Louis: Jim, do you think that if Carrol Rosenbloom was still the owner or his son, that we wouldn't be seeing this crazy upper management mentality??
I love the Rams (not Georgia) and have always been loyal but to see them flounder like this is unacceptable!
This team had the potential (Like New England) to keep being competitive over all these years since the Super Bowl(s) and have squandered their talent.
It sure seems like the old days all over again...Eric Dickerson, Everett, Ron Brown, Waddy,etc...
You see it starts at the top and St Louis, Mo. fans will see (if they have not already) what we in So Cal find out a long time ago that they just don't get it!
Until someone purchases this team and ousts management, I'm afraid we're in for more of the same.
The track record proves it, go back and look at the Rams history especially since Georgia has taken over!
Carrol Rosenbloom wanted his son to run the operation (read Wikepedia)

Jim Thomas: It kind of makes you wonder if 1999 through 2001 really happened. It did, didn't it?

Robert: Jim,


HOW LONG CAN WE RAMS FANS CAN STAND TO WATCH THIS DEBACLE OF A TEAM, NO PRIDE, NO FIRE, NO DETERMINATION POOR COACHING,JUST RIDICULOUS!!!! HOW LONG BEFORE WE CAN START TO CALL MARTY OR BILL COWHER. THIS ORGANIZATION,& COACHING STAFF SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS MESS. AS A DIE HARD RAMS FAN FROM ORANGE COUNTY I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT GEORGIA FRONTIERE CAN SEE WHAT THIS TEAM HAS TURN OUT TO BE THE LAUGHING STOCK FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!!!

JUST AN ANGRY RAMS FAN!!!!

Jim Thomas: Thirty-nine points in four games. That's hard to imagine. And seven of them came on Dante Hall's punt return in Dallas. Yes, injuries are a big factor in what's going on right now. But 39 points?????

Derrelle: JIm! Jim! Jim! What in the world is going on with these Lambs my god. I heard the interview with you and Linehan and he had the nerve to be upset, the problem with the rams is that they dont make the right adjustments if the other team is doing one thing when the series is over go over to the bench (Mark Bulger)with your offensive line and you wide receivers and look at the photos to make the proper adjustments along with (Greg Olsen) why does Mark Bulger put on his ballcap and stand next to Gus Frerotte and watch the defense somebody should tell him to go back there and look at the photos with the rest of the offensive players !!THIS IS bAAAAAAD!! GO LAMBS!

Jim Thomas: I've seen Bulger frequently looking over photos with Frerotte and the offensive coaches, so I don't think he's boycotting anything. But the offensive doldrums are so bad it defies description.

Brian Sullivan: Jim,
Is Scott Linehan the beneficiary on Marc Bulger's insurance policy? Why else would he play him when it is so obvious that he is hurt and the offensive line is a sieve?

Jim Thomas: Linehan thinks Bulger gives them the best chance to win, even with two broken ribs. Don't get me wrong, in my mind there's no doubt that Bulger can play, but given the state of his ribs, his tentativeness in the pocket, why not sit him for a week or two, to at least get healthier and regroup mentally.

Ramalamadingdong: Heya JT - there has been much written about how Martz was the problem here.

That he couldn't get along with our brilliant FO.

Is there any rethinking being done by, if no one else, the press corps about who really was and is the problem on this team?

I mean, 30 plus years, three Super Bowl appearances. Two of which occured AFTER Mike Martz showed up.

And Martz was the problem?

I've been a Rams fan since the days of Norm Van Brocklin, Crazy Legs Hirsch, Bob Waterfield, et al. We're right back to the kind of football that was played here before Martz showed up.

How much longer are the fans going to take it?

Thanks.

Jim Thomas: For the most part, I don't think any re-thinking is necessary by the writers at the Post-Dispatch. I think all along, we knew what Martz brought to the table _ pro and con. But the friction had become so bad between Martz and Zygmunt that something had to give. Zygmunt won the power struggle and here we are. But let's not just include Martz in this discussion. The Rams were doing nothing but losing until three men showed up between 1997 and '99: Martz, Charley Armey, and Dick Vermeil. All three are gone.

Ed Curran: I have a different take on the Rams season so far than the P-D Rams beat writers and many fans. The sky is not falling, the Rams simply are in a terrible slump - add that to the injuries and it equals 0-4. The Rams are a few (5-10 plays) from being 2-2 or even 3-1, even with the all of the injuries. And the critical bad plays are being made by their supposed best players. I say if Steven Jackson (who is not fumble prone) doesn't fumble twice in game 1 we win. If Dante Hall (one of the best return men of all time) doesn't fumble the punt in game 2 we win again. In game 3 Wilkins (nicknamed Money) misses 2 relatively easy field goals, plus Bulger throws that horrible interception in the endzone, I say that we win that game too, if not for those 3 plays. That's 6 plays away from 3-1. Why do your best players make crucial mistakes at critical points in the game? Who knows but in baseball they call them slumps. The difference is the baseball season is much longer and they don't hurt as much. I just don't see how the coach is at fault though for those mistakes, responsible but not at fault. I'm not saying Linehan is without fault for poor play calling and game decisions (not playing Frerotte sooner) but the P-D and fans reaction is ridiculous. Didn't Belichek get run out of town in his first head coaching job? Geez give Linehan some time. Right now I say blame the Rams best players if you need to assess blame. I hope the P-D beat writers have to eat your words later in this season or next season.

Jim Thomas: The point is the Rams are 0-4. In almost every game throughout the league, you can point to two or three plays that define a game. Trouble is, the two or three plays always seem to be going against the Rams. Good teams find a way to win the close ones, regardless of the circumstances, the injuries, the calls. The Rams haven't. Not once. Instead they have crumbled in the second half of ballgames when they've been outscored 72-9. Seventy-two to nine. Aren't those alarming numbers to you?

J. Barcellos: Jim,

You missed my question last week and it only seems to be gaining steam after another rough outing. If Linehan doesn't make it back next year. Who would be the top three guys on your wish list for the head coaching job?

Lifelong Ram fan from California

Jim Thomas: Why don't we just let this thing play out a little more before we start looking for replacements.

Frank Mendenhall: Aside from Bulger's ineffectiveness (which i think is obviously caused by his injuries) and the offensive line problems, it seems as though our receivers rarely gain any separation in their patterns. What do you think the problem is?

