Rams chat with Jim Thomas: 4/21/15

[Rmfnlt]

Either that or I can avoid posting his snide comments as I do with the draft and stadium comments. JT doesn't bother me. I read his chats but only because there's not much else out there about our team.

That's a good idea!

Yeah... he's such milquetoast, I'm having a hard time believing he's getting so many upset.

 

[Alan]

Rmfnlt dumbfounded:
I'm having a hard time believing he's getting so many upset.

Kind of ironic that some people bash him for what they perceive to be childish comments by making their own childish comments.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Maybe we're getting close to the Bernie rule with Thomas... his weekly chats seem to cause a lot of angst among some Rams fans

Honestly, I think ROD is overreacting this time. JT got his nose bent out of joint over the Foles deal and brooded around for a while and I think deserved the punching he got here but this particular piece was pretty much his old milquetoast matter-of-fact self. That is, excepting for that first question. And, perhaps his answer to the first question was just an honest assessment...The Rams do seem to be making it hard for him…Harder at least than Rams regimes in the past. I can believe that. It is almost to the Bernie level at this point though. Just mention his name and people go all kinda Johnny Football style ape shit now. So, I sort of feel sorry for the poor guy at this point, although I realize he made his bed. I would like to see him smile once in a while though. It is always such a pleasure and inspiration to encounter people who truly love what they do but nobody wants to listen to someone bitch about how much they hate their job or how hard it is. People notice. If he isn't interested in it and excited about Ram football, he should do something else. Life is just too damn short!

 

[wmc540]

He can't be serious lol, worse than Linehan? Worse than Spags? Get over yourself JT. At this point I kind of hope they stay in St. Louis just so he has to cover a team that refuses to give him any information and can't stand his guts.

I personally believe if they stay Jim Thomas is going to get fired. They don't want to replace him now while the team staying is in question, but I'm sure they are seeing the garbage he is putting out there.

 

[Stranger]

Weather JT reports from these scrimmages or not, ROD can expect a, " 1st ever!!" Full Report from me, as I live only 15 minutes away from were they take place!! Plan on it!!

are you in SB?

 

[Jorgeh0605]

Maybe we're getting close to the Bernie rule with Thomas... his weekly chats seem to cause a lot of angst among some Rams fans

I disagree, Bernie writes entire articles that serve no purpose but to bash the rams. JT still provides real reports, news, and useful information. These Q and As are people stirring the pot and him answering with his truthful opinion. I actually find it entertaining To hear him pout .

 

[Ram Quixote]

I sense too much negativity about the team, the owner and the prior decisions. The team is on the right track. the team made fantastic, unorthodox moves 15 years ago, and got to the super bowl twice. The new management has had some success, and stabilized the team with quality and some risky moves. the rebuilding project is working.

Well, 11 straight non-winning seasons tends to wear you down.

How many times must it be said? Georgia is gone (RIP); Ziggy is gone; Linehan is gone; Devaney is gone; Spags is gone. Hell ... Shaw is gone (for the most part). Why do those 11 years hang on to this regime?

 

[MrMotes]

JT has mailed it in. I think he wants out of covering the Rams now.

I take it as he's convinced the Rams are leaving...

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I guess Jones having back surgery in August must have slipped by you. He was rendered totally inactive for 10 weeks and was hardly close to being in game shape even when he was activated in late October.

Barnes being injured coming out of training camp (pinched nerve in his neck), followed by a shoulder injury and finally bruised ribs that forced him to miss 3 games in October/November got past you as well.

Just don't understand the thought process when totally ignoring how injuries actually impact a position. Neither one of them were physically able to be much more than a fill in (Jones in KC game). So to make a statement about how they couldn't "supplant Wells" is completely off base.

And Barnes was in constant communication with the Rams throughout the offseason. He made it known his first choice was to sign with the Rams. And they were interested in bringing him back. Just didn't want to have to tender him and be locked in to a $$$ amount.

He played in four games in 2013 (at center). Saw most of his action in 2014 in the "Jumbo" package until getting hurt. As well as Special Teams.

I am not sure how you know that last part about constant communication but if the Rams thought Barnes was the future starting center wouldn't you think paying him at least the tense would be reasonable and also a priority, like it was for McLeod....the Starting Safety?

Barnes played in four games when he was healthy. By the time he was able to play, why didn't he supplant Wells right away. Barnes was not new to the team, he knows the offense. Chris Long came back even before he was completely healthy.

Jones foot, then Jones back then Jones strength, it seems like time to move on from Jones injuries. IIRC Jones was not the starter ahead of Joseph before the back injury.

 

[DaveFan'51]

are you in SB?

Simi Valley. On the edge of TO!

 

[Prime Time]

Honestly I can't see Shaw/Zygmunt being more cordial and forthcoming than Fisher/Snead. JT must have really done something to tick them off for him to be totally shut out of the loop.

