On Tony Banks

Current Editorial

I wouldn't call myself a Banks apologist. I am very much in favor of Tony Banks for a number of reasons... foremost amongst them is that I think Tony Banks is our only hope for a winning franchise this year. Steve Bono and Will Furrer... they spell mediocrity at best. Ditto Kurt Warner at least in the short term. Banks on the other hand can lead this team places it hasn't been in awhile. I believe Banks will succeed... and I feel there is little or no basis for criticism of Banks based on the short stints we've seen of him in thusfar. In San Diego, he participated in all of EIGHT PLAYS! There is an unspoken assumption in some circles that Banks' starting job is in some jeopardy based on these preseason games. I don't believe it is. If Banks does not get hurt, he will take every snap from center for the Rams this year... the coaches already realize this. They know that they will live or die with Banks. A great many Rams fans do not realize this, but you see their opinion matters zero in determining the outcome of the situation. The coaches realize full well what sorts of situations they are seeing Banks perform in and what plays they are calling for him to run. Do you honestly believe that they are basing their evaluation of the guy on the 5 passes he threw this week? Or even on the 13 he threw last week? No... obviously not... While the Banks bashers may continue to get their thrills by flying off the handle at Tony based on two series in a preseason game, it would be a very sorry coach indeed who based his depth chart decisions on public opinion. I'm sure Vermeil realizes that in the final analysis, public opinion as well as his own job security will be determined based on wins and losses in the regular season, irregardless of the popularity of his starting quarterback. For this reason, he also realizes that Banks is HIS quarterback this year. You can say all you want about Brooks drafting him, but what's left unsaid is that Vermeil is still ultimately responsible for him being the starter this year because he made no effort to land any other potential starter either in FA or the draft. Thus Banks IS Vermeil's quarterback. If Banks doesn't succeed it is Vermeil's fault because even though he didn't draft him, he CHOSE him nonetheless. Obviously Vermeil is comfortable with that situation or he would have done something Beathardesque in the draft to get a QB or at least took a flyer on someone like O'Donnell or Testaverde in FA. The fact that he made no such attempt tells me he has alot of confidence in Tony Banks. Perhaps the greatest irony of this team and its fans is that while almost every Rams fan seems to have a very strong opinion either Pro-Banks or Anti-Banks (including admittedly myself in the former camp)... the reality is that there is not, nor has there ever been any inkling of, a quarterback controversy on this team. I was not sure how to express it in my notes from my visits to Rams camp, and I figured it would be dismissed as mere Pro-Banks partisanship so I left it out... but the most resounding impression I took with me from watching the team practice was how firmly entrenched Tony Banks is as the leader of this team. He has a powerful presence both physically and personally on the practice field. There is no doubt in any of the Rams players minds who their starting quarterback is and who he should be. Obviously I can't provide much hard evidence of this aside from just trying to relate a general feeling, but my overriding impression was that these guys BELIEVE in Tony Banks. I do too. FastEddie August 24, 1998 HOME