Jim Thomas: Holt and Bruce aren't getting any younger. Bennett has made some obvious mistakes in terms of running the right pattern. Holt is not at full speed because of his knee surgery, although I think he's getting better. But overall, I'm not sure they're that they're not gaining separation. You look at the tape of the San Francisco game, and Rams receivers were running free all day. There have been many plays where Bulger just didn't have time to get the ball off.

keith moudy: Considering, the injuries, I thought the Rams
played, a great 1st 1/2 vs. the Cowboys.
I am bewildered as to why, with broken ribs
they started, and, stayed with Bulger.
considering the terrible luck the Rams have
faced so far, I would like to remind, everyone, they could also, later in the year,
win 4 in a row. All is not lost.
and yes, i'm a season tic holder section 105

Jim Thomas: There's no doubt life in the NFL can change in an instant. It's a week to week league, and what happened the previous Sunday often has no bearing on what happens the next Sunday. The challenge for the Rams is not getting down mentally, believing in themselves, and believing in their coaches. But as someone who's around the team a lot, it's obvious the frustration is mounting on the offensive side of the ball. Compounding matters are the injuries. Yes, all teams have them. But I've never seen anything quite like this in a relatively short period of time. At the moment, the Rams are losing more players to injury each week than they're getting back from injury.

Michael Camuso: Jim, does it make sense to you that the Rams should bench Bulger until he is healthy and play Ferrote? There is not much we can do as this is a lost season but at least we will have a chance to win a few games with a healthy quarterback.

Jim Thomas: Probably the time to do it would've been starting with the Tampa Bay game. When a coaching staff tells you they specifically went with a conservative game plan out of concerns for a banged-up quarterback, then he probably shouldn't have been playing.

Don: Jim--Is it time to rethink Bulger? I know he has been hurt and has a makeshift line. That was clear in his poor accuracy on Sunday. Even before the start of the season, he seemed to not see open secondary receivers. Something I noticed last season & in pre-season is that many replays of interceptions or incomplete passes show some other recievers wide open and ignored. Bulger has never been a good red-zone QB. His forte has been accuracy in space--which will account for a lot of TDs in a Mike Martz offense, not a traditional offense. Since the Rams are in the lead for the No. 1 draft pick next April, maybe a mobile QB who can make things happen (like most top QBs drafted in the past few years)is in order.

Jim Thomas: You don't re-think quarterbacks two months after signing them to a $65 million contract extension. Also, Bulger threw 21 TD passes last season with zero interceptions in the red zone. That's pretty good, don't you think? Overall, the Rams finished eighth in the NFL in red zone TDs in 2006.

Ed Johnson: Dear Jim
Two questions sir, first by moving training camp to Ram City instead of Macomb, Ill, did that make us a little softer? I thought our players were in much better conditioning and shape when we held training camp there. Two, what would it take to get Bill Cowher or maybe a Les Miles/Pete Carroll to come to the Rams?

Jim Thomas: The camps are just as rigorous at Rams Park as they were in Macomb. Again, it's way too early to begin searching for a new coach.

Steve Roberts: What's the deal with Wilkens? Is he hurt? This type of play just isn't normal for him. Will the Rams seriously consider replacing him mid-season if it continues?

Jim Thomas: Don't think he's hurt. Don't think the Rams will consider replacing him, unless he goes about 0 for 15. Even Albert Pujols has a slump now and then. Unfortunately for Wilkins, his has come at a time when a lot of other things are going wrong for the club.

cardmel: I am not trying to start any controversay here. However, what a football mind can put together on offense, a defensive mind can adapt too. My question; is the taller,or more mobil quaterback, the wave of the future to defend aganist. Will this type of QB be in drafting futre of the Rams?

Jim Thomas: Maybe. But two of the best QBs in the league _ Tom Brady and Peyton Manning _ are pocket passers.

DD: New to this Jim thank you for providing, long time Rams fan livining in Vegas. Yesterday was the worst game I remember seeing ever, the fact that Haslett's defense took zero risks in the 2nd half ( nice to see Chavous revover the fumbled snap for 6) didn t happen nobody was around, Bulger way off target, why is the ZERO changes? In coaching staff, play calling, personell, zero changes they seem to keep going out with the same losing game plan, I dont get it. I am looking forward to KW's return but he couldn't help this team, the O line caused to him to be hurt and replaced to start with. I dont care for Linehan but this has been going on for several years, maybe Shaw needs to hit the bricks....

Jim Thomas: I too would like to see Haslett take more chances. But it's tough to blitz when you're so shaky at cornerback (minus Hill and Brown). For example, the first TD pass to Patrick Crayton came on a blitz, meaning once Lenny Walls missed the tackle, there was no one back there to help out.
I would like to see something attempted to shake things up. Such as, an occasional trick play; using the no-huddle for a series or two.

LKP: Jim,

This team is on a blistering pace to score 8 offensive touchdowns all season. I think during the glory years 99-01 we came close a few times to scoring that many in one game. I’ve never seen an offense this clueless. The O-line injuries are killing them, but it’s clear they have many other issues (questionable coaching, poor talent evaluation, no ability to make effective adjustments at haltime, playing a QB that is obviously hurting and can't play to his abilities, on defense a weak linebacker core- Pisa is a good guy that plays hard but is way overrated, Witherspoon is playing out of position, the list go on and on). They played a great team Sunday that exposed all of their weaknesses. It was painful to see how overmatched they were, this team is in deep trouble. They still might win 1-3 games, but I won’t be surprised if they go 0-16. Linehan will lose the team soon if this continues and it will really get ugly. I’d like to see him succeed, I think he’s coaching hard but he is dealing with what is quickly becoming a major disaster. All this being said it really makes me appreciate the great run of 99-01, especially the 99 team...that was something VERY SPECIAL. There is a lot to change from the front office all the way down if this organization ever expects to get back to that level.

Frustrated season ticket holder

Jim Thomas: Feel your pain. There are no easy ways out at the moment.

Bill Fleming: Hi Jim,

Can you explain why the NFL has a rule on the number of team members who can "dress" for a game on Sunday? I do not understand why players who are on the team, and are being paid, can not play? Is it for competitive balance?

Oh BTW, Coach Lineham makes some very strange decisions, but you already know that.

Thanks Jim

Jim Thomas: I think it's a goofy rule. Why pay guys to watch the game in street clothes. In theory, the rule evens out things for teams that have a lot of injuries. In other words, if you could dress all 53 players, a team that had six injured players unable to play would be at a disadvantage over a team that had only two injured players unable to play.
There was a proposed rules change to at least boost the game day roster to 47 or 48 from 45, but that got shot down at the owners meetings last spring. I'd like to see the game-day roster set at least at 48 players.

