Flashback to when things were really bad ("Bernie" interviews "Linehan" 2007/08)

[kurtfaulk]

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As a HC Spags was scared of his own shadow. I've never seen a guy so scared to open up the offense. That guy would sit on a lead from the 1st qtr.

Let's not talk about punting the ball away with a couple of mins left on the clock when the Rams were two scores down. Balls the size of peas.

.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Vanillahan took over a good team and ran it into the ground. Spags took over a bad team and didn't improve it at all. Both were terrible. Both were good coordinators though, just BAD head coaches.

 

[Lunchbox]

I had to read this thread out of morbid curiosity if nothing else.

The Linehan era was the only era I just couldn't stand to watch Rams games.

Seeing a team completely quit on their coach and each other filled me with disgust (even if the coach did earn it).

Only time I have abandoned the Rams because they were too depressing to watch.

 

[PARAM]

Vanillahan took over a good team and ran it into the ground. Spags took over a bad team and didn't improve it at all. Both were terrible. Both were good coordinators though, just BAD head coaches.

You mean that 6-10 team, that used to be an 8-8 team? That "good team"? I know we've been through some shitty years from 2006-2016 but good is not what I'd call the 2004 and 2005 Rams. Oh yeah, we made the playoffs in 2004. Even won a playoff game. So did the 7-9 Seahawks in 2010.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I will say this...the worse the Rams have been, the easier and more fun the GDT's are to read.

The nitpicking and extreme hyperbole these last few years is pretty bad.

 

[Tron]

I will say this...the worse the Rams have been, the easier and more fun the GDT's are to read.

The nitpicking and extreme hyperbole these last few years is pretty bad.

lol I remember back in the chatroom when they sucked. Would start off everytime we scored I'd drink, then as the game got shittier and we couldn't score and got laughable I'd start drinking and celebrating 1st downs and the other team punting. We held them to a FG!!! drink time baby!! Holy shit, Craig Dahl tackled someone!!! Drink time!!!(those didn't happen often obviously).

 

[FrantikRam]

"Things may not be perfect now..."

This is one of the best Rams teams we've ever had coming into a season.

Best QB we've had coming since 2001. Deepest WR group since 2004/2005.

Defense was number one last year and we still have two of the best defensive players in the league.

Our HC has never had a losing season.

We're the 6th youngest team in the NFL.

The way some of us talk on here is BAFFLING to me. Our roster is right there with any team.

 

[VegasRam]

And …I forgot…Pillarman fired the fucking equipment manager ffs.

 

[den-the-coach]

Who was worse, Linehan or Spagnuolo? Man, we sat through some shit football.

IMO, Linehan was so much worse, Spagnuolo did not have much to work with, but he did have a Napoleon complex too. Milquetoast Linehan could not motivate a marine at a brothel and to this day, I don't how he could come off well in an interview because while addressing his team, he was a total putz.

His press conference was a complete joke, he stammered & ended every statement with the word "Okay" I thought how could someone in that profession, not have the ability to be comfortable speaking in public? I actually corresponded with Jim Thomas about this and Thomas responded by saying "Maybe Linehan comes off better in smaller groups." Again I thought, but you want to be a Head Coach and that's a dream to reach the pinnacle of your profession and you stammer and can't put two words together while addressing a bunch of reporters & players? Just outrageous.

My God, Linehan couldn't even wear a hat right.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

You mean that 6-10 team, that used to be an 8-8 team? That "good team"? I know we've been through some shitty years from 2006-2016 but good is not what I'd call the 2004 and 2005 Rams. Oh yeah, we made the playoffs in 2004. Even won a playoff game. So did the 7-9 Seahawks in 2010.

Still had Bruce and Holt, and Bulger was a pretty good QB still at that point, and several other guys from the GSOT. It's not like he had zero talent to work with.

 

[Liberator]

I'm in my late 20's so these were important years for me in terms of not just watching but understanding football.

Needless to say these years gave me PTSD to the point where when Fisher came in I thought he was a demigod let alone Mcvay lol.

