THE WATERCOOLER:
Through eight weeks of the season, the NFL has one winless team (Tampa Bay) and five with just one win (St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City, Tennessee and Cleveland). Plus a couple of hard-to-watch two-win teams (Washington and Oakland). In that context, do the Rams have a better future than some of these teams?

JIM THOMAS:
In terms of Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, the Rams are on a similar track, with rookie first-year head coaches and rebuilding teams that have purposely gotten younger. The Lions, however, already have their quarterback of the future in Matthew Stafford getting on-the-job training. That may be the Rams’ fate next season. Is Tennessee in for a coaching change? And Cleveland, well, they’re just Cleveland. The second version of Paul Brown’s team just can’t seem to get it going An added element of uncertainty for St. Louis — an ownership change looming on the horizon that could change a lot of things.

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
The Rams are for sale, which is an issue, but for now it hasn’t impacted the operation. They have good harmony and stability in the front office. GM Billy Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo are working well together. The personnel department, the scouts, are being treated as an important part of the operation. You just don’t see the glaring dysfunction that greatly damaged the Rams during the latter years of the previous regime. And in this context the Rams are in better shape than many of the other woeful NFL losers these days.

BILL COATS:
I like the Rams’ future, because I think they’re going about things the right way. That is, they’re not pulling off desperate moves now to try to win a relatively meaningless game or two but hamstringing themselves down the road. They’re being patient and prudent, and I believe that approach will pay off in the long run.

JEFF GORDON:
It’s too soon to say that the Devaney/Spagnuolo combo will get it done in St. Louis. The next Rams owner will get to make that call. But at least the Rams aren’t a dysfunctional mess like the Browns, Raiders and Redskins. In all three of those cases,you wonder if the ownership will get a handle. In Cleveland, Randy Lerner needs to find a strong footman he trusts to show him the way. In Washington, Daniel Snyder to hire a stronger football man and stay out of his way. And in Oakland, Al Davis needs to sell. There is no hope for a turnaround otherwise.

THE WATERCOOLER:
Are you surprised that no NFL team has signed Michael Vick yet?

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
Yes. It’s a mercenary business and most NFL teams would do anything to win a game. There are a lot of players with police rap sheets running around NFL fields, getting paid. If you look around the NFL, there aren’t many No. 2 quarterbacks that I’d put in the category of “impressive.” Vick can play. The problem is, teams are afraid of the backlash and the potential for disruption. But once Vick does his “60 Minutes” mea culpa, increased his involvement with pro-animal groups and starts to remake his image to win public support, the fear of political incorrectness will subside.

JIM THOMAS:
No. It hasn’t really been that long since Vick was given his green light of sorts from Commissioner Roger Goodell. Given the amount of attention and potential disruption that signing Vick would bring to a team and a training camp, it makes sense that clubs wouldn’t rush into signing him. Besides, he may not be cleared for regular-season play until October.

BILL COATS:
Not really, for a couple of reasons. First, there’s the obvious PR dilemma. Second, there’s the fact that Vick’s skills are somewhat of an anomaly and don’t fit very well with what most NFL teams are trying to do on offense. That said, I still expect some team to take a chance on Vick. Might not happen till the regular season starts, though, and injuries begin to become an issue.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was sentenced to 30 days in jail earlier this week following his guilty plea to DUI manslaughter in the death of a pedestrian. It was a controversial ruling that drew much criticism as many felt it too lenient. However, on Thursday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stepped up and suspended Stallworth from the league indefinitely, without pay. Does it surprise you that Goodell’s punishment seems more severe than that of the legal system?

BRYAN BURWELL
No it doesn’t. In much the same way that the legal system issued a punishment that legally was in accordance with previous sentences to cooperative first-time offenders who admitted guilt and made amends to the aggrieved family, Goodell issued a suspension that was consistent with players who broke the law and were convicted.

