Is this Rams team likable?

[Memento]

I've lived through utter scum like Lawrence Phillips, Claude Terrell, and Richie Incognito. I've lived through shit coaching from Linehan and Spags. I've lived through incompetent GMs like Zygmunt and Devaney. I've lived through awful seasons, draft busts, free agent busts, so much negative shit on RamStalk that I left for here and never looked back.

And throughout it all? I didn't just find my team to be "likeable." I loved them. And I still do. Because they're my team.

 

[Big Willie]

This team has guys that have class and carry themselves the right way, e.g., Chris Long, Foles and James L. This team has guys that are braggadocios like JJ and Tremaine. This team has leaders that inspire in other ways like Britt. These players rarely get in trouble with the law, but some seem to have issues with substances that are not approved by the NFL, e.g., Bailey, and Watts. This team has players that are consistent underperformers like Cook, And Pead. And this team has a coaching staff with an average to slightly above average winning history. This team also has players that may be on the cusp of becoming some of the best in the league, notably, Donald, Quinn, Ogletree, and Hekker (I said may be on the cusp). What this team doesn't have is a recent winning history, consistent difference makers on both sides of the ball, and anything that makes fans believe it's recent negative history is on the verge of changing.

Is this team like able? The team has quality, character guys and I appreciate that fact. Unfortunately, I am more interested in winning than character. The team would be infinitely more like able if the players quickly ascended and played to their potential; stopped giving up huge gains in the passing and run game to slightly above average players, blocked better, and began to win the games they should win (Washington), as well as win some unexpected games (Seattle this year, Denver and Indianapolis in the recent history).

 

[-X-]

Short answer?

I like 'em.
Cash that wooden nickel in and see what you get.

 

[HometownBoy]

I love em, wouldn't be here if I didn't.

Do I think the rest of the league likes them? No, but screw them who are they anyways? There's far worse teams out there, the Hawks and Bungles come to mind.

I do agree we need to stop beating our chests for simply existing though. Not a fan of seeing guys whip out their dick to celebrate a losing effort.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

wow, alot of people are taking one loss very badly.

this team is not likable? gtf outta here.

.

 

[Sappy113]

There's a certain attitude I just can't get to grips with. Not in daily life, but especially not in sports. It's that misplaced arrogance of a player or team puffing itself up to look bigger and badder, spewing BS, but without the results, accomplishments and/or skill to back it up. So in the absence of actual results, a team will pretend to be "bad" and physical, but will often fail to be able to back it up on the field. Now, I don't mind a feisty attitude. Wanting to prove yourself and being willing to fight for it is damn near required, and I realize it's a damn fine line to distinguish one attitude from the other. But right now, this Rams team should focus on doubling down and just go out there and put all their fight in the actual plays.

And once you're good enough to MAYBE justify imitating a peacock like that, you won't need to do it anymore. You can let your accomplishments speak for you, and focus on getting that little bit better.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I have never believed in sacrificing character for talent. Fisher and Snead are all about it though. They want the best talent available regardless of character. So we end up with a lot of woulda coulda shoulda types. They are good and have undeniable skill but they have their shar of gaffes in every game that keeps them from being great. Aaron Donald is a true pro, a la JJ Watt. Those are the types that are consistently successful. The focus on their craft and aren't spewing crap on twitter or making statements on social issues.

Jenkins, and Cook are the first two I would want to replace because of the many mistakes they make. This team needs more Longs, Brockers and Donald's to set examples of working hard and not worrying about trash talking, instead of making plays.

Pretty much sums up my beliefs.

Ya know, Spagnuolo took a lot of heat for his "4 pillars"... and rightfully so, since he couldn't convert that philosophy into success.

But, what if he had?

Point being... if you win, things like character go out the window.

Spagnuolo lost (a lot)... so the 4 pillars (character) sucked.

Fisher hasn't broken .500 with the Rams, so lack of character sucks.

Gee, wish we could have both... character and success.

I want to win... but I also want to be proud of the way my favorite team conducts themselves... it's important to me.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Pretty much sums up my beliefs.

Ya know, Spagnuolo took a lot of heat for his "4 pillars"... and rightfully so, since he couldn't convert that philosophy into success.

But, what if he had?

Point being... if you win, things like character go out the window.

Spagnuolo lost (a lot)... so the 4 pillars (character) sucked.

Fisher hasn't broken .500 with the Rams, so lack of character sucks.

Gee, wish we could have both... character and success.