JC: Hi Jim,

If the Rams keep having to sign players to replace the ones out for the season, how is that affecting their salary cap?

Jim Thomas: It adds up in the end, and nibbles away at a team's cap room. But almost all of the players signed off the street are making "only" a few hundred thousand dollars. The Rams still have plenty of cap room left this season _ nearly $5.3 million according to latest NFL Players Association figures.

Murat: Hello Jim;

Many people wrote that the defining momemnt in Dallas game was Romo's "great escape". To me, it was Drew Bennett's absence in the huddle. The defense did a good job in the first half but even they could not take our offense anymore. What do you think?

In 2002, when we were 0-5, we saw Bulger emerge. Who do you think will emerge, if any, this year out of nowhere?

Bad news: we're terrible.
Good news: only 11 months to the start of the 2008 season.

Jim Thomas: I think the Great Escape changed the game. At worst, the Rams are tied 7-7 at half if Romo's tackled down at the 17 where he finally picked up the ball. Instead it's 14-7 at the half.
As for emerging Rams, I'd love to see Antonio Pittman and Marques Hagans get some playing time. I was surprised not to see Pittman get at least a carry or two once the Dallas game got out of hand. Hagans should at least get a chance to play this week what with Looker out with his thigh injury and Bruce questionable (at best) with his hamstring.

Jack Cramond: Nobody expects 16-0, but nobody expects 0-16. We as fans, through thick and MOSTLY thin should simply boycott the home games in St. Louis. Let the owners, coaches, players look up into the stands and see that the visiting team has more fans in the stadium than the rams. Dont get me wrong, it wont change a thing. But at least the fans dont have to throw away their money on a bad show.

Jim Thomas: Fans pay for their tickets, I've always felt they should do whatever they want. In Detroit, they keep coming out to the games even though the team has been bad for a while. In St. Louis, the empty seats in 1998 forced management to make radical changes in the offseason, and you saw what happened in '99.

sally colburn: Jim,
Two questions:
Should the rams be looking for a legitimate General Manager and not have the cap guy run the team?

If we continue to play like this for another 4 games, would firing Lineham not be the humane thing to do and let Haslett coach out the season.
Lineham looks like his head is going to explode in these press conferences.

Jim Thomas: Don't hold your breath waiting for a "legitimate" GM. The Rams traditionally have let the head coach and management make most personnel decisions. Charley Armey never had the full powers associated with the GM title. But Vermeil listened to him, as did Martz, at least in the early going. I'm not sure if anyone is listening to Tony Softli, whom the Rams have kept under wraps.
As for doing the humane thing and firing Linehan, Dick Vermeil was 6-14 in his first 20 games as opposed to Linehan's 8-12. Should the Rams have fired Vermeil after a 1-3 start in 1998 _ his second season on the job?

Buzz: Jim,
I guarantee the Rams will not make the playoffs. If they do, I'll pull my hamstring. On to Lenny Walls' excuse: Cramps? Didn't Linehan work the team in the heat during training camp for this road game in Dallas? Did Walls take in extra fluids during the week to minimize the chances of this happening? The NFL doesn't test for Gatorade consumption, Lenny; you can drink all you need to. I don't want to hear any more lame excuses from these children. The only one I'll tolerate concerns the injuries on the OL. Probably no team has the depth to overcome this many. Thanks, I'm done ranting now.

Jim Thomas: Well said. In taking himself out of the game, Walls reminded me of Terry Fair doing the same a few years back. Remember? It was against Seattle. Fair was supposed to return a punt, was "winded" after three plays on defense, so he waved in Shaun McDonald, who lost a critical fumble in a Rams loss. Wall's departure left only rookie free agent Darius Vinnett as an option. It doesn't seem to say much about Walls' competitive spirit, does it?

David Ruth: What will it take for the coaching to get an F on the report card after a game? Because if this was not an F performance by the coaches I pray I will never see one.

The bigest mistake was starting Marc Bulger to begin with. He is physicaly unable to perform. The only reason I can think of to start Bulger is that the O-line is so bad they are afaid of getting Gus Ferote (spelling?) hurt also and having to sign a quarterback off the street. What's Jamie Martin doing? We know he can absorb punishment and that seems to be important the way things are going.

Number two was the prevent defense at the end of the first half. In light of what happened in the 3rd quarter it may seem irrelevant but the score was tied 7-7 at that time. I know you don't want to give up a quick TD. But isn't letting the opponents go the length of the field in a minute and a half a quick TD?

Number three: The replay challenge on the Dante Hall non-catch. What was that about? Mike Martz used his at odd times, spot of the ball on 2nd down for example, but never when the refs were so obvioulsy correct.

What else would have made this bad enough to warrant an F?

Jim Thomas: The coaching staff did not get an "F" for three reasons:

_ 1.) The injuries are a factor, particularly on offense.

_ 2.) Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett did an admirable job with a shorthanded secondary, keeping T.O. in check and keeping the Dallas running game held down for 2 1/2 quarters before Walls had his meltdown.

_ 3.) Special teams coach Al Roberts suggested a strategic change on punt returns that helped result in Dante Hall's PR for a TD.

Even so, you do know that a "D" grade represents a poor performance, don't you?

J.D.: Jim,
What do we do? Besides getting some key players back what else do we need to do? Also do you know of any free agents we could bring in to help on the offensive line? Best of luck to bulger staying healthy because if any other QB was behind that line they would have been done 2 weeks ago.

Jim Thomas: Here's what the players can do: Minimize mistakes. Be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there. Create turnovers on defense. Avoid turnovers on offense. Don't worry about last week. Or the week before. Worry about the next play.

What the coaches can do: Seek more input from the core offensive players on the game plan. Try to shake things up with trick plays, the no-huddle, anything. Try to get the players relaxed, loosened up.

As for free agents, just about every offensive lineman with a pulse already has been brought in.

Brad Kirchner: Bulger may be hurt. Jackson was out this week. Our O line is makeshift. But the real problem with this team is Scott Linehan and Greg Olson. The offensive play calling has been embarrassing; am I the only one that thinks someone in the Rams front office should be looking up Marty Schottenheimer's number?

Jim Thomas: It's still way too early to be thinking about the next head coach of the Rams.

Greg Smith: Jim,
Thanks for the opportunity, I understand that Linehan is safe for this year and will be brought back next season, but what about Olson? Could management pressure Linehan into making a change?

