The Prowl: St. Louis Rams Fire Head Coach after Disappointing Season - my.hsj.org

Monday, January 09, 2012 By TJ Schultz

Coach Spagnuolo lasted three seasons with the St. Louis Rams before being fired. -

The St. Louis Rams, once a dominant, feared team in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, are now considered a joke in the league and to fans. The last time the Rams reached the playoffs was 2004 and, since then, they have only won 21 games. It feels like it has been a century since “The Greatest Show on Turf” happened when the Rams set offensive records in 1999, 2000, and 2001. The Rams hope to change their losing habit with a new head coach.

            After three years with the Rams, Steve Spagnuolo will not return to St. Louis. His first year with the team, he led them to a 1-15 record, which did not surprise many people. Coming back into his second season with a new first-round draft pick quarterback, Sam Bradford, he had a surprise season going 7-9 and missing out from the playoffs with a loss to Seattle. The Rams had high expectations to succeed this year, based on their performance last year and winning all their preseason games, but they went 2-14, losing their last 7 games.

            On Monday, January 2, Spagnuolo was dismissed by Rams; owner, Stan Kroenke. Spagnuolo came to St. Louis in 2009 after leading the Giants defense to one of the most impressive performances in Super Bowl history. With that happening, everyone thought Spagnuolo would be able to help turn this team around, but that was not the case. Spagnuolo went a pathetic 10-38 in his 3 years with St. Louis and had a major step back from last season. You can blame that on the lockout shortening the off-season, all the injuries they suffered very early in the season, the battered offensive line or even that the wide receivers had a very bad case of the “dropsies.” They did not perform to their expectations, and the first person to blame is the head coach. Steven Jackson, St. Louis’ running back, replied to all this news with, "Coach addressed the team this morning to let us know that he was terminated and he was sorry, especially for the guys that have been here the entire three years he was coach, that he didn't get the job done. He took full responsibility."

              With an opening to the head coaching position, the Rams seek to add an experienced coach who has a history with winning. Jon Gruden, now an ESPN broadcaster, and former Tennessee Titans head coach, Jeff Fisher, are top candidates that can fill the hole.  The Rams owner, Stan Kroenke, said, “I will be heavily involved, and it will be my call.” He hired Marshall Faulk, Hall of Fame running back, to help search for a new head coach along with the owner.

             The St. Louis Rams need to start winning if they want to turn this franchise around. This sounds impossible because they haven’t gone to the playoffs in nearly a decade, but many people like Alex Nicoloff, sophomore at Seckman High School, believe, “With Bradford coming back healthy and another high draft pick they can turn it around.”  If the Rams play their cards right we may see them in the playoffs and as a contender in a year or two.