Feature Article
From the Penthouse to the dog house - and the Path Back
The WatchDog
Staff Writer
Dynasty in the making? By the time Super Bowl 36 came around, it wasn't that far fetched of an idea that there was a
budding dynasty happening right before our eyes. Ironically enough, it was happening just not for the Rams. For Patriot
football, it marked the beginning of a legendary era. For the Rams, it marked the beginning of the end. Being heavily favored
and ultimately upset that day, even the next and last taste of champagne never tasted the same. While Tom Brady and
Bill "Satan" Belicheck rode to Disneyland on silver steeds, Rams-nation rode to the nearest liquor store.
Mike Martz fired In order to get into NFL heaven, namely the Hall of Fame, where one is rewarded with eternal life, you
have to die in the real world, or otherwise retire. In the middle of the 2005 season, Mad Mike nearly did die in the real world,
due to a bacterial infection in his heart. But his leave of absence to heal ultimately became a forced off-ramp from the Ram
super-highway, and Martz was run out of town. Rams upper management then set off on a near tragic, near comedic series of
bizarre decisions and strange direction that have to this day retarded and paralyzed the not-so-long-ago, once-again-proud
Rams franchise.
The Death of Georgia Georgia Frontiere was widely viewed as a pillar of the community in St. Louis, participating tirelessly
in charitable causes and other community service. Her death was tragic to many. But there are many who remember the scandalous
allegations associated with the death of her husband George, and hold her responsible for the current state of the franchise.
Other than a that miracle of circumstances, the perfect storm of events that led to the championship of '99, there has been a
lot of negative action, such as handing over football decisions to Jay Zygmunt, allowing her General Manager John Shaw to
conduct Rams business from half a country away in Los Angeles, unwittingly supporting the hiring of Scott Linehan and
pledging her undying support for the latest architect of disaster for the Rams, whose last great act of unintentional sabatoge
was to cut one of the greatest Rams ever and last remaining L.A. Ram Issac Bruce, effectively breaking the spirit of some
remaining Rams and stabbing a hole in the collective heart of Rams Nation.
The end of Shaw and Ziggy It's probably a good thing that they left on their own, because the lynch mob couldn't have been
far behind. The last remaining large holes in the fabric of Rams reality, these two are the triggermen for the murder of Rams
pride, not to mention success. Zygmunt, though he did happen to be quite handy with the numbers and legal issues, must
have appeared to be a do-it-all to Georgia and Shaw, because the next thing we knew he had his hands on player decisions,
draft picks, and picking head coaches. Now that they are finally out of the building, the damage is so great that the entire
franchise is facing total re-build from the top office to the water-boy. But thankful help is already on the way, thanks to...
The hiring of Bill Devaney After slowly bleeding to death, there was finally a light at the end of a tunnel that wasn't
another train. Finally a real football guy came in to provide real direction in making intelligent decisions. It's hard to
tell if the reason he looks and sounds like a miracle in a suit is because we have been listening to Siskel and Ebert for
so long that even George Bush would sound intelligent, or he is in fact the real deal, and prosperity is finally in cards for
this franchise that I, and all of you have lived and died for.
But it sure is sounding and looking promising. And in my opinion, whether we get Rex Ryan, or Leslie Frazier; whether we
get a Fassel, or our own Jim Haslett to lead us out of this swamp of futility, I believe this story will ultimately have
another happy ending. I believe this legacy will find our lifetime commitment justified again as a worthwhile venture,
and our heroes will prevail again and we will once again raise a toast of very tasty champagne. We will be once again
tomorrow as proud as we ever were yesterday.
God bless this franchise... I think we're all backing the comeback story being written right now.
Most significant moments...
The death of Georgia FrontiereThe end of Shaw n Zygmunt
Super bowl (s)
Dismissal of Mike Martz
Goodbye to Issac Bruce Go Rams!