I want to win... but I also want to be proud of the way my favorite team conducts themselves... it's important to me.

I liked Spagnoulos philosophy. GSOT had a lot of high character players. I get that Fisher needed to fill out the roster fast but I think even he and Snead are seeing the folly of gambling on red flag players. Snead is all about the latest profiling techniques for players ability to learn and projections for success in recent years.

The same lapses of judgement that some players make in life are reflected in their lapses on the field. If there is a model to be sought should it be Marshall Faulk or Randy Moss? Torry Holt or Brandon Marshall? I want team players. Not guys that teams get tired of. I want players that get it and are willing to work as hard as the hardest workers on the team.

 

[DCH]

I liked Spagnoulos philosophy. GSOT had a lot of high character players. I get that Fisher needed to fill out the roster fast but I think even he and Snead are seeing the folly of gambling on red flag players. Snead is all about the latest profiling techniques for players ability to learn and projections for success in recent years.

The same lapses of judgement that some players make in life are reflected in their lapses on the field. If there is a model to be sought should it be Marshall Faulk or Randy Moss? Torry Holt or Brandon Marshall? I want team players. Not guys that teams get tired of. I want players that get it and are willing to work as hard as the hardest workers on the team.

Now in fairness, when boneheadedness hurts the team to a very large extent, Fisher and Snead have shown a willingness to cut bait... see Ray-Ray.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Now in fairness, when boneheadedness hurts the team to a very large extent, Fisher and Snead have shown a willingness to cut bait... see Ray-Ray.

Yes but it took they gave that guy about 15 chances. I do think they have improved on who they consider to draft these days though. However they are showing some faith in signing Fairley, that he may not deserve.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Now in fairness, when boneheadedness hurts the team to a very large extent, Fisher and Snead have shown a willingness to cut bait... see Ray-Ray.

One player and it took a lot for them to let him go. Did he cost us games? Can't remember... but I wouldn't be surprised if research showed he did.

Let's take Pead:
* Production on the field has been bad
* Suspension
* Injury (OK, not his fault.. just adds to the list)
* Fumbles
... and just this week... runs out of bounds on a ST play and runs back in bounds to make a tackle? I think High Schoolers are taught not to do that.

Just sayin'....

 

[DCH]

One player and it took a lot for them to let him go. Did he cost us games? Can't remember... but I wouldn't be surprised if research showed he did.

Let's take Pead:
* Production on the field has been bad
* Suspension
* Injury (OK, not his fault.. just adds to the list)
* Fumbles
... and just this week... runs out of bounds on a ST play and runs back in bounds to make a tackle? I think High Schoolers are taught not to do that.

Just sayin'....

That's also why I said "to a very large extent"... although Pead hasn't cost us a game. That stupid running out of bounds thing ended up not mattering, because Johnny Hekker is Odin in cleats, and the fumble last week we overcame.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I liked Spagnoulos philosophy. GSOT had a lot of high character players. I get that Fisher needed to fill out the roster fast but I think even he and Snead are seeing the folly of gambling on red flag players. Snead is all about the latest profiling techniques for players ability to learn and projections for success in recent years.

The same lapses of judgement that some players make in life are reflected in their lapses on the field. If there is a model to be sought should it be Marshall Faulk or Randy Moss? Torry Holt or Brandon Marshall? I want team players. Not guys that teams get tired of. I want players that get it and are willing to work as hard as the hardest workers on the team.

Yeah... like anything in the NFL... if your philosophy works, no one questions it. If it doesn't? Well... ask Chip Kelly how the fans (and maybe players) think of his "genius" right now.

My take on Snead and Fisher has been that they covet athletes above all else. Physical attributes. Not necessarily smarts... or character. Fisher has done a commendable job of keeping questionable character guys out of the limelight.

But smarts? Like Ron White says... "you can't fix stupid".

 

[12intheBox]

Lets talk about Pead for a sec - and I don't want to hijack the thread because it is one of the more interesting topics we have had in quite a while - but still ....

Pead hasn't been a 2nd round pick caliber player - yeah - we all know that. But don't you think that we hold his draft status against him? Imagine if he were an UDFA - would he still be on everyone's chopping block?

And yeah - this is probably the year that he gets cut - but it won't be until week 5 - and really shouldnt be. We are thin at RB right now and we are thin on special teams. If Gurley is indeed activated from here on out - then that should nix any chances that Pead sees the field on offense. Once Watts comes back - he handles the additional ST absense and is better depth at RB. But lets also admit that being a gunner isn't all that easy. In fact, one could argue that its the single toughest special teams job there is - and he is pretty good at it. If he sticks around past week 5 - thats probably why.

