad.

 

They’ve fortified the defense with Tank Johnson, Rey Maualuga and Roy Williams, and that’s great, but the offense still scares me. Carson Palmer has all the skills you want in a QB, but I question whether they’ve built a solid enough line to keep him healthy. Andre Smith was a great get at tackle, but that far from completes the job.

 

You’ve also got consistency questions with top back Cedric Benson and WR Chad Ochocinco. And of course there are always the chemistry issues. Adding Johnson and Williams from Dallas doesn’t solve that.

 

In a division with Pittsburgh and Baltimore, I just don’t see how the Bengals get over the hump into the post-season. Another 8-8 seems like the best-case scenario.

 

Seattle: 4-12

 

Like the Raiders, there’s a lot to like about Seattle. They have a quarterback who knows how to lead a winning football team. They have a coach in Jim Mora who knows how to turn a losing team into a winning one.

They added a great player on offense with TJ Houshmandzadeh, and they added a great player on defense with Aaron Curry. The division will be deeper than it has been over the past few years, but it’s still not the NFC East.

 

The door is open for a major turnaround. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them reach double-digits and reclaim their status as kings of the NFC West.

 

Cleveland: 4-12

 

The best thing Clevelanddid in the offseason is revamp its coaching staff with Eric Mangini, former Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and Brian Daboll, the first-time offensive coordinator (formerly the Jets QBs coach and Patriots WR coach).

 

Mangini oversaw a six-win jump in his first season with the Jets, so he knows how to make an immediate impact on a franchise.

 

With that said, the decision to get rid of Kellen Winslow and trade back out of the fifth spot in the NFL Draft signals the building of a program, not an effort at immediate competitiveness. Of course that’s the right way to go about it, but that probably takes them out of a major jump in 2009.

 

8-8 or even 9-7 in the AFC North would be a great step forward, especially if it leads to the entrenchment of Brady Quinn as the quarterback of the future.

 

St. Louis: 2-14

 

I’m on record as liking the 2009 Rams a lot more than most people. I think Marc Bulger is going to be a candidate for second place in the Comeback Player of the Year voting (behind run-away winner Tom Brady). I think Donnie Avery is on the way to being a Pro Bowl receiver.

And I think if I end up with a late pick in the first round of my fantasy draft, I’m taking Steven Jackson because new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is going to give him Brian Westbrook-level touches.

 

And it’s not like the Rams are facing an un-climbable mountain.

 

Just last year, the Dolphins went from 1-15 to 11-5 with a first-time head coach and quarterback supposedly past his prime.

 

The 1942 Steelers. The 1959 Packers. The 1963 Raiders. The 1970 Dolphins. The 1975 Colts. The 1976 Patriots. The 1984 Giants. The 1990 Cowboys. The 1992 Colts. The 1997 Jets. The 1999 Colts. The 2000 Saints. The 2002 Panthers. The 2003 Bengals. The 2006 Saints. The 2008 Dolphins.

 

They all made jumps of at least six games after winning three or fewer games the year before. The ’75 Colts, ’84 Giants, ’99 Colts, ’00 Saints, ’06 Saints, and the ’08 Dolphins all made the playoffs after finishing with just three or fewer wins the previous season.

 

The 2009 Rams?

 

Probably not. 7-9 or 8-8 is more likely. But this is not Mission: Impossible for Steve Spagnuolo and company. It’s just Mission: Unlikely.

 

Kansas City: 2-14

 

Like I said with the Rams, the Chiefs are not automatically eliminated from contention in the AFC West just because of their 2008 record.

With a first-time head coach in Todd Haley and new quarterback in Matt Cassel, plus the addition of veterans Mike Vrabel, Zach Thomas and Bobby Engram, there’s enough new blood to shock the franchise out of the Herman Edwards doldrums.

 

But just as the Browns trading Winslow signaled a willingness to take things slow, so does the Chiefs’ decision to trade Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta. If you’re trying to make an immediate move up the standings, you keep Gonzalez. If you’re trying to build for the future, you take the draft pick and cap space and re-allocate your resources.

