timmeno: Please tell me what you think? Lets make a move? After the loss this week vs the Bills, remove Scott and Jay(GM) and bring Dick Vermill back as VP and Marshall as Gm intern and see what they can do? Turn the team over to Jim H,(d-coor) for the yr and after the season bring in Rivera as HC and Singletery (49ers-lb coach) D-coord. And keep Al Sauders as assh HC and O-coord. Now first things first. Release the vets that are not making movements on the team. Resight Holt and bring up Ball and let minnor go. Trade a 2rd 09 and 3rd 10 to Det for R.Williams Wr to work with Holt and bring Avery up to speed. Move Byrd to backup Fb/h-back. Move Adam to Lde on run downs and move hm inside on pass downs and Little as a pash rush specialist. With the first pick next season Rd1 Look OT for a replacement for Pace. Build from the draft and make it happen! Did you know that Scott is shopping Holt???? Its on the web?

Jim Thomas: Sorry for the late start. The Rams schedule is different this week because of the bye and I'm right off the practice field. If you haven't heard already, Marc Bulger has been reinstated as the starter. Haslett said "for the season" barring injury. The Fakhir Brown re-signing has hit a snag because Brown's agent wants "termination pay" _ in other words, a new contract to go with his existing one (which is guaranteed since Brown is a vested vet). The practice was crisp. Haslett has immediately challenged the offense to pick up its tempo in practice. Orlando Pace sat out practice because of general body soreness, inluding some shoulder soreness. (Nothing major.)
As for all your proposed changes. Whoaa! More change is on the way, it just won't happen all at once.

James: Jim,

The defense has been horrible all year. Linehan makes a few changes but allows Chavous to stay in, why? Is this another FOSL move? Chavous is a great leader and locker room guy from what I've heard but honestly, I'm not sure he could cover anyone in college much less the pros. With Atowege always taking bad angles on tackles, wouldn't it be better to move him to SS and insert Johnson at FS? Isn't it time to take Pisa out too? The guy overpursues every play leaving him out of position and rarely making a tackle. Where is Manning? Where is Johnson? Where is Chamberlain? Why not give these guys a chance? They can't do any worse than it is now. By the end of Sunday we will be dead last in the league in total defense. This team is a joke.

Thanks for the time.

Jim Thomas: With the exception of the Seattle game, Pisa has played fairly well this season. I'm a big fan of Chavous in terms of toughness and leadership skills, but he just doesn't run very well and that's one of the problems in the secondary _ a lack of speed. I too, feel Todd Johnson deserves a chance. Manning played a lot in the nickel Sunday once Tye Hill went down. Unless the Rams are successful in re-signing Fakhir Brown, Manning will continue to be the nickel. Chamberlain has had some moments from scrimmage, but I don't think he's ready to see any appreciable playing time from scrimmage.
By the way: Lane Kiffin just got fired in Oakland.

mr. optomist: hi mr thomas....seems to me that we need another running back to spell jackson so he doesn't run out of gas late in the game....i know pittman is hurt,but don't most teams have someone to give the main back a rest? when he gets teired late in 2nd half,our offense sputters and we lose momentum

Jim Thomas: Most teams do have a 1-2 punch. There's no doubt there's a big dropoff from S. Jackson to Pittman and Leonard.

Brian Jones: The guy I’m most disappointed in during this whole deal is Bulger. The guy is supposed to be a team leader but was completely GUTLESS by not addressing the press and standing up like a man when he was benched. We know he was disappointed, and he can say that, but as far as being a team player and a leader, he showed his colors. Anything he has to say now that Linehan is fired is completely without merit.

Jim Thomas: That disappointed me, too. Obviously Bulger was upset by the situation, but he could have said some general comment without publicly going overboard in criticism of Linehan. Perhaps Bulger was just waiting to see if Linehan got fired during the bye week before commenting. Anyway, Bulger was reinstalled today as the starting QB by Haslett, and is scheduled to address the media in about 25 minutes. (I'll have to take a brief hiatus at that time.)

RamFanInCA: Hi Jim. Do you know how much consideration was given to Venturi being the interim coach? I'm concerned that by putting Linehan's foil, Haslett, into the position, the blame will end up falling solely on Linehan. While Linehan was a problem, he's not the only problem. NObody should be feeling that the organization is on the right track now just because he is gone. The problems run much deeper than the head coach. What do you think?

Jim Thomas: To my knowledge, I don't think Venturi's name ever came up. And by the early weekend, if not sooner, it was strictly a Haslett or Saunders proposition for Chip Rosenbloom. Believe me, Haslett knows he's fortunate to be a head coach again given the play of the defense, particularly in the first three games.