 

[Rmfnlt]

That's also why I said "to a very large extent"... although Pead hasn't cost us a game. That stupid running out of bounds thing ended up not mattering, because Johnny Hekker is Odin in cleats, and the fumble last week we overcame.

I thought I read somewhere that Pead came back to the bench laughing and Hekker just gave him a stare?

 

[DCH]

I thought I read somewhere that Pead came back to the bench laughing and Hekker just gave him a stare?

I hope that's not the case. If you can track down where you read that, I'd be interested to see.

 

[DCH]

Lets talk about Pead for a sec - and I don't want to hijack the thread because it is one of the more interesting topics we have had in quite a while - but still ....

Pead hasn't been a 2nd round pick caliber player - yeah - we all know that. But don't you think that we hold his draft status against him? Imagine if he were an UDFA - would he still be on everyone's chopping block?

And yeah - this is probably the year that he gets cut - but it won't be until week 5 - and really shouldnt be. We are thin at RB right now and we are thin on special teams. If Gurley is indeed activated from here on out - then that should nix any chances that Pead sees the field on offense. Once Watts comes back - he handles the additional ST absense and is better depth at RB. But lets also admit that being a gunner isn't all that easy. In fact, one could argue that its the single toughest special teams job there is - and he is pretty good at it. If he sticks around past week 5 - thats probably why.

If Pead were a UDFA, he'd have been cut his first year. I think many hold his draft status against him because there's the appearance of it being the only reason he's still on this team.

I give him huge props for finally getting some work ethic going two years ago, getting himself into the coverage teams, and playing like a UDFA fighting for a job rather than a 2nd rounder waiting to walk into a starting role. But, again, if he had been undrafted, given what he provided as a rookie, there's no way he's one of the 53.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Lets talk about Pead for a sec - and I don't want to hijack the thread because it is one of the more interesting topics we have had in quite a while - but still ....

Pead hasn't been a 2nd round pick caliber player - yeah - we all know that. But don't you think that we hold his draft status against him? Imagine if he were an UDFA - would he still be on everyone's chopping block?

And yeah - this is probably the year that he gets cut - but it won't be until week 5 - and really shouldnt be. We are thin at RB right now and we are thin on special teams. If Gurley is indeed activated from here on out - then that should nix any chances that Pead sees the field on offense. Once Watts comes back - he handles the additional ST absense and is better depth at RB. But lets also admit that being a gunner isn't all that easy. In fact, one could argue that its the single toughest special teams job there is - and he is pretty good at it. If he sticks around past week 5 - thats probably why.

If he were an UDFA, he'd be gone by now... I have no doubt.

In fact, I think it's possible he's still around BECAUSE of his draft position. Fisher wouldn't be the first head coach that hung on longer than he needed to because the player was a high round pick.

And, yes, I understand why they are hanging onto him right now... but once the RB position is solidified, if he stays, then I have to wonder how quickly Fisher is willing to cut bait.

 

[12intheBox]

If Pead were a UDFA, he'd have been cut his first year. I think many hold his draft status against him because there's the appearance of it being the only reason he's still on this team.

I give him huge props for finally getting some work ethic going two years ago, getting himself into the coverage teams, and playing like a UDFA fighting for a job rather than a 2nd rounder waiting to walk into a starting role. But, again, if he had been undrafted, given what he provided as a rookie, there's no way he's one of the 53.

That may be true - or they may see things from him in practice situations that we just aren't seeing on Sundays. The kid has moves - he really does - although I'll admit to being part of the lynch mob that wanted to run him out of town early and often.

Either way - he is contributing on ST now in a way that isn't all that easy to replace.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I hope that's not the case. If you can track down where you read that, I'd be interested to see.

How DARE you start laughing when they call that penalty on you and make Hekker have to re-kick a perfect freaking punt?! Do you understand how utterly PISSED Hekker looked when he had to re-kick the freaking ball for a third freaking time? Did you perhaps notice that he didn't stop to give you any love on the sidelines? He gave love to Hager and Marquez. He freaking ignored you, you piece of giant Tyrannosaurus crap! Because you were laughing about your idiocy while Hekker was looking and screaming at you, you freaking ASS!

(above quote) This is where I saw it... it's page 5 of the venting thred.

Might ask @Memento what he based it on.