 

When Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick took over in New Englandin 2001, they didn’t start winning right away. In fact, in year one of the Pioli-Belichick era, the Patriots regressed from 8-8 to 5-11.

 

Now I don’t think the Chiefs are going to regress three games, because that would be impossible. But 5-11 in year one of the second Pioli era sounds about right.

 

Detroit: 0-16

 

I could certainly see the Lions jumping up to four or five wins, but when you’re starting from zero, that leaves a long, long journey to winning football. At this point, Lions fans just want to finish 2009 with some semblance of hope for 2010.

St. Louis at the Forefront of NFL Coaching Renewal

Given the National Football League’s status as the dominant spot on the American landscape, it might seem odd to consider the game in a period of renewal.

 

It’s not that the game is getting more exposure, because the league has benefited from year-round, wall-to-wall coverage for some time now.

 

And it’s not that the game has welcomed in a plethora of future Hall of Famers in recent drafts. There have been some stellar players to come out recently, but only very few who can be considered to be on the direct route to all-time greatness.

 

Rather, the major change in the NFL has occurred on the sidelines with the head coaches.

 

With the departure guys like Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy over the past few years, we’re left with just one coach in the top 20 in all time wins: Bill Belichick at No. 19 with 138.

 

The only two other active head coaches with 100 or more victories (out of 33 all-time with 100 or more) are Jeff Fisher (128) and Tom Coughlin (115), with Andy Reid knocking on the door with 97. The next closest is Norv Turner at 77.

 

To put into perspective the loss of experience on NFL sidelines, Holmgren, Shanahan, Dungy and Jon Gruden have a combined 541 career wins.

 

That’s 34 more than John Fox, Dick Jauron, Jack Del Rio, Marvin Lewis, Lovie Smith, Mike McCarthy, Jim Mora, Sean Payton, Brad Childress, Eric Mangini, Mike Tomlin, Gary Kubiak, Ken Whisenhunt, Tony Sparano, Mike Smith, John Harbaugh, Rod Marinelli, Jim Zorn, Mike Singletary, Tom Cable, Steve Spagnuolo, Josh McDaniels, Rex Ryan, Jim Schwartz, Raheem Morris, Jim Caldwell and Todd Haley … combined.

 

When the 2009 season kicks off, 13 of the league’s 32 head coaches will have been on the job for less than two years. Seven of them will be patrolling the sidelines as NFL head coaches for the first time.

 

And the turnover hasn’t been confined just to the top job. With the retirement of long-time Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore and the subsequent promotion of Clyde Christensen, there are nine offensive coordinators about to spend the first year in that position with the current team, four of them holding an NFL coordinator title for the first time in their career.

 

And on defense, the turnover has been overwhelming: 20 of the league’s 32 teams will feature new defensive coordinators in 2009, eight of them serving as NFL coordinators for the first time.

 

Perhaps nowhere has the league’s coaching youth movement been as stark as in St. Louis, which enters 2009 as the only team in the league with a first-time head coach and two first-time coordinators.

 

It’s not entirely unheard of a situation. Among the league’s current coaches, four others began their tenures as first-time head coaches with first-time coordinators: McCarthy in Green Bay, Childress in Minnesota, Payton in New Orleans and Smith in Chicago.

 

Each of those teams was in the playoffs with double-digit wins within three years of those hirings.

 

Will the same happen in St. Louis? Ask 1,000 people and chances are 990 of them will say no. But a closer look at the three men in charge of the Rams revival reveals a common philosophy and a history of success.

 

 

Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo

 

The best known of the three and a disciple of Jim Johnson’s blitzing scheme in Philadelphia, Spagnuolo’s defense wracked up 95 sacks in his two years at the helm. They put the “1” in New England’s “18-1” by harassing the hell out of Tom Brady and the greatest offense in the history of the NFL.

 

The year before Spagnuolo arrived in New York, the Giants were ranked 25th in overall defense, allowing an average of 342.4 yards per game. In Spagnuolo’s first year in 2007, the ranking went up to seventh at 305 yards per game.

