What Rams HC Were You Wrong About?

[Loyal]

I like the joke gifs I have on Jeff Fisher because I am regretful about my rabid support of him in the beginning. He was a really good coach who took us from the NFL trash heap to respectability, but then hit a brick wall at 7-9. I watched and re-watched the Super Bowl 34 victory tape, over and over, and I liked his fiery tenacity. That last drive where Dyson was tackled by Mike Jones on the one yard line is equal in my mind, to the Warner-Ike Bruce TD in that game. Fisher inspired Eddie George and McNair, "Look at em! They're celebrating! Get in the game!." We were celebrating, and George was ripping our defense's heart out. DMarco Farr said they could not have stopped him if they had handed the ball to him, instead of throwing to Dyson because the Rams defense was tired and wrecked. Even though I loved Fish's tenacity, I should have gotten a glimpse of his fatal flaw in that last play. It should have been a run up the gut with George, but Fisher thought he was smarter (or his OC) than everyone else, and lost the game.

* I can't claim that I knew Sean McVay would be as good as he has been, but I hoped.
* Jeff Fisher: Good coach who should not have player personnel powers. I was wrong about him.
* Steve Spanuolo: DC of the Super Bowl winning NY Giants, but didn't know what a control freak he would be as HC. I was neutral on Spags.
* Scott Linehan: definite WTF? Supposed to be an offensive guru, but was no McVay. I wasn't wrong about him.
* Mike Martz: Brilliant OC. He was Vermeil's mad scientist, however, like Icarus. he flew too close to the sun. We should have won Super Bowl 36, but we won't gto into that.
* Dick Vermeil: loved this guy, but I thought he was a retread HC after his burnout in Philly. I was delightfully wrong about him.
* Rich Brooks: totally wrong about him. I was an Oregon Ducks fan and he was a semi-legend in Eugene, so I expected great things from him.
* Chuck Knox: Again? I was right that he was going to fail, again.
* John Robinson: Former USC National Championship winning HC. I expected great things from him and he did well, on the back of Eric Dickerson, Jim Everrett, & Co. No Super Bowl.
* Ray: Malavasi Never heard of the guy when he took over for Chuck Knox. He led us to a Super Bowl, so there is that.
* Chuck Knox: I wasn't too aware about the original hiring of him at my young age. It did seem to me that he was too reliant on running the ball and he never found an answer to the QB question. He screwed up (or Carrol Rosenbloom did) when they got rid of Ron Jaworski.
* Tommy Prothro: Man, I don't remember him at all. I remember players from his two seasons as HC, but not him.
* George Allen: Charismatic HC. I vaguely remember him from when I was young, but more so when he was the HC of the Redskins and the "Over the Hill Gang." I have no clue how @den-the-coach remembers him so well, because I am a little older than den and he remembers so much.

1969 Was when I became a fan of the Los Angeles Rams, so that is where my HC memory began.

So what are your hits and misses as far as predicting how well a HC would do for the Rams? Were you right about Robinson, Vermeil, Martz and McVay? Who were your wrong about. You know who I was most wrong about....

 

[den-the-coach]

* George Allen: Charismatic HC. I vaguely remember him from when I was young, but more so when he was the HC of the Redskins and the "Over the Hill Gang." I have no clue how @den-the-coach remembers him so well, because I am a little older than den and he remembers so much.

1969 Was when I became a fan of the Los Angeles Rams, so that is where my HC memory began.

So what are your hits and misses as far as predicting how well a HC would do for the Rams? Were you right about Robinson, Vermeil, Martz and McVay? Who were your wrong about. You know who I was most wrong about....

Born in 66, had an Uncle that was four years older born in 62 and provided me with quite a bit of sports knowledge that to this day I remember, but he forgot. However, my Uncle partied a bit more than me. Also the internet & YouTube is a valuable resource.

Great post, loved Knox in 73-78 not so much 92-94. George Allen came back in 78 and only lasted 2 preseason games, so history taught us not to bring back former Head Coaches.

 

[Loyal]

Born in 66, had an Uncle that was four years older born in 62 and provided me with quite a bit of sports knowledge that to this day I remember, but he forgot. However, my Uncle partied a bit more than me. Also the internet & YouTube is a valuable resource.

Great post, loved Knox in 73-78 not so much 92-94. George Allen came back in 78 and only lasted 2 preseason games, so history taught us not to bring back former Head Coaches.

I forgot about Allen in 1978.... I lived in a black hole back then coverage wise. Didn't get much Rams pre-season news in Conroe, Texas in 1978. Just armadillo beauty contests, Lonestar beer commercials and Houston Oilers.

