Who would have thought what a real NFL head coach can do for a young football team, that is trying to get back to winning and finding an identity? Maybe other NFL teams should try to take a page out of the Rams book? Back when the Rams hired Jeff Fisher, he wanted to bring in players to build an identity for the team. Scott Linehan, Jim Haslett, and Steve Spagnuolo weren't able to do that. The Rams locked like they were going to do well under Linehan, after his first season, when the team finished 500 at 8-8 in 2006. He later went down hill, and players on the team were upset with him. Linehan ended up being fired during the 2008 season, after starting 0-4. He finished his head coaching record with the Rams at 11-25.
After Linehan was fired, then Jim Haslett who use to coach one of the Rams former rivals in the New Orleans Saints, became interim head coach for the rest of the season. Haslett joined Linehan's staff as his defensive coordinator in 2006. Haslett finished the season in 08 after taking over for Linehan at 2-10. The Rams then began another search for a head coach. They talked to Haslett among others, like current Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett. Haslett said his plan if he were to remain as head coach, was that he wanted to bring Mike Martz back to run the offense. The Rams also talked to then Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and Rams fans got word that Jason Garrett was in town visiting Rams park.
On that night, Rams fans flooded the ticket office saying not to hire Garrett. They ended up hiring Steve Spagnuolo. Spagnuolo was said to be a hot commodity in the coaches who were rumored to be NFL head coaches in the future. Did Spagnuolo jump the gun to early? Maybe he did, who knows. But, before he even took the Rams head coaching job, the offseason before the Redskins tried to get him away from the New York Giants. Spagnuolo told them no. Spagnuolo went 1-15 in his first year as head coach, then 7-9, and then in 011 2-14. Spagnuolo was fired after the season, he finished with a record of 10-38.
So, new owner Stan Kroenke at the time went on a new search. This time the Rams were looking into both proven NFL head coaches and a few coordinators. Stan ended up reaching out for Jeff Fisher and was able to get him, when the Miami Dolphins wanted him also. Fisher had been a longtime head coach for the Tennessee Titans, he also was able to lead the to the 1999 Super Bowl, only to lose to the St. Louis Rams. He was able to work under one of the worst owners in the league, and one who didn't like the spend money and wanted lots of things done his way.
The Rams also were on a new general manager search, they ended up hiring Les Snead. At the time Snead was the Atlanta Falcons general manager's right hand man for their drafts. He took some people from the Falcons front office to work under him, after he got hired. During free agency in March the Rams made a some big free agent signings: CB Cortland Finnegan, LB Jo-Lon Dunbar, DT Kendell Langford, and center Scott Wells. They also signed some small name free agents, like center/guard Robert Turner would be one name. Pretty much all of the Rams players who they got in free agency and their draft have helped the team, even though WR Brian Quick seems like he's going to be brought along slow, before getting a bigger role.
Right now a lot because of Jeff Fisher and the Rams defense, their 6-6-1. They have three games left to play. Can they win out and make a wild card spot? I don't think so, but it would be awesome to see. I'm just glad that the Rams finally have life again. If I had to pick the biggest pick up on offense for the Rams draft, it would be WR Chris Givens and on defense it's a tie between DT Michael Brockers and CB Janoris Jenkins.
The Rams are also playing their best defense since 2006, even though they still need to work on the offense, at least they have a defense in the making. As of now heading into the offseason, if I were the Rams, I'd lock up Danny Amendola to a long-term deal, try to keep Williams Hayes, Robert Turner, and Rocky McIntosh. And if they were able to somehow keep Steven Jackson around, Jackson is a leader on the offense and on the team. Maybe try to see if Jackson would be willing to accept three years, and then after three years if he's still healthy and running well see where he is after that. Jackson has said that he wants to retire a Ram, and wants to help them get back to being a winning team. He's also a leader in the community.
Looking into the offseason, pretty much the Rams need to work on their defense a little more upgrade at FS and SS, and find another starting linebacker. Then pretty much work on offense, and on the offensive line, Scott Wells has been a big help for the offensive line, at least Wells is a start. And if guard Rokevious Watkins gets back healthy during training camp, he could help out the o-line. In all, even if the Rams don't make the playoffs I'm happy with the season in Jeff Fisher's first year as their head coach. Another odd thing is, that the coaches all get long with each other, unlike coaches who were on Linehan's and Spagnuolo's staffs.
Free agent 1B/OF Lance Berkman and the Texas Rangers have agreed to a one-year deal, worth $10 million, the deal includes a vesting option for the 2014 season, that's if Berkman reaches 550 plate appearances. The deal also includes a $1 million buyout. So, the deal could end up being worth a total of $11 million. Berkman was born in Waco, Texas and later played college baseball for Rice University in Houston. The Houston Astros would end up drafting Berkman in the 1997 MLB draft in the first round, overall he was pick number sixteen. He spent eleven and a half seasons on the Astros, before being traded to the New York Yankees in July 2010 for third baseman Jimmy Paredes and relief pitcher Mark Melancon.
