Isiah58 wrote:

I thought progress was made this year. But I am always the optimist. Snead and Fisher have built a team that can go into Arizona and Seattle and beat those teams. Not fluke wins, but really beat those teams. That is progress. But the losses to Baltimore and Chicago were also signs that they are not ready to compete on the big stage until they get real QB play. We all know this, and we all demand this, but the realization is that there is no obvious answer to the obvious problem. When we scored 20 points, we were 7 – 0. Its not that high of a bar.

I am optimistic that the Rams are on an upward progression, but I understand those that disagree. The Rams played 9 games against playoff teams this past year. That is a lot. The Redskins played 2 games against playoff teams. But everyone can point to excuses, etc. when evaluating a team. For me personally, I like the progression and the improvement over where they were. I hope that the defense can improve even more when E.J. Gaines and Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn are healthy, and I think the O-line had to cut their teeth this year but getting back Saffold and Brown back healthy will make this running game even better next year. We all know what they need on O – reliable pass catchers and a guy who can get them the ball. Here’s hoping they can get it done this year.

Isiah 58

————————
Yup. Agreed.
w
v

Isiah58 wrote:

While it seems counter intuitive for the Chargers to move in with the Rams knowing that Mark Davis is ready to pounce on their former market, there are also rumors that there is no shortage of investors who are willing to go in with Spanos to split the megatropolis that is the new stadium in LA. They believe that they are going to be printing money, and if that is the case who cares if you have no real fan base? Vinnie B also believes that if Spanos declines, the Raiders absolutely would move to LA. Thus, the Rams will almost certainly be sharing with someone.

The moratorium on beginning their marketing initiatives is kind of a big deal for the Rams, too. We have heard that they will be heavily into promoting the Rams here in Southern California, but none of that can begin until the second team is situated. So while there is a buzz in Southern California about the NFL returning to LA, until they can really start to promote the team there may be a dead period after the initial excitement. By the way, the web site goes online in an hour to put your name on the waitlist for tix. I am going to be the first person on the list! : )
Isiah 58

What do you have to say about this
past season, I58 ?

w
v

Damn. You guys are making my mouth water.
We dont have many ethnic, authentic restaurants
in WV, as you might guess.

We did have a new Denny’s open up last week.
I actually went there cause i really wanted
to try some corporate-food. I ordered a
“super veggie omelet” (i do eat eggs,
though i feel guilty about it).
They brought me my super-veggie-omelet
after about 55 minutes and — it had bacon
on it.

Portland sounds great to me. Always has.
LA? St.Louis? — not so much. Just
too many damn humans. I do not think
its possible to have a good quality of life
with so many damn humans crammed (with their cars)
in a small area.

If i were king, right after a disappeared
6.6 billion humans, i’d make a proclamation
decreeing that humans are not allowed to
create mega-hives. Nothing bigger than…oh…
i dunno…lets say 200,000. Thats plenty
big enough. Thats like two whole Coliseums
full of humans.

Go rams.
w
v

I…dont…want..to SHARE,
a stadium.

w
v

It’ll end up going down to the wire,
i would think.

Frankly, I think I like the Seahawks
more than the Panthers.

Wouldnt mind seeing Ariz vs Seattle.

w
v

zn wrote:

PA Ram wrote:

Apparently there is some incentive for Stan by having a second team–with advertisers or some such thing, can’t remember what I read.

It has to do with PSL sales. I forget the details but they’re findable.

In terms of Spanos screwing himself, I don’t see it that way at all. So we have this situation where 2 teams need help with their stadium situation, and one where the local city IS making efforts to build a stadium. Who won the right to LA? The team whose local city was working on a stadium plan.

Why did they win?

Because the owners chose glitz, “product growth,” and glitter over community.

That’s a choice.

We may naturalize the idea that you choose “product growth” and act like it’s normal, but it’s still a choice.

So oddly again, most of us would be VICTIMS in situations where pure abstract “product growth” counts over community values. For example, paycuts.

But strangely we don’t do the math, and tend to favor “product growth.”

It’s like we’re peasants and we’re happy the Baron has new shiny clothes. Even though we would be better off with no Baron at all, let alone a Baron using the fruits of our labor to improve his wardrobe.

And Grits, I can say all that and still be glad that diehard longtime LA fans got their team. It’s contradictory, but, sometimes on complex issues, one is contradictory. It’s because there are competing values and ideas and feelings at stake. So I take nothing away from LA fans. I feel for St. Louis fans. And as a nomad I don’t care where they play. It really is all those things at once.

…

Well said, dude.
I think.
I dunno.

w
v

Rams may not deserve it, but L.A. fan loyalty still runs deep

BY DAVID WHITE

http://www.fresnobee.com

The Los Angeles Rams are back, not that Chris Leon acted as if they had ever left.

“I’ve been a Rams fan all of my life,” the Porterville city employee said. “I remember going to games in the late ’60s and ’70s when I was just a kid, wearing my white and blue jersey, those plastic helmets with the horns on them … it was pretty much ingrained in me.”

