Steven Jackson

[MFaulk107]

SJ was never one of my favorites, but I have nothing against him.
I had no complaints once we got rid of him seeing how he's old.

 

[HitStick]

I'm now convinced that SJ is the one that's snake bitten...not the Rams.

 

[ReddingRam]

I'm with y'all who say now that he is wearing another uni, I can care less. I loved hi mwhile he wore the horns ... now he is just another guy who chased the rainbow only to find that it didn't exist. I think he will seriously consider retirement now. He hasn't been able to stay healthy for a whole season for most of his career .... as age climbs, that will only get worse.

 

[had]

Mike Rumph Sunday Night Football 2004 SJ's rookie year

That is freakin' amazing that you found that.
Looks like you can see the radius buckle on contact.

Freakin' niners.

Thank you.

 

[Angry Ram]

Always a SJack fan. First jersey I owned was his. Dude was THE Ram that represented loyalty during all the hard times. Really feel for him...he really needs to win more.

 

[The Rammer]

You're welcome to have your opinion, but I don't understand why so many Ram fans don't care how SJ does after he's given so much to this team over 9 years. This is a guy who played the last half of a season with a herniated disc in his back for a team that won 1 game. The guy who never complained about the losing. Always bought into the new regimes, had the respect of coaches, teammates, and players league wide. And I don't agree with you statement: he "didn't want to be part of the solution, so he left." Really? In 2008 he was frustrated with the Rams because he had clearly emerged as a top back in the league in 2006 & 2007 and they were still paying him shyte money in the final year of his rookie contract. He wanted to commit to the Rams, but he needed a commitment from them. They had just endured a 3-13 season, Isaac had left, coaching staff was on the hot seat. He could have walked after 2008 and gone to a "better" team, but he wanted to see thing through with the Rams, help them reach the glory days again. That's all SJ ever wanted: to be a lifetime Ram and get them to the playoffs again and hoist a Lombardi Trophy once again in STL. He was the consummate pro with one of the greatest work ethics I've ever seen. To say he didn't want to be part of the solution is completely short sited. All SJ ever wanted to be was part of the solution. He wanted to return in 2013, but he also believed he could still be a bell cow in this league. The Rams wanted to get younger and couldn't find the amount of touches SJ wanted or the salary he believed he deserved. Unlike some I will always root for SJ, Ram or not because he has simply earned my respect, love, and trust for everything he did for the St. Louis Rams, it's fans, and the city of St. Louis over 9 years.




We can agree to disagree on your first paragraph. I root for Ram greats after they leave, you don't. I respect your opinion.

As for paragraph #2, yes the contract was voided. He was due $7 or $8 in 2013, and both he and the Rams knew no team (Rams included) in this league would pay him that salary at this stage in his career (ATL is paying him $5.25 M). I'm not even ripping the Rams for the decision they made; at the time I was very frustrated, but I realize at the bottom line this is a business (just ask Peyton Manning). I get wanting to get younger and splitting the carries like they did last year. What I don't believe is that SJ didn't want to be a part of the solution. He was still open to returning at a lesser salary than he was due on the voided contract, but the Rams didn't want to pay him the money to be the bell cow for their O. I don't fault either party: the Rams needed to make a business decision they thought was best for the franchise and SJ, the prideful athlete that he is, still believed he had enough to warrant starters pay.

Wow I don't know if I have read anything about SJ that gives me a better reflection of how I feel about him and our situation on letting him go. Damn good posts bro! And I'm also the same personally... I support him no matter where he goes just like most of our other players. Eventually, and make no mistake about it, our career rushing leader for this franchise will come back as and retire a Ram.... those the true Rams I support. I can't imagine hating Isaac Bruce or Tory Holt for playing a season with the Cheatriots or Whiners.... even though I was like " really? wtf?" lol

 

[The Rammer]

Mike Rumph Sunday Night Football 2004 SJ's rookie year

wow amazing Gif of the true 'Beast Mode'

 

[jrry32]

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic. His career as a starter to date has him at 38-98 (39% winning percentage). Left the Rams (presumably) to be the bell cow on a winning team that had been in the playoffs 4 out of the past 5 years, and now they're 2-8.

If he was on a team that was constantly winning, he'd probably be first ballot HOF. Now you have to wonder if he'll even be recognized when it's time to consider the class of inductees.

Disagree. I think he's a Hall of Very Good type player. Nothing against the guy. He was a complete HB but I never felt like he was the best HB in the game during his career. Don't think he was a HOF caliber player. Just my personal opinion. I respect what he did for the Rams though.

 

[Faceplant]

Agree with that ^^. SJ was a very good RB, never an "elite" one....whatever that means.