 

[thirteen28]

I like the joke gifs I have on Jeff Fisher because I am regretful about my rabid support of him in the beginning. He was a really good coach who took us from the NFL trash heap to respectability, but then hit a brick wall at 7-9. I watched and re-watched the Super Bowl 34 victory tape, over and over, and I liked his fiery tenacity. That last drive where Dyson was tackled by Mike Jones on the one yard line is equal in my mind, to the Warner-Ike Bruce TD in that game. Fisher inspired Eddie George and McNair, "Look at em! They're celebrating! Get in the game!." We were celebrating, and George was ripping our defense's heart out. DMarco Farr said they could not have stopped him if they had handed the ball to him, instead of throwing to Dyson because the Rams defense was tired and wrecked. Even though I loved Fish's tenacity, I should have gotten a glimpse of his fatal flaw in that last play. It should have been a run up the gut with George, but Fisher thought he was smarter (or his OC) than everyone else, and lost the game.

* I can't claim that I knew Sean McVay would be as good as he has been, but I hoped.
* Jeff Fisher: Good coach who should not have player personnel powers. I was wrong about him.
* Steve Spanuolo: DC of the Super Bowl winning NY Giants, but didn't know what a control freak he would be as HC. I was neutral on Spags.
* Scott Linehan: definite WTF? Supposed to be an offensive guru, but was no McVay. I wasn't wrong about him.
* Mike Martz: Brilliant OC. He was Vermeil's mad scientist, however, like Icarus. he flew too close to the sun. We should have won Super Bowl 36, but we won't gto into that.
* Dick Vermeil: loved this guy, but I thought he was a retread HC after his burnout in Philly. I was delightfully wrong about him.
* Rich Brooks: totally wrong about him. I was an Oregon Ducks fan and he was a semi-legend in Eugene, so I expected great things from him.
* Chuck Knox: Again? I was right that he was going to fail, again.
* John Robinson: Former USC National Championship winning HC. I expected great things from him and he did well, on the back of Eric Dickerson, Jim Everrett, & Co. No Super Bowl.
* Ray: Malavasi Never heard of the guy when he took over for Chuck Knox. He led us to a Super Bowl, so there is that.
* Chuck Knox: I wasn't too aware about the original hiring of him at my young age. It did seem to me that he was too reliant on running the ball and he never found an answer to the QB question. He screwed up (or Carrol Rosenbloom did) when they got rid of Ron Jaworski.
* Tommy Prothro: Man, I don't remember him at all. I remember players from his two seasons as HC, but not him.
* George Allen: Charismatic HC. I vaguely remember him from when I was young, but more so when he was the HC of the Redskins and the "Over the Hill Gang." I have no clue how @den-the-coach remembers him so well, because I am a little older than den and he remembers so much.

1969 Was when I became a fan of the Los Angeles Rams, so that is where my HC memory began.

So what are your hits and misses as far as predicting how well a HC would do for the Rams? Were you right about Robinson, Vermeil, Martz and McVay? Who were your wrong about. You know who I was most wrong about....

Spags is the one I was wrong about. He was still basking in the glow of the Giants D shutting down the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl, sending them home at 18-1 and the Giants home with a ring. He turned out to be a disaster and did even worse than his awful predecessor.

When they re-hired Ground Chuck, I was so bummed, I nailed that one, but then again, I think just about everybody did.

I was hopeful with McVay, but after 12 years of The Great Suck, I tempered my hopes and wouldn't have dared hope he would be as good as he actually has.

Tommy Prothro shouldn't have been a head coach - he should have been a GM. His teams underachieved on the field, but goddam he could draft . In both of his head coach jobs he got fired from - the Rams and the Chargers - he left the cupboards pretty well stocked for his successor. A season after Prothro's Rams went a Fisher-like 6-7-1, Knox went 12-2 with a lot of Tommy's picks (e.g., see Youngblood, Jack; Robertson, Isiah; McCutcheon, Lawrence) as major contributors. Don Coryell took over Prothro's 1-4 Chargers team in 1978, and went 8-3 for the remainder of the season - again with a number of Prothro's players as principle contributors (e.g., John Jefferson, Louie Kelcher, Fred Dean, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson). The next year Coryell took them to 12-4, a division title, and their first playoff appearance in 14 years. The guy clearly knew how to identify talent, he just didn't know how to utilize it.

 

[Angry Ram]

I can only go back to Linny. I was a high school junior when he got hired and was WTF? I'd figure they want to go DC that year b/c 2005 defense was garbage. Ron Rivera was the one I wanted, but if I remember he didn't want to be HC at the time.

HYPE for Steve Spagnolo. 2nd year in college and I remember listening to his intro call. A bunch of fans called in and were also HYPE. He lost me in that game against the shitbirds when SJack literally screamed at the bench to give him the damn ball.

Jeff Fisher, wasn't too excited. Kinda meh, while it seem everyone was excited to get a "proven" HC after the last 2 coordinators. I did grow to like him over the years though, and with him you know they had a chance to win every game. Or lose a game by 30+ points.

Sean McVay, as I got older and wiser I was completely neutral. Didn't hold his Washington experience against him, didn't care about his age. Just wait and see, and well. Here we are.

