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Sober Reflections on the Whiners
by JamesJM
10/8/99

Editor's note: JJ offers us some sobering thoughts on the Whiner mystique and Ram fandom in general:

Whiners, let me introduce you to Kurt Warner- the NFL's top ranked QB, streak-breaker, and monkey-remover.  If you don't know who he is, that's ok.  You'll get an up-close and personal introduction to him  this Sunday at the TWA Dome.

Reservations about the Whiner Game:

I'm in a very small town, middle of nowhere, far from St.L, and not a Ram fan anywhere near.

I have, or had, an entirely different perspective than most of you. Going in to this season I did not expect to beat the Niners either game, though I truly did believe we would have our best chance since the streak began. After the Cinn. game I began to think it was more than just a good chance, I started looking at it like it was a 50/50 shot.

Then this week's posts began to play on me. Being the pragmatic sort, I did not become convinced that the Rams had a sure win against S.F. this weekend. The bold predictions of a 28pt spread with the Rams on top, and the unbridled optimism made my confidence rise as well, though never to the point that some of you have. Actually there is a part of me that envies those of you who are steadfastly convinced that we will rout the Niners, I truly wish I shared that confidence. And as I said, my confidence did rise. I now sit here believing that we really should win this game. And yet, just like many of you, the pragmatic and logical side of me says that we may not.

On the Whiner Mystique:

A loss does not in any way mean our season is over, unless we allow it to be. At first I looked at S.F. as the foe, who wouldn't? Now I think I'm more worried about the emotional and psychological significance of what continuing the "losing streak" might bring. There isn't a team in the league that we can not play head to head with. But how do you beat a foe that you can't tackle, or make fumble, or even see?

It's like we are not playing S.F., we are playing a "losing streak". We have elevated S.F. to "mythical" status, and I do not see the need. S.F. is going to be tough enough, we don't need the mystical "foe" to battle in Sunday's game as well.

S.F. is nothing more than a collection of football players, they carry no little pouches filled with magic "losing streak" dust in their uniforms. They bend, they break, they make mistakes.

But we have an entire season to rid ourselves of this enemy, not just the game this Sunday...even if losing it makes the "foe" seem to grow even stronger. S.F. actually won a division title one year, (memory fails me so I can' think of the year), and lost to the Rams in BOTH games that season. Now that I think about it, that might have happened more than once.

Don't get me wrong, I would take no pride in doing the same to them, but I like to keep things in perspective. And ANY teams objective is the season, the playoffs, and the S.B. If we get so caught up with our emotions in S.F. we may be tossing the popsickle aside to eat the stick.

I think we win this game, but we win it by beating a football team, not by battling the mystical foe. I also recognize that the Rams may lose. I'm not pessimistic, nor am I a wild-eyed optimist.

So even though I can not share the exuberance that those of you who are convinced we will win have, (and I think that's fine), there is one redeeming quality for being the pragmatic type.....if we do lose, it is only a loss to me, and a 3-1 record, and still 1st place in the division, and an even BETTER chance to knock of the Niners later in the season when we have become even MORE powerful than we are now.

On Looking for Respect:

This is not meant as criticism of my fellow Ram fans on this board. But I notice how many of you look to the words, thoughts, and opinions of "others" in hopes of confirming what you feel in your soul. I do the same to a degree. It is nice to be noticed and applauded by those in the media, and especially by other teams.

But neither praise, or criticism, from any media star, or team, or opposing player, or opposing fan, or any one else tells me what I can see with my own eyes by looking at the Rams themselves.

You want to know how their confidence is going in to the game Sunday? Read what the Rams say, forget Thomas. Want to know if Warner can handle a big game? Look at his record, read his quotes, forget ESPN.

I'm not criticizing anyone, but I'll be damned if I'm going to allow anyone other than the Rams themselves to define who they are, and just what they are capable of.

- JamesJM