 

By 2008, the Giants’ defense ranked fifth in the league in total defense and scoring defense. While St. Louis was giving up 29.1 points and 379.2 yards per game, the Giants were giving up 18.4 and 292.

Tom Coughlin, Spagnuolo’s boss with the Giants, commented on Spagnuolo’s wide variety of experience in discussing why he chose the former Eagles linebackers coach to be his new defensive coordinator in 2007.

 

“I was very impressed by his detail, his energy and his enthusiasm,” Coughlin was quoted as saying in a 2007 article on the Giants’ website. “His resume is outstanding. He’s had a lot of different football jobs. He’s been in the scouting end of it, he’s been a defensive line coach. When he first went to Philadelphia eight years ago he coached the corners and then the safeties. The last three years, he’s coached the linebackers there. He’s been with Jim Johnson and that outstanding defense for a number of years. His philosophy is an aggressive philosophy. I like his background. He’s been a coordinator at the college level. He’s been a coordinator in the World League.  He’s worked for Jack Bicknell, who is a wonderful guy and an excellent football coach. I’m very impressed and very excited to have him on board.” 

 

In an article previewing the playoff game between the Giants and Eaglesthis past January, Mike Garafalo of The Star-Ledger discussed the similarities and differences between the Johnson and Spagnuolo schemes.

 

The most basic assumption about both defenses is that Spagnuolo and Johnson are enamored by the blitz. But retired linebacker Ike Reese, who played under Johnson from the time he arrived with Reid in 1999 through 2004, said “it’s really not that way.”

 

Both will dial up the pressure, Reese said, when they smell a vulnerable offense — on third-and-long, after turnovers and following any momentum swings on the other side of the ball. The difference, though, comes where and how the teams decide to bring pressure.

 

Spagnuolo prefers to blitz up the middle more than off the edges. Johnson likes to bring his extra rushers from outside the tackles. …

 

Spagnuolo’s pressures also are often zone blitzes, meaning he’s bringing only five or six rushers with zone coverage behind them. He’ll often bring a linebacker up the middle, a cornerback from the slot and drop the defensive end on the opposite side into coverage.

 

In the same piece, Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said Spagnuolo’s innovation of stacking a defense with pass rushers has influenced not only the league, but his mentor Johnson as well.

“I think ‘Spags’ has influenced the whole league, not just the Eagles,” Pierce said. “Every team uses their best pass rushers now, regardless of whether it’s a linebacker or defensive end.”

 

Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka talked about the league’s tendency to copy Spagnuolo’s scheme after the Giants’ Super Bowl dismantling of New England.

 

“When you’re winning and you’re doing it in a great fashion, everybody’s going to notice and try to do the same thing. No sense in trying to reinvent the wheel.”

 

For Rams fans, it’ll be nice to have a guy inventing the wheel instead of a guy in Scott Linehan getting run over by it.

 

 

Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur

 

A former offensive line coach, tight ends coach and special teams coach before being promoted to the QBs coach in 2002, Shurmur has used his intelligence and demeanor to help lead Donovan McNabb to a 60 percent completion rate and plus-82 touchdown-to-interception differential over the past seven years.

 

In a 2005 interview with USA Today, Shurmur discussed some of his philosophies regarding how to handle quarterbacks and the stress that comes with the position.

 

“It’s very important with all the things quarterbacks have to do that they’re able to see it in a simple way. I try to simplify for it (McNabb). I’d like to think my simple demeanor and simple lifestyle has rubbed off on him.

 

“You want him to have some recall because there are constantly new things happening,” Shurmur said. “The other thing I try to do is remain very calm around him. It’s the way I am. It’s easy to get excited as a quarterback. You’re going to play 60, 70 plays, and every once in a while, you’re going to have a bad play. So hey, forget about it, move on and make the next play your best.”

 

Former Eagles back-up quarterback Koy Detmer told USA Today how Shurmur’s demeanor helps the quarterbacks stay grounded through the highs and lows of an NFL game.

