I like Haslett but I have to wonder where he and his leadership was when he was running the 30th ranked defense under Linehan. Did he just get smart after Scott left or was he somehow shut down by Linehan and prevented from doing the things he felt necessary? Despite his familiarity with the team he is thoroughly diminished by the team’s record while in his role as Defensive Coordinator or acting Head Coach. If it was my choice, I would have to consider him part of the current problem and do a complete break with the past by choosing someone else.

Some might call that “campaigning.” Some might call it leadership? I call it both. I just hope the Rams hire a better man for the job. Someone that can produce results on the field and be a better example for our kids instead of getting fined by the league.

Hazlett at his best in New Orleans was an average coach. People make him sound like a great coach for what he accomplished in NO. One playoff birth? Sean Payton took over the team and got them to the playoffs in his first year. Yea he changed the roster which shows Haslett didn’t know personnel. I don’t get. Is ownership really committed to winning championships or is this another dog and pony show and Hazlett will get the job and nothing will change. Same Ol’ Sorry A** Rams! If Devaney hires Haslett then he should be fired. I would rather take a chance on an unproven assistant coach from a winning organization than on a guy everybody all ready knows is nothing more than average. Do we keep Haslett and go 8-8 at best for the next several years or do we take a chance on winning championships? I’d take my chances.

REX RYAN….DEFENSE….and ATTTITUDE!!!

You have to understand that Haslett did what he could with Linehan’s personnel. The talent of the players had more to do with loosing then did the coaching. The Rams continued broken offensive line and undersized Defense is why we have been bad since 2003. I have been a Rams fan since the late 70’s. Haslett’s defensive scheme has been good. The players have not executed. Some say that is coaching. I say it is because of the substandard talent. Haslett deserves a shot and bring back Martz to run the offense. Lets see what they can do. Give them three years to get us back to the playoffs. I love Torry Holt but it is time to get younger. Trade him for a 1st round pick and get a young guy that is good at getting Yards after the catch. I am tired of the catch and dive crap that he and bruce have done for so long in an effort to save themselves. Draft a big play WR, Strong OL, big strong ML and big D-Tackle in the first three rounds. We will see big results.

It will be an utter disappointment if our Rams choose Haslett over the Frasier or Ryan. And Garrett?….Yeah, anyways, as I was saying, while there may be a few out there that want to retain Haslett, there are more that demand change. The fans recognize our needs and it would seem that our front office should recognize it too. Please don’t play your fans into thinking that this is a true coaching search if it is not. Haslett should be let go. I wish him success elsewhere, but I don’t believe that will happen here. Please don’t let us down Chip and Billy. Do what’s right and get us a winner. My vote is for Leslie Frazier - hands down, however I would welcome Rex Ryan over Haslett without second thought.

My thoughts on Haslett, he has been here for 3 years. He ran the defense for 2 and a half of those 3 years. And in my personal opinion, not that it matters, is that our defense was terrible. Now that you mention it, our team was terrible. I appreciate Hasletts efforts, but we need new blood, some one with an in your face attitude. Someone that will command respect and get results. Can we wait on Ryan? I don’t know. If Baltimore loses this weekend I think that I would snatch him up! If not, my choices are Spags, Ryan, Frazier, Haslett and Garrett. I am a Rams fan from the LA days, I don’t want to fall back into mediocrity, I want winner to root for.
Here in Texas, beating the Cowgirls was great, but a winning record would have been better. Come on Mr. Devaney, “let’s get er’ done…….”

SI.com’s Don Banks believes that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is a good bet to stay with the Giants in 2009.

The Broncos and Browns have already hired head coaches, the Jets appear poised to wait for Rex Ryan, and Jim Schwartz has emerged as the front runner in Detroit. That leaves the Rams as Spagnuolo’s best bet until the Chiefs pick a GM. In a what have you done for me lately league, the Giants’ sack-less Divisional Round performance may have cost Spagnuolo some luster.

One thing that it seems people are forgetting is that Mr. Devaney has quite an accomplished crew with him during this process, not to mention he knows his football as well.

