[CanuckRightWinger]

My work week went a little awry as 7000 ILWU longshoremen went on strike Monday morning and shutdown Canada's biggest seaport here in Vancouver.....so it's only now I am getting around to answering PA's latest attempt at warping Rams Fandom and dispensing out nonsensical tips on how to conduct yourself as a Rams Fan.

For starters, PA speaks of his Ramsfandom as towards avoidance of being a hypocrite
ME: HUH??, a hypocrite is a guy who says "Gee, I hate all alcoholics! Hey, bartender...how about a little more generous pour on my next Jameson's eh!" Probably the most infamous hypocrite ever was Judas, one of Christ's 12 Apostles who took 30 pieces of silver to betray The Messsiah.

How that "hypocrite" concept ever enters into Ram Fandom is a mystery to me.....
just a tad too much religious fervor, heaped onto what is just a fandom hobby, no?

To me, football is like business, in that there are successes, and there are failures....
and both pursuits are very hyper-competitive, so when failure happens, heads roll....
and whether it's points or dollars, alot of smart people in both pursuits, are keeping score!

So when failure overtakes my Rams, I want to know why. And it isn't that hard, for longtime followers of both, business or football, to identify the problem areas.

Some guys watch us lose to KC last year, in a game where we were dominated, and are pleased that we held KC's high-powered Offense to FGs. They revelled in Morris's Defense in the RedZone.
Me.....I was just miffed at knowing even before the KC game started, that we were not going to win. Just another L, in a 12-loss 2022 season.
Judging by the dozen or so Ram Assistant Coaches' heads McVay lopped-off last January, I don't think hyper-competitive Irish redhead Sean McVay was overly thrilled with his 2022 team's 12-loss performance either, eh!

I turned 70 in May, and after following the Rams since back during LBJ's Presidency, I really don't need armpunt guy telling me how to be a Rams fan. I call him armpunt guy, because he said it......and so he owns it.

Now to be fair, I too have said things like:
-2018 was a poor draft for Los Ramos.
-Aaron ChildBeater Kromer was a guy who'd look good terminated as Rams OL Coach.
-I even called Jeff Fisher "a dumkopf" during our 2016 Bye-Week.
-I've labelled our former QB as Jared JimmyCarterLeadershipMolecule Goff.
and other hardfast, (and controversial) opinions.
And same-same....I said them, so I own them.

But...
armpunt guy doesn't label his adversaries with their previous opinions/statements.
No, no....he labels them with "alzheimer's", or, to discourage complaints he tells that charming story, y'know about a crotchety old uncle who imbibes too much wine at dinner, and wets himself later napping on the porch.
Or old standbys...How complainers make complaining into a separate hobby, need to step back from the ledge, think they are smarter than Rams brass....
and on and on.
Low brow, immature crap.

This same armpunt guy has delivered this reveting football acumen recently:
Greg Gaines is a JAG.
SBLVI Ring Winning Safety Nick Scott only got to play safety "because Fuller was hurt".
2022 Rams MVP Bobby Wagner is no great loss to our 2023 D line-up.
A'shawn was hurt alot, so no big loss for the 2023 D line-up.
ME: Hey, didn't all those 4 guys get decent 2023 NFL Contracts from other NFL Teams?

Like I wrote recently, I'm 70 now....so why keep secrets eh? I don't believe I have wrote before that after HS football, I was a 4 year starter at WR for the RMC Redmen Football Team. I scored 5 TDs in my career, and got carried off the field once after a 6-2 win over Sheridan College of Oakville, Ontario (Ram ER Michael Hecht's hometown). I never fumbled, including all those of KO Returns that result from being scored upon often (RMC only had 550 attendees back in 1972-75).

Now I am not saying that starting 4 years in Canadian College Football (I did admittedly miss one practice with a kidney contusion), makes me smarter than Snead or McVay.....but football was a big part of my life......
AND IT AIN'T THAT FOOKING HARD TO EYEBALL WEAKNESSES ON A STRUGGLING FB TEAM!

As for PA's latest croc...
IE. of me picking the wrong NFL team to root for back in my youth....
I think the Rams got pretty solid support, usually as a lone voice, from this Canadian over the decades. Today, it's in a British Columbia ocean of Seattle Seahawks fans....
but lemme tell ya...every SheHawk Fan in my MNF pub knows who the hell #21 Nolan Cromwell was!!

Cheers from Vancouver, BC.


-

[PARAM]

You da man, Canuck!!

[Hacksaw]

If Nolan only intercepted Bradshaw pass, , , our horns would be larger.

[PARAM]

You da man, Canuck!!

Why? I'm in awe of the entire story! But when I first read your post, I was busy performing 10 hour emergency surgery on an injured unicorn, so I was a little tied up. FWIW, we both made it through.

Anyway......

I turned 70 in May

So that's a d.o.b. of May 1953.
Graduate HS in June 1971.

I don't believe I have wrote before that after HS football, I was a 4 year starter at WR for the RMC Redmen Football Team.