 

“From a psychological standpoint, he does a great job of making all of us quarterbacks, particularly Donovan, relaxed about the game plan and all the different situations that could come up in a game,” Detmer said. “He doesn’t get all worked up about whether it’s good or bad. You’re going to have highs and lows. Lots of things are going on, and you’ve got to be able to stay calm.”

 

The one thing Rams fans should be aware of is that the more success Shurmur has as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, the less likely he is to hang around for the long term.

 

“I’d like to progress to the point where I can be a head football coach someday,” Shurmur told USA Today. “I’ve always believed those aren’t jobs you chase, those aren’t jobs you make phone calls about or exert influence to get. If a team owner, university president or board of trustees member looks at you and says ‘This guy has the vision to be a head coach,’ they come looking for you. That’s going to be my approach.”

 

At this point, Rams fans would be more than happy to have somebody on the staff other teams were trying to steal. It’s been a while.

 

 

Defensive Coordinator Ken Flajole

 

Flajole hasn’t exactly been a publicity maven in a career that includes posts in Green Bay, Seattle and Carolina in the NFL, and stops Pacific Lutheran, Washington, Nevada, Montana, Texas-El Paso, Missouri, Richmond and Hawaii in the college game.

 

But in a 1999 interview with the Pacific Lutheran Scene, the college paper at Pacific Lutheran University, where Flajole both played and began his career in coaching, Flajole gave some insight into the kind of mentality he likes to have with his defense.

 

“The game still has to be inherently fun for the players,” Flajole said. “If it’s not, then the money won’t be enough…Certainly we (in the pros) are judged on wins and losses, but I think players play better if they enjoy what they are doing.”

 

Another quote from Flajole in an earlier edition of the Scene discusses his thoughts on stopping Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre in a 1999 Monday Night game, while Flajole was defensive backs coach under Mike Holmgren with the Seahawks.

 

“When you’re dealing with a quarterback like Brett — a player with tremendous God-given abilities who has been around seven or eight years and knows the game inside and out — you have to give him lots of different looks and confuse him. It’s called ‘disguising your defense.’ You don’t want him to recognize the play until after the ball is snapped, so you have to make sure you can run different plays from what may look like a familiar defensive pattern. If you can make the quarterback guess — and have him be wrong — you’ll decrease his confidence and you can render him ineffective.”

 

Favre went 14-for-35 for 180 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions in that game, won by Seattle 27-7. It was one of only 8 games in a 294-game career where Favre threw four or more picks.

 

With a schedule that includes Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner twice, and possibly even Favre himself in a Week 5 Vikings-Rams tilt at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams have to hope Flajole can translate his experience and pedigree into on-field results.

 

 

And?

 

Resumes and pedigrees and philosophies are all well and fine, but Flajole had it dead right when he said that in the pros, the ultimate arbiter of your worth is in your won-loss record.

 

In the year prior to Sean Payton’s arrival in New Orleans, the Saints were 3-13, the second-worst record in the league. Payton, a former coordinator with the Giants, took over from Jim Haslett, just as Spagnuolo does now.

 

Payton brought with him two first-time coordinators in Doug Marrone, just hired to be the new head coach at Syracuse, and Gary Gibbs, now with the Chiefs.

 

They went 10-6, won their division and made the NFC Championship Game.

 

Just saying … crazy things happen sometimes.

A Dozen Questions for Suspended Rams DT Claude Wroten

So on Thursday I wrote up and published a fake interview with Claude Wroten, a third-round draft pick out of Louisiana State by the St. Louis Rams in 2006.

 

I had the questions, and I put in some answers that I thought Wroten might give had he been there to answer and was listening to the advice of a PR agent.

 

The goal was to take an assignment I didn’t find particularly interesting and make it more fun.

 

It did not work.

 

I received the following comment on the column:

 

“Hello I am Aaron Wroten. I am Claude Wroten’s brother. I believe that this article was written out of context. My bro is not a drug head or a drug dealer. We are a family of Christians and we believe that the lord Jesus Christ tests us even in the wake of success. He has paid hid (sic) dues and given his life back to the lord and is also emerging a smart businessman. Please I would like to talk to you if you call me at <Number Deleted>. Thank You for your time.”