I trust him, Faulk and the others to make the best choice. If they choose Haslett, I’m betting it’s because they believe in him and think it’s best for the Org.

I’m betting they have a tad more insight than the rest of us.

Thx!

Look at the talent that Parcells built in Dallas on the D side of the ball. Look at what they accomplished….NADA! It is much more about the organization from top down than it is about talent. The organization, if cohesive, can be successful with “no namers” ie. New England. Fix your house first before trying sell it! The rams have an opportunity of a lifetime to get it right. Haslett has unified the organization and don’t be surprised if he is back because of it.

Give me a break! Haslett and his staff should be toast! Dear Lord, the man did NOTHING as defensive coordnator and is on a 10 GAME LOSING STREAK as Head Coach! Wake up, Devaney, no way this guy comes back. Why do people at Rams Park like him? Oh, I forgot. He had flowers planted!!!!

Get lost Haslett!

Chris he had every chance in N.O. and here. I am sorry but I am not going to accept a blame of a hurricane for for a coaching choice. Did the earthquake in China cause his defense to crumble also? At best Haz is a position coach. Position you ask? Need to look at the Karma Sutra for details.

I cant wait for the next couple of seasons when one of these no names is the HC and everyone is thinking about what happen with Scott Linehan. Have fun hiring another inexperienced HC and see what happens. Rex can bring Ed Reed and Ray Lewis with him. Whatever one of these guys gets hired, you will be calling for him to be fired in 2years max. These guys might be able to run a defense, but not a whole orginazation. Why do you think all the other teams they have interviewed with have passed them up. They are not ready. Good luck with your young inexperienced HC. The rams will be at best a 6-10 team.

So the local Rams employees want Haslet because they get along with him so well. That is not a criteria any other NFL team uses to hire a coach. It is obvious that he was a failure in 3 years as Defensive Coordinator and 12 games as head coach. He certainly did not have talent but that is a big part of his job. Determine where the problems are and address them in the draft and free agency. Haslet is responsible for the team that was fielded and the way it was coached. Its been a disgrace and he needs to go. If the Rams take the easy route and keep him as the coach, I’ll be mailing my PSLs back to the Rams.

I never liked the Haslett hire to coordinator to beging with and now even less. If people want to count how he got the team up for their two wins, look at the games again. Vs the Skins, it was a couple of lucky turnovers plus Portis was hurt so no running game. Vs Da ‘Boys it was a shaky QB, again a weakened running game and turnovers and the Cowboys took the game lightly. Hiring Haslett means a long time before the Rams are good again. I was very patient through the 1970’s with close but no championships and though the 1980’s with talent but no results (Dickerson, etc) and even the 1990’s: the decade from hell as far as Ram fans are concerned (Same old sorry Rams, remember that???). The brief GSOT was awesome but way too brief and now we’re back to Rams mismanagement. Please no. Shaw leaving is a start but it’s all on you Devaney. Start from scratch with a new face please.

Hey Brian;
Didn’t the Ravens pass on Ryan as a head coach and got Harbaugh instead? hummm…..

I agree with Dick Pederson.
People forget that a contributing factor to Linehans demise was the fact that Haslett was running a defense that was ranked in the bottom 3.

The team needs a complete fresh start.

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=17764271

I don’t see Haslett unless it’s a last resort. First, Spagnuolo and Ryan would both have to decline the position. After that, Haslett would be up against Garrett and Frazier, and Ram’s management would be hard pressed not to do an affirmative action hire by giving it to Frazier. In other words, Haslett is at least a fourth choice.

I hope the Rams pick Haslett. They played close those last 4 games, and I remember him with New Orleans, he was someone we didn’t want to go up against. He needs his schemes, and it does say a lot about how he changed the culture. Give him a year to make the changes he needs to make, and I think he would turn this franchise around. If I’m wrong you have Holmgren, Shanahan, and several others to name a few available next year. If you pick one of the assistants, you will have to give them 3 years (like Linehan) before you can make a change. I don’t think this franchise can afford another bad hire. Haslett might not sell tickets, but I think everyone can see who is close to the situation - wants. I will go no matter what, because I am a football fan - and I have always supported my team. Hopefully Billy Devaney has the guts to do what is right for this franchise and do what is right and ignore some of the talk show hosts who are just trying to get radio ratings by knocking him.