 

[RamsFanCK]

 

[XXXIVwin]

FWIW

Linehan

2006: 8-8
2007: 3-13
2008: 0-4, fired.
Overall Rams record: 11-25.

Spagnuolo

2009: 1-15
2010: 7-9
2011: 2-14, fired after season.
Overall Rams record: 10-38.

So which is worse, horseshit or dogshit? Hard to say. But Fisher's "7-9 bullshit" smells better by comparison.

Long live the king, long live McVay

 

[XXXIVwin]

I will say this...the worse the Rams have been, the easier and more fun the GDT's are to read.

The nitpicking and extreme hyperbole these last few years is pretty bad.

I dunno...

Seems like in general, over the last few years, interactions on the internet have gotten even more extreme and hyperbolic.

If the Rams put in a 2-14 season a couple years from now, I'd suspect the GDT's would be unbearable.

 

[tempests]

Worst 5 year stretch in NFL history at the time.


2007-2011
15 wins, 65 losses

It's a tough record to break, but Cleveland actually tied it, from 2013-2017. Rams 6-42 from 2007-2009 was the record for three year stretch, but the Browns took that one (4-44 from 2015-2017).

 

[tempests]

Ultimately, healthy organizations need to put their HCs in a position of strength and to succeed.

Linehan had no business being a head coach, in the draft room or making any football related decisions, yet somehow he blew away the Rams front office during his coaching interview. The Rams were one of the most dysfunctional organizations in sports, didn't have a real GM or even a real scouting department. One of the oldest, most decrepit rosters in the league that was losing what little talent it had every year and no reinforcements were coming via FA or the draft. Probably the worst offensive line in the league and veteran players quitting during games. Anthony Hargrove disappearing during the season so he could go on a cocaine binge in his basement and Richie Incognito faking a stomach ache so he could get out of playing. No leadership at all, from ownership on down.

Spagnuolo took over when the Rams had the most instability at ownership, Chip and Lucia wanting to get rid of the team as soon as they inherited it. And after completely bottoming out, burning out what was left of the Linehan wreckage, they had less talent than any other team. Devaney shouldn't have been a GM, but neither him or Spagnuolo had any shot of being successful.

Fisher and Snead got the Rams drafts back on track, Day 3 picks and UDFAs improving almost immediately, and they started hitting on their first rounders, too, all of which paved the way for the Rams to finally break through. Fisher took over "need city" and made it semi-respectable. His last year with the Rams, though, was as hard to take as any of the Linehan/Spagnuolo years. It only took their first game in LA, a 28-0 shellacking, the Case Keenum "ghosts" game, for the Rams to be pummelled in the headlines and ridiculed nationwide for that effort. It did not get any better, and it was one PR humiliation after another, until the point Demoff wouldn't confirm that they had extended Fisher, because they didn't want anyone to know.

From the Rams waning days of the GSOT to the end of Fisher regime, the Rams failures had many fathers. As an organization, they needed to remake everything about them, which is one of the reasons why it took so long to finally build a playoff contender.

 

[sdakotaram]

And …I forgot…Pillarman fired the fucking equipment manager ffs.

To be fair he was the reason we were so bad.

 

[den-the-coach]

And …I forgot…Pillarman fired the fucking equipment manager ffs.

There was a reason he fired Todd Hewitt, it was because Hewitt was leaking locker-room information to Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch, that was documented and in fairness I would have fired his ass too.

 

[RamsSince1969]

Yeah I didn't need to read any of that because I lived thru it lol. Sad days

Big bro hug to you and all my fellow diehards during those dark dark days. This McVay era is some sort of alternate universe that I only dreamed about as a Rams fan.

 

[VegasRam]

There was a reason he fired Todd Hewitt, it was because Hewitt was leaking locker-room information to Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch, that was documented and in fairness I would have fired his ass too.

I actually was not aware of that - don't remember the documentation you refer to, but as you are THE "Den-the-coach", I will take your word for it. Cheers.

(Still don't like him).