 

Well, don’t I feel like a douche bag.

 

I guess it’s a good thing to remember every now and then that these people we watch on TV aren’t just there for our amusement.

 

Not only do they have their own trials and tribulations, they have friends and family who go through the ups and downs, much as my own friends and family go through mine.

 

Now Wroten isn’t entirely without fault. The arrest and failed drug tests were his. They’re part of his life story. And those of us who attempt to make a living writing the stories of others are well within our right to explore them.

 

I’ve changed some of these questions up a bit more balanced. I’d still like to know the answers someday, because I bet you there’s a heck of a story in there.

 

Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll do this for real.

 

Q: In college, you were arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. You also tested positive at the NFL Combine, which put you in the NFL Substance Abuse Program, then again, which drew you a four-game suspension, then again, which cost you all of last year. Tell me about what it was like to go through that process from the inside.

 

Q: Did you try to stop? After that four-game suspension, you had to know you were one mistake away from a year-long suspension. Did you think about the huge risk you were taking?

 

Q: Your brother mentioned your family is religious. Has that impacted you while you’ve gone through the difficult past two years?

 

Q: The Rams have gone after a portion of your rookie contract signing bonus, reportedly to the tune of upward of $200,000. Can you update the fans on how you’re handling the request?

 

Q: Have you had any contact with Steve Spagnuolo and the new coaching staff?

 

Q: How do you plan on convincing the new regime that you deserve another chance?

 

Q: You were a Collegefootballnews.com All-American and First-Team SEC in 2005, playing ahead of Glenn Dorsey, who was the fifth overall pick last year. People were talking about you as a first-round draft pick in 2006 before the legal troubles. Do you still have the ability to dominate like you did in college?

 

Q: You’re eligible to apply for reinstatement in July. Have you thought about the case you’ll present to Commissioner Goodell?

 

Q: What if Commissioner Goodell doesn’t allow you back in the league, or if the Rams refuse to take you back? Where do you go from there?

 

Q: Did you watch the Rams last season? If so, what was it like watching your former teammates struggle, knowing you should have been out there with them?

 

Q: Looking back at your draft class, it hasn’t had a great deal of success. There were ten of you in that 2006 class. Of the 10, only four can still be considered contributors—Tye Hill, Joe Klopfenstein, Victor Adeyanju and Mark Setterstrom—and none of you have developed into what you would consider elite players. What do you think has been the problem?

 

Q: If you could leave Rams fans with one message, what would it be?

The Forgotten Ram: A Faux Conversation with Claude Wroten

So most of you have noticed there has been an extreme glut of NFL team articles over the past week or two.

 

While the rest of the NFL world is finally catching a break between the draft and the opening of camps in about six weeks, Bleacher Report has been completely overrun by previews, roster breakdowns, coaching profiles, and personal accounts of the when, how, and why we became fans of our teams.

 

In case you’ve been wondering why we’ve had such an influx of these articles, it’s because of the recently announced program whereby CBSSports will pick one writer for each team to act as a beat reporter under the CBS flag.

 

That’s full access—home games, training camp practices (even those closed to fans), regular-season practices, press conferences, locker room interviews…the works.

 

Hell, they’ll even give you a Blackberry.

 

One of the mandatory assignments is as follows, “Pick any player from your team, and list all of the questions you would ask for a feature interview.”

 

I’ve got to say, I’m not digging it.

 

It’s one thing to have 50 columns on how Pat Shurmer bringing the West Coast offense to St. Louis will make Steven Jackson a top-five fantasy back next season (true dat). But to just list 10 questions I would ask Jackson if I had the chance? What’s the fun in that?

 

In order to both complete the requirement and offer readers some semblance of entertainment for their reading minutes, I present to you an interview between myself and Claude Wroten.

 

Except instead of just listing the questions with no answers, I’m going to provide the answers as though they were written for Wroten’s by his public relations advisors.

 

(I can’t stress enough that this is fake. Wroten did not participate in the column. Wroten’s representatives did not participate in this column. This is just a guess at what Wroten might have said were he to agree to an interview, then listen to one of those PR agency reps who write athletes’ apologies when they get busted doing drugs or accidentally raping somebody.)