Why was Haslett not called for interviews with any other teams?

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Keep Haslett! If he is wrong you can choose from Holmgren, Shanahan to name a few.

Why Haslett isn’t being interviewed for the other head coaching vacancies in the League? He couldn’t cut it in New Orleans, he was 2-10 in St Louis, he did nothing to quell the player mutiny against his head coach, and the players say they will play for him but lost 10 games in a row. Haslett knows not to embarrass himself by even asking to interview for another head coaching position.

What happens if Haslett’s the coach and this team fails to do well early next season? We’ll be having the same
conversations again and the support will continue to fade. They have to make a clean start.

http://www.creativereason.com/2009/01/why-jim-haslett-shouldnt-be-the-rams-coach.html

“Some might call that “campaigning.” Some might call it leadership.” -
Jim, which one do you think it is? Copy like this seem like campaigning to me, but I’m on the outside looking.

There are two assumptions that are rampant here that need to be addressed. First, if the Rams hire Haslett they will not be able to bail next year and go after Shanahan or Holmgren or the like because Haslett will not sign a one-year deal. It will be at least two and probably three years. Second, Holmgren, Shanahan, Cowher, Billick, etc. are not going to even consider coming here with an unstable ownership situation, an uncertain stadium situation, and a tremendous lack of talent. There is not enough money in the entire organization to make one of these guys come here and that’s before you even cinsider that most if not all of these guys are going to want to be coach/GM and we already have a GM. Wake up and smell the coffee.

“Some might call it leadership.” Yeah, especially those in the St. Louis media who have been pushing Haslett and his easy access for quite some time now.

Pioli and Spags were just hired by KC. And then there were four…

Haslett !

I saw that Pioli has gone to KC, but nothing on Spags. What’s your source?

Theonly reason Haslett hasn’t interviewed anywhere else is because he can’t! He is still under contract as the Head Coach. Other teams can ask for permission to interview coordinators, but not active Head Coaches.

Haslett was handcuffed as a coordinator with subpar talent and dismal offenses. Even when they showed improvement they were defending short fields and having to defend 3-4 more times a game when the offense was turning itover so much.

Lets see what he can do with his own staff, his own players, etc.

Not true. His contract as “interim” head coach expired at the end of the season. He is free to do as he wishes, he’s a free agent.

KC radio - 810 I think. Who knows, could be wishful thinking on their part.

technically, Hasmat’s contract runs through Feb 15. As a general rule, once the season wrap up is complete, coaches who are not wrapped up for the following season are allowed to start interviewing and taking other jobs prior to expiration of the contract.

Rams search continues.
- -
They have a very nice process in place and they’re going to stick with it even though by the time they get around to making a decision, all of the decent coaches will be hired by someone else.
- -
But give them credit where due, their process is a neat and orderly one.
- -
I can hear it now, “Jim Hasmat is the right man for this job. We interviewed all of the other available candidates and decided that the best candidate, and the man to lead this team to the playoffs and SB, was right here the whole time…”

It is true. Part of Haslett taking the job in week 5 was the he would not have the “interim” term. That means his contract goes the length of the rest of them. As this paper reported, he is still the active Head Coach, not interim.

Technically true, “end of the season” is after the Super Bowl, point is, Haslett was NOT kept from interviewing anyplace else by the Rams, no one else is interested. That’s also the only reason he’s probably so interested in this job - it might be his last shot as a HC.

Haslett can say anything he wants, but he is NOT the head coach of the Rams. For them to have hired him as head coach would have violated the Rooney rule. He can split hairs all he wants but he is an interim. Period.

No way KC actually announces that they hired Spags - if they did - the same day they hire Pioli. It’s bad form and makes it look like Pioli has been working before he cut out of NE (New England, not Nebraska)
- -
are ther any minority owners in the NFL?
- - maybe the Rooney rule should apply to the Rooney’s too…

I have one simple question for Haslett haters, why should his defense have been better given the god awful players he had to build it with? I’m just curious.