Jim Thomas: Possibly. But you are talking about the same Greg Olson who called plays over the last six games of '06, during which time the team went 4-2 and averaged 28 points a game?

Dugan D: Jim, I loathe guys who blame everything on the head coach ... but . . . .
I know Linehan wants to hide behind injuries [any port in a storm], but riddle-me this - -
Who was it that completely changed the Rams' pre-season workout regimen?? Who almost made dressing for exhibition games "voluntary??" Why isn't anyone just saying -- the injuries are a result of not being in game shape??
If you've got a brittle player, you should find out in pre-season so he can be replaced. The Rams' fitness guru ... Linehan ... is a buffoon.
Every coach has "his thing." That which he uses as a base. Has Linehan exhibited one, yet??
Hope somebody's got Pete Carroll or Bill Parcell's number on speed-dial.

Jim Thomas: I totally agree with you that the players should have played more in the preseason. But I'm not sure if you can tie the rash of injuries to lack of playing time in the preseason.
A lot of the injuries were just plain freaky. Tye Hill running into a teammate in practice. . . .Orlando Pace punching out with his right arm. . . .3 players falling on top of Mark Setterstrom on a field goal. . . .etc.

Ron: Don't get too discouraged, St. Louis...Dallas has torn up the 3rd quarter in all 4 games. Dallas is used to playing in the 90 degree heat and they wear out the defenses. You have an aweful lot of injuries. Don't give up yet; you wont be going to the superbowl but you can be competitive. My question: where do you start in the draft? I assume offense.

Jim Thomas: As we sit here right now, I would say offensive tackle, wide receiver, safety and speed rusher all are Day 1 priorities.

valhalla: Jim-
Linehan has officially lost me. To already state that Bulger is the QB for Sunday is simply ridiculous. To not have a healthy Gus start when it is painfully apparent that Bulger's injuries are affecting his mental and physical performance shows to me that he is way out of his league when it comes to being a head coach.

Any word on which free agents will be coming through the Rams O-line revolving door next?

Feeling a little like Kevin Bacon in "Animal House" every Sunday ("Thanks you sir, may I have another?) -RIC-

Jim Thomas: I'm still checking on visits today. The only street free agent I know for sure who's at Rams Park today is CB Derrick Strait, formerly of the Carolina Panthers and Jets

dj: JIM

WHATS THE WORD ON ADAM TIMMERMAN? ARE ALL BRIDGES BURNED OR WHAT?

Jim Thomas: I would say all bridges burned. If he hasn't heard from them by now after all the line injuries, it's not going to happen.

Todd: You didn't answer David Ruth's question on why Linehan challenged that play.

Jim Thomas: If you're talking about the long pass to Dante Hall down the sideline against Dallas, Linehan simply blamed himself. It was a confusing sequence because it looked like the Cowboys were going to challenge the original ruling which was a catch. And then Linehan challenged after the call was changed to incomplete. He almost always goes with what the coaches are telling him in the booth, and they apparently suggested a challenge.

Greg: Come on Jim - what did you and Shaw talk about during your heart to hear before the season?

Can the man admit that the formula since DV left has not work?

Jim Thomas: The talk with Shaw was the week of the San Francisco game. To a large degree it was just a general session to get caught up on things _ I hadn't talked to him in several weeks. But I do not want to get into specifics. Reporters work hard to build up trust with the people they cover on a daily basis, and violating what was an off-the-record session would be unprofessional.

Greg: Jim,

When does Shaw get held accountable here? Since the playoff loss to the Panthers this has been an average to a bad team. What about winning?

Jim Thomas: Shaw isn't going anywhere unless he wants to. He's the most powerful team president in the NFL in terms of how much control he has over the club. But it is Jay Zygmunt who runs the team on a daily basis.

patrick carroll: Why dont the cut Walls? He lacks talent and a real competive spirit and it may send a strong message the the rest of the under achievers.

Jim Thomas: What you're saying and suggesting makes a lot of sense to me.

Steven: Has Linehan lost the players? Does he still have the ability to lead this team?

Jim Thomas: We're about to find out. The team went through a five-game losing streak a year ago and managed to win four of its last six games, including the final three of '06. So Linehan was able to pull the team out of it a year ago.

TJ: May not be most popular suggestion, but I've had it with the Linehan regime already. Fire Linehan now. Hire Haslett to finish year. Beg and over pay to bring Shottenheimer to the Rams. There will be may boos sent my way, but Linehan has taken a Cadillac and turned it into a Pinto.

Jim Thomas: You're definition of a "Cadillac" intrigues me. The Rams were 6-10 the year before Linehan arrived, with only one winning season in the previous four seasons. That's a Cadillac?

Ronnie: do you think that the rams will do good enough to move onto the super bowl this season.......

Jim Thomas: Only if they can score some tickets.

Cardfans: Gotta ask. Do you agree with ESPN's power rankings, which place the Rams 32nd in the league? Are we looking at a top 3 pick?

Jim Thomas: I'm a firm believer in you-are-what-your-record-says you are. The Rams are 0-4. If not 32nd; they're 31st.

Greg: Jim,

Saw your response to the GM question. Well, shouldn't management and the coach be fired then for the AWFUL job done drafting this team and the misses in free agency? At least the Armey/Vermeil/Martz team got us Trent Green, Warner, Fletcher, Dre Bly, etc..

What has this group done?

Jim Thomas: You're not going to fire Shaw and Zygmunt unless you "fire" the owner. I don't know if I can put it any plainer than that.

Mike Edwards: Jim - Is it time to cut Dominique Byrd loose? With all his off the field problems and now his tardiness to team meetings. Does he have that much talent that warrant the coaches giving him chance after chance?

Jim Thomas: He's shown nothing but coach-killer tendencies so far. By that I mean, teases them with potential, but lacks productivity and professionalism.

patrick carroll: Hi Jim,

A few personnel questions.
1. Why is Klop still playing? He can't block, does not catch passses and adds zero value. What about trying Byrd?
2. I have not been terribly impressed with Owens as a lead blocker, are you? Do you think he is a better option than Hedgecock?
3. It is obvious that Glover is finished - why does he still get a majority of the snaps?

Pat

Jim Thomas: 1.) If Byrd can show up on time _ or even show up for team meetings _ it might help his cause. Staying awake in team meetings might help, too.

2.) I haven't looked at the Dallas tape yet, but Owens looks about the same as Hedgecock to me. An OK player, but that's all.