That would be 1971-75

So, speaking of crocs, we've been told the Canadian Rudy strapped on a weapon and manned a post during the Vietnam War that ended in April 1975. Even chastised moi with "you wouldn't make through the training". I've seen Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump a couple of times. Funny story. Great movie. I guess it was pretty popular north of the border too.

a hypocrite is a guy who says "Gee, I hate all alcoholics! Hey, bartender...how about a little more generous pour on my next Jameson's eh!"

....or, a hypocrite is a guy who says, "I question the wisdom of the Los Ramos braintrust, they haven't drafted a pro bowl player since Kupp.........look at those geniuses, went all in and won a SB.....that's my team baby!!"

My work week went a little awry as 7000 ILWU longshoremen went on strike Monday morning and shutdown Canada's biggest seaport here in Vancouver.....so it's only now I am getting around to answering PA's latest attempt at warping Rams Fandom and dispensing out nonsensical tips on how to conduct yourself as a Rams Fan.

I don't think anybody needs tips on how to conduct themselves as a Rams fan. There are many different ways. Some watch the process and enjoy the entertainment. Some critique the process (daily) and aspire to be the entertainment. We both know what catagory we live in.

BTW, my Amazon package arrived on time yesterday. I guess a "thank you RBG" is due....
No, not Ruth Bader Ginsberg......Rudy Bezos Gump!!!

But the real piece of entertaining, awe inspiring abstract art was this...

Hey, didn't all those 4 guys get decent 2023 NFL Contracts from other NFL Teams?

Gaines @ 1 yr / 3.5 mil
Wagner @ 1 yr / 5.5 mil
Robinson @ 1 yr / 5.0 mil

"Decent" is relative. To me, 5 mil wouldn't be 'decent', it would be fantabulous! To a professional football player, not so much. Not to mention the time investment is for a term of 1 year. Now that's showing a lot of faith in the player isn't it!!! One bad knee injury and they'll be operating a crane or driving a forklift on the docks for a living. Desperate, not decent. Took the only offer and fast!

But Nick Scott???....he got a 3 year deal with Cincinnati for 12 mil. That's a solid investment by the Bengals so 1 out of 4 ain't bad.

....Public Service Announcement: Just trying to provide a little entertainment to give Steve Harvey a break. There sure aren't enough hours in the day to work, have a private life and perform daily for everybody's entertainment. Like I said, "you da man!!"

[CanuckRightWinger]

Gee, no alzheimer's diagnosis from Dr. Armpunt today?
Wow....progress!

Speaking of diagnosis....
learning disabilities on numbers comprehension, apparently is not dyslexia.
Google tells me it's dyscalculia.

Clearly a guy who thinks 4 football seasons does not equate to 1972-75, has a problem in the numbers area, eh.
Here, let me simplify it for the Einstein from Pennsylvania:
Season One: 1972
Season Two: 1973
Season Three: 1974
Season Four: 1975
So, 1972-1975 equals, count'em now, (maybe if you count out loud, that could help)....yep, equals FOUR Football Seasons.

Neils Bohr from Levittown also got my HS grad year wrong....
he should google "grade 13 in Ontario" and increase his knowledge level a tad.
++++++++++++++++
Anyhow...
Back to the OP, and how even the oft-scoffed PFF gang thought Steve Avila is a hot 2023 Draft commodity. Some think our #36 pick of the 2023 Draft, Steve Avila might be our decades long OC of the future. That'd be nice.

Of course, we cudda had our decade-long OC at #57 in the 2021 Draft....that Creed Humphrey guy.
And that's a fact that some Rams fans notice and actually mention....
and which other Rams fans ignore, debase, minimize, etc etc....and all that's fine.
It's when the second group starts calling the first group hypocrites, mentally deficient, liars, etc etc....that it gets childish.

Some history: In 2000, Mike Martz was not just lauded by Rams ownership after our SBXXXIV win, he was given the fooking keys to the kingdom by the Ram braintrust. In 2005, he was run outa town on a rail by the same ownership group.
Lesson: Glory if fleeting....or, NFL means it really is the NotForLong league.

Like all Rams fans, I am 110% hoping that Les Snead's 14-man 2023 Draft ranks with the type of hit-ratio Snead had in his 2017 Draft (with Everett, Kupp, JJIII, Ebukam, Reynolds)....

because, if Snead's 2023 Draft is like his 2018 or 2021 or 2022 Drafts...
then all those negative pundits predicting a losing Ram 2023 season may well be proven correct next January.....
and sportsfans, that would make 3 Playoff-less seaons, out of 7 total, for one Sean McVay.

Question: If that awful Playoff-less 2023 Season scenario actually come to pass, would new-father Sean McVay want to come back as Ram HC for a 2024 season? :2:

IMO, this 2023 Draft is an uber important Rams Draft for one Les Snead career......and moreover for Los Ramos' fortunes going forward.
Let's all hope LS and his scouting team hit some 2023 homers!!

