NEW: Rams Fortify Fisher O and Cement Identify Via 2015 NFL Draft

[STL-Rams]

Rams on Demand, I hope all is well. I want to briefly explain why I have been gone from this forum of late. I LOVE this forum, BUT I have been almost exclusively covering the stadium situation the last few months and that isn't a topic that is really desired here -- which I can fully understand why.

All that said, I have an actual on-field football column out again today -- which was refreshing for me to put together for a change -- and I wanted to share it for those who may be interested.

I think many of you may like it. It details why the Rams are now set up in the same manner that the Titans were in the years that Fisher won big there. Again, glad to be back. Hope everyone is doing great here at ROD:

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLc...ffense-Cement-Identity-in-2015-NFL-Draft.aspx

 

[junkman]

Welcome back, Shane. Always a pleasure to read your stuff!

Only suggestion, perhaps you could find a picture of Haverstein where he doesn't look like such a blubber-boy. Might I suggest:
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/...-football-texas-el-paso-wisconsin-850x560.jpg

I've been railing all day against stl media (Jim Thomas, Jeff Gordon, Randy Karraker) who've got some bizarre axe to grind, or are perhaps just trying to drum up ratings by whining a lot. Your piece did a perfect job of tying Fisher's past to his present, an approach that was apparent to us real rams fans since the day he arrived. Well done!

 

[Alan]

Good to have you back Shane. I'm looking forward to reading your stuff again.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Love to read your take on the ever so convoluted stadium situation Shane.
Maybe you can link it in the appropriate Sticky thread?
Always nice to hear from you and keep us up to date here at the #1 Ram forum The ROD

 

[Jorgeh0605]

All right! Love reading your stuff!

 

[STL-Rams]

Welcome back, Shane. Always a pleasure to read your stuff!

Only suggestion, perhaps you could find a picture of Haverstein where he doesn't look like such a blubber-boy. Might I suggest:
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/...-football-texas-el-paso-wisconsin-850x560.jpg

I've been railing all day against stl media (Jim Thomas, Jeff Gordon, Randy Karraker) who've got some bizarre axe to grind, or are perhaps just trying to drum up ratings by whining a lot. Your piece did a perfect job of tying Fisher's past to his present, an approach that was apparent to us real rams fans since the day he arrived. Well done!

Thanks so much for the kind words, Junkman. I appreciate it. Hope you are well. I'm glad you enjoyed and appreciated the piece and got what I was getting it.

As for your photo, that's a great one. However, I do not select those.

 

[STL-Rams]

Good to have you back Shane. I'm looking forward to reading your stuff again.

Glad to be hear. I have almost exclusively been on stadium coverage or I would be hear with each new feature. Always love this board and you are one of the reasons why.

If you are on twitter, you can catch all of my work via @ShaneGmoSTLRams. If you add me there, please let me know and I will be sure to follow back. Take care, Alan.

 

[STL-Rams]

Love to read your take on the ever so convoluted stadium situation Shane.
Maybe you can link it in the appropriate Sticky thread?
Always nice to hear from you and keep us up to date here at the #1 Ram forum The ROD

rdlkgliders, I am not sure if you are aware but you can catch all of my stadium features at insidestl.com or just go to InsideSTL and you can find my full archive of all my stadium reports there from the time I joined up with CBS Sports 920 until now. You may recall I began covering the topic several years ago with BR and then made a short stop with Missouri Sports Magazine before joining 101sports.com/101ESPN at the beginning of 2013. From there, I landed with InsideSTL last year and have been there since that time.

Anyhow, message me if you have any specific questions either here or on twitter and keep in touch anytime.

 

[STL-Rams]

All right! Love reading your stuff!

Big thanks, Jorgeho605. I appreciate that very much. As stated above, you can check my full archive at insidestl.com or always keep up with me at @ShaneGmoSTLRams on twitter. Thanks again for the kind words.

 

[NJRamsFan]

Great article. I agree with mostly everything you had to say. Just out of curiosity , what percentage of carries do you think Gurley/Mason will get this year?

Btw that's cool of you to respect our wishes in regards to stadium talk...you've gained a new fan

 

[RamzFanz]

I totally agree that the Rams will be doing a lot of ground and pound.

However, I think the passing game is going to be a major part each game until we have a solid lead. Too much talent to ignore.

Of course, with this D, that may more often come sooner than later.

My kingdom and all my horses for a shutdown corner.

Have we ever told you you're our favorite analyst? Well, you are.

 

[Big Game]

Loved the article. I totally agree with what you stated in the article about the pieces being in place for Fisher to run his offense.

And even though it will feature the run I feel as if they will still use the weapons they have in the passing game a little more effectively.

Considering who we have and the guys we drafted. This team has become a "huge" team. With the OLinemen now all over 6'3 in height and weighing in around the 300's. The QB's are now over 6'4 in height and all but two of the WR's and TE's are over 6'2.

