 MEDIA NOTES, BY VARIOUS POSTERS(11/30) |
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WHAT
ARE "MEDIA NOTES"? This is where we put fans reports of
what has been said about the Rams in the media throughout the country. Together with the
fan evaluations of Rams coverage in the media. It's like that old radio and (more recently) movie guy, The Shadow, and his vast network of informants and movie critics ("Shadow---the mob is secretly negotiating with the Iraqui Secret Police! Plus don't bother seeing the new Bond movie, it's *real* boring.") The Network gathers stuff. We print it. Stuff we think Rams fans will appreciate reading. Today's Rams Fans Network "Media Notes" Informants/Media Critics include Ram Mas, MJR, Bucky, & MidMOFan. 1. CRIS CARTER & BOB KEMP, BY RAM MAS (Nov 29) Cris Carter said today that the same teams keep going to the big games because of the experience they receive playing in those games. Said time will tell if a team like the Rams can rise up and play well during crunch time. Can they prevail, yes. But can they be beaten by an experienced team, absolutely. Bob Kemp, late night host of 1-on-1 Sports posed the following question to his listeners: "Who do you feel is the best team in the NFL and why? Not who you think will be in five weeks, but right now." The first caller said the Rams---because of their top offense and top defense. Bob Kemp, usually a nay-sayer when it comes to the Rams, said, "And you can add their Special Teams to that also." He went on to say, however, that they have two glaring weaknesses: The OL's ability to stop the tough rush up the middle [? zn] and the secondary. He said that Andre Hastings tore them up and he can do nothing after the catch. When the Rams play a team in the playoffs with good WR's--as they probably will--then they could be in for it. 2. HOWARD BALZER ON KFNS, BY MJR (Nov 29) 1. The season has been a series of little tests. Glad Carolina won. Another test next week. Although Carolina is only 5-6, they are a good team. They are a longshot for the playoffs. It would be great for the Rams to win the division championship on the road rather than having them win it by virtue of a Carolina loss to Atlanta last night. 2. Before the season we thought the game against the Giants would be a big game for us. Not so now. Chicago looked to be a yawner yet is now set up to be a good test for us. 3. New Orleans game. First half we got greedy. We were of the mindset that anything would work. We had three "three-and-out" series in the first half. In the second half, Martz got back to the basics: quick dropbacks by Warner, spreading the ball around. Defense is very tough. The Saints came out in the second half and on their first possession drove the ball very well. The had four 3rd-down conversions. Missed FG changed the complexity of the game. Rams followed with an 80-yard drive. 4. Special Teams: Horne has the speed and quickness to exploit the defense. Jeff Zgonia and London Fletcher always are throwing key blocks to spring him. Very impressed with Mike Horan's punting. Tremendous hangtime. Five punts for a 44.6 yard average. Around 38 net return avg. That would lead the NFL if he could do it consistently. 5. No turnovers this week by our offense. Two INTs by the defense. Came into the game at +5. We are now at +7. After our two road losses we were even. So that's +7 in the last three games. 6. The Saints did a good job. Good gameplan by Ditka. Played about as well as they possibly could. 7. 1990 through 1998. The Rams had seven victories of twenty points or greater. This year, they have seven victories of twenty points or greater. 8. Questions about the two point conversion and going for the touchdown late in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion put us a FG ahead instead of just two points at half. Clear logic. Last touchdown scored: running the ball for a touchdown is not running up the score. This is the NFL. Why would he take a knee against Walsh and not Ditka? Vermiel said after the game that Ditka's not a "take a knee" kind of guy. Heck, Ditka called a timeout with fourteen seconds left. 9. Caller (mjr007): I've got no problem scoring a touchdown late in the game on the ground. It keeps their offense off the field. More time was left on the clock yesterday than was when we took a knee against the Forty niners. It's not a Walsh vs. Ditka thing. 10. Home field advantage. If we secure home field advantage for the playoffs prior to going to Philadelphia for a January 2nd game, can you imagine any of our starters playing with that weather and crappy turf? No way. 3. DICK VERMEIL ON WFAN IN NY, BY BUCKY (Nov 26) I heard about 5 minutes of the show being done by Boomer Esiason and Chris Russo this afternoon. Don't know how much I missed. Vermeil said he never doubted his ability to coach and compete in the 90's. He said free agency and having draft choices made it easier than when he was with the Eagles. He gave a lot of credit to his assistants and the people who do the scouting. Said the Rams were in a great position to do what Atlanta did not do, to stay at the top. He liked their youth, said the Rams had no major cap problems and no unsolvable salary problems. He emphasized the character of this team as one of its chief assets. When questioned about Green's return after Warner's great performance, he said Green did better, 28 for 32 in pre-season and Green's contract would make it prohibitive to trade him. He said it was a good problem to have, that many teams don't have one good QB. 4. THE MEDIA MOURNS THE 90S FRONTRUNNERS, BY MIDMOFAN (Nov 20) It's starting... I've been waiting for this for some time---pushes from the media for a change in the salary cap system. This week on the CNN/SI board there is a commentary about how there should be relief from the salery cap due to injuries. And late last night I heard an AM sports show talking about the need to loosen up cap restrictions. The CNN/SI used the example of the Jets and Vinny. The argument was that when you have an injury to a big-moneyplayer, you should be able to have some cap-space relief to get a replacement. On the talk show, the issue was just generally that the cap is too restrictive and does not allow teams to keep key players. While on its face, the argument seems benign (after all the Rams would have benrfitted by having some relief from Green's cap numbers when he was hurt), and would seem to apply equally to everyone, I think something sinister is going on. What my suspicious mind sees behind this is a move to give third-world "debt relief" to teams like the Whiners, who have found themseves in cap trouble after bending the rules for years. If some move is made to change the cap system, then teams like the Whiners will not have to pay the full price for all of their "creative bookkeeping" over the years. Same hold trues on the injury issue. The Whiners, Rams, Jets, Lions and Titans all had injuries to the starting QB. The Rams, Lions and Titans, however, had the sense to have capable back-ups and a system that could use them. Had there been an "injury" exception to the cap rules this year the foresight of the wise teams would be wasted, and the foolishness of the others would be rewarded. You know what I think? Many in the media wants the Whiners, Cowboys, Green Bay, and [insert any East-Coast team], to remain on top every year. By, in effect, forgiving the past excesses and personel mistakes of these teams, the media darlings can have their cake and eat it too. Look for this kind of talk to increase. |
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