Gateway City football fans are pining for a return of the Good Old Days.

You remember: Kurt Warner was going to smash the regular season passing record for yardage. Marshall Faulk was going to shatter the league record for all- purpose yards. The Rams were going to the Super Bowl in an undefeated season. Local media were burning the pages and the airwaves with feel good stories about our Navy and Gold Football heroes in the community, suggestions on end zone celebration performances and an invitation to spend a day a real live NFL Quarterback.

Ah yes, those were the days. Ah yes, I remember them well.

But that was then and this is now. And the landscape has changed: drastically.

For the second time in three weeks, the St. Louis Rams were defeated in a regular season National Football League regular season game. For the two touchdown favorites, this loss was dealt from someone in their own neighborhood: the NFC West Carolina Panthers.

The loss drops St. Louis' record to 7-2 in 2000. They are no longer the team with the best record in the National Football Conference. At this writing both Minnesota and the Giants have seven wins. Meanwhile, there is a new kid on the block as the New Orleans Saints currently have a 6-3 record. (Incidentally, for those of you who giggle about the team from the Bayou, you may want to do a quick comparison. In 1999, New Orleans finished with a 3-13 record. So far in 2000, the Saints are 6-3. In 1998, the Rams were 4-12. In 1999, St. Louis finished 13-3)

It is well documented that Rams played this contest without many of their weapons. Warner, Faulk and #1 place kicker Jeff Wilkins watched this contest from the sidelines. In all likelihood, with any of those three in the lineup, the Rams would have probably beaten Carolina this Sunday night. But what-ifs do not count in that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League.

The Rams should have defeated the Panthers without the trio, but simply did not.

It doesn't matter if you playing the Little Sisters of the Poor (or the University of Missouri), when you fumble the football twice, miss two reasonable field goals, manage the clock poorly and develop an offense so conservative that even Rush Limbaugh would envy, all in the warmth of your home stadium, you do not deserve to win. St. Louis gave this game away.

Also, Head Coach Mike Martz needs to take the fall in part for this loss. In all likelihood, Martz learned of Faulk's injuries during the warm-up. Also, in all likelihood, the Head Coach probably had #28 as an integral part of his game plan. Finally, in all likelihood, the Head Coach had to scramble for adjust a game plan.

This lack of foresight, in all likelihood, was a major reason for this loss.

Earlier this season, Martz jokingly took the blame when Place Kicker Wilkins was unable to perform any of his duties. He mentioned that he was looking for volunteers on the sidelines, as the media laughed in the post game interview room at the suggestion.

Meanwhile, no one was laughing this Sunday when Martz could not adjust his game plan when Faulk did not answer the bell. Carolina coach George Seifert knew this and adjusted accordingly. Seifert dared the Rams to adjust. Martz swallowed the bait and did not counter.

Whether or not Warner and/or Faulk or in the line-up or not, if you are at home with an offense that is "the Greatest Show on Earth", you must be aggressive and pro-active. The Rams approached this game offensively as trying not to lose: rather than trying to win.

Let's hope that the Head Coach realizes that you should leave nothing for chance. A good game plan includes a good back-up plan. Martz and his Rams didn't have one on Sunday.

Incidentally, has anyone seen Trung Candidate?

Our Male Sheep have also realized that a major factor that les to their Super Bowl season is now occurring in 2000: injuries. During the 1999 campaign, the Rams were relatively injury free. So far in 2000, Warner, Faulk, Wilkins, De Marco Farr and others have slipped on and off the injured reserve list. Earth City has become ER North.

Injuries are a fact of life in the National Football League. A team must be prepared for and must adjust to injuries. The Rams need to learn this lesson quickly. Their 1999 season was a fluke. Perhaps our Male Sheep should review a recent history lesson.

Flashback: Sunday afternoon September 7, 1997-Trans World Dome. The San Francisco 49ers come to St. Louis to take on the Rams in Week Two of the 1997 National Football League season and Game Two of the Dick Vermeil-St. Louis era. In Week One at the Bay, the Niners lost their All-Pro Quarterback Steve Young and their All World Wide Receiver Jerry Rice due to injury.

The Gateway City Football Fans were licking their chops as the Niners limped into town. The possibility of ending the San Francisco winning streak by Los Angeles/St. Louis had the odds makers listing the Rams as favorites.

In the end, Young and Rice watched and smiled as their teammates defeated the Home Team. San Francisco developed a successful game plan without their two All Pros.

The Home Team needs to take heed of this history lesson. Warner and Faulk will not be in the lineup until December. Deal with it! In that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League the show must go on whether you are healthy or not.

Next stop: the Meadowlands against the New York Giants. The Giants are an improved team that is tough at home and have the same number of victories as the Rams. Sunday's game could be critical in the tie-breaker/playoff makeup in January.

After Sunday, it doesn't get much easier as Washington comes to town for a Monday Night Game and the Rams will host the 6-3 Saints on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. December will feature Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans to close out the season.

It's now time for the Home Team to make a statement with or without their weapons. St. Louis can still control their own destiny if they want it. The time for feel-good, fluffy, and warm stories on the "Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams" are long gone.

Those WERE the good old days.