 ON SOME RAM PLAYERS PAST AND PRESENT, BY BUCKY
(Jan 3) |
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1. BUCKY POPE.
I just saw an interview with film clips on Bucky Pope [Jan 3]. After 34 years I finally
found out what happened to him. For those of you who have not heard of him, Bucky Pope (80) was a late round pick of the Rams in 1964 out of Catawba College, 6'5", 199. He was not supposed to make the team but he did and then one of the starters, Carroll Dale, got hurt. Pope got a chance to play and over the 14 game season caught 25 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 31.4 yards a catch. The next preseason he was kicked in the head and was not supposed to play a scheduled exhibition game. However, the Watts riots occurred and the game was postponed till the following Wednesday. He was only supposed to play a half but somebody got hurt, he went in, caught a pass for 18 yards, and hurt his knee. He never recovered. For an ardent Ram fan the joy of his 1964 season was intoxicating. I never really knew what had happened to him but the brevity of his career always reminds me to enjoy the moment. I don't know when the interview was filmed but he looked great and sounded like someone I'm glad I rooted for. 2. ERNIE CONWELL. It's clear that Vermeil loves him and he will play more than Williams. But Williams has made some important catches this year, plays I don't think that Ernie would ever make. Still, Conwell has been blocking great lately. That second touchdown drive against the Eagles featured at least 3 plays when his blocks were key. On the play before the score, Faulk was stopped for short yardage but Conwell and Pace both blocked Mamula (a little overkill) and pounded him into the ground. In the Chicago game Conwell got in for about 20 -25 plays. It was the first extended action for Conwell since his knee injury. It's hard at times to discover if someone is in the game if they don't touch the ball. The TV cameras almost never give a shot from the end zone that gives you every number. They usually focus on the QB's face or a shot of another player or coach giving you about a second to observe the offensive set. In Chicago Ernie played the stationary tight end position and had only one pass thrown to him---one which he could not reach. His blocking, though, was good, much better than anything shown by Williams or Robinson. He had 3 or 4 outstanding blocks moving linebackers. Sometimes he doubled with Miller and drove Bears DE Robinson several yards deep. (I know I would like to see him line up along side Miller if the Rams play the Titans and Kearse in the Super Bowl.) Conwell was in for at leat 25 plays, 7 in the first half and 18 in the second half. He was in on 8 pass plays, was thrown to 1 time, ran three patterns, and stayed in to block 4 times. He played stationary end on both sides. He had about 5 good blocks on runs and always got a piece of his opponent even if he did not wipe him out. Most of his time came after the Rams were ahead 31 - 0 and very little of it with Faulk in the game. 3. LIONEL BARNES. I watched Lionel Barnes in the Chicago game and was impressed with his improvement. This was only his second good shot. He was in on over 20 plays and though he made no tackles, he looked like a player. He showed a good wide stance, got off the ball well and showed a lot of determination even after getting his butt kicked a couple of times. He showed good power and was able to drive the OT (Brockermeyer) back even when lined up inside him. A couple of times he was pancaked but came back hard the next play. He didn't have an inside move but he showed signs of developing an outside rush. He did not show great speed and he was a little tentative in pursuit. Still at worst he looks like he could be as good or better than Jay Williams by next year. 4. DRE BLY. I love the way Dre Bly locates the ball. He has that great ablity to look for the ball at the right time without losing speed. I wish McCleon could learn it because so often he is near the receiver but has no idea where the ball is and the opponent gets another long gain. |
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