Vermeil to be added to Ring of Honor
The Rams will add Dick Vermeil to the Ring of Honor at the Edward Jones Dome during a halftime ceremony Nov. 2, when the Arizona Cardinals are in town.
Vermeil took over as the Rams’ head coach in 1997, and his first two teams went 5-11 and 4-12. Then in 1999, the “Greatest Show on Turf” opened for business. The Rams went 13-3 during the regular season, en route to a 23-16 victory over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV. Vermeil retired after that season, although he returned to the NFL in 2001 as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. He left after the ‘05 season.
“Dick Vermeil was a tremendous coach and is an even better person who provided so much to the city of St. Louis and the Rams organization,” team owner Chip Rosenbloom said in a statement. “We are thrilled to celebrate a man who was a great source of pride and happiness for our mom and her beloved Rams fans.”
Vermeil, who will turn 72 on Oct. 30, lives with his wife, Carol, on their farm outside Philadelphia.
All for now . . .
One of the worst personnel decisions of all time in Rams team history, letting this guy go. Officially, he “retired,” but I’m not buying that. I believe he was encouraged to retire so “Mad Mike” could take over. We did have some fun years after, but “Dickie V,” def a much better coach.
In any event. Classy move by the Rams. Will be nice w/Warner in town as well. Though, hope he gets sacked to no end all game long. gO RaMs!
I hope they are saving room for Faulk and Warner’s names alongside Vermeil’s. Without them…no Greatest Show on Turf. Period. End of Story. “I can say no more.”
Faulk is already there Richard and Im pretty sure we will have a spot for Kurt Warner.
Mike S. Why would the Rams force out the only Super Bowl winning coach we’ve ever had? Vermeil himself has said on several occasions that he simply decided to retire so he could go out on top and that shortly after realized he had made a mistake, the biggest of his career. He missed coaching so he decided to come back with the Chiefs. End of story.
Folks, Can we Rams fans please stop referring to our record setting offense as “The Greatest Show on TURF”? Someone in Tampa Bay began sarcastically calling it that, as if the Rams could only perform on “turf”. Ask the Niners and anyone else they played on grass if that was true! Rightfully, whoever originally tabbed it “The Greatest Show on EARTH” was correct. Vermeil and Mad Mike’s boys could tear it up no matter what they played on………
Grass is commonly called turf.
Would you rather have it called “Greatest Show on Grass”?
Maybe we can retire #13 while we are at it. I don’t need to see Brock Berlin wearing it, that is a joke!
Congrats to Dixie!!!!
mstrkb,
The championship era Rams could not be referred to as “The Greatest Show on Earth” because that is a registered trademark of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. “Greatest Show on Turf” is a play on words of that slogan and has no legal ramifications for its usage so it was the obvious choice.
THis is a great move. The Rams need to start really showing a St Louis identity. Adding Dick to the Ring is a great first step. In a few years Faulk will go in the Hall and he can be added, same with Ike and Pace after they retire. I think Warner needs to go on the Ring too.
I like how our Ring honors the teams history as well as the cities. I think they need to throw up some differentiation, though. I think the former St. Louis Cardinal players on the Ring should be in their own section removed a little from the main level Ring and they should be in Red lettering. In the same vain, maybe LA players should be grouped together in White lettering. Players/Owners/Coaches that spent time here should be on the most prominent part of the Ring in Gold. Having the different coloring will stand out to fans that visit and spark discussions about the teams history and the cities history.
I want to move the names around a little because I feel adding names of people who contributed here to a sort of “hidden” location, like Georgias name is currently, is disrespectful to the team as it is now. Yes this is St Louis and these are the Rams but the St Louis Rams names should be most prominent when they become available.
Any agreements?