Magic of Malavasi: The Rams Like Him Archive Article 1978

[Selassie I]

So was it a mistake to fire him after his two losing seasons?

What do you think was the reason they fell off the cliff in '81 then sucked in '82?

The reason was "that woman" didn't want to pay The Italian Stallion so he left the team. That woman is the reason more than anything.

 

[RamFan503]

So was it a mistake to fire him after his two losing seasons?

What do you think was the reason they fell off the cliff in '81 then sucked in '82?

Well. If I recall right, he had some health issues in 81 and then the strike shortened year of '82.

I could be wrong about the health issues but I don't think so. But between the god awful QB play with losing Faragamo and playing 4 different QBs along with Tyler's fumblitis, it was a miracle we won as many as we did.

 

[den-the-coach]

Malavasi was a genius!

While I agree with your grand mother, not so sure Ray was a genius, I feel I was more Bud Grant then Landry. Always donned that type clothing on the sideline, however, I never donned a hat because of the fear of losing my hair and now I don't know why I feared that because I am blessed with a full head of hair.

Anyway Ray always looked sloppy to me at times always needing a haircut, but I was Chuck Knox fan plus I felt Malavasi was the consolation prize because I thought CR wanted Bill Walsh, but pivoted to George Allen at the last minute, however, found out recently that GM Don Klosterman & Carroll's son Steve wanted Cowboys Offensive Coordinator at the time Dan Reeves (he wore a suit too).

Don Klosterman & Steve Rosenbloom were against the George Allen hire because they thought he would overstep to grab more power and they were right. It was Carroll Rosenbloom that wanted Allen, I believe Bill Walsh fell out of favor because he too wanted some say in personnel that Klosterman was not willing to give up and then he went on to win 4 Super Bowls with our bitter rival.

 

[den-the-coach]

Sure wish he could have coached for another decade. I always thought it was a mistake to let him go.

I disagree letting him go was the right call and it is the only Head Coaching hire Georgia Frontier got correct, hiring John Robinson from USC. Not only because of Robinson, but with him, he bought one of the greatest OL Coaches in the history of college in the NFL in Hudson Houck & an excellent DL Coach in Marv Gaux.

Ray was very disorganized, in fact, Jack Youngblood talked about how amazed he was with Robinson over Malavasi. Again I did feel Malavasi was an excellent defensive coach, but as a Head Coach I always thought something was missing and he really never received another shot considering he had an overall record of 44-41 and had brought a team to a Super Bowl.

 

[den-the-coach]

Well. If I recall right, he had some health issues in 81 and then the strike shortened year of '82.

I could be wrong about the health issues but I don't think so. But between the god awful QB play with losing Faragamo and playing 4 different QBs along with Tyler's fumblitis, it was a miracle we won as many as we did.

He had a couple of bad years in 81 6-10 & in 82 they were 2-7 in the strike shortened year and the defense was a disaster. Firing him after the 1982 season was the right call.

 

[Allen2McVay]

He had a couple of bad years in 81 6-10 & in 82 they were 2-7 in the strike shortened year and the defense was a disaster. Firing him after the 1982 season was the right call.

Agree. It was also an aging team. The comments, in the article, by Fred Dryer about Malavasi respecting players and allowing them to police themselves, made sense and worked with the 1978 and 1979 Rams. However, the Team was different in 1982; and (in my opinion) a change was much needed.

 

[den-the-coach]

Agree. It was also an aging team. The comments, in the article, by Fred Dryer about Malavasi respecting players and allowing them to police themselves, made sense and worked with the 1978 and 1979 Rams. However, the Team was different in 1982; and (in my opinion) a change was much needed.

Plus again this was the only coaching hire that Georgia Frontier got right. She had just hired Ray Nagel (AD Hawaii) in January of 1983 to be the executive VP of Football operations and when Nagel was setting up coaching interviews beginning with Darryl Rogers of Arizona State, Georgia went to USC interviewed John Robinson and announced the hiring on Valentines Day in 83.

Ray Nagel was shocked and Georgia never informed him, Nagel thus quit after one year and went back to University of Hawaii to be their AD. However, Georgia was right in hiring Robinson and Robinson was given some power in personnel, however, under Georgia you only got so much power.

 

[RamFan503]

I disagree letting him go was the right call and it is the only Head Coaching hire Georgia Frontier got correct, hiring John Robinson from USC. Not only because of Robinson, but with him, he bought one of the greatest OL Coaches in the history of college in the NFL in Hudson Houck & an excellent DL Coach in Marv Gaux.

Ray was very disorganized, in fact, Jack Youngblood talked about how amazed he was with Robinson over Malavasi. Again I did feel Malavasi was an excellent defensive coach, but as a Head Coach I always thought something was missing and he really never received another shot considering he had an overall record of 44-41 and had brought a team to a Super Bowl.

