[Elvis]

Mike Martz Talks 'Greatest Show on Turf' Memories, Kurt Warner and Rams' Future

Brendan Marks posted on December 08, 2015 10:59

Former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz called in to The Hollywood Casino Press Box Tuesday.

Martz, the architect of the "Greatest Show on Turf" offense that took the NFL by storm in 1999, discussed several topics, including his best memories from that era, his biggest regret in coaching and the prospect of the Rams going back to Los Angeles.

Read some excerpts and listen to the full interview below:

On difference between Martz and Vermeil:

"(Dick Vermeil) loves the passing game, he really goes. The struggle with Dick...(there were things he wanted to do going into the game but couldn't always pull the trigger during the game). We're all uptight as coaches...my stay with Norv Turner in Washington got that out of me."

"When you walk in there...they want to know you're confident...That's the mindset I got myself into. It didn't matter who was hurt (or what was going on), that was my mindset. Men respond to those things."

On the touchdown on the opening drive of the Rams Divisional win over the Vikings in the 1999 playoffs:

"That's one of the few games I knew what the opening play was going to be well ahead. I told them we're going to call this regardless. And it worked out."

On the Ricky Proehl catch against the Bucs in the 1999 NFC Conference Championship:

"Well Dre Ble just picked it off. We're struggling. They're a great defense. The play was supposed to go to Isaac on an under route...But they brought the safety up on the short side...so Kurt saw it coming and...we made an adjustment to use the fade. Normally, it was Holt there but Proehl was in and made the play."

Do you regret how Kurt Warner's career in St. Louis ended?

"That's an organizational decision. That certainly wasn't my decision. Without getting into all the details, I do. I think it was a mistake not to keep him there. But unfortunately, it's not the way it worked out. And Marc Bulger had a great run after that. It worked out, but I wouldn't liked to stay with Kurt a little bit longer. That is a regret."

On how good Warner was from 1999 to 2001:

"It actually was like three years where he was just on fire. His anticipation and trust with his receivers were unmatchable. We're playing New York in 1999 in our place...we throw a deep turn-in to Isaac...they're coming clean on Kurt. He's going to get hit by two guys. He lets that ball go to Isaac...Isaac comes out of his cut and gets hit in the numbers. It's probably one of the best throws I'd seen in football. He'd stand in there and make some unbelievable throws."

How do so many scouts miss a guy like Kurt Warner coming out of college?

"When a kid comes out of college and he only started his fifth year...scouts are going to be held accountable. They probably poo pooed it a little bit. He goes to Green Bay in unremarkable fashion. The thing that helped him was his time in Europe. He was competing and tough and I was just shocked by it. It's hard to find somebody this courageous and this accurate. The anticipation, the accuracy and the awareness...all those things were big for him."

Do you remember what it was like when the Rams moved from LA to St. Louis?

"It was a very exciting time because in LA, people couldn't care less about the Rams. The stadium was a third full. It just didn't seem like the NFL to me. Then we go to St. Louis...that Thursday night game in Busch Stadium the enthusiasm and love for the team, it was thrilling. I would hate to see that city lose that team."

Here's the complete segment:

http://www.insidestlaudio.com/Pressbox/120815-2PB.mp3

[Elvis]

Martz clearly not a fan of his time in Anaheim but it's a good listen...

[Hacksaw]

I guess he hasn't been to a game at the ED lately.

[moklerman]

I guess he hasn't been to a game at the ED lately.

Was '94 Martz's only year in LA? If so, I'm sure it was a striking contrast between the first year in St. Louis.

Bettis and Farr have said similar things. Even Dickerson said something similar. But that was Anaheim, not Los Angeles. All of those guys have a skewed perception of things because of the baseball stadium and owner sabotaging the team.

That type of thing is why I want the Rams to be the only team in LA. I don't want any sideshows or distractions. I want the Kroenke-dome to be glorious and more importantly, a tribute to the Rams. As great as the beginning was in St. Louis, the Rams were playing in a generic stadium with red seats that was celebrating past football Cardinals for dog's sake!

Go back to Anaheim and they were just tenants in a baseball first stadium. Go back to the Coliseum and again, they were just tenants. It wasn't the Rams' stadium, they just played there. It's time for all of that to change.

[dieterbrock]

I want the Kroenke-dome to be glorious and more importantly, a tribute to the Rams. As great as the beginning was in St. Louis, the Rams were playing in a generic stadium with red seats that was celebrating past football Cardinals for dog's sake!
Go back to Anaheim and they were just tenants in a baseball first stadium. Go back to the Coliseum and again, they were just tenants. It wasn't the Rams' stadium, they just played there. It's time for all of that to change.

This isnt an "I told you so" point, but I've been bitching about the Red Seats since they moved to St Louis.
The rest of your post is spot on and I do agree.

That dome has been an embarassment since day 1 and if not for the GSOT, it would have been more commonly discussed.

I tried to find articles but ran out of energy to do so, but I succinctly recall that they needed new turf in the ED becasue despite only being a handful of years old, it was voted the worst field in football. The only 2 close was the old carpet at the old Philly Vet stadium and the pool table the Colts played on in the Hoosier dome. Both stadiums were being replaced but the Rams? Brand new!!
Ugh... makes me so mad.

The 49ers Thursday night game with the ingenious "white out"
Rams wearing road whites, San Fran in Red and Gold and a stadium packed* with white out and red seats. Good grief



*And by "packed" I mean 3/4 full thanks to 49er fans

[Hacksaw]

The StLooo experiment has failed.

The City of Champions will be the Rams first true home and it will be the envy of the league. It's crowed jewel. We are weeks away from the best scenario a Rams fan or their favorite football organization could have ever dreamed. This will catapult the team to a completely different level from where they are currently suffering. A suffering the Gnat might aid but to a far lower level.
With a "long term" future their in 2nd tierville the Rams will be doomed to mediocrity....

[Stranger]

The StLooo experiment has failed.

The City of Champions will be the Rams first true home and it will be the envy of the league. It's crowed jewel. We are weeks away from the best scenario a Rams fan or their favorite football organization could have ever dreamed. This will catapult the team to a completely different level from where they are currently suffering. A suffering the Gnat might aid but to a far lower level.
With a "long term" future their in 2nd tierville the Rams will be doomed to mediocrity....

Our suffering is almost over. I can smell it !!!