Jim Thomas: Strange Dynamic Surrounding Rams Lack of Urgency --Audio

[RamBill]

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was on The Hollywood Casino Press Box to discuss a variety of Rams topics as the team prepares for its Week 3 match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Listen to JT Talk Rams


Don’t you think the coaching staff should be doing everything they can to get Gurley on the field?

JT:“It’s called a sense of urgency. And it’s amazing that that doesn’t seem to be the case. The indication I’ve gotten is it would take a disaster for there to be a coaching change. I don’t know what you define a disaster as. A lot of the moves they’ve been made have not been made by a staff that feels like it’s got to win now. If you feel like you had to win now, would you not add a veteran starter on the offensive line? If you felt you really, really had to win now, would you draft a guy No. 10 overall…that it may be midseason before he’s able to take a full load. It’s a strange dynamic.

 

[12intheBox]

There is nothing strange about planning your team for the long haul. Just because most owners have quick trigger fingers and most coaches and GMs, feeling that heat, sacrifice tomorrow for a better chance at today - that doesn't mean its the right way to run a football team.

Yeah, I'd like to win now, too. But I'd rather the Rams be awesome for the next 5 years than pretty good in 2015.

 

[fearsomefour]

I would rather they be careful and thorough with Gurley than rush him out there and have him lose another year.
I don't think the team was lazy or didn't care vs Washington, they just got outplayed. The line, talent wise, between the bottom feeders and the top teams in the NFL is slim. The Rams got blown up and lost their discipline on a couple of plays and Washington played well. It happens. Shouldn't read more into it than that. The team wants to win and plays hard.
How they bounce back vs a very talented team will be interesting to see.
As for a lack of hot seat for Fisher and Co. That was clear given how they drafted to rebuild the line. If he was given a win now or else sort of thing we would have seen vet O lineman added in an effort to salvage things quickly. The fact that he was comfortable going with a line that he knew would have bad games and growing pains means he is not under pressure immediately. Given where the Rams were, really, talent wise, the worst team in the league when he got here it is a wise approach. One thing we have seen over and over....consistently winning teams have continuity in the FO and coaching staffs. Winning builds stability. For a team that has not had winning, the stability needs to be built first and that takes patience. I hope, sincerely hope, that the 2 years and out model the Rams were following for years is over for good.

 

[Prime Time]

Strange Dynamic Surrounding Rams Jim Thomas Lack of Urgency Interest

Fixed that for you.

 

[Selassie I]

Strange Dynamic Surrounding Rams Jim Thomas Lack of Urgency Interest

Fixed that for you.

Perfecto!!!

 

[DaveFan'51]

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was on The Hollywood Casino Press Box to discuss a variety of Rams topics as the team prepares for its Week 3 match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Listen to JT Talk Rams


Don’t you think the coaching staff should be doing everything they can to get Gurley on the field?

JT:“It’s called a sense of urgency. And it’s amazing that that doesn’t seem to be the case. The indication I’ve gotten is it would take a disaster for there to be a coaching change. I don’t know what you define a disaster as. A lot of the moves they’ve been made have not been made by a staff that feels like it’s got to win now. If you feel like you had to win now, would you not add a veteran starter on the offensive line? If you felt you really, really had to win now, would you draft a guy No. 10 overall…that it may be midseason before he’s able to take a full load. It’s a strange dynamic.

JT "KMA!!"

 

[DaveFan'51]

Strange Dynamic Surrounding Rams Jim Thomas Lack of Urgency Interest

Fixed that for you.

This should be Filed in the ROD "Quote of the Day" Thread!!

 

[ChrisW]

There is nothing strange about planning your team for the long haul.

I agree to a point. But, at some point you have to spend some free agency dollars to shore up the positions you neglected in the draft. In year 4 of Fisher's tenure, we still have NO depth on the offensive line. He's even running zone schemes with personnel he's set up for man blocking (but that's another thread on it's own.)

At what point do you go in another direction? I mean, I'm not saying this front office can't win. But they've had multiple first round pick drafts, and so far the only guy that's a world beater is Aaron Donald.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Did he say quick isn't playing again?

 

[blue4]

There is nothing strange about planning your team for the long haul. Just because most owners have quick trigger fingers and most coaches and GMs, feeling that heat, sacrifice tomorrow for a better chance at today - that doesn't mean its the right way to run a football team.

Yeah, I'd like to win now, too. But I'd rather the Rams be awesome for the next 5 years than pretty good in 2015.

Pretty good in 2015 would go farther towards any 5 year plan then more promises of tomorrow.

