THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: A new era is beginning for Rams football with new faces in many places around Rams Park — from the front office to the field. What better time to look back at the Rams time here in St. Louis. With that in mind, who has been your favorite player to watch in a Rams uniform since the team arrived here?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Favorite Ram? That’s easy: Lawrence Phillips. Just kidding.

This is a tough one to answer. The best Rams player I’ve covered is Marshall Faulk. The best personal story I’ve covered is Kurt Warner. My favorite guy to deal with was probably D’Marco Farr, who had the tremendous underdog spirit that defined the 1999 Rams. But my favorite player was Isaac Bruce. He was great when the team was bad. He was great when the team was great. In the 1999 season, he made the big plays to beat San Francisco in that huge regular-season game at The Ed. He scored the first TD to help beat Minnesota in the first NFL playoff game in St. Louis. He caught the winning 73-yard TD pass for the go-ahead TD in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory. He had immense pride and set high standards and remained consistent in performance and personality whether the team was up or down. Just a great professional, who never wavered as a competitor, or in his personal beliefs.

BRYAN BURWELL
Marshall faulk in a runaway . . . the most breathlessly gifted athlete to wear a st. Louis rams jersey, he was also the smartest. At his best, faulk was one of those rare stars who would make a move or two every game that you know no normal man could do.

JEFF GORDON
The best player has been Marshall Faulk, hands down. He was the total package — clutch performer, smart player and an on-field leader. But Kurt Warner is my favorite. Watching him in training camp before his ascension, I believed he was a stiff. I’ll never forget those ducks he lobbed during a scrimmage in Champaign, Ill. And then, magically, he led the “Greatest Show on Turf” on an amazing Super Bowl run. He is the best story I’ve ever covered and arguably the nicest athlete as well.

DAN O’NEILL
Without question, Kurt Warner has been my favorite Rams player and, more than that, my favorite player of any team or any sport.

How do you top someone who is a record-setting quarterback, leads a dismal franchise to a championship and on top of that, is a wonderful human being? Warner doesn’t just honor God and his faith by pointing to the sky after he does something on the field, he honors them by treating other people with kindness, respect and generosity.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
My favorite was London Fletcher. The undrafted linebacker was 5-foot-10 and 245 pounds, and if there was a tackle to be made, he made it. He was the Rams’ rookie of the year in 1998 and he was a big reason they won the Super Bowl in 2000. I had a chance to cover those Rams’ teams and Fletcher was one of the more affable, entertaining guys in the locker room, and he always wore a big smile. The defense hasn’t had a good middle linebacker since Fletcher signed with Buffalo as a free agent in 2002. The Rams didn’t think he was worth the big bucks, but somehow Fletcher is still making tackles in Washington.

THE WATERCOOLER

Question: What was Jay Zygmunt’s best move and worst move with the Rams?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Jay’s best move was his work on the trade that brought cornerback Aeneas Williams to St. Louis on the day of the 2001 draft. There were a whole bunch of bad moves including the phasing out of Charley Armey, his role in the demise of Mike Martz, any number of bad draft picks, the decision to let middle linebacker London Fletcher leave as a free agent, and the Drew Bennett debacle. Just a disastrous reign of error. But his worst move was reaching to grab a job that he wasn’t qualified for. A man’s got to know his limitations and Zygmunt wasn’t a football guy. That didn’t stop him from making himself the football czar at Rams Park.

BRYAN BURWELL
His best move was packing his office up and heading towards the door. His worst move was believing that he was a football man and accepting the GM job, which sent this franchise on this downward spiral.

JIM THOMAS
Following the disappointment of a wild-card berth in 2000 — yes, expectations were much higher back then — Zygmunt went into full Trader Jay mode. He helped engineer the trade of franchise player Kevin Carter to Tennessee in March, and on draft day sent quarterback Trent Green to Kansas City. As a result, the Rams had three first-round picks in the 2001 draft. As a topper, he completed a deal on Day 2 of the draft that brought Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl cornerback Aeneas Williams to St. Louis.
The worst move? Allowing his relationship with Mike Martz to deteriorate to the point where one of them had to leave the organization. Obviously, Martz left after the 2005 campaign. Granted, Martz was high maintenance, but also one of the league’s most creative offensive minds. The offense has disintegrated since he’s left.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Before the 1999 Super Bowl season, in the days before anyone claimed to be a mastermind, Zygmunt played a major role in reorganizing the staff of coach Dick Vermeil, in particular the hiring of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. Among Zygmunt’s worst moments was the 2001 draft, in which the Rams whiffed on three first-round picks: Damoine Lewis was a bust, Adam Archuleta flamed out after a couple years, and the team gave up on Ryan Pickett, who blossomed in Green Bay.

JEFF GORDON
Best move: Not letting Kevin Carter manage the salary cap for him back in 2000. King Kevin moved on to Tennessee in 2001 and had a mediocre season for the Titans. The Rams kept their other cornerstone players, won 14 games in ‘01 and went to the Super Bowl.
Worst move: The massive Marc Bulger contract. This gift keeps on giving. The Rams can’t really move Bulger out now, so the team can’t throw much money at that position for next season. Pity the next coach in 2009.

BILL COATS
Although other front-office folks were involved too, Zygmunt’s best move was his role in the trade that brought Marshall Faulk to the Rams in the 1999, arguably the key cog in the Rams’ improbable march to the Super Bowl championship. His worst move was letting free agents London Fletcher and Ryan Pickett walk. The Rams sure could use a solid middle linebacker and a stout defensive tackle these days.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

INTERESTING TAKE ON FUENTES: Buster Olney at espn.com has an interesting look at the Brian Fuentes derby and how the Angels’ could get involved if they don’t end up with Mark Teixiera. Olney has the Cardinals at the top of the list for now but a lot of others who might spend more are now included.

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STAT OF THE DAY

229 — The Rams have been outscored by 229 points with only one game left in the season. Since 1990, only four teams have been outscored by more points over a full season. Thank goodness the Lions are just as bad. They have been outscored by 239 points. This week, the Rams are at Atlanta and Detroit is at Green Bay.