Bernie article - agree? Disagree?

[-X-]

Bernie: Developing players should be Rams' goal

Bernie Miklasz

Fisher and Snead deserve a grace period, but only to a point. There are two standards for evaluation in 2012. One is the team's record. The other is about making progress. And no, they're not the same. I'll try to explain.

[hil]If you believe the 2012 Rams have the horses to go at least 8-8, that's unreasonable.[/hil] Fisher and Snead were hired to build a program the right way. They weren't hired to perform a quick-fix miracle. The Rams can't be saved by a Heimlich maneuver; this sickly patient must be nursed back to health over time.

[hil]Fisher and Snead aren't cleaning up one mess; they are cleaning up after three messes.[/hil] I'm talking about the hideous drafts and horrendous personnel decisions made by the three previous regimes: Mike Martz and Jay Zygmunt; Scott Linehan and Zygmunt; Steve Spagnuolo and Billy Devaney.

If you think this is an easy turnaround, you might want to dilute the Kool-Aid. But if you think Fisher and Snead should get a free pass for 2012, that's also unreasonable. I won't be doing that, either.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... 834b9.html

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I don't get that last paragraph. First he says 8-8 is unreasonable. That would be a .500 season. Then he says you shouldn't expect a quick turnaround (which would be .500 or better), and you shouldn't give them a free pass (a season worse than .500). So what's an acceptable record?

But if you're asking for me to quantify the progress by putting a number on it, I can't do it.

Oh. Alrighty then.

 

[Lesson]

I agree and kind of disagree.

I agree with the sentiment that they are cleaning up three messes, but disagree with an expectation of 8-8 being unreasonable. Many times have turned around within a season's time. Hell, we saw it happen in 2010 when the Rams went from 1-15 to 7-9.

 

[paceram]

I think you play to Win! And, I am probably way too optimistic but I honestly think the Rams can go 8-8 or even 9-7 this season!

 

[Yamahopper]

Bernie always likes a little wiggle room with his predictions.
But overall I thought it was a fair article.
Free passes like trophy's for participation should never be given. Wins is what counts.
With all the young players this year maybe winning has to be tempered a little with developing the talent that will get more wins in future seasons.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I think the Rams have the potential to go 8-8, anything can happen on any given Sunday. I've seen bigger upsets. This year even, my Kings were the 8th seed. No 8th seed has ever gone on to win the Stanley cup, and not only did they do it, but they went 16-4 though the playoffs, 1 road loss, and led all 4 series 3 games to 0 and knocked out the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd seed's to get to the finals.

So anything can happen. Even without crazy upsets, I can see 8 wins on this schedule easily. Say we split Arizona and Seattle, that's two.. Then Washington, Miami, Buffalo, Minnesota, are all games that we should (in theory) be able to win... Then the Jets and Bucs are also two winnable games that I could see taking if we're pretty healthy. And since I think we'll split with the 49ers as well, that's actually 9 wins that I can see us having. Doesn't mean that we will, but looking at the schedule it's not impossible.


As for the three messes, I somewhat agree with that. Although Spags wasn't by any means perfect, he did clean up some of the mess and left some quality players to be built around.

 

[Stranger]

"Fisher and Snead deserve a grace period, but only to a point"

Exactly what I would expect from Bernie. He's trying to establish a rationale that will justify the unjustifiable rants that he inevitably will deliver to the mob-fans who feed off his garbage at Ramstalk and elsewhere.

 

[Username]

I'm having a hard time following Bernie today. In his article, and on twitter. He's playing both sides very hard today.

Using a teams first preseason game as a indication for the teams future success is ridiculous. I'm not saying he's doing that at all! I'm just throwing that out there.

I disagree with his definition of "progress" for this team. Winning in the NFL is always progress. I would play anyone on this team over a rookie (or younger player) if I felt they gave the team a better chance to win. Now they're cases where that scenario runs true in the league, but the Rams are definitely not one of those cases. Unless he's talking about benching Sam or something, which I'm sure he isn't. Can anyone think of a good example?

That said I'm having a hard time reaching the point of his story.

As for the, do I think the Rams can bat .500 this year? Sure. I mean if you're asking me right now. How about you catch me down the road here a little bit on that prediction though. Not perhaps AFTER THE FIRST PRESEASON GAME. :tooth: Hahaha. Not directed at you X, just saying that the "If you believe the 2012 Rams have the horses to go at least 8-8, that's unreasonable" comment is a little ridiculous and over the top. That's how Bernie rolls sometimes though. In the end he's a passionate fan, like all of us. That's why I like him. I enjoy his stuff, just don't fully agree with him all the time. Which is fine. He's still one of my favorite writers and show host in the Lou.

 

[RamFan503]

"I will give you my prediction and expectations for the Rams 2012 season on December 30th." Bernie Miklasz

 

[Angry Ram]

Yeah. Uh-huh. If it's unreasonable, then it won't happen, and he should refrain from any criticism if the season goes as badly as he believes.

7-9 in 2010. The roster that was there then, is more experienced now. Plus more new guys.

Every team has rookie impacts, and the Rams can and will have it this year.