JEFF GORDON
Roger Goodell is the law-and-order commissioner so, no, this wasn’t a surprise at all. He is trying to clean up the league’s image. A LOT of players have had legal problems on his watch and he has punished them aggressively. This was a high-profile case, so Stallworth has a tough road ahead with Goodell. I believe the commissioner is grandstanding, to an extent, by coming down so hard on players. But there is nothing wrong with holding highly paid pro athletes accountable for their misdeeds.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Can’t say I’m surprised. If Goodell initially gave Pacman Jones a one-year suspension and Chris Henry an eight-game suspension, an indefinite leave in a manslaughter case would seem in line. I don’t think you can extrapolate to say that Goodell was compensating for the court’s decision, but I do think you can see that he’s trying to remain consistent in his strict personal conduct policy.

REID LAYMANCE
This commissioner has been consistent in sending a strong message on player conduct off the field. It will be interesting if a player wants to step up and challenge the league in court.

ROGER HENSLEY
I wasn’t surprised by Goodell’s swift and stern punishment, but I thought it appropriate. Thirty days in jail seems a small price to pay in an ordeal that cost a man his life. Yes, Stallworth cooperated with the police from the beginning, yes he has already agreed to some sort of compensation package with the aggrieved family, and yes, he’ll do 1,000 hours of community service … is that enough? Goodell’s suspension likely will leave the Browns with little recourse but to cut Stallworth from the team, and not being able to play Sundays (and collect a paycheck) likely will be the the greatest punishment for Stallworth.

MORE ON STALLWORTH

One columnist from the Cleveland Plain Dealer says that lost in the news of Stallworth’s most recent transgression is the fact that he was already in the league’s substance abuse program. Terry Pluto says it’s good to ban Stallworth from the league for a year, but he’d like to see him out of Cleveland for good. Check out his thoughts here.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What do you think the reaction of the St. Louis community would be if the Rams ultimately packed up and left town?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
At times like this, it’s easy to take a tough posture and say, ‘Forget about it,’ if they leave. But losing the Rams would be a crushing blow to the city’s pride. Can you imagine losing two NFL teams in less than 30 years? The NFL is the most successful and lucrative sports league in the world, and St. Louis can’t come up with a single owner to ensure the longevity of NFL football in our town? I realize there are many more important things in life than having an NFL team. There are more important priorities, too. But if the Rams leave, that will be it. There will never be another NFL team here. And that’s unfortunate.

DAN O’NEILL
Some of the community will be upset, especially the hard core group of fans who look forward to going downtown at 8 a.m. on Sunday, sitting in a parking lot and getting hammered and then stumbling into the dome to watch the mediocre product that is NFL football. A large portion of people in St. Louis, many of whom felt the deal the Rams got to come here was ridiculous in the first place, will not blink an eye.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Unless the owner whisks the team out of town under cloak of night, St. Louis will have had time to come to grips with the situation. The lack of a new facility or upgrades or unanswered cries for public money will make the team’s departure obvious, and fans probably will be resigned to the team’s fate at that point.

JEFF GORDON
It would be sad, of course, but St. Louis has bigger concerns than sports. Our local economy has changed for the worse. Once upon a time we had an unusually high number of corporations headquartered here. Once upon a time, we had a lot of manufacturing plants going full tilt. Our fans are terrific, but our marketplace has taken a big hit. In five years, will we be strong enough to support three teams at a high level?

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’m pretty sure there wouldn’t be a singular “community reaction.” General sports fans would be angry. Diehard football fans who caught the “fever” with the Greatest Show on Turf would be distraught. Old school football Cardinals fans would be wondering how it all happened again. Business owners who make money on Sundays would be in big trouble. Non-sports fans probably wouldn’t care much at all.

The city’s national reputation would certainly take a hit, justifiable or not. Not being an “NFL city” — especially when you’ve had two cracks at it — carries a certain stigma with it around the country. It certainly wouldn’t be fair but such a development would change how outsiders view the city of St. Louis.

Then the “us against the world” mentality would kick in and everyone would bring their focus back to the Cardinals and the Blues, just like when the football Cardinals left.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Does the Rams’ release of wide receiver Drew Bennett have any impact on whether or not Torry Holt is back with the team next season, or do you think this just means the team will seek a WR earlier in the draft or try to target a veteran in free agency?

