http://youtube.com/watch?v=mU9_Q7PJuNQ
Ignore, for a moment, the won-loss record. Put aside, in your mind, the fact that we are currently running a 63-point deficit in the NFC West, and haven’t faced the defending champs yet. Cast out the troublesome thoughts of next week’s opponent. We knew this re-evolution of the Rams wasn’t going to come easy. Unit by unit, this team must learn how to compete at the NFL level before the team can win.
Coach Spagnuolo continues to display a patience seen in very few people, as he repeats his four pillars mantra to the team, the media, and the fans alike:
For the Rams to start winning, though, they might need to move into the third division of the NFL, and play against their peers.
I’ve often thought that it’s a little unfair for the top overall pick in the draft to be dangled like a reward, for teams like the Rams, the Browns, Chiefs or the Bucs who have seemingly little to gain from competing. Why not, after you lose each game you’re expected to lose, just continue to lose? There’s little to gain from winning two or four games, in the current system, unless you count pride (or don’t want to pay for high picks).
Instead, I’d like to propose something more radical: 3/4 of the way through the season, once the first slate of division games and all intra-division games are done, take the worst teams, the most hopeless teams, and put them in their own group. Build a bracket system, and reward the winner of that bracket with the first overall draft pick. It’d be better than the season-ending suckfest we have today, and better than the lottery system they use in the NBA.
Think about it: Rams fans have to acknowledge that this is not our year. But at the same time, regardless of our offensive woes, I bet we could put a run together against the Bucs, Browns, Lions, Chiefs, and Seahawks. Toss the Redskins, Raiders, and Panthers in there for good measure, and you have a full bracket. It would be like Thunderdome, but for losers.
The league has to do something with these shitty teams. I mean, just look at the Fox lineup for this Sunday’s 1:00 games:
Cowboys (2-2) at Chiefs (0-4)
Vikings (4-0) at Rams (0-4)
Bucs (0-4) at Eagles (2-1)
Redskins (2-2) at Panthers (0-3)
Combined won-loss: 10-20.
They have to send their #1 broadcasting crew to one of these matchups. Most likely, it’ll be here to St Louis, since the Vikings are the lone legitimate team of the bunch, and they have this famous guy at quarterback. So we’ll get the insufferable sounds of Joe Buck slagging St Louis, much as he did when announcing for the Cardinals during the Joe Torre years, while polishing Favre’s MVP trophies for three hours. [Update: According to Sando, it will be Chris Myers and Charles Davis.]
I’d like to think we deserve better. I’d like to think that the end of the year might be filled with meaningful games, somehow, some way.
I suppose we need to find someone who’s turning, and we will come around.
