After having watched every game Chris played in his four years at UVA, I have to say that the Rams made a great choice(and yes, I’m a Virginia fan). I’m in no way knocking Dorsey or his talent, but in the end, I think Long have a longer(no pun intended) and more productive career.

[...] OOTP Developments Forums wrote an interesting post today on Chris Long: Ram Hearts A FlutterHere’s a quick excerptAnd Devaney and Linehan talked a lot about Long’s father, NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long. Howie Long was clearly a factor in the decision. [...]

Sounds like a winner…Was Linehan as “geeked” today as when, say, George Boone drafted Steve Pisarkiewicz (Round 1, 19th overall) in 1977?
Just kidding, it’s a great pick I think. Why shouldn’t Linny be psyched when he can bring in a guy with all the intangibles as well? Remember, his team almost mutinied on him last year, so in trying to change the culture at Rams Park, this is a great start. Players aside, the Rammies only lack 2 more winners in their front office to complete the turnaround…. Marshall Faulk & Papa Howie, you guys bored with broadcasting yet?

Well, I’m glad they are enthused by their pick of C. Long. He sounds like a good player and a good fit for the Rummies. Let’s hope so.

Where their hearts fluttering over Chris or his dad Howie. What a joke this organization is. They
are just like the Cardinals.

Wow I hate to say it but this is another example of what a second rate football city this is. Glenn Dorsey was the clear cut choice! He’s a Reggie White type leader and this franchise has never had a fearsome runstopper since moving here. Of course Lovie and Linehan love to stop the run with 242 pound guys. Let’s see.. Glenn Dorsey.. more dominant size.. dominant competitor.. dominant leader and most of all.. player from a domniant conference.. not the less than impressive ACC. BTW… how did Missouri get a monopoly on bad NFL head coaches.

Another bad decision for this team. They took an average DT last year and passed on a dominant one this year. Dorsey would have made the entire d-line better. With a pick that high you better take an impact player. Then they go and take a WR in the second rd. Unbelievable how they can consistently screw up the draft year after year. But hey at least K.C. looks to have a great draft.

[...] WEEKEND (draft) at BERNIE’s is JUST STUPID . Go back and try to find a critical post from me on Bernie’s articles. Good Luck. However, his latest about a Man-Crush on Long and swooning is just plain stupid. Some have pointed it out here - and then Mel Kiper repeated it yesterday - the athletic skills of Long are as good as any DE to come out in the last six years. Long gets driven into the high-motor effort stereotype, when, in fact, he’s an elite athlete - along with crashing the books and the weight room. I think Bernie got burned by some some pre-draft comments by teams bluffing and jiving - and hell hath no fury like a bamboozled man. Teams are happy with their first round picks and whoop it up - and that happens every single year. I feel Bernie’s pain over "what might have been" and "we had the time of our lives (before draft-day)," but I think Long’s career will be double Dorsey’s effective playing days. STLtoday.com - Bernie’s Extra Points - Blog Archive - Chris Long: Ram Hearts A Flutter [...]

Here is the bottom line for C. Long, will he develop next to Careker and provide the Rams with a very strong combination? Bernie can gush all over the pick, but today is crunch time. There are many good players left on the board, but the truly great franchises make picks in the lower rounds who stay and workout, bringing depth and talent. C. Long is a great pick, but I wait to see what the Rams do today and how long it takes them to develop back into a winner.

Bernie -
Why is it that neither the local sportswriters nor the Rams spokespeople will even attempt to explain why the Rams saw Donnie Avery as the best WR in the draft (not to mention the best available player at pick 33!) when NO ONE ELSE in the league or football world did.

I can believe that the Rams have some knowledge / wisdom on the talent that others don’t have, but is it a secret that beats out 11 other higher rated WRs? And is that secret one that 31 other teams don’t know? Or did they take him that high because they heard that another team knew that great secret and they were going to take him before the Rams’ #65 pick? How is the Rams’ intelligence on other teams so good that they knew Avery wouldn’t still be there at 65? Why couldn’t they trade down 10 or 20 or 30 spots, still get Avery and get an extra pick?

I know the Rams will never reveal the truth here, but my real question to you is…..Why won’t they even acknowledge that their pick was a LONG reach by everyone’s standards, and at least offer some kind of explanation? And why won’t any reporter ask them that question directly?

You don’t have to be as big a jerk as Kevin Slaten to ask that question, but maybe he’s my only hope. Is it possible to get a straight answer to this question?