JIM THOMAS
Absolutely none. Even had he stayed, Bennett would have had to prove himself all over again in St. Louis. Similarly, Bennett’s release won’t really have much of an impact on what the Rams do draft-wise or free agent-wise with the position.

BILL COATS
I don’t think it affects Holt’s status, because the Rams saved virtually nothing in the salary cap by releasing Bennett. Still, the team is going to have to round up some wide receivers in the next few months, via free agency, the draft or otherwise. Right now, they’re very young and very slim at that position.

BRYAN BURWELL
The release of Drew Bennett is totally independent of what the Rams front office plans to do with Torry Holt. One (Bennett) was a totally unproductive mistake of free agency who never proved to be an effective weapon or leader for this struggling offense. Cutting him shows that GM Billy Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo won’t waste much time keeping anyone who can’t help this franchise win. The decision on Holt — and by extension Orlando Pace — will come down to only one thing: Can they still help win ball games? That’s exactly how the decision should be made.

KATHLEEN NELSON
I think Bennett’s departure has no effect on Holt’s future, if what our own Jim Thomas reported a few days ago remains true about Holt being unwilling to restructure his deal. I also agree with Jim that the Rams might feel that after delivering seven Pro Bowl seasons, Holt deserves another shot — soon — at glory. That’s more likely to happen elsewhere. Free agents Laveranues Coles and T.J. Houshmanzadeh might be worth talking to, since the Rams could use a veteran, steadying hand at receiver, but the cupboard is pretty bare after those two.

TOM ACKERMAN (Sports anchor on “Total Information A.M.” on KMOX)
If Holt doesn’t restructure his contract, I don’t see how he stays in St. Louis. Torry still has some good football left in him, but that’s a hefty price tag for the Rams if he isn’t their No. 1 receiving option anymore. The offense will revolve around Steven Jackson, anyway, so the offensive line is a priority. The Rams need a defensive identity, too, and that will require money. Second-year wideouts Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton are intriguing, but they need a veteran on the roster. I wish there was a way to keep Holt around, but I envision the Rams searching for a free-agent veteran WR at a lesser price.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

IT’S MANNY’S WORLD: And apparently he’s just sharing it with the rest of us. Poor Manny Ramirez, the player without a team. Remember a few weeks back when Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was lobbying for Manny to join the Cardinals because his out-of-work friend said no teams wanted him? Poppycock.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers have reapproached Ramirez with a new offer: a two-year deal that would pay Ramirez $25 million this season and a player option at $20 million next season. That means Ramirez can “choose” whether or not to accept the $20 million next year. But at this point Ramirez has not accepted the deal and it’s reported his agent Scott Boras is still in “negotiations” with the Dodgers on the contract.

Negotiations? What exactly more does Ramirez want? Unquestionably he’s been one of the game’s bigger sluggers over the years (when, that is, he actually feels like playing.) But what more is he looking for? Does Ramirez and Boras think the Dodgers should pony up for a four- or five-year deal for an outfielder (I use the term loosely) who’s going to turn 37 in May?

I’ve always kind of enjoyed sitting back and watching the theatrics that come along with Manny being Manny, but the excess and largesse surrounding this whole offseason with Ramirez is just too much. If he does sign the deal with the Dodgers, it’s only a matter of time until Ramirez finds something else to pout about and holds the team hostage to his demands. Look around, Manny, you ain’t got it so bad.

MANNY, PART DEUX: The satirical online magazine The Onion reports today that agent Scott Boras was able to get Manny $20 billion in economic stimulus funds from the U.S. government. Oh, and there are incentives. Check it out.

SOMETHING TO PONDER

FREE AGENCY AWAITS: The NFL free agency period opens at midnight tonight. You’re likely to see a lot of movement around the league this year. Make sure you check out Jim Thomas’ report in the Post-Dispatch tomorrow morning where he breaks down not only the Rams’ needs in free agency, but also highlights the top five free agents at every position.

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STAT OF THE DAY

41 years — Before Wednesday night, that’s how long it had been since Northwestern University men’s basketball team had beaten Indiana at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Wildcats had been 0-33 in Bloomington since their last victory there in 1968.