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You know that warm feeling you feel right now? That "quiet calm" you have in your soul? That spring in your step, that sunny-side-up invulnerablity to insults, bad drivers, and telemarketers?

The difference for me this [Monday] morning is I simply  don't give a s*** any longer whether the media or my neighbor gives the Rams proper respect.

Because I KNOW.

Let's turn back the clock to the draft. We were all pretty happy about the Faulk deal, and after some wrangling decided that Holt was a good pick. The rest of the draft looked good too, and there was  the acquisition of Timmerman and Green. We had a new, very promising OC and Bruce appeared healthy. We all sat around and compared how long we had been  suffering with the Rams and started asking each other how optimistic we could safely allow  ourselves to be. Over the next month, and into training camp, several threads asked what it would  take to be happy with the season this year.

We compared season record estimates, and proximity to the playoffs. I remember coming in pretty low, thinking I would be happy if the Rams played games that meant something after Thanksgiving---i.e. were in the hunt for a wildcard spot. Others had more demanding expectations. We all acknowledged that we were the Red Sox or Cubs of the NFL. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. And we talked about  how disappointing it was to be so close, so often,  and lose. Again. Should we get our hopes up?

But we all knew that the Rams would be good in the future. We KNEW that. The media didn't see the signs of deep metamorphosis that was going on in Rams Park. They acknowledged cosmetic changes, sure, but no-one really bothered to look at what was going on INSIDE the team.

Excitement continued to grow through the preseason for us as the changes began to bear fruit we weren't expecting to see this season, let alone in  the preseason. We saw that the team was going to be good sooner than we thought. But, just how good, we still didn't know.

The regular season. We knew the Rams were better than the Ravens. And they clubbed them. People started looking around  for media acknowledgement. None.

We looked forward to the Falcons. Even without Anderson they were an important test. Optimism continued to grow, and sure enough, the Rams cracked them open and spilled their guts all over  the TWA dome. Where was the respect, some of us asked? None was forthcoming. The Falcons are bad, they said. "Of course they are bad, but the Rams are good!" our voices countered. We began debating how long it would take for outsiders to percieve what we had seen all along---that this year's Rams are very different. And scary good.

The Bengals came and went;  another triumph. Warner was setting startling records and new rapier-sharp weapons were being unsheathed every game. No respect.

The biggest game in a decade loomed. And everyone in the media and our neighbors all told us that this was where the Rams would come back down to earth.  And how did we respond? Was there fear?

No. There wasn't. Because we KNEW the Rams would win. I don't remember reading a flicker of doubt here. Most of us expected a blowout. And what happened? More records.

We don't know how good this team is or how far they will go this year. It is true that the Rams haven't been tested yet. Lord knows if they will be. At this point, we're all beginning to wonder.

But, here's the point: We all KNOW that this team has turned the corner. Not in a Ford Taurus 35 mph kind of way, but in a screaming 185 mph road-hugging Porsche kind of way. And all I know is that I'm really, really happy. This season is  already a success for me. Barring catastrophic injuries, we are in for the ride of a lifetime. And another thing the media and our neighbors don't know ---we haven't even hit the straightaway yet.

So 9er fans and my next-door neighbor can say and think anything they want. They can pose in front of  their 1983 Mercedes and flash their jewelry,  and  all the media chicks like Dr. Z and John Madden and KNBR can coo all over them if they want. I just don't care!

I'm just enjoying the ride.