Hopefully everything works out this year for us to see playoff football and an above .500 record.

 

[Prime Time]

BUT I have been almost exclusively covering the stadium situation the last few months and that isn't a topic that is really desired here -- which I can fully understand why.

Good to read your articles and comments, Shane, as always. But I don't agree that the stadium topic isn't desired here. The biggest thread in ROD history is exactly about that topic and now has over 100,000 views and getting close to 6,000 posts. It's just that we've contained that talk in one thread so we can better control it in case any St. Louis vs. LA arguments break out.

You are always welcome to post your articles and thoughts in that thread and they will be read and commented on I guarantee.

 

[blackbart]

Welcome back Shane nice read. Glad to see someone tying it all together with Fisher's past. To me they seemed to have a great plan at rebuilding this franchise and showed it with their attention to the Oline in this draft as the one glaring area that had not received the influx of young talent. I hope they can put it all together in 2015 but there are a lot of new pieces to mold. Should be a continuation of an upward swing in the NFCW let's hope for a healthy year to build on.

 

[Selassie I]

Nice read Shane!

Please don't shy away from posting your stadium stuff in the stickied thread @STL-Rams

My vote would be for you to take over the Ram coverage at the PD.

 

[STL-Rams]

Great article. I agree with mostly everything you had to say. Just out of curiosity , what percentage of carries do you think Gurley/Mason will get this year?

Btw that's cool of you to respect our wishes in regards to stadium talk...you've gained a new fan

NJRamsFan, I appreciate that very much. Thank you.

As for percentage break down, once Gurley is good to go and deemed 100%, I think he will get about 65 to 70% of the carries. Another 25% or so to Mason and what's left over to Cunningham.

If you are following me on twitter (@ShaneGmoSTLRams) let me know and I will be sure to follow you back. If you aren't already, let me know when you do and I will add you.

 

[STL-Rams]

I totally agree that the Rams will be doing a lot of ground and pound.

However, I think the passing game is going to be a major part each game until we have a solid lead. Too much talent to ignore.

Of course, with this D, that may more often come sooner than later.

My kingdom and all my horses for a shutdown corner.

Have we ever told you you're our favorite analyst? Well, you are.

RamzFanz, ALWAYS a pleasure to read your posts and interact with you. I sincerely mean that.

Thanks so much for the wonderful words. They mean a great deal to me. Hope you will enjoy my Rams positional grades later this week. I will post the feature here on ROD when it comes out. Have a great day and a great week.

 

[STL-Rams]

Loved the article. I totally agree with what you stated in the article about the pieces being in place for Fisher to run his offense.

And even though it will feature the run I feel as if they will still use the weapons they have in the passing game a little more effectively.

Considering who we have and the guys we drafted. This team has become a "huge" team. With the OLinemen now all over 6'3 in height and weighing in around the 300's. The QB's are now over 6'4 in height and all but two of the WR's and TE's are over 6'2.

Hopefully everything works out this year for us to see playoff football and an above .500 record.

Thank you, Big Game. Good hearing from you again.

I agree with your analysis and I think a better run game will make the pass game better -- particularly with the emphasis on play action. A full, healthy year of Brian Quick should help as should the continued maturation of Austin and Bailey. Consistent QB play from Foles a la his 2013 year would obviously be huge.

As you ended with, an above .500 record and postseason play would be quite refreshing. If Foles can play solid football, both are very possible.

 

[STL-Rams]

Good to read your articles and comments, Shane, as always. But I don't agree that the stadium topic isn't desired here. The biggest thread in ROD history is exactly about that topic and now has over 100,000 views and getting close to 6,000 posts. It's just that we've contained that talk in one thread so we can better control it in case any St. Louis vs. LA arguments break out.

You are always welcome to post your articles and thoughts in that thread and they will be read and commented on I guarantee.

Thank you my friend. Hope all is good with you Prime Time!

As for the stadium topic, I could have and should have worded my comment better therein. My apologies for wording that poorly, as you and other great mods here made it clear to me that stadium related features and updates are more than welcome in the aforementioned thread that you described.

From now on, I will be sure to add my stadium updates to the stadium thread (and I should have all along).

Have a great week, Prime. Thanks as always for the support and friendship.

 

[STL-Rams]

Welcome back Shane nice read. Glad to see someone tying it all together with Fisher's past. To me they seemed to have a great plan at rebuilding this franchise and showed it with their attention to the Oline in this draft as the one glaring area that had not received the influx of young talent. I hope they can put it all together in 2015 but there are a lot of new pieces to mold. Should be a continuation of an upward swing in the NFCW let's hope for a healthy year to build on.

Thanks for the welcome back, blackbart! Appreciate it. I'm glad you liked the connections I made re: Fisher, the Titans and what works with Fisher teams. I feel many folks have overlooked that. I'm glad you appreciated the effort made to show that this draft helped set up Fisher to win big in the only manner that he has: a potent run game, stout D and solid QB play off of play action.