An Inside Look At Dick Vermeil's First Season As Rams Head Coach

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Prime Time

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A blast from the past, 1997. This is a looong article so if you're into that click the link below.

It explains why Vermeil got burned out after the Eagles and why Rams players eventually rebelled against him. This is a vintage read for Rams fans by Peter "No Patriots buttkissing in this article" King.

Tony Banks and his dog Felony, Lawrence Phillips(whom Vermeil did everything to help), Isaac Bruce, Leslie O'Neal, D'Marco Farr, Rich Brooks, Orlando Pace, Roman Phifer, Keith Lyle, Fred Miller, and Kevin Carter are among those mentioned.
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https://www.si.com/vault/1997/12/29...oach-here-is-an-inside-look-at-his-nfl-encore

RETURN MAN
SI followed Dick Vermeil through his first season as the Rams' coach. Here is an inside look at his NFL encore
By Peter King

dick-vermeil-st-louis-rams.jpg

Photo Credits: Bill Frakes
 

fearsomefour

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Disaster of a year.
Leslie O'Neil.
I remember him coming over from SD, having an amazing half vs somebody and getting hurt.
 

DaveFan'51

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IF Vermeil had stayed with the Rams after the SB Win the Rams would have Won at least one more SB!
 

Merlin

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One of the worst seasons and eras right there in 97 and 98. The combination of Banks and Phillips on top of the move to STL a couple years prior almost made me throw in the towel as a Rams fan.

Only reason I didn't was faith in Vermiel. Thank God they hired that dude in the midst of all the losing, talk about a monumental task taking over that roster in 97 holy crap.
 

den-the-coach

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One of favorite stories about Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is when the Rams held training camp at Western Illinois University his first year in 97 the Rams were on the field and university officials came out to inform Vermeil that there were tornado warnings in the area and sirens were going off and Vermeil's response..."How much time do I have left before it's supposed to hit?" CLASSIC!
 
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Psycho_X

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One of the worst seasons and eras right there in 97 and 98. The combination of Banks and Phillips on top of the move to STL a couple years prior almost made me throw in the towel as a Rams fan.

This is funny because while that was a bad couple of years I was just thinking while watching All or Nothing that the last couple of years has been the worst era of my football watching due to our offense, Fisher, and the move. Knock on wood that things have a way of rebounding as well now as they did then. One thing seems to hold true for Rams fans.... we hit rock bottom a lot before things get good again... for those of us who survive rock bottom at least lol.
 

leoram

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Back then, the only news sources on the Rams as I lived in Branson were newspaper, magazine, radio, and ESPN articles and I hung on each one. The Over The Hill Gang was heralded but I never saw this article. I wish I had.

In retrospect, we all know what happened in '99 and that Dick had infused a mentality that helped create that championship team. I never realized all the obstacles and failures he had to endure to get there. Failure is an opportunity to grow and he had more than his share those first two years.

We all appreciate what Vermeil accomplished. This article makes me appreciate it at an even deeper level.
 

Mikey Ram

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My understanding is that he almost wasn't around to see '99...He was on the verge of mutiny because he worked everybody so hard...I suspect he was told to throttle it back just a bit...There IS such a thing as pushing too hard...What I just said is admittedly secondhand from a buddy who was friendly with C Mike Gruttadoria (I have no recollection of how to spell his name)...
 

VeteranRamFan

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My understanding is that he almost wasn't around to see '99...He was on the verge of mutiny because he worked everybody so hard...I suspect he was told to throttle it back just a bit...There IS such a thing as pushing too hard...What I just said is admittedly secondhand from a buddy who was friendly with C Mike Gruttadoria (I have no recollection of how to spell his name)...

You are correct in your understanding. It was reported that management had a heart to heart talk with DV. He changed. The as they say, is history!
 

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For those of you who didn't read through this excellent article, here are some excerpts:

On Vermeil's burnout after the Eagles job: Sessions with psychotherapists in the 14 years since he walked away from his job as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles taught him much about himself.

"I can see how he got burned out the first time," Farr says. "I think you have to have a certain ability to let things go in this game, or you'll kill yourself."

He was offered other jobs besides the Rams: Vermeil had turned down offers from four NFL teams—the Bucs, Rams, Falcons and Eagles.

He hired older coaches: His subsequent hiring of six assistants aged 55 or older—was a recipe for failure. "Why are they bringing the dinosaurs back?"

On his meticulous style of planning: Practices are planned down to the minute. For instance, the afternoon workout for July 18 has a slot marked "4:02/4:07—Team cadence-pursuit-tackling."

On Tony Banks lack of priorities: The weightlifting, he said, was messing up his basketball game. "Nobody's gonna stop me from playing basketball," he says. "Nobody."

On his doing all he could to help Lawrence Phillips: (1) During the off-season Vermeil has kept close tabs on the troubled running back, going so far as to pick Phillips up and fly with him back to St. Louis after he was released from jail in Nebraska. (2) The coach has organized a large support system for Phillips.

(3) "Lawrence, tell me something. What would you do if you were me?" Phillips thinks for a moment. "Coach," he says, "I'd cut me."

(4) "I allowed myself to get too close to the kid," Vermeil says afterward. "This will eat at me for a long time." He should want to kick the kid all the way down Rams Parkway. Instead, he will do something very strange. Vermeil Lite will help him some more.(By calling other teams to sign him after Vermeil cut him).

On his intense practices: They must run the width of the field (53 yards) and back twice in 38 seconds, rest 90 seconds, do it again, rest 90 seconds and do it a third time. Afterward even some well-conditioned players are dying.

