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- The Dude
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bryan-burwell/burwell-losing-for-luck-is-a-stupid-idea/article_4412aa11-ab41-5770-821c-d6d9dc59f5bf.html#ixzz1h7RVbYNt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... z1h7RVbYNt</a>
[wrapimg=left]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/bd/ebd3bb48-1927-11e1-a7a8-001a4bcf6878/4ed28531af826.preview-300.jpg[/wrapimg]This 2011 Rams' season has long ago gone way off course from its predicted destination. In August, who didn't think the Rams were bound for a place called hope? But now, we're back on that familiar road to nowhere, veering so far off the original path that the Rams easily could circle right back where this supposed road to redemption began nearly two years ago.
You know the place, don't you?
It's called the top of the NFL draft.
After Sunday's rather predictable loss to Cincinnati, the Rams' record sank to a dismal 2-12, second worst in the NFL. What might have escaped some of your attention is thanks to the woeful Indianapolis Colts' first victory of the season, with two weeks to play, your Rams are in a heated three-team race with the 1-13 Colts and 2-12 Minnesota Vikings for the No.1 pick in April's draft.
That little bit of unfortunate news has set off a lot of second-guessing and downright idiotic speculation that the Rams ought to be "Losing for Luck," as in intentionally tanking games for the chance to draft Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who most draft experts are tabbing as the odds-on No.1 pick. These disgruntled folks with short memories want the Rams to tank their last two games, then hope that the Colts mess up and win their last two, which would allow the Rams to kick Sam Bradford to the curb and draft Luck with the 2012 No.1 pick.
These people, of course, are idiots.
They're misguided to think that somehow that the 2010 No. 1 pick has become some hopeless flop. They're convinced the Rams need to re-start their search for a franchise QB, and that Andrew Luck is the answer to all of the team's problems.
But it's a bad idea to write off Bradford based on the impossible circumstances of this wretched season. One of the smartest football wise guys I know, legendary former Dallas Cowboys personnel guru Gil Brandt, is a huge Bradford fan. We have talked a lot about Bradford over the past few years, and he was one of the first people who convinced me before the 2010 draft that the Rams had to go with Bradford over defensive tackle Ndamakong Suh.
He was right then, and he's right now when he says to keep believing in Bradford. Every time I see him, he always smiles and says the same thing, "So how's Sam working out?"
It isn't like he's actually looking for an answer, because he already knows the answer.
With a glint in his eye, it's Brandt's way of telling me, "I told you so."
Brandt's views haven't changed despite Bradford's rough sophomore season. He's just as convinced now that Bradford will be a star in this league as he was nearly two years ago when we had our first conversation about Bradford's potential.
So here's what I'd say to all those numbskulls who want to jump off the Bradford bandwagon: show a little more patience.
But I will say this about the Lose for Luck game plan.
It isn't such a bad idea for this franchise to position itself as close to the top of the 2012 draft as possible (not that they have a choice at this point). But imagine the good that can happen from owning the No. 1 draft pick this season. For that matter, it isn't such a bad idea to be in the Top 3 when you think about it, because a lot of teams are desperate to draft a franchise quarterback and at least three other potential franchise QBs who will be available in this year's draft — Matt Barkley, Robert Griffin III and Landry Jones.
So here's what I'd do if I were general manager Billy Devaney. I would bring Bradford into my office as soon as possible and instruct him to ignore everything he hears over the course of the next few months because it is all going to be nothing but lies, misdirection and smoke screens.
I'm not talking about the mindless internet and radio talk-show chatter. I'm talking about all the rumors that the Rams need to strategically begin floating all over the place in an effort to better position themselves for potential trades.
Yeah, if you're the Rams, you ought to start as much Andrew Luck gossip as you can, because for every team that thinks it might be seriously contemplating taking Luck, the more value that No.1pick has in trade. If the Rams end up with the second or third pick, that still leaves them in great position to dangle the pick for a trade, which would help them collect as many high draft picks as they possibly can.
The Rams already have their QB of the future.
But Bradford needs help. Lots of help. The Rams' goal heading into the offseason ought to be to accumulate as many picks as they can. If they can trade out of the top three picks, still end up with a game-breaking receiver (Justin Blackmon) and pick up more elite talent, they have to do it. And if it means conning folks to do it, do it. Please.
The top of the 2012 draft is full of intriguing talent that could immediately help the Rams: big offensive tackles who can block out the sun (Matt Kalil, Jonathan Martin, Riley Reiff); a receiver who can be a big-play threat for this offense (Blackmon); a couple of lockdown cornerbacks, too (Morris Claiborne, Dre' Kirkpatrick).
So, despite the dismal outcome of this season, there is something to look forward to over the last two weeks if you are a Rams fan. Advantageous draft position.
So here's your helpful draft-position primer. The tie breaker for the No.1 draft pick is the team with the weakest strength of schedule. Indy has the decided edge with two games to play. How much that changes over the last two games is hard to determine, mainly because all three teams share common foes (the Rams share six common opponents with Indy and four with Minnesota).