3.) Glover would be the first to tell you that he's not the same player he was a few years ago. But if Haslett had better options, I'm sure he'd be using them.

Dennis: Jim-

Do you think Hamlin should be fined for that hit on Torry Holt? And why wasn't there a flag on that play? The ref was standing right there and didn't call anything.

Jim Thomas: Judging from the TV replays, it looked to be a helmet to helmet hit, which is a fine-able offense. The refs seem to miss a lot of things. They don't even call illegal contact any more. In each of the four Rams games so far this season, there has been an obvious illegal contact play _ including one in the end zone involving Drew Bennett against Tampa and one in the end zone against Dante Hall (I think) against Dallas, yet no call. And this was a penalty that was supposed to be a point of emphasis just a couple of years ago. Why have a rule in the rule book if you're going to ignore it?

I must go for now. The response continues to be amazing. I'll try to answer more tonight.

Tony: Jim,

I was at the game in Dallas, I had to see this for myself. Ouch. Three musts, in my opinion, if we are to salvage anything other than the first pick in the draft.

1. Let Frerotte take a shot at getting the offense going, for at least one game. It will let Bulger heal and get his head straight if nothing else.

2. Holt and Bruce are the wrong WRs for a team in this state; they require precision, they don't manufacture yards after the catch, they are small, and they are totally non-physical. This team absolutely MUST draft a big WR (or two), and in the meantime get Hagans involved and run a lot more two TE sets.

3. Reading McMichael's body language toward the end of the game, he looks as if he is on the edge of a meltdown ... get him much more involved or else be prepared for him to check out mentally.

I think this team will be heard from before the year is out, but it all depends on the creativity of the coaches in adapting to this adversity.

Jim Thomas: 1.) Couldn't agree more on Frerotte/Bulger. But Linehan seems pretty firm that it ain't gonna happen.

2.) I agree with your general premise, and Linehan would like a bigger, tackle-breaking WR. But Holt and Bruce posted very good numbers in this offense last year. Rams already do run a lot of two TE sets. Hagans. . .now!

3.) McMichael. Can you blame him for being frustrated. Everyone's frustrated. Did you see Bulger slam _ and I mean SLAM _ his helmet to the ground after the red zone interception?

Mitch Brian: OK, so injuries pile up almost as high as the notes of criticism. As I watch the games, here is what I see, and believe me, I'm a fan, from watching one of Charlie's Angels sing the national anthem at the 79/80 superbowl (Cheryl Ladd), to seeing the turnaround from Tony Banks to Trent Green to Kurt Warner. I'm a fan, still am, and here is what I see:

1-Mark Bulger is no Kurt Warner. He's a good kid, quite accurate, but not a leader, and not much good when slightly injured or slightly pressured. Rams overpaid for him, should have selected Jay Cutler when they had the chance. Blew that one.

2-Steven Jackson has all the tools, but lacks an offensive line to make him productive.

3-Injuries are part of the game, but it seems to me that the Rams are THE MOST FRAGILE team in the league. Orlando Pace is brittle at best any more, time to hang em up big O. Without an offensive line, nobody would win in this game and ours is simply gone, not even close to a starting line in the NFL. Add that to an over-rated QB and an aging receiver corps, and wala, you have an impotent offense.

4-Drew Bennett seems to be STUPID. Not just slow and injured, but stupid. Kevin Curtis was BRIGHT, a Martz prototype, like McDonald, SMART and TOUGH. Bennett seems to be slow, stupid, and misses most of his routes. How many times have you seen Bulger look at him in disgust because Bennett ran the wrong route. He's an absolute failure of a free-agent pickup. I'd rather see Haagans or Hall in there with speed rather than height. He's no good at the goal line like we thought he would be.

5-The defense is playing better, but hey, they can't do it all and in the 2nd half of the game, when the offense doesn't give them a rest because they go 3 and out or they turn it over, the defense simply wears out. Couple that with a depleted secondary and under-sized linebackers and wala, an average of 7 yards for Dallas per play. WOW, we suck!

6-Coaching- I like Scott Linehan, but he's not a head coach. He'd be better off as an OC. The Rams have done this twice now lately. First with Martz and now with Linehan. Taken GREAT offensive coordinators and turned them into lousy head coaches. Why not just PAY THEM MORE as an offensive coordinator and let them sit on the right seat on the bus. I think Haslett is a good DC but his defense isn't getting any help or any rest. Bring in a good head coach and let Haslett coach the D and Linehan coach the O and maybe we could summon up some heart.

7-Heart: This team lacks heart, lacks drive, lacks determination. Now that they are 0-4, I'd be surprised if they win 5 games this season. They've given up.

8-Receivers: Everybody WANTS TO THINK that we have one of the greatest receiving corps in the league. Correction: WE USED TO! Holt is older, slower, and easire to cover. Bruce is injury prone, older, slower, and easier to cover. Bennett, well, we've already discussed that. It's time for the Rams to DRAFT a #1 Receiver and give Bulger some weapons.

Bottom Line: Rams will finish 4-12 this year and be looking at a 2nd or 3rd draft pick in the first round. We are officially re-building and it's not off to a good start because the guy leading the pack is not leading the pack. Bulger simply has skill, not heart, not passion, and not leadership ability. I'd take a young Cutler, good hell, an old Frerotte!

GO RAMS, I'm a fan until I die!

Jim Thomas: Geez Mitch, you've just written the Magna Carta. Some thoughts on your thoughts.

1.) Bulger no Warner. I don't think anyone ever thought he was, at least not the Warner of 1999 through 2001 who could speed-read a defense like few before and after. I'm not yet willing to question Bulger's leadership. But I think this season will be a huge test of whether he can be a leader.

3.) Pace has had two bad almost freak injuries in '06 and '07. But between 1998 and 2005 _ that's eight full seasons, plus 10 playoff games, Pace missed only six contests. So I don't know if I'd call him fragile.

4.) Drew Bennett. Don't know what's going on here. You talk to the guy, and he seems very bright. But something's not clicking on the field. He's not exactly Bulger's favorite receiver right now.

6.) Time may very well prove you right about Scott Linehan as a head coach, but I'm not ready to make that assumption after 20 games.

bill hanrahan: Hey Jim'


What do we do now? There's going to be alot of pressure on the rest of the teams on their schedule to trounce the Lambs because if they don't-they should.

Jim Thomas: Score points. . . .Score points. . . .Score points. Someone has to make a play. Whether it's a tipped pass that's returned for a touchdown by the defense. Brian Leonard running through an arm-tackle for a touchdown. Marc Bulger _ gasp! _ connecting with Drew Bennett in the end zone.