 

 

Me: So you like to smoke pot, huh?

 

Claude Wroten Being Advised By A Public Relations Agent (CWBABAPRA): I’ve had some troubles in my life with drugs, but I can’t stress enough to the kids out there that doing drugs is wrong.

 

It may seem like fun when you’re hanging out with your friends, and nobody wants to be the guy who won’t do the things everybody else is doing, but the consequences when you get caught are yours and yours alone.

 

 

Me: In college, you were arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. You also tested positive at the NFL Combine, which put you in the NFL Substance Abuse Program, then again, which drew you a four-game suspension, then again, which cost you all of last year.

 

Have you learned your lesson yet?

  

CWBABAPRA: Oh, absolutely. You know, it’s not until you have something that you really love taken away from you that you realize how dumb the decisions you made were. I mean, I look back on how many chances I’ve been given, and how many times I’ve blown it by being a complete moron, and I can’t stand it.

 

I could have been a millionaire Pro Bowler by now. Instead, I’m just another NFL washout, praying somebody is desperate enough to give me a seventh chance.

 

 

Me: Have you sought professional help dealing with your addiction?

 

CWBABAPRA: I’ve talked to Ricky Williams a bunch. He taught me it was ok to want to get high, but that you had to find alternate ways of dealing with your stress if you want to play in the NFL. Watching him restart his career in Miami gives me hope I can get back on the field some day.

 

 

Me: It’s funny you mention Ricky. When he was suspended by the league, Miami went after his signing bonus. The Rams have done the same thing with you, reportedly to the tune of upward of $200,000. Can you update the fans on how you’re handling the request?

 

CWBABAPRA:Well, I’m really hoping I can come back to the team and work it off by playing. I can understand where they’re coming from. They put their faith in me despite the fact I had proven over and over again that I didn’t deserve it. And when I finally did what they should have always known I was going to do, they felt like they had been let down.

 

 

Me: Have you had any contact with Steve Spagnuolo and the new coaching staff?

 

CWBABAPRA: Not yet, but I’m really hoping to. First I need to get Commissioner Goodell to re-instate me into the league, then I can try to work some of that out. I know Coach Spagnuolo likes to rotate a bunch of defensive linemen through the game, so I’m just hoping I can make it to training camp and prove I belong.

 

 

Me: You were a Collegefootballnews.com All-American and First-Team SEC in 2005, playing ahead of Glenn Dorsey, who was the fifth overall pick last year. People were talking about you as a first-round draft pick in 2006 before the legal troubles. Do you still have the ability to dominate like you did in college?

 

CWBABAPRA: Oh absolutely. Even as a rookie, I showed I could compete in this league. I’m big. I’m strong. I’m fast. I mean, how many other 315-pounders do you know who can run a 4.9 40? And I’m still only 25 years old.

 

I absolutely guarantee that if the Rams give me another chance, I will be a major force in the middle of our defense. I see what Coach Spagnuolo and Coach Flajole are building and I want to be a part of it.

 

 

Me: What if they say no? Have you given any thoughts as to what you might do?

 

CWBABAPRA: Oh, man. I can’t even go there right now. I worked at a fish market when I was in high school, and I really don’t want to go back. I really hope it works out with the Rams, but if it doesn’t, I’m not giving up on football.

 

I don’t care if it’s Arena League, the CFL or that new league Mark Cuban is starting, I’m playing somewhere. Football is the only shot I have at making a real life for myself. Giving up isn’t an option.

 

 

Me: Did you watch the Rams last season?

 

CWBABAPRA: Yeah. That was rough. I know the fans don’t think much of me right now, but I still love the guys on that team who I played with my first two years.

 

Those guys in my draft class who I went through rookie minicamps and stuff with, those guys are my brothers. It hurt seeing them struggle so much. I just wanted to be out there helping them get some wins.