As always, JMO

[Hacksaw]

U2

I sure hope they got the 2023 draft right or we could be on an extended world of hurt.

[PARAM]

It certainly is the NFL...."not for long".....particularly with angst riddled fans. In just the last 8 months......

First it's a 5-12 season:

Sean McVay is gonna call it quits!
Is Donald gonna retire?

Next it's the gutting of the defense:

They're raising the white flag for 2023! No way they contend!!
It's not a remodel, it's a complete rebuild!!!
Will they trade away Kupp, Stafford or Donald?

Now it's the draft:

It's the most important draft of Snead & McVay's career!!
This could affect them going forward, LONG TERM!!

Really? According to many internet experts, we aren't even supposed to contend this year. And next year, if they want to go "all in" again, they'll have plenty of cap space!

What's next? I'm sure somebody will come up with something else to worry about!!!

Fans seem to ignore the fact these guys are trend setters!!

First they don't play any of their starters in preseason.
Very soon, most teams don't play any of their starters in preseason.
Next, they're paring down preseason games from 4 to 3. It won't be long before it's pared down further!!

Next, they trade away first and second round picks as if they're lottery tickets!!
All in becomes a popular NFL action word. Teams copy the Rams model and trade away 1st and 2nd round picks for established players. After not having a 2017 first round pick, the Rams traded away first round picks in 2018 and 2019, while going 33-15 and just getting to a SB, no less than six teams gave up first or 2nd round picks for players (1sts for Deforest Buckner, Stephon Diggs, Jamal Adams-2 and 2nds for DHop, Cooks, Ngakoue) in 2020. After the Rams traded away 2 more first round picks for Stafford and WON a Superbowl, Miami goes "all in" in 2022 (didn't work) and the NY Jets go "all in" for 2023. LMFAO!!

Now, they gut the defense and clear cap space, while accumulating 14 picks in one draft. How long before NFL teams copy that approach? My bet: Not to Long! Fans will still kvetch and worry, talk about their angst, and the Rams will keep setting trends and remaining in the top of the NFL hierarchy.

Steve Avila was a solid pick. Could be their starting LG for a decade. Could move to center.

Yebbit, yebbit, yebbit. They coulda had that center in the 2021 draft!!!

Yeah, that draft the year they won the Super Bowl!!! It seems some guys just have to have something to worry about. No matter how well these guys run this very successful team!!! What's worse is the perpetual complaining, ie, "yebbit, yebbit, yebbit...they coulda done had him or done that" despite winning a SB. We coulda had a lot of players in the draft. Brady. Wagner. The latter is brought up a lot. And yet since being drafted, Wagner has hoisted 1 Lombardi, the same as the Rams over that time.....just like Creed Humphrey!!

[/zn/]

Steve Avila was a solid pick. Could be their starting LG for a decade. Could move to center.

Yebbit, yebbit, yebbit. They coulda had that center in the 2021 draft!!!

Both are valid points though. Meaning, it's valid to point out that Atwell wasn't really worth a 2nd round pick while Humphrey absolutely was.

It's also valid to point out that Avila is a great pick and yes absolutely could be a top OG for a decade.

I think a balanced view can say both things.

I tend to defend Rams drafting and to point out how Snead/McV have done better with lower round picks than any previous Rams regime. (To name just one example, they pick a Sebastian-Day in round 6 in 2018 and then pick a Gaines in round 4 in 2019. Both very solid NTs.) Yet at the same time, they tend not to do quite as well in round 2. Oddly, or interestingly, they tend to do better in round 3 than in round 2. Not that their list of round 2 picks is full of absolute busts, it's just more like they tend not to live up to round 2 status. Avila being a big exception (or maybe it will turn out he's not an exception, instead he's a new trend where their 2nd round picks improve).

[PARAM]

Both are valid points though.

Absolutely. So for how long should we agonize over the Atwell/Humphrey combination? For me, it was until the following February (2022). And now with the Avila pick, it's ancient history, even if Avila stays at G.

[/zn/]

Absolutely. So for how long should we agonize over the Atwell/Humphrey combination? For me, it was until the following February (2022). And now with the Avila pick, it's ancient history, even if Avila stays at G.

Why is being honestly critical of the 2021 pick a case of "agonizing"?

It's just being fair in draft discussions about a particularly strong example of the Snead/McV Rams not getting particularly high value out of round 2.

In my experience, criticisms like that tend to linger as long as that particular GM/coach regime combo is in power. So nowadays people tend not to bring up the OT Smith pick from 2009 or the OT Robinson pick from 2014. As long as this particular regime is in power it's fair to discuss their record, and in this case that record includes a very high percentage of quality drafting right alongside their much less common more mediocre moments. That's just fair discussion.

Myself? I tend not to make it so much about Atwell per se as it being a more general thing where with Snead/McV, round 2 doesn't really have the kind of results you would expect from picks that high. Round 3 tends to be better. That's of course absolutely not as bad as taking Phillips and Kennison both in round 1 in 96, but it is a thing worth mentioning.