Mike Carroll: Jim,

One or more of your colleagues have suggested that the team's inability to judge and recruit talent is a significant reason for some of the difficulties we witnessing on the field now. Based on what you see first-hand, do the front office and coaching staff have sufficient insight to identify that short-coming? Can we expect the front office to commit to getting the talent evaluation right, even if it doesn't see fit to change the coaching staff?

Jim Thomas: I'm not sure if the front office and coaching staff think there currently is a talent evaluation problem, now that Tony Softli is on board and Armey and Martz are out. But the Rams rely way too much on the Giddings evaluation service in free agency.

Bert: Questionable moves dating back to last year:
1) Remember last year when the Rams took a field goal off the board and challenged. Won the challenge and it still resulted in 4th down. Failed to convert a fourth down try and lost the game by 2 points
2) Another challenge yesterday, when everyone knew that Dante Hall did not catch ball
3) Rams drafted 2 tight ends last year. They carry 4 on the roster, yet very little action to the tight ends
4) One reason Alston was let go was due to mistakes. Who would you rather make mistakes a true rookie (He didn't play last year) or a 10 year veteran during a real game. Alston was rated one the best athletes at last years combine. He is said to run a 4.3 forty, hits hard and is smart. Maybe carrying 4 tight ends doomed Alston
5) Maybe the reason Bulger was allowed/forced to stay in the game was because we have only 2 "NFL" quarterbacks on the roster. So if Ferrotte gets hurt, then we go to Bennett or the receiver from Virginia.

Are these guys up to decision making in the NFL?

Jim Thomas: As per No. 5, actually Marques Hagans is the emergency quarterback and has worked at QB occasionally in games.

greg: thank you for taking time to answer these questions. It makes it worth spending the additional quarter for the paper Post knowing you guys are willing to make contact. raa. Me, I think you start thinking draft and I think you need a playmaker at Defensive End. Little's play has been disappointing. Greg

Jim Thomas: Even if Little was off to a fast start, I would say a speed-rushing end is a priority. Little isn't getting any younger; James Hall is no spring chicken, either. I was hoping the Rams would draft a speed rusher last year. They had a couple of guys in mind, but it didn't work out that way once the draft unfolded.

tater: Jim,

First of all, you and your colleagues at The Post do an incredible job of covering The Rams. I enjoy the various angles and perspectives.

I'm looking forward to seeing the "tag team" quarterback system of Arizona. What's up with this approach? What are your counterparts in Arizona telling you about this?

Jim Thomas: I've yet to talk to my counterparts yet in Arizona, but will as the week unfolds. We are also planning a story on the Warner/Leinart shuffle for later in the week.

ron from california: Hey Jim,
I can't believe that these coaches are still telling us that Bulger is unfazed by two broken ribs (and how well are they going to heal with 300 pound guys falling on him every week?). Are you kidding me? Frerotte has been throwing with zip and accuracy all preseason. Serving Bulger up to be the scapegoat is yet one more failure of this coaching corps. Clearly these coaches don't know how to get the most out of their talent. Mad Mike took good offensive talent and made it great. Lovey took average defensive talent and made it good. These coaches take their given talent and make it worse, particularly on offense. Also, what is halftime but a chance for coaches to adjust their game plan? And we all know how well their adjustments have worked. Need I say more?

Jim Thomas: Don't get me wrong. I have a ton of respect for Bulger. But I agree with you. I'd have gone with Frerotte against Tampa Bay, and perhaps even against Dallas to let Bulger's ribs heal.
As for halftime adjustments, that kind of an overrated notion in this day and age. Halftime is only 12 minutes long. By the time the coaches and players walk to the locker, take a leak, and get a drink of water, it's time to head back out to the field.
So adjustments have to be made in-game and on the fly. Based on what's happened in the second half, I think it's fair game to say the Rams are getting out X-and-O-ed.

jgotto28: where to start? for one, with this many injuries on the o-line, something HAS to be out of wack with the conditioning program. the defense tries near the beginning of the game, but lose heart and desire as the clock ticks on.. the offense is putrid. no other way to say it. our recieving corp is slow footed, and seem eager to go down. this years rams are easily the worst managed football team i've seen since the rich kotite fiasco in NY several years back. drew bennett has been "terrance wilkins"- like in terms of knowing the offense. and to make it worse, it seems that whenever the rams do get to the red-zone it seems that bulger tries to force it to bennett. whether that's his call, or it's instructions from the sideline, (made to make the coaching staff PROVE to us that they were right to bring bennett on-board)...who knows? either way, IT'S NOT WORKING.
it would seem to anyone with football sense, that with all the o-line injuries, you should try to get the run game going. isn't it easier for an inexperienced guy to step up and hit a guy, rather than drop back and try to pass-block? and wouldn't it help if we had actually held on to our run-blocking full-back (hedgecock) to chip in on the scheme? but no... thank god we got a 5th string TE with no experience instead. and if aaron walker is such a great run blocker (why else would he be on the roster?), maybe he should actually be on the field for running downs.
is this staff the worst to be in STL ever?

Jim Thomas: Some comments on your comments. . .I would've liked to have seen more runs with Leonard, but he's no Jackson. Hedgecock wasn't exactly Lorenzo Neal, although Richard Owens has hardly set the world on fire. I think Walker's a pretty good blocker; he's certainly a better blocker than Klopfenstein has shown himself to be.

Ralph Beltran: Question for Linehan: If you were so concern for Bulger and his ribs then why not more end arounds and screens?

Jim Thomas: Or quick slants, or trick plays, or more shotgun, or more running the ball out of three_ and four-receiver sets with the defense spread out. . . .

Juan Sosa: The offense is the worst Ive seen in a long time? is it attributable the O-line primarily, do you think the players have lost confidence in Olson and Linehan's scheme?

Jim Thomas: All of the above. Injuries to the o-line. Conservative game plans in Games 1 and 3, a banged up quarterback, some injuries at WR, frustration, and I do wonder at this point how much confidence the players have in the play calling.

Bryan: I was glad on Sunday to see at least once the Ram's tight end cut blocking then going out for a pass. Why have the rams not utilized these types of plays more? You can have the tight end block, then disengage and throw him the ball.

Also will anybody teach the Rams defenders proper angles to get to anyone with the ball? It is appalling that Romo got away with that ball snapped over his head.