Can we hire a coach before they are all gone!

Hey Rookie,
Despite having good defenses, Ryan was fired with Bilick and the rest of the Ravens staff. And this was despite all of the players calls for him to be head coach. Smart ownership wanted change. The new HC hired Ryan back.

Mr. Thomas,

I appreciate the fact that Coach Haslett demonstrated such leadership during his stint as the interim coach. I am severely disappointed in Mr. Shaw and Mr. Zygmunt for not understanding such a basic tenant of managing an organization. The fact that it took an interim head coach to identify that the organization was in such an haphazard condition seems unbelievable.

While the team only won two games under Coach Haslett, the team certainly showed signs of respectability under him. He definitely requires commendation for that, though they still had winnable games that were lost to unimpressive opponents in the last seconds. Despite the supposed effort that the team displayed at the end, there seemed to be sorely little spirit or confidence shown by the players.

Mr. Thomas, I appreciate your attempt to make the possible re-hiring of Coach Haslett more acceptable to the fans; but I’m afraid that ultimately the team needs to turn the page on this dismal chapter in Rams history. Mr. Devaney has put together a qualified, impressive group of finalists for the position. It would seem that any of these candidates are acceptable candidates, and the others would come with the added benefit of not previously being associated with the team’s descent to the cellar.

Sounds like some of you guys could use some “No Mora Excuses” tee shirts. You can just add “for Haslett” to the back of them. Haslett had talent in New Orleans and made the playoffs just once. He’s probably the most overrated coach in the league because he works the media so well and fans see him act so fiery on the sidelines. Only an organization like the Rams would even consider him for the head coaching job.

Didn’t the Raiders give Tampa Bay permission to talk to John Gruden a few years back? Besides, Haslett hasn’t always been the interim head coach and no team came calling then either. Seems like a very nice guy, but he’s just not the guy this team needs to win ball games.

I really did some improvement with Haslett and the Rams at the end of the season; I say let Haslett put a stamp on this team-he did not pick his Coaches or players, give him a chance. That said, I will leave it up to Daveney, he’s the real expert and I’m just a fan.

All I keep hearing from many fans is we need new blood,new blood, and a clean sweep,well with all due respect to your demands Jim Haslett has been able to bring some new blood to this organization and needs to be given the chance to proceed as HC. Jim Haslett has been able to bring new life to the Rams park personel, new football desire and dedication to the players. You call it what you want but I call it hardwork and leadership. The Rams don’t need new blood or a clean sweep. This organization needs some stability and they have Devanny and should hire Haslett as HC and a lot of people may be suprised at the results. I don’t believe any of the 4 other finalists has had any HC experience at the NFL level, so who knows what you may get here.

The Rams would be stupid not to make him head coach. Assistant coaches are about 37.3% successful. Head coaches the second time around are 56.4% successful. I like the odds!
Plus he has already won half the battle by unifying and gaining the respect of the player and the front office. They know him a lot better than you or I do. In life, I tend to trust the opinions of those who know a person best.
The first two seasons Dick Vermeil was HC, his record was 5-11 and 4-12. Most of the Haslett lynch mob was also calling for the head of Vermiel.
Then came OC Mike Martz, 13 and 3, the only Superbowl the Rams have ever won was with an OC named Martz. I think Haz can keep him in tow, like Vermeil did. You might also remember the next year Haz and the Saints put us out of the first round of the playoffs.

Burl Ridgeway, how do you define success because your math seems WAY OFF to me.

Jim is a good coach and under what the team had to endure,he did a fair job! But I must add that he said it wasn’t his staff and his players? But he was their for a few years,and he did bring in the coaching staff that was next to last in every stat,and couldnt hold a lead for anything. I think that the team schould go with Rex Ryan and bring in his brother to run the defense and Mike Martz to run the offence. And make the changes needed.

So what if he unified the building. He DIDN’T win but two games. His defense was terrible for years, and the amazing two game winning streak ended TEN losses ago.