 

[badnews]

I was wrong about Fisher.

I had always believed and said that Fisher was an 8-8 head coach. It's not easy to admit that I was wrong... but I was. He was a 7-9 head coach, or, at best, a 7-8-1 HC.

 

[1maGoh]

I got pretty effing excited for Martz, Linehan, Spagnoulo, and Fisher. I get excited about every head coach. I can't help but look at the positives and the possibilities.

 

[Selassie I]

I've been wrong on ALL of them going back to Knox Part 1.

 

[majrleaged]

I've been wrong on ALL of them going back to Knox Part 1.

This

 

[CGI_Ram]

I was most wrong on Martz and Fisher.

Martz in our current environment might have thrived. But whatever back fighting was going on with the toxic management at that time was too much for him. Someone like Snead might have worked with him.

Fisher I saw as a 10yr coach type. Players seemed to like him, and respected him. That’s huge this day and age. But he never found a real offensive coordinator and that was his own fault. Fisher wasn’t building his staff with McVay and Staley types. He was too conservative to let a young mind take over.

Those two I had higher hopes for.

 

[Loyal]

I was most wrong on Martz and Fisher.

Martz in our current environment might have thrived. But whatever back fighting was going on with the toxic management at that time was too much for him. Someone like Snead might have worked with him.

Fisher I saw as a 10yr coach type. Players seemed to like him, and respected him. That’s huge this day and age. But he never found a real offensive coordinator and that was his own fault. Fisher wasn’t building his staff with McVay and Staley types. He was too conservative to let a young mind take over.

Those two I had higher hopes for.

There was no way that Fish would cede real control of the Offense, if ball control wasn't part of the equation. Sean would never have been hired here under him.

 

[Stump23]

Started with Knox part 1. Loved the team....Namath at QB (semi rookie Haden, rookie Ferragamo on bench). Loved Cappelletti/McCutheon running game. Cullen Bryant tough #3/Kick Returner. Remember being bummed Knox went to Buffalo. Allen part 2 was a cluster. Remember he ran training camp like a drill seargeant and the veterans revolted....think they told Carroll to fire him or they would quit. Enter fat boy Ray.....loved him. One of the first to wear a headset. Dipped Copenhagen and slobbered it all over his shirt. Kinda like Luther in Coach, but a legit coach. Still think we should have beat the Steelers.....Robinson.....wasn't sure about the transition to the NFL, but when they drafted my favorite Ram of all time, absolutely loved him. No need to talk about how that turned out. Knox part 2 was complete shit. Hated the move.....even getting Bettis/Sean Gilbert/Marc Boutte didn't help. Not enough lipstick for that pig...Chris Miller/Shane Millen ugh! Great players in their prime but just couldn't put it together for us.....Rich Brooks--enough said. Agree with everyone else on the rest....thought Fisher was the answer....loved the McVay choice. Yes a gamble, but there was so much upside and Stan was pot committed to LA. Needed a splash in a huge way and it has paid off nicely......can't wait to see how this unfolds over the next few years, God willing!

 

[Neil039]

I've been wrong on ALL of them going back to Knox Part 1.

Umm DITTO

 

[sjm1582002]

Fisher, at the time, was the top prospect out there and we got him over Miami.

I was quite pleased with his hire.

He never found his version of a Martz and those predictable and primitive offenses proved his downfall.

His players (with the notable additions of Whit, Wood, and Sully) went 11-5 and earned a playoff berth the year after he was replaced so the talent was there all along.

Five lost years.

 

[Loyal]

Fisher, at the time, was the top prospect out there and we got him over Miami.

I was quite pleased with his hire.

He never found his version of a Martz and those predictable and primitive offenses proved his downfall.

His players (with the notable additions of Whit, Wood, and Sully) went 11-5 and earned a playoff berth the year after he was replaced so the talent was there all along.

Five lost years.

 

[Mackeyser]

I nailed Vermeil when he got Martz as OC and McVay. I went on and on as I do that McVay was the wunderkind we needed.

I was totally wrong about Martz as HC as well as Spags.

I gave Fisher the BoD, but was wrong there, too.

As for John Robinson, if they pay Dickerson, I think we hold up a Lombardi. Those teams were so damn close…

 

[Boston Ram]

Fisher and McVay lol

 

[thirteen28]

As for John Robinson, if they pay Dickerson, I think we hold up a Lombardi. Those teams were so damn close…

I just wonder what could have been with Dickerson in the backfield after Zampese came in and they had Everett, Ellard, Flipper, and Pete Holohan. That offense would have been very difficult to stop.

 

[Zodi]

McVay. I didn't think he had significant experience in the league and was way too young to lead a group of NFL players. I could not have been more wrong and I'm so glad that I was. I remember wanting us to go after McDaniels or Lynn. Gross.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Brooks