Jim Thomas: Yeah, I love the little delay pattern where the tight end blocks for a while, then goes out for the pattern. Once he starts blocking, safeties and/or linebackers quickly start looking elsewhere.

As for Romo's Great Escape, I don't know what James Hall was thinking on the play.

Frank BB,Ca: Hey Jim,
Don't you think that Bulger lacks the fire as a leader. I really do think, his lack of emotion kinda hurts the team. He really needs to bring some adreneline into his game, dont you think? Look at all of the great QBs and show me a winner, without at least a little fire?
Thanks for listening..
Frank BB,Ca

Jim Thomas: I don't know, I'm seeing more and more fire out of Bulger. Last season, he called out some unnamed teamates. He's gotten on Bennett for blowing routes. He slammed his helmet to the ground after throwing a red zone interception. And he keeps getting up time and time again after getting crushed by pass rushers.
And besides, I don't think Joe Montana was the most demonstrative QB around.

Richard: When are the Rams going to finally admit their drafting process and judgment of personnel stinks? They keep selecting medicore picks at best. Why don't they get Marshall Faulk in the front office to handle this job? He would be a great judge of player personnel, especially with draft picks.

Jim Thomas: Not sure about Faulk as a GM. For one, I believe he has told people that Atogwe wasn't a starting-caliber NFL safety. Atogwe right now is the closest thing to a playmaker the Rams have on defense.

JJG: I want to stress that having K Curtiss would problabaly not have changed the Rams record by himself due to the totallity of the sorry state of the team but in week one you thashed me and Curtiss saying basically that we did not need him and he 's really an average WR.I wonder if your opinion has changed...but that leeds to my real question...injuries not withstanding (all teams have them)...how bad do you feel the coaching staff and some upper management let down the fans by not addressing team needs???How much did we miss london Fletcher when he left...where does this season's "buck stop".......Linehan?

Jim Thomas: OK, Curtis has had one great game. No make that a monster game. But he's done next to nothing in three others. And remember, he's supposed to be the No. 1 option in that offense, the go-to guy. So I'm not ready to call him the next Jery Rice just yet. Even so, Curtis should end up with 1,000-plus yards. But keep this in mind, too. He wanted to go somewhere else to be a starter. That wasn't going to happen in St. Louis, not as long as Bruce and Holt were around.

In theory, I think the front office made an honest effort to address team needs. When the team learned that Curtis had a visit to Minnesota on the first day of free agency, they made a quick move for Bennett. Now, Bennett may prove to be a bust in St. Louis. But in a very thin free-agent market at WR, he was the best option available and a player who had a much more accomplished resume at WR than Curtis in terms of NFL production.
When TE Randy McMichael became available, they moved quickly on him, not sold on the work of youngsters Klopfenstein and Byrd, and journeyman Aaron Walker. Would you rather have McMichale or Klopfenstein starting for you.
On defense, they drafted two DTs in Carriker and Ryan. I think Carriker will be a good, solid player; Ryan has promise, too. I would have pursued Kris Jenkins more aggressively, even if I was drafting Carriker.
The Rams added depth at safety and linebacker in Todd Johnson and Chris Draft who are serviceable players. But in letting Travis Fisher and Jerametrius Butler go, the Rams left themselves short at corner. Lo and behold, a suspension (Fakhir Brown) and an injury (Tye Hill) left them down to their fourth corner (Lenny Walls) as a starter against Dallas, and the Rams paid for that dearly against the Cowboys.
Here are some of the biggest free-agent mistakes the Rams have made in recent years: 1.) MLB London Fletcher (he provided a lot of attitude and tons of production); 2.) OT Fred Miller/Ryan Tucker (losing both of these guys between 2000 and 2002 left the Rams searching for an OT for years); 3.) DT Ryan Pickett (don't lump him in with Kennedy and D. Lewis--he isn't afraid to take on blockers at the point of attack and is very productive for a nose tackle. 4.) Grant Wistrom/Bryce Fisher (you can let one go, but not both)

Personally, I'm going to wait until more than four games have been played before I start assessing blame.

JJG: Jim
My last Q.....is it me (this is what has turned my opinion of Linehan into a coach that I was behind to he has to go!)....leaving an obvious hurt Bulger in the game when even the announcers are whethering in pain watching bulger go down and calling for Gus. Thats a 65 million dollar investment......Can you defend the coach's action..agree...or disagree....

Jim Thomas: I've said this many times on the radio and in this forum. I would've started Frerotte against Tampa Bay, and possibly Dallas. You can't start Bulger with two broken ribs.

Rocky: JT-

Do you think it's a bit premature to be talking about the Rams going 0-16, like Bernie mentioned in his blog? What do you think their record will be at the end of the season?

Jim Thomas: I think Bernie's point was that it's hard to see _ right now at this moment_ where the Rams can get a victory in their current state. Right now _ and a re-emphasize things can change in a hurry in the NFL _ it's hard to picture more than four or five victories.

JJG: When a fire is out of control....you do anything to put it out........The only way to salvage the season is give the fans HOPE.(let's not be myopic either and say start winning because with these players that's not going to happen). We need to trade and stockpile draft picks....and ex/ERic dickerson trade....SOMETHING TO/for US THE FANS ...things to hope for a return to the past(99) in the near future>>>>if management went to bat with a bold move I think the hardcore fans would stop screaming and start rooting again. DO you agree?

Jim Thomas: Sure something bold, like the Marshall Faulk trade of '99, or moving up for Pace at No. 1 overall, would be nice. But trades are next to impossible once the regular-season begins. And I think the worst thing you can do at a time like this is panic.

CM: Jim: Is Marion Barber the strongest man in the NFL, or do the Rams simply not know how to tackle anyone? Week in and week out, the Rams are missing tackle after tackle, and it seems like they're trying to strip the ball rather than tackle the runner. Do they work on tackling, or is this something that they should already be able to do?

Jim Thomas: Barber's a beast, no doubt, but the Rams aren't a very good tackling team. Especially in the secondary, they have too many players that strike too high, or simply don't wrap up. Tackling is becoming more and more of a lost art in the NFL; there is very little contact in practice for fear of injury in the age of the salary cap.

Denny: Jim-

Any chance Haslet is upset with Linehan? Or any chance that the defense is upset with the offense? I know they have injuries, but when one unit isn't pulling its weight at all, it's got to bother the other. How much blame should the defense take for losing, when they know that if they give up two touchdowns, they'll lose because the offense is so anemic...

