MVN: Most Valuable Network

In a lot of ways, the 2008 St. Louis Rams season has been the most depressing sporting experience of my life.  That is saying a lot considering the fact that my college football team (which I played on for two seasons) was 9-31 during my four years and I passionately followed my girlfriend's basketball team which rounded out our collegiate experience with a 36-74 record.

The struggles of this team have been excruciatingly well documented, but in case you missed anything, here's a quick rundown of the season thusfar.  The Rams lose their first four of the season, all in blowout fashion; getting outscored 147-43.  The team takes its bye week and promptly fires head coach Scott Linehan; hard-ass-Jim-Haslett takes the reins and leads the team to victories over the Redskins and Cowboys, even getting into a shoving match with a Redskins defensive back.  Since then, the Rams have slid into an oblivion that is unfathomable for pretty much any NFL franchise, excluding the Detroit Lions, nine losses in a row.  None of these losses hurt as much as the last game, a 16-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.  The Rams were winning this game at home, and managed to belch and stumble their way to giving the visitors 14 point in less than three minutes.  And did I mention that those three minutes were in the last four minutes of the game? Yeah.  Just when the Rams had St. Louis excited about the prospect of a 4-12 season, we now sit at 2-13 with the playoff-contending Atlanta Falcons welcoming the team to the Georgia Dome on Sunday.

Prick up your ears weary St. Louisans, there is hope.  For starters, this is the NFL; and proving the old adage true, evidenced by the two Rams wins this season (one of which was something of a blowout over the World-Beater Dallas Cowboys), on any given Sunday, any team can win.  Although a win would not mean too much in a practical sense, it would certainly be a nice way to end the season, not to mention avoiding the worst record in franchise history since the inception of a 16 game season.  Secondly, while this bit of news will not affect the action on the field this weekend, it certainly will for years to come; both the President and President of Football Operations for the St. Louis Rams resigned earlier this week.  The two men, John Shaw and Jay Zygmut, that have been most roundly critiqued for poor personnel decisions that led this team to the gutter that it is trying to crawl out of are gone.  I'm not sure if the significance of the potential that starting over with the front office positions will fully be appreciated for several years, but this was certainly a step that needed to be taken.

Back to the focus on the final game of this miserable 2008 season; the Rams DO have some things to play for.

They could knock the Falcons out the playoff hunt.  Rather mean spirited as a team goal, but if THAT gets our players motivated, then so be it.

Something I have been calling on these Rams to tap into all season long, some sense of pride.  Does anyone on this roster really care that this team is such an embarrassment?  Receiver Donnie Avery played with bucketloads of heart this past week's game and many members of the defense like OJ Atogwe and Ron Bartell have quietly been some of the greatest contributors to this team, but because the entire squad has played so poorly these standouts have not gotten the credit they deserve.  Can some of the veterans on this team step up and lay it all on the line?  Torry Holt, you were one of the greatest wideouts in this league just a couple seasons ago, that will and fire can't be gone, tap into it.  Orlando Pace, you were one of, if not the greatest left tackle of this generation, dig deep into your mammoth core and summon up a great game, protect your quarterback as if your life depended upon his safety.  Marc Bulger, you have shown the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league!  I know you have been knocked around and your weapons aren't as great as they use to be, but that's only a third of the quarterback position, the other two thirds is all mental.  Will your team to a victory, lead them again.  Steven Jackson.  Trust me, I understand that a running back is often only as good as his offensive line and clearly yours has been in decline for years, but at the same time, you don't punish defenders the way that you could; maybe you are still suffering effects from your recent string of injuries, but a running back should be one of the toughest players on a team and a mountain of man like yourself should relish the opportunity to smash defenders.  Jim Haslett, your fire, and there really is no better term to describe your passion for the game, inspired this team and ostensibly rubbed off on your players... for two or three weeks.  Bring that back!  Don't worry about your job now, you can't control that situation, all you can focus on is getting your players prepared to play and win their final game of the 2008 season.

The Saint Louis Rams have just one more chance to show this city and the rest of the league who they are. Let's hope they can take it.