 

 

Me: Looking back at your draft class, you have to admit it’s pretty grim. There were ten of you in that 2006 class. Of the 10, only four can still be considered contributors—Tye Hill, Joe Klopfenstein, Victor Adeyanju and Mark Setterstrom—and none of you have developed into what you would consider elite players. What do you think has been the problem?

 

CWBABAPRA: I don’t know. I think Tye has gotten a bit of a bad rap. He’s had some injuries he’s had to fight through, but he’s got the physical talents to succeed. Joe, I think, was drafted to fit into a particular system that they don’t run any more.

 

He might just need a change of scenery. Victor, I think he’s going to be real good. Watch him in this new offense. People are going to know his name by December.

 

 

Me: What about the three third rounders. You, linebacker Jon Alston and tight end Dominique Byrd have all disappointed, and you’re the only one still on the roster, and that’s tenuous at best.

 

Byrd was out of football last year and is now trying to hook on with Arizona. Alston lasted one year before being released and is now in Oakland. Was this a failed draft?

 

CWBABAPRA: No. Byrd had some issues he had to work out and I think he’s going to be a good fit in Arizona. I think if you watch Alston, he turned out to be a real good special teamer with Oakland. He also showed some flashes of being able to play every down on defense.

 

The thing you got to remember about the old Rams regime is that it wasn’t always the player’s fault that they didn’t turn into stars. Look at Madison Hedgecock. He was drafted a year ahead of me and you’ve seen with New York the boy can play.

 

But Coach Linehan cut him so he could keep somebody who knew his system. Ryan Pickett was a bust in St. Louis, but he’s good now. Same with Robert Thomas. And just watch Brian Leonard with Cincinnati. He’s going to surprise some folks.

 

It’s not always the player’s fault. Some times the team has to take responsibility.

 

 

Me: Is that what happened with you?

 

CWBABAPRA: No. I was just stupid.

 

 

Me: Well, at least you seem to have come to grips with your decisions.

 

CWBABAPRA: Yeah, I’ve had to grow up these past few years. I’ve gotten myself into trouble, and it’s up to me to take responsibility and make the choices to be a better person and a better player for the St. Louis Rams.

 

 

Me: If you could leave Rams fans with one message, what would it be?

 

CWBABAPRA: I guess I’d just say I know I messed up. I took my opportunity to play pro football for granted, and I hurt the team by getting suspended. I’m not asking for anybody to forgive me or forget the past.

 

All I can do is hope I get another chance, then work my butt off to give fans something to remember me by other than being another idiot football player who couldn’t control himself. I’m better than that, and I intend on proving it. And I really hope I can do that rocking opposing defenses at the Edward Jones Dome.

 

 

Me: Thanks for taking the time to talk, man. I appreciate it.

 

CWBABAPRA: No problem. Come back at me for an exclusive once I get re-instated.

 

(Note: Wroten will be eligible to apply for re-instatement into the league in late July, just as training camp starts. There is no word yet on whether St. Louis would welcome back if allowed to return to the NFL.)

The Darkest Days In Sports fot 13 Cities

2008 was a really bad year for the Seattle. The Sonics were stolen by Clay Bennett and moved to Oklahoma City. The Seahawks suffered through injuries to finish 4-12, their worst record since 1992, and had to watch the Arizona Cardinals of all teams go to the Super Bowl. The Mariners became the first baseball team with a $100 million-plus payroll to lose 100-plus games. The University of Washington finished as the only winless team in college football at 0-12.

Factor in all the rain and general gloominess of the Pacific Northwest, and that’s one pretty damn depressing year.

But it was just one year. The Seahawks might have stunk last season, but they were coming off five consecutive playoff appearances. The Mariners may have stunk last season, but they were 14 games over .500 in 2007. So it’s not like generations of Seattle fans have grown up without a taste of success.

As you will see with the following examples, some cities have had longer and more depressing stretches. And some have had even worse years than Seattle in 2008.

So take heart, Seattle fans. It can always get worse.

Much worse.

We’ll take this in chronological order. And remember, it’s not always the fans of bad teams who suffer the most. Sometimes the worst pain comes from failed expectations and the agony of almost.

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