Later, shell-shocked players say they had never done 30 up-downs in a row at any level of football.

Why is this man trying to break us mentally as well as physically on the first day? The intensity of the workouts stuns the players.

Most days the players will work in full pads for six hours under the sun in temperatures above 90 degrees. Reporters who come to Macomb shake their heads.

O'Neal questions the three-hour Wednesday and Thursday workouts in pads. "Wednesday is not a game," O'Neal says. "Thursday is not a game. We should be building up to a game, not playing two during the week."

On Vermeil's intensity and desire to win: "Don't come complaining to me. It might get you fired."

"This is nothing but an act of defiance! Do what I tell you! Don't f--- with me!"

On Vermeil's loyalty to his players: Everybody's screaming at me to bench Banks, but these are our guys. We're married to 'em. We can't divorce 'em when they lose and remarry 'em when they win."

Within the team's upper management, however, there is a growing sentiment that Vermeil's unbending loyalty to his players is one of his big problems.

A quote from John Shaw: "That's shocking. I don't second-guess dismissing Rich, or hiring Dick. I don't question my belief that we'll get this right."
 

Merlin

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This is funny because while that was a bad couple of years I was just thinking while watching All or Nothing that the last couple of years has been the worst era of my football watching due to our offense, Fisher, and the move. Knock on wood that things have a way of rebounding as well now as they did then. One thing seems to hold true for Rams fans.... we hit rock bottom a lot before things get good again... for those of us who survive rock bottom at least lol.

Yeah I think what it demonstrates is that some things in relation to one's team are more important than the wins and losses. The move had a lot to do with that for myself, just like I'm sure the past year has had for STL fans.

But man... Seeing Banks line up behind center was just terrible man, the guy never had the acumen or general give a F to be a QB at this level. And the fact that they even drafted Phillips is sickening, given how much BS that dude had in his background. It's just funny how well the Rams immediately started drafting as soon as they brought Vermiel in though, there's just no way that guy would allow for a player who is a piece of crap off the field to pass their vetting process.

Anyway, I can put up with a lot of losing with my teams, and I have, but if you ask me to put up with losing plus making me root for players who are not good people, well, that's where the line is for myself.
 

LACHAMP46

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Great read! Thanks for posting....some thioughts

Banks....I don't mind his dog love...but that shit about basketball??? Man, I told a bunch of my buddies, Tony Banks is the real deal....As soon as he gets that fumbling thing controlled...Oh well...Never knew he hated lifting...And that's a huge sign to me....dudes that won't/can't transform their bodies....

Troy Drayton was our first dynamic TE....forgot about him.

That DT too...what was his name? Forgot him too...

Lawrence Phillips...rip....damn that kid....If any of you have time, kids in child services...come from some terrible situations....they need big brothers/play-dads...we should try to help/save a few of them...

Dick Vermeil....30 updowns broke pros??? Really??? I've seen worse...been through worse...I remember a DB coach of mine making us backpeddle to the 30 yard line...then sprint back to the goalline...over and over and over....I tried that when I noticed some db's I was coaching stop backpeddling in the 2nd quarter...These Rams need some Vermiel in there life...especially the offensive line...

Dick loved the players....I think that philosophy works better with defenders....I think what McVay does with instruction works with offensive players...

Sounds like Ike Bruce was...a....trouble maker??? Just a lil...LOLOLOL

The combination of Banks and Phillips on top of the move to STL a couple years prior almost made me throw in the towel as a Rams fan.
I knew we were close...sorta like last year....Just a lucky bounce, here or there can change a season. I really thought Phillips was the answer....he was devastating at Nebraska. Didn't know he had a drinking problem...and all those safety nets. Just think...Vermiel almost saved his life...almost.
 

Selassie I

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A blast from the past, 1997. This is a looong article so if you're into that click the link below.

It explains why Vermeil got burned out after the Eagles and why Rams players eventually rebelled against him. This is a vintage read for Rams fans by Peter "No Patriots buttkissing in this article" King.

Tony Banks and his dog Felony, Lawrence Phillips(whom Vermeil did everything to help), Isaac Bruce, Leslie O'Neal, D'Marco Farr, Rich Brooks, Orlando Pace, Roman Phifer, Keith Lyle, Fred Miller, and Kevin Carter are among those mentioned.
******************************************************************************************
https://www.si.com/vault/1997/12/29...oach-here-is-an-inside-look-at-his-nfl-encore

RETURN MAN
SI followed Dick Vermeil through his first season as the Rams' coach. Here is an inside look at his NFL encore
By Peter King

dick-vermeil-st-louis-rams.jpg

Photo Credits: Bill Frakes


I really want to thank you for posting this one. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did.

I recommend that everyone take the time to read this beauty from start to finish. Great stuff.
 

dieterbrock

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Lawrence Phillips...rip....damn that kid....If any of you have time, kids in child services...come from some terrible situations....they need big brothers/play-dads...we should try to help/save a few of them...
Man, you are so right.
Sadly he gets dismissed by many because of how his NFL career went sideways.
I suggest when possible, people should check out the film "Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story"
Totally changes perspective on not even him so much as how many kids are out there with literally no chance.
Kudos to you man for seeing things the way you do.
 

LACHAMP46

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Kudos to you man for seeing things the way you do.
Just happened to work with some kids....and.... a lil kid I knew...knew Lawrence Phillips...and was always telling me how smart he was...while he was at Nebraska...
 

ramfan46

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Tony Banks was a moron. More concerned about basketball and his dog than being prepared to lead the team. I really liked Vermeil's approach to coaching. He demanded hard work, but wasn't a hardass. He loved his guys.