Winning cures everything though....including sulking. Good thing JT isn't a reporter for the Cubs or the Browns or he'd have to be on antidepressants.

 

[CoachO]

I am not sure how you know that last part about constant communication but if the Rams thought Barnes was the future starting center wouldn't you think paying him at least the tense would be reasonable and also a priority, like it was for McLeod....the Starting Safety?

Barnes played in four games when he was healthy. By the time he was able to play, why didn't he supplant Wells right away. Barnes was not new to the team, he knows the offense. Chris Long came back even before he was completely healthy.

Jones foot, then Jones back then Jones strength, it seems like time to move on from Jones injuries. IIRC Jones was not the starter ahead of Joseph before the back injury.

I have my ways of knowing about Barnes. You can choose to believe me or not. Doesn't matter to me one way or another. I am not one to make stuff up when I post it.

As far as what they are paying him in comparison to McLeod. It's apples and oranges. They budget for each position and work off of that accordingly. McLeod signed a one year restricted FA contract. Barnes was not tendered because they would have been locked in to paying him more than they knew it would eventually cost them. By the way, McLeod received ZERO outside offers.

And trying to compare C. Long to an offensive lineman is again apples to oranges. It's apparent that you seem to have an issue with Barnes and Jones based off of your selective criteria.

That's your perogative. But IMO you are not taking the entire picture into consideration.

 

[blue4]

Kind of ironic that some people bash him for what they perceive to be childish comments by making their own childish comments.

Exactly.

 

[blue4]

I have my ways of knowing about Barnes. You can choose to believe me or not. Doesn't matter to me one way or another. I am not one to make stuff up when I post it.

As far as what they are paying him in comparison to McLeod. It's apples and oranges. They budget for each position and work off of that accordingly. McLeod signed a one year restricted FA contract. Barnes was not tendered because they would have been locked in to paying him more than they knew it would eventually cost them. By the way, McLeod received ZERO outside offers.

And trying to compare C. Long to an offensive lineman is again apples to oranges. It's apparent that you seem to have an issue with Barnes and Jones based off of your selective criteria.

That's your perogative. But IMO you are not taking the entire picture into consideration.

Tim Barnes is a 26 yr old bench warmer and Jones has had a lot of injuries. It's not hard to believe confidence is low in them. Doesn't strike me as selective criteria to wonder if these two will be good enough in 2015.

 

[NERamsFan]

Jim Thomas= butthurt reporter

Screw off Jimmy, I get more insider info here than I do from you.

Go ROD!

 

[CoachO]

Tim Barnes is a 26 yr old bench warmer and Jones has had a lot of injuries. It's not hard to believe confidence is low in them. Doesn't strike me as selective criteria to wonder if these two will be good enough in 2015.

WhI'veakrd my previous point about how many fans just assume a player will always be the player he was the day they start their career.

Offensive linemen routinely take a couple of years to develop into quality players. There are many more 3rd & 4th year players turning into quality starters than "plug & play" impact players in years one and two.

I just happen to believe that between Barnes, Jones, Washington and Reynolds there will be someone who steps up and shows they can turn into a good player.

People seem to think that these guys are never gonna be better then the day they got here. That's usually not how these things work.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Neither could supplant Wells last season. I don't suspect that either has improved so much in this offseason that they are suddenly better than what Wells was last season. So that telsl you that if either of them are the starter at Center, or Center play will be worse this season.

This is what concerns me.

 

[Mackeyser]

WhI'veakrd my previous point about how many fans just assume a player will always be the player he was the day they start their career.

Offensive linemen routinely take a couple of years to develop into quality players. There are many more 3rd & 4th year players turning into quality starters than "plug & play" impact players in years one and two.

I just happen to believe that between Barnes, Jones, Washington and Reynolds there will be someone who steps up and shows they can turn into a good player.

People seem to think that these guys are never gonna be better then the day they got here. That's usually not how these things work.

I totally agree. Looking at the Rams FO moves re: the OL, either they are clinically insane or they truly believe in the talent they have in the building. At least as much as was out there in FA.

I think Barrett Jones is ready to turn the corner, probably at guard and Rhaney is someone who really sparked at C. Now... If both are healthy...both are HUGE upgrades over Wells and Joseph. And again, Wells played because Jones and Rhaney were injured, not because Wells "couldn't be displaced."

The good news is that if what I and CoachO and others surmise is true, than our OL is actually pretty close and really may not need the huge influx of picks folks are suggesting.

Time will tell, but I have a hard time believing that these guys would place their jobs in the hands of guys they didn't have complete faith and confidence in.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Jones foot, then Jones back then Jones strength, it seems like time to move on from Jones injuries. IIRC Jones was not the starter ahead of Joseph before the back injury.

ahhh, grasshopper, fear is the enemy, trust is the armor.

Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.

Sometimes things aren't clear right away. That's where you need to be patient and persevere and see where things lead.

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.

Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting.

.

 

[Mackeyser]

You bought the whole bag of fortune cookies, dintchya?