1 and 3 is Fine By Me
By Rams Nation's Don Ackerman
Last year, the Rams went oh-fer (0 and 4). Once they lost 2 regular season
games, all we heard about was a 7 game winless streak including preseason and
Super Bowl XXXVI. The nerve to include preseason was so irritating that I'm
elated that this year, we will not hear that useless stat in 2003.
Secondly, the Rams looked very good part of the time. For me, that's all that
mattered. I don't care if the Buffalo Bills' third- and fourth-stringers are
better than the Rams' all-backup club. That's fine by me. I'm content knowing
the Rams starters are better than the other teams' starters. Once the NFL season
starts, there are many players that will see extended action and that will be
the test. Not a 1 win preseason.
The goal of preseason is to build a club. Winning a preseason game is a nice
bonus but it's the sprinkles, not the icing on the cake. Now that the Rams are
down to 53 players, the preseason's goal is met and the Rams are now preparing
for a trip to the New York/New Jersey Giants. That's the focus now. The 3 losses
will not bother anyone. They say no 0 and 4 preseason team has made the playoffs.
Well, that was bad news for the Rams but I wasn't worried. After all, no team
who played home games in a dome had ever won the Super Bowl before the Rams
did so in 1999. I know the Rams don't live by history, they make it!
In any case, it's nice to not hear about another 0 and 4 preseason. However,
don't be surprised when the talking heads predict doom and gloom because of
the Rams' 1 and 7 preseason record over the last two years. I'll likely bark
at the television the first couple of times I hear that but I'll get over it
(I hope).
With 1 win in the preseason, I'm happy. But that happiness will easily be eclipsed
with the Rams starting this year with a victory on the road against New York.
Ram on,
Don