Thanks

Jim Thomas: I think Haslett is hanging in there with Linehan. And the offense has been carrying the defense for so long around here, I don't think the defense has any room to be upset, no matter what the circumstances. But I do think you struck on something in your final thoughts. . .I think the defense does let up a little bit in the second half once an opponent gets up on the Rams, because it does seem hopeless given the anemic state of the offense.

S. Monkey: Hello Jim, Which of these do you like for our top five, if not #1 overall pick next year?

Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
DeSean Jackson, WR, California
Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Calais Campbell, DE, Miami

Jim Thomas: I'm a good three, four months away from studying the draft, but I think OT, WR, DE in particular are all prime need positions for the Rams.

J Mixell: When will Linehan step down so the Rams can get a real coach?

Jim Thomas: Dick Vermeil was 6-14 after his first 20 games with the Rams; Linehan is 8-12. Did you want the Rams to fire Vermeil after 20 games as well?

Corey: The Rams need a play maker in the secondary and a true top corner. With that said what do you think the chances are that the Rams pursue Deangelo Hall this offseason?

Or if we don't get him, i think that Kenny Phillips would be a great pick for the secondary if he comes out early.

Jim Thomas: There were reports out of Atlanta today saying that Hall is not seeking a trade.

Cory: Jim, when is this team going to finally hire a legit GM with previous, successful experience with another team? And when is this team going to get a fully functional player personel group inside the organization. Shaw and Zygmunt are terrible at this and we as fans are tired of terrible free agent moves and horrible draft picks. I would love to see Bill Parcells hired as a GM. He has expressed interest in a similar job for the Jets. Or how about going after Scott Pioli from New England or the Colts Bill Polian?

Jim Thomas: I don't think Shaw and Zygmunt want to give up the power to make personnel moves.

Andre: Thank you for this opportunity!
Do you think it is a strong possibility that Marshall Faulk could come back to coach the Rams or be a offensive coordinator. He was an intelligent player. Close to a genius. I think he could just pick defenses apart with the X's and O's. Should I start my 'WE WANT MARSHALL' petition now?

Jim Thomas: I don't think Marshall or many NFL players have any idea how much time offensive coordinators put in on the job. That's why you see very few former NFL stars in that role.

jimmyboyz123: Jim: The Rams are obviously "stinkin' up the joint" as they continue their quest for an 0-16 season. When you can say that the only bright spot on this franchise is with the special teams play, you know your team is bad...but are you beginning to see a letdown with so-called quality players in the fact that the season has turned out to be a bust, because I didn't see anyone step up on Sunday?

Jim Thomas: I saw Dante Hall playing his rear-end off. I saw Dane Looker limping out to catch a pass with a thigh injury so bad he had to be hospitalized afterwards. I saw Leonard Little limp off the field with a knee injury, than limp back on to finish out the game. I saw Bulger get up time after time after getting hit. I saw a locker room that looked like a MASH unit after the game. So blame the coaches, blame the play calling, say the players aren't good enough, say the players aren't smart enough. But please, don't even intimidate that the effort wasn't there among many, many, many players.

Pat: Is there any reason the coaches are refusing to try Antonio Pittman aside from their belief the system is to technical to learn. They could teach him 2 plays and work him in. Leonard at this point is maybe just OK

Is Georgia forcing Linehan to play Bulger. Historically she resents players with huge contracts. Maybe that is something you cant know or get a straight ans. on but there is clearly something wrong with Linehans thinking if this is his choice.

Jim Thomas: Especially against Dallas, with the game essentially over by late in the third quarter. Why not give Pittman a couple, three carries. Surely the guy knows how to run and off-tackle play.

Charley: How soon can we expect to see Steven Jackson back?

Jim Thomas: He has already been ruled out for Arizona. And I'd say another week or two after that as well.

Chris: Jim, what's your take on Greg Olson's comments regarding Brian Leonard? I have to say, while they are possibly accurate, I found them appallingly unsupportive. With the decimated offense did any of us really expect the rookie Leonard to bust loose? I would have expected a little more support for him from Olson in such a public statement. Is this representative of the type of relationship the coaches have with the players?

Jim Thomas: It's just Olson's personality _ at least what we in the media see from him. He's very matter of fact. He said Leonard played OK, maybe a little better than OK, but could've done some things better.
This is not the little league, where everyone gets a cookie and a soft drink after the game. This is the NFL. And Leonard was a second-round draft pick.

san diego ram: I sent an e-mail last week, but there was no response. Why?

I will say it again, maybe I'll get a response this week. Linehan is a loser. The Rams need someone who knows how to build a winning team - Marty Schottenheimer. I know you say that he's only good for a 10-6 season and first round playoff loss and you're wrong. He took over a 1-15 Charger team and built them into pernnial powerhouse 14-2 team and first round playoff losses. I'll take that every year over the pathetic garbage team the Rams have become since Lovie Smith left. Question: Why don't you support getting rid of Linehan instead of just being resigned to the "fact" that Linehan is here next year because he's got a contract?

Jim Thomas: SD Ram--I try to answer as many of these as I can. And try to put at least a little thought into the answers. Well, the response we've gotten to starting these chats has been unbelievable. I've answered 15 pages worth of questions this week _ and there's still 25 to go.
As for Schottenheimer, if I'm building a team, I'm trying to build a team with someone who can get me to the Super Bowl. I don't think Schottenheimer is that guy. I'm not saying he's a bad coach.
As for "supporting" getting rid of Linehan, I am a beat writer. I am not a columnist. It is not my job to "support" getting rid of anyone. It is my job to report on what is going on with the team for the newspaper and the Stltoday.com internet site. I hope you can appreciate the difference.

Steve: hey jim,

i saw a questionnaire posed to nfl players and st. louis was ranked third to last as a desirable destination to play. how are the rams going to get things turned around quickly when no one wants to come and play for the rams? the draft is one way, but it isn't a quick way. what are your thoughts?

Jim Thomas: Players will follow the money, but also want to play for teams that have a chance to win. Simple as that. I bet in 2000, and 2001, St. Louis was not ranked third-to-last as a desirable destination to play. As for now, with the Rams in a dry spell, they may simply have to overpay a little to get some free agents here.

Guy: Jim,

Looking to lighten the mood - You get to travel on all of the Rams roadtrips and see all the guys in their travel dress, in your opinion who is the best dressed Ram?

Jim Thomas: I don't travel on the same plane as the team. But sometimes I'll see them at the team hotel. Or we'll see them leaving the locker room after the game. Hey, they all make a lot of money, and most of them dress very well. But I really don't pay much attention to that.