 

[Thordaddy]

I think SJ had what it took to make the Hall, and on the right team may have.
If he can get and stay healthy on a team that has had too many injuries to key all Pro caliber players ,he could get in the playoffs next year and once there who knows .
I think behind a great run blocking line like the one Emmit Smith ran behind his numbers would be or behind one like Franco Harris ran behind again the numbers would be gaudier.
He frustrated me, a lot, I thought his propensity for carrying the ball on the traffic side when running left cost him yardage when it didn't eventuate in turnovers and over a career that alone probably made 1-2 K yards difference.
Mike Jordan could dribble with either hand ,that's why he became who he did.

 

[tonyl711]

cant say I was ever that much of a SJ fan, and yes I do realize how hard he worked while he was here, but he used to drive me crazy how he would dance around behind the LOS instead of just lowering his shoulder and plowing forward (which is something I like about Stacey), as big and strong as he was he probably adds close to another 1000 yards to his carrerr totals if he just stops with the dancing. he also got on my nerves when IMO he disrespectd MF, also got on my nerves when instead of having his full attention on being a better team he decided to call the fans out for not cheering enough for a very bad team and thinking he needed to tell the Rams what music to play at games (guess that's where his dancing came from, the music was playing in his head ). Stacey is our RB now and he has my support not a Falcon or any other teams players.

 

[Thordaddy]

Been watching him tonight same old SJ gets less yards before contact than any back I've ever seen.

 

[A55VA6]

Been watching him tonight same old SJ gets less yards before contact than any back I've ever seen.

Yep. Sad but true.

 

[Tron]

Basically, i loved SJax when he was a Ram, and he gave his all every game, year in and year out, even when the Rams were the worst team over and over. I was happy when he left, not because i didnt want him to be a Ram, but because i thought he might have a chance at winning a superbowl. SJax is one of my favorite Rams ever. He was our MVP year in and year out for a long time and never complained and never wanted to be traded. He is not the best back ever, but he does play with all his heart and gave the Rams everything he had and i wish nothing but the best for him. If he was on a better team, yes, i think he would go to the HoF. I will always root for him, regardless of who he plays for, and yes, he will retire as a Ram.

He defines the Rams and the Rams fans in my eyes. Gives his all, gets nothing in return, but he still puts everything into it and hopes for the best, no matter how low the team sinks.

 

[A55VA6]

Basically, i loved SJax when he was a Ram, and he gave his all every game, year in and year out, even when the Rams were the worst team over and over. I was happy when he left, not because i didnt want him to be a Ram, but because i thought he might have a chance at winning a superbowl. SJax is one of my favorite Rams ever. He was our MVP year in and year out for a long time and never complained and never wanted to be traded. He is not the best back ever, but he does play with all his heart and gave the Rams everything he had and i wish nothing but the best for him. If he was on a better team, yes, i think he would go to the HoF. I will always root for him, regardless of who he plays for, and yes, he will retire as a Ram.

He defines the Rams and the Rams fans in my eyes. Gives his all, gets nothing in return, but he still puts everything into it and hopes for the best, no matter how low the team sinks.

Well said!

 

[Yamahopper]

I admire him because he never quit when he was here. Others I think did.
And if wasn't for him there would have been a couple 0-16 years without him.
Sometimes even a great player never has team success, just how life rolls. I don't think he will ever be a HOF'er. I think there is just to much stock put into team achievements when evaluating a single player.

 

[rams24/7]

cant say I was ever that much of a SJ fan, and yes I do realize how hard he worked while he was here, but he used to drive me crazy how he would dance around behind the LOS instead of just lowering his shoulder and plowing forward (which is something I like about Stacey), as big and strong as he was he probably adds close to another 1000 yards to his carrerr totals if he just stops with the dancing. he also got on my nerves when IMO he disrespectd MF, also got on my nerves when instead of having his full attention on being a better team he decided to call the fans out for not cheering enough for a very bad team and thinking he needed to tell the Rams what music to play at games (guess that's where his dancing came from, the music was playing in his head ). Stacey is our RB now and he has my support not a Falcon or any other teams players.