Leon is like the 10s and 20s in these parts who never gave up on their Rams, even when their Rams gave up on them and shipped it to St. Louis in 1995.

Leon is That Guy who still watched the Rams play when they were on local TV, and wore a Steven Jackson No. 39 jersey to Wal-Mart, and traded one worn-out horned ball cap for a newer mint.

Remember that when the Rams play at home for the first time next season. Every ticket should go to people like Leon, who can verify they stayed loyal to their disloyal prodigal team over all these years.

Show us your Kurt Warner poster. Tell us who made the winning tackle to win Super Bowl XXXIV – and no, you can’t use Google. Pick out former center Mike Gruttadauria in a police lineup.

Then, you can tell everyone you’re a Rams fan. Exemptions go to children under the age of 13.

NFL OWNERS DON’T LOVE CITIES OR TRADITION. OWNERS LOVE NEW STADIUMS AND STEADY CASH FLOW.

“Well, there was a time there I was heated about it,” Leon said. “But a Minnesota Vikings fan told me something I never forgot. ‘Your team is your team. You stick with them no matter what.’ So they’re my team.”

Too bad the feeling isn’t mutual. It’s never mutual. NFL owners don’t love cities or tradition. Owners love new stadiums and steady cash flow.

It’s why the Raiders left Oakland for Los Angeles, and left Los Angeles for Oakland, and are spooning a tunnel route to escape Oakland again as we speak.

This is what NFL overlords do. They are why Bekins Van Lines is still in business.

St. Louis lost its football Cardinals? They stole Los Angeles’ Rams, and the only reason Los Angeles had the Rams is because they swiped them away from Cleveland, and now Cleveland wishes it had an actual NFL team, too.

YOU ONLY HAVE A HOME TEAM BECAUSE YOU STOLE IT BACK FROM SOMEONE ELSE’S HOME, SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

Remember that, Raiders fans, when Little Al Davis U-Hauls your eye patch back to Los Angeles or San Antonio. You only have a home team because you stole it back from someone else’s home, so what do you expect?

Do what most Rams fans did. Bail on the team when they decide it’s time to start seeing other cities.

That, or be among the few who kept the porch light on all night, hoping the Rams would come back when everyone said it was time to move on.

Give it enough time, and you’ll end up like Leon, and everyone else like him, riding the team bus when everyone else is jumping the bandwagon.

You finally won’t have to explain why you’re rocking the Vince Ferragamo throwback jersey at the neighborhood Super Bowl party. No more having to drive to a 49ers game once a year to see your home team in person. Guys like Leon can be public Rams fans without needing a childhood disclaimer.

The Rams are back. Here’s to Stan Kroenke until he moves them again.

“You’d be surprised how many people come up to me and say, ‘Nice jersey. I’m a fan, too,’ ” Leon said. “It’s just nice to have them back.”

Larry Brooks? Haven’t heard that name in
while.

w
v

Well, i ‘hope’ the Raiders stay in Oakland
and the Chargers stay in San Diego.
And i hope the league expands some day
and St.Louis gets a new team.

Time to start thinking about the team
again, Grits. How can they win
without a QB ?

w
v

I heard he changed his mind about the
whole LA thing. Now, the thinks
the Rams should be back in Cleveland.
So, he’s not taking this LA thing
well at all.

w
v

I think Warren Beatty should
throw out the first football.

w
v

joemad wrote:

http://youtu.be/pSxs3Ali3T8

Does anyone talk with a regular voice on tv
anymore. Why do they all shout ?

w
v

bnw wrote:

wv wrote:

bnw wrote:

Bitch about the rich that do help. Bitch about the rich that don’t help. Got it. Thanks.

Well, I dont believe in a ‘system’ that
normalizes and allows ‘rich’ and ‘poor’.
So, in a sense, yes, I will always bitch
about that situation. No big thing, bnw,
just a political difference.

w
v

I didn’t realize we were discussing a system. I thought we were discussing charitable contributions of a pro sports franchise.

About that system that normalizes rich and poor, it has also normalized a substantial middle class which I believe sets it apart from all other systems.

In what system that encompasses hundreds of millions of people are there not the rich and the poor? Or the powerful and the powerless? I consider myself somewhat versed in world history but that answer escapes me.

There are plenty of other nations right now,
that have much less inequality and much less a ‘gap’
between rich and poor, and those nations have
higher ‘quality of life’ stats according to
some researchers….blah blah blah…this isnt
the place for politics. If you really want
to discuss the other board is the place.
No big deal. Go rams.

w
v

PA Ram wrote:

Jackie Slater on the Rams moving back to Los Angeles:

http://www.am570lasports.com/articles/whats-happening-467696/listen-jackie-slater-i-never-did-14273743/

thats a must-listen for the guys
that remember the LA days.
Slater is great in that one.

w
v