I liked Robinson too but I liked Malavasi's offensive strategy and felt if he had any real QB play or weapons, we would have been much better and a lot more exciting to watch. Our offense had Pat Haden (and a bunch of scrubs), Wendell Tyler (who I believe had as many fumbles as he had TDs), and Drew Hill. The rest of the offensive talent was mediocre at best. Oh wait. Our best offensive talent was mediocre at best.

And you can't blame Ray for the talent level. He had virtually zero say in personnel matters.

Yeah Ray was kinda sloppy but he was a good coach. I think part of his downfall was that he was a square peg trying to be fit into a round hole. That and he never really had the offensive talent to make his offense work. He took over a team on short notice and delivered it to the SB. What followed was a front office in total disarray and what I think was a coach refusing to just go along.

 

[Classic Rams]

Plus again this was the only coaching hire that Georgia Frontier got right. She had just hired Ray Nagel (AD Hawaii) in January of 1983 to be the executive VP of Football operations and when Nagel was setting up coaching interviews beginning with Darryl Rogers of Arizona State, Georgia went to USC interviewed John Robinson and announced the hiring on Valentines Day in 83.

Ray Nagel was shocked and Georgia never informed him, Nagel thus quit after one year and went back to University of Hawaii to be their AD. However, Georgia was right in hiring Robinson and Robinson was given some power in personnel, however, under Georgia you only got so much power.

Malavasi had lost his luster after 1980 and I was ready for a change when it happened.

Nagel I remember seeing his name in the 1983 media guide and knowing he was with Hawaii for some years. I remember his son was in a wheelchair and had an attitude. He had a business a few bay doors down from ours and some days he would wheel in and the way he would talk to the owner of our co and the manager I could tell he was a piece of work. Speaking of pieces of work... Blangiardi as Hawaii mayor... the former sports color guy who ran the tv station? Hah no way.

Anyway Robinson was the right coach, but he wasn't given the right support over the years by the witch. Another piece, hey that's the 3rd one I'm setting up a museum.

 

[den-the-coach]

Nagel I remember seeing his name in the 1983 media guide and knowing he was with Hawaii for some years.

Yeah, that was one of the oddest situations. I remember watching on NFL on CBS with Brent Musburger, how Georgia Frontier brought in someone to oversee her football operations and spoke about the hiring of Ray Nagel.

Then he became a footnote because Georgia Frontiere did not allow him to do his job, she hired John Robinson without speaking to him and moving forward, Nagel had no power virtually leading him to resign after only one year and heading back to Hawaii to reclaim his former job as Athletic Director.

Ray Nagel, who was hired as the Los Angeles...​

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ray Nagel, who was hired as the Los Angeles Rams' executive vice-president Thursday, explained what that means on Friday.

'My definition of an executive is someone who makes an independent decision without getting fired for it,' Nagel said at a news conference.

Introduced by team owner Georgia Frontiere, Nagel said he is the Rams' 'chief executive officer,' which makes him accountable only to Frontiere. There will be no general manager; Nagel will be the man in charge of the team's day-to-day operations.

Nagel, lured from his post as University of Hawaii athletic director, said he will be 'very active' in the selection of a new coach to replace the fired Ray Malavasi. The Rams have no timetable for selecting one, he said, but later added: 'I'd prefer to have a coach just as soon as reasonably possible.'

He refused to identify leading candidates for the job, but called Arizona State's Darryl Rogers 'outstanding' and said the Rams would also consider Buffalo Bills Coach -- and former Rams Coach -- Chuck Knox if he could be released from contractual obligations with the Bills.

Nagel also said his hiring might be the end of the Rams' shakeup following their worst season in 20 years. He hinted that administrator of football operations Jack Faulkner and player personnel director John Math would probably remain with the team, although he refused to clarify what their roles might be.

'Throughout the entire organization, as you know, an evaluation is going on,' he said. 'I don't anticipate at this time that there's going to be a great shakeup. We've already had quite a few changes in the organization.'

Nagel also said he would be the one to make the decisions about the upcoming NFL draft. He joked that the Rams would have the inside track to Stanford's All-America quarterback John Elway because: 'He is my son Scott's best friend. They grew up together in Pullman (Wash.).'

Asked about the already overcrowded situation at the quarterback position with Vince Ferragamo and Bert Jones, Nagel said, 'I'll definitely perpetuate the quarterback controversy here. You can't destroy tradition.'

Ray Nagel, who was hired as the Los Angeles... - UPI Archives

Ray Nagel, who was hired as the Los Angeles Rams' executive vice-president Thursday, explained what that means on Friday....

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