 

[ram007]

There is nothing strange about planning your team for the long haul. Just because most owners have quick trigger fingers and most coaches and GMs, feeling that heat, sacrifice tomorrow for a better chance at today - that doesn't mean its the right way to run a football team.

Disagree. Sorry buddy.

You get 3 years to build. Start winning (don't need to win super bowl this year) in 4th year so 9-7 season is a must. If 8-8 or less, Fisher should be fired. Period

 

[TheDYVKX]

JT "KMA!!"

View attachment 10532

Jim Thomas is bugging me almost as much as Bernie at this point. Every time I read or listen to him at this point, I'm just like

 

[DaveFan'51]

Jim Thomas is bugging me almost as much as Bernie at this point. Every time I read or listen to him at this point, I'm just like

I get the same feelings!! Especially when I hear his voice, in the back-ground, at a presser!

 

[12intheBox]

While I'm not in favor of extending his contract or anything crazy like that - I think finding a good coach in the NFL is easier said than done - and when the change is made - it's usually accompanied by major player personnel changes.

I'm not ready to blow this team up yet.

Let's not forget that our record over the last few years is almost exclusively with backup QBs.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I get the same feelings!! Especially when I hear his voice, in the back-ground, at a presser!

That's the worst. His voice causes me to go into a fit of rage.

You know what else I hate? When you're watching them interview a player, and they all gather around, and from that angle you can see Jim Thomas.

 

[Fatbot]

at some point you have to spend some free agency dollars to shore up the positions you neglected in the draft.

Ya the Fisher regime's free agency portfolio is really, um, interesting. But cap dollars need to match the life cycle of the team. The team has just now fully exited the initial blow up & rebuild phase, and the first draftees are set to hit second contracts. So I think it's pretty smart they didn't go nuts in free agency and can allocate the dollars to second contracts now. But I do agree they were probably a bit conservative, especially if the cap goes up exponentially in future years. If the team hits playoffs phase I think we will see them more aggressive in going after blue chip free agents, that's the proper time in the life cycle to do it.

You get 3 years to build. Start winning (don't need to win super bowl this year) in 4th year so 9-7 season is a must. If 8-8 or less, Fisher should be fired. Period

I gave this a like but retracted it since I agreed only up to the point of firing.

 

[drasconis]

While I'm not in favor of extending his contract or anything crazy like that - I think finding a good coach in the NFL is easier said than done - and when the change is made - it's usually accompanied by major player personnel changes.

I'm not ready to blow this team up yet.

Let's not forget that our record over the last few years is almost exclusively with backup QBs.

See, I tend to see the NOT blowing up of things as a sign of a good coach (there are exceptions). I think the better coaches know how to work with what they have rather than try to blow things up to suit their style. Every coach wants to put their mark on a team but the good ones limit that. It is up to a the management to find the right guy.

That said it is also on management to be able to figure out if they have the right guy and when or if to move on. If it was me JF would be on the hot seat this year (GM might be depending on who you think would be the replacement for JF - I also believe a team should always have such a list ready). so far he has made a good D (with potential for great), but his O has been atrocious - be it his lack of development there, his inconsistent coordinators, his lack of planning (QB/Oline).

 

[Rambitious1]

That's the worst. His voice causes me to go into a fit of rage.

You know what else I hate? When you're watching them interview a player, and they all gather around, and from that angle you can see Jim Thomas.

 

[SaneRamsFan]

I am still waiting until the end of the season before I make my mind up about the Fisher regime, but frankly the points Jumbo Turd makes are ridiculous. How have the free agent OL worked out for the Rams so far? Or really for anybody else. If OL are good enough to justify the contract generally they stay put. I thought Fisher had no other choice than to go the route he went. Now whether or not he should have done it sooner is whole different conversation. And my 6 year old grand daughter has enough football education to know that Gurley was the right pick. Heck the smartest guy in the room in seattle had him as the top ranked player.

 

[Athos]

I am still waiting until the end of the season before I make my mind up about the Fisher regime, but frankly the points Jumbo Turd makes are ridiculous. How have the free agent OL worked out for the Rams so far?

I wouldn't think that's really the argument.

But it's more like cutting off the foot to feed the body. (So grossly drafting D over O). I get wanting to develop one unit as elite 1st (though I've yet to see "elite" anything from this team since Fisher got here outside of Quinn and Donald).

Backed themselves into a wall starting a bunch of 2nd and 1st year NFL guys on the line.

Hell, in retrospect, I go after big, nasty, fugly O-Lineman before actual skill player weapons.

What's better? Elite skill player, or a Dallas O-Line that my grandma with a walker could gain 4.5 yards behind.