As agonizing as this lost regular season was, the pending offseason promises to be dramatically more intriguing.
[wrapimg=left]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/bd/ebd3bb48-1927-11e1-a7a8-001a4bcf6878/4ed28531af826.preview-300.jpg[/wrapimg]This 2011 Rams' season has long ago gone way off course from its predicted destination. In August, who didn't think the Rams were bound for a place called hope? But now, we're back on that familiar road to nowhere, veering so far off the original path that the Rams easily could circle right back where this supposed road to redemption began nearly two years ago.
You know the place, don't you?
It's called the top of the NFL draft.
After Sunday's rather predictable loss to Cincinnati, the Rams' record sank to a dismal 2-12, second worst in the NFL. What might have escaped some of your attention is thanks to the woeful Indianapolis Colts' first victory of the season, with two weeks to play, your Rams are in a heated three-team race with the 1-13 Colts and 2-12 Minnesota Vikings for the No.1 pick in April's draft.
That little bit of unfortunate news has set off a lot of second-guessing and downright idiotic speculation that the Rams ought to be "Losing for Luck," as in intentionally tanking games for the chance to draft Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who most draft experts are tabbing as the odds-on No.1 pick. These disgruntled folks with short memories want the Rams to tank their last two games, then hope that the Colts mess up and win their last two, which would allow the Rams to kick Sam Bradford to the curb and draft Luck with the 2012 No.1 pick.
These people, of course, are idiots.
They're misguided to think that somehow that the 2010 No. 1 pick has become some hopeless flop. They're convinced the Rams need to re-start their search for a franchise QB, and that Andrew Luck is the answer to all of the team's problems.
But it's a bad idea to write off Bradford based on the impossible circumstances of this wretched season. One of the smartest football wise guys I know, legendary former Dallas Cowboys personnel guru Gil Brandt, is a huge Bradford fan. We have talked a lot about Bradford over the past few years, and he was one of the first people who convinced me before the 2010 draft that the Rams had to go with Bradford over defensive tackle Ndamakong Suh.
He was right then, and he's right now when he says to keep believing in Bradford. Every time I see him, he always smiles and says the same thing, "So how's Sam working out?"
It isn't like he's actually looking for an answer, because he already knows the answer.
With a glint in his eye, it's Brandt's way of telling me, "I told you so."
Brandt's views haven't changed despite Bradford's rough sophomore season. He's just as convinced now that Bradford will be a star in this league as he was nearly two years ago when we had our first conversation about Bradford's potential.
So here's what I'd say to all those numbskulls who want to jump off the Bradford bandwagon: show a little more patience.
But I will say this about the Lose for Luck game plan.
It isn't such a bad idea for this franchise to position itself as close to the top of the 2012 draft as possible (not that they have a choice at this point). But imagine the good that can happen from owning the No. 1 draft pick this season. For that matter, it isn't such a bad idea to be in the Top 3 when you think about it, because a lot of teams are desperate to draft a franchise quarterback and at least three other potential franchise QBs who will be available in this year's draft — Matt Barkley, Robert Griffin III and Landry Jones.
So here's what I'd do if I were general manager Billy Devaney. I would bring Bradford into my office as soon as possible and instruct him to ignore everything he hears over the course of the next few months because it is all going to be nothing but lies, misdirection and smoke screens.
I'm not talking about the mindless internet and radio talk-show chatter. I'm talking about all the rumors that the Rams need to strategically begin floating all over the place in an effort to better position themselves for potential trades.
Yeah, if you're the Rams, you ought to start as much Andrew Luck gossip as you can, because for every team that thinks it might be seriously contemplating taking Luck, the more value that No.1pick has in trade. If the Rams end up with the second or third pick, that still leaves them in great position to dangle the pick for a trade, which would help them collect as many high draft picks as they possibly can.
The Rams already have their QB of the future.
But Bradford needs help. Lots of help. The Rams' goal heading into the offseason ought to be to accumulate as many picks as they can. If they can trade out of the top three picks, still end up with a game-breaking receiver (Justin Blackmon) and pick up more elite talent, they have to do it. And if it means conning folks to do it, do it. Please.
The top of the 2012 draft is full of intriguing talent that could immediately help the Rams: big offensive tackles who can block out the sun (Matt Kalil, Jonathan Martin, Riley Reiff); a receiver who can be a big-play threat for this offense (Blackmon); a couple of lockdown cornerbacks, too (Morris Claiborne, Dre' Kirkpatrick).
So, despite the dismal outcome of this season, there is something to look forward to over the last two weeks if you are a Rams fan. Advantageous draft position.
So here's your helpful draft-position primer. The tie breaker for the No.1 draft pick is the team with the weakest strength of schedule. Indy has the decided edge with two games to play. How much that changes over the last two games is hard to determine, mainly because all three teams share common foes (the Rams share six common opponents with Indy and four with Minnesota).
As agonizing as this lost regular season was, the pending offseason promises to be dramatically more intriguing.