I think the bolded a common misconception of SJ. It's not that he couldn't or wouldn't put his shoulder down and plow for a short gain if nothing was there. Our OL (interior in particular) was simply atrocious over the 5-year span from 2007-2011. This is a line that was headed by guys like JSmoothe, Jacob Bell, Jason Brown, Adam Goldberg, to name just a few. The best OL he had in that span (07-11) were Pace (banged up his last 2 years as a Ram), Cogs (a hot head), and Saffold (healthy for 16 only once). And what do you know, his career year (2006) was when he had at least a decent OL (Pace, Cogs, McCollum, Timmerman, Barron) & an offense that had several threats outside of him. Its no mystery as to why teams began to load the box again SJ in 2008-2011 as the Rams began to lose Holt, Bruce, etc. So YES, Jack had to "dance" at times when he faced 8 & 9 man fronts, but I think his "dancing" had more to do with immediate A gap or B gap penetration off the snap, than SJ just getting cute. And as he got older (2011-2012) we didn't see much of an improvement in the lines, but there was an obvious decline in SJ's lateral agility and initial acceleration. Couple the decline in physcial skills and an average OL and, of course SJ will start losing more yardage than he used to. When he was younger (2004-2010), I can't tell you how many times I saw him break through tackles 4 & 5 yards behind the line because of his sheer power and accel, not to mention his lateral agility was elite for a guy his size. Its like hitting a freight train!

So generalizing him as "dancing" behind the LOS is inaccurate imo, because his lines were so poor, he often faced 8-9 man boxes, and his OL didn't improve as his skills diminished. I'd say the "dancing" problem had more to do with the other 10 on O, than SJ39

 

[Faceplant]

He defines the Rams and the Rams fans in my eyes. Gives his all, gets nothing in return, but he still puts everything into it and hopes for the best, no matter how low the team sinks.

Pretty sure SJax got a bunch of game checks from the Rams. Not small ones either. He definitely earned them, but lets not kid ourselves. The only thing he didn't get in return was TDs or wins unfortunately. Of course, that could be what you meant in the first place, haha.

 

[Thordaddy]

Pretty sure SJax got a bunch of game checks from the Rams. Not small ones either. He definitely earned them, but lets not kid ourselves. The only thing he didn't get in return was TDs or wins unfortunately. Of course, that could be what you meant in the first place, haha.

I'd take that "nothing" any day.
If he hadn't "given his all" THEN he'd have GOTTEN nothing.

 

[The Rammer]

Basically, i loved SJax when he was a Ram, and he gave his all every game, year in and year out, even when the Rams were the worst team over and over. I was happy when he left, not because i didnt want him to be a Ram, but because i thought he might have a chance at winning a superbowl. SJax is one of my favorite Rams ever. He was our MVP year in and year out for a long time and never complained and never wanted to be traded. He is not the best back ever, but he does play with all his heart and gave the Rams everything he had and i wish nothing but the best for him. If he was on a better team, yes, i think he would go to the HoF. I will always root for him, regardless of who he plays for, and yes, he will retire as a Ram.

He defines the Rams and the Rams fans in my eyes. Gives his all, gets nothing in return, but he still puts everything into it and hopes for the best, no matter how low the team sinks.

I think the bolded a common misconception of SJ. It's not that he couldn't or wouldn't put his shoulder down and plow for a short gain if nothing was there. Our OL (interior in particular) was simply atrocious over the 5-year span from 2007-2011. This is a line that was headed by guys like JSmoothe, Jacob Bell, Jason Brown, Adam Goldberg, to name just a few. The best OL he had in that span (07-11) were Pace (banged up his last 2 years as a Ram), Cogs (a hot head), and Saffold (healthy for 16 only once). And what do you know, his career year (2006) was when he had at least a decent OL (Pace, Cogs, McCollum, Timmerman, Barron) & an offense that had several threats outside of him. Its no mystery as to why teams began to load the box again SJ in 2008-2011 as the Rams began to lose Holt, Bruce, etc. So YES, Jack had to "dance" at times when he faced 8 & 9 man fronts, but I think his "dancing" had more to do with immediate A gap or B gap penetration off the snap, than SJ just getting cute. And as he got older (2011-2012) we didn't see much of an improvement in the lines, but there was an obvious decline in SJ's lateral agility and initial acceleration. Couple the decline in physcial skills and an average OL and, of course SJ will start losing more yardage than he used to. When he was younger (2004-2010), I can't tell you how many times I saw him break through tackles 4 & 5 yards behind the line because of his sheer power and accel, not to mention his lateral agility was elite for a guy his size. Its like hitting a freight train!

So generalizing him as "dancing" behind the LOS is inaccurate imo, because his lines were so poor, he often faced 8-9 man boxes, and his OL didn't improve as his skills diminished. I'd say the "dancing" problem had more to do with the other 10 on O, than SJ39

You guys make me feel warm inside knowing there are Ram fans out there with the sense of football rather than ' what have you done for me lately' attitude. The same attitude that drove Warner out of town as well. Wish I could give you two more Kudos (not the breakfast bar) than just a like.