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A few weeks ago, my wife and I were having dinner at a local restaurant, when the Pastor of church stopped at our table. Knowing the I am a local sports media sort, he said: "you know, I was going to give you a call the other day. We were having a discussion at the Rectory and we could not find the date for the 1999 Super Bowl".
Rather than calling, my Pastor indicated that he telephoned the Rams offices in Earth City and found out the information on the Big Game.
Being the wise guy, I asked: "Really, how would the Rams know when the Super Bowl will be played?"
With this dose of reality, we set our sights on Macomb, Illinois for the opening of training camp and Year #4 of the Rams tenure in St. Louis.
The second year of the Dick Vermeil comeback tour is preparing for the annual season of that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League.
But as the team prepares for 1998, optimism springs eternal. From Macomb we are hearing reports such as "there's a new attitude", "Vermeil is taking more control of this team", "Lawrence Phillips is gone", "a better offensive line and a better rushing game", "a surprise playoff team". The local spin doctors (including the Rams P R staff) are trying to convince us that better days are right around the corner for our local heroes.
Sorry, boys and girls, I am not going to fall for it again this season.
It isn't going to work. Let's look at the facts: the Rams are a BAD football team/organization. We know they have the worst win/loss record of the 1990's. Since coming to St. Louis, our male sheep are 18-30. If you throw out the first four games of the 1995 season, this outfit is 14-30 (or a .318 winning percentage) during their Gateway City tenure.
Sport Magazine and the money folks in Las Vegas have the Rams ranked fourteenth out of the fifteen teams in the National Football Conference.
Team #15 is New Orleans, and perhaps that match-up is a coin flip.
NFC West Rivals San Francisco, Carolina, and Atlanta have re-tooled and improved for the upcoming season. The Home Team was 1-7 against these NFC West foes in 1997.
In the off season, the Rams courted every big name Free Agent only to see them sign with the likes of Washington, San Francisco and Green Bay. It became novel for these Free Agents to visit the Gateway City, enjoy a dinner at Tony's, and receive a contract offer from the Rams. But instead of signing on the dotted line, those athletes and their agents took the St. Louis offer to other NFL teams for the sole purpose of driving up their own salary demands.
Even Ryan M Neil, the Rams franchise player, is not happy about the upcoming season. Instead of coveting the honor, Mc Neil and his agent are willing to sit out the season, (ala: Sean Gilbert) until a trade occurs. Mc Neil does not want to be here.
If you throw in last season's questionable play calling, silly penalties, episodes of ten men on the field, logical observers can only be skeptical of this team for 1998.
But yet we are told to be optimistic.
That's why I am dedicating the 1998 N F L Season to the State of Missouri: I am declaring 1998 as the SHOW ME Season for the St. Louis Rams.
Bluntly, show me how the 1998 Rams are better than the 1997 model.
Indeed, Tony Banks is going to have to show me that he wants to become a big time Quarterback in this league. Physically, he has the tools. But, this is year #3 of his watch, and it is time for results. Please no more excuses about his basketball hobby or his dog!!
Show me a running game. Lawrence Phillips is gone so he can no longer be used as an excuse. Jerald Moore and Robert Holcombe need to step up. We have heard good things about Holcombe, but remember he played on a terrible team with a terrible offense line at Illinois. On the other hand, he may feel right at home with the Rams.
By the way, I am tired of the Iron Head Heyward saga. Either he is going to be member of the football team, or Zest Soap's permanent Spokesperson. Coach Vermeil, make a decision on Iron Head and quit holding press conferences about his weight.
Show Me Eddie Kinnison, where ever you are.
Show me an offensive line. Yes, I've heard that Orlando Pace is reportedly in the "best shape of his career", and Ryan Tucker is ready to step in, and Gerald Perry is gone, and Offensive Line Guru Jim Hannifin is working with this young group. This is all rhetoric. Bottom line, the Rams' offensive line during their St. Louis tenure has been horrible and must be improved.
You guys must allow Banks to watch these games from his feet, not on his back.
Can the defense rebound after losing Leslie O'Neal and in all likelihood Ryan Mc Neil? Is Grant Wistrom worthy of the #6 pick in the draft or is he too small?? I do not doubt that he is a good kid and model citizen, but will he be overmatched and pushed around on Sundays afternoons by NFL Veterans?? Will the undersized Linebacker core be effective in a 16 game season?
All together now: "Show Me"
Finally, Coach Vermeil, show me what you can do. Frankly, you have been a disappointment so far. Cases such as the Lawrence Phillips situation, your team's shoddy execution, and excuses ranging from injuries to headsets are no longer acceptable. We have heard you say all the right things on the sound bites so, we know that you can talk the talk. Now it's time to walk the walk.
Show me improvement, or show me the Same Old Rams.
Three years ago, the Rams owned this town. Since arriving in the Gateway City, this team went from 7-9, to 6-10, to 5-11. The Cardinals made the 1996 playoffs and have electrified the town with Mark McGwire. The Blues soared to 98 points last season, while playing before S R O crowds. The Rams are now #3 on the city's sport pecking order. P S L holders are learning that a peaceful drive in the country on Sunday afternoon is more appealing than looking for an overpriced parking spot near the Dome.
So in light of their last place schedule and hopefully improvement by some of the young players, I am once again predicting a 6-10 season for the Rams.
However, the die for this team may be cast in September. Thanks to Paul Taglibue's scheduling software, the Rams have three of their first four September games at the Dome. Should they be 1-3 at the end of September (which is not a far stretch), my 6-10 prediction may be too high.
Here's something to look forward to: the final game of the season, two games after Christmas, will in San Francisco, just about the time the Niners will be searching for home field playoff advantage.
For the record, the National Football League Website tell us that theSuper Bowl will be played on Sunday January 31,1999. On that date, either the Rams or I will have to declare "Bless me Father, for I have sinned"!!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Huss hosts "Sportstalk" on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 pm, on WGNU AM-920, St. Louis.
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