This just in, Rams fans: Tony Banks knows what he's doing.
``Yeah, that's the headline,'' Banks said, laughing.
But it's true. For the first time in more than two seasons with the Rams, Banks has a clue.
A clue about the offense. And a clue about what it takes to become an established NFL quarterback.
``His approach this spring has been very, very good,'' quarterbacks coach Mike White said. ``Still not perfect. But I see a definite improvement on his part. I see him a lot more committed.''
That commitment was questionable a year ago when it came to light that Banks failed to qualify for a $25,000 offseason conditioning bonus. Banks failed to participate in the required 80 percent of the workouts to earn the bonus.
Throw in the Felony caper, when Banks missed a late-season practice after his beloved Rottweiler puppy was struck by a car. Plus, the Sports Illustrated story last December 29, when Banks said offseason weightlifting interfered with his basketball. Even the most ardent Banks backer had to wonder: How badly does he want it?
``He's beginning to learn the respect that you have to have for the profession,'' White said.
This offseason, Banks has been a regular at Rams Park. He's on track to make that offseason bonus. OK, the team's strength coaches still have to drag him into the weight room on occasion.
But he's thrown a lot of footballs this March, April, May and June. He's spent a lot of hours looking at film. And gotten plenty of face time.
``I think his reliability, his maturity, is much better,'' coach Dick Vermeil said. ``Much improved. I think that will add to an improvement in leadership and respect from everybody.''
Perhaps it's a lesson Banks learned the hard way after being away so much last offseason.
``I don't think I realized the importance of it last year,'' Banks said.
He worked out at home in San Diego and said he reported to training camp last year stronger, faster and lighter than in 1996.
``But it didn't show in the eyes of my teammates,'' Banks said.
Because they didn't see him at Rams Park.
``I've realized that my teammates need to see my face as much as possible to realize that I'm working as hard as they are,'' Banks said. ``I think they see that.''
He got game
As for basketball, Banks was quoted in SI as saying: ``Nobody's going to stop me from playing basketball. Nobody.'' Weightlifting was messing up his hoops.
Banks flatly says he was misquoted on the subject, although author Peter King of SI is a highly-respected football writer.
Still Banks insists, ``That (upset) me to no end. That never came out of my mouth.''
Banks never will be confused with an iron-pumping devotee. He took up weightlifting relatively late, when he arrived at Michigan State in 1994. But he adds, ``I've got to be pretty strong to take the licking I've been taking, and still be able to get up.''
Namely, 91 sacks in two seasons with the Rams. Banks literally has the number at his fingertips, stashed in his locker stall on a stat sheet, which he was only too happy to produce the other day.
This spring, Banks was doing some heavy lifting, only to come up with a sore throwing shoulder at the first minicamp in late April. ``Once my shoulder started getting sore, I stopped some of the lifts,'' he said.
He still finds time for hoops -- right at Rams Park. The complex has a basketball court, conveniently located next to the locker room. Basketball, Banks says, helps his quickness, his strength, his flexibility and his footwork.
Dog days
As for Felony? She's doing fine after her life-threatening injury a couple of days before the Rams' season-finale against Carolina.
``She's basically fully recovered,'' Banks said. ``She'll probably have a little limp later on down the road. But right now, she's just like the same old dog.''
Last December, many observers were amazed that a starting NFL quarterback would miss a regular-season practice because of a dog. Banks is amazed that people were amazed.
``It was kind of a big scare,'' he said. ``She had a bunch of painkillers that knocked her out, so she was sleeping for about two weeks.
``I've been around dogs my whole life. We treat them like family. People kind of got me crossed up, thinking I was weird or something.''
At least Banks no longer thinks the Rams offense is weird. For most of the past six years -- be it junior college, college or the NFL -- he has bounced from one coach, or coordinator, or offensive system to another. Not this year.
Finally, he's working in the same offense for the second year in a row. Oh, the Rams have made some refinements. The passing game will be more tailored to Banks' skills, with the installation of the shotgun formation and more use of rollout plays.
``This year, I feel I know the offense like the back of my hand,'' Banks said.
Familiarity has allowed Banks to concentrate more on technique and fundamentals. ``I had a lot of bad habits last year,'' Banks said. ``But you can't really attack the fundamentals the way you want to when you've got to learn the whole offense.''
Under the watchful eyes of White and offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome, Banks has worked on his footwork, his pass drop and other mechanics this offseason.
``The key for Tony is to speed up the decision-making process,'' White said.
Which means exploding back from center after the snap, setting up quickly and making the throw. To help this process, the coaches have reviewed the entire offensive system with Banks, trying to simplify the playbook and increase Banks' understanding.
``Tony's worked hard on it,'' White said. ``He's got good knowledge of football and good recall. He's very instinctive.''
Salary drive
Banks also has a working knowledge of the business of football. He began the 1997 season as the NFL's lowest-paid starting quarterback. ``Still am,'' Banks said. He begins the '98 season in the third year of a three-year contract.
``It's a contract year,'' Vermeil said. ``You've got to perform. If he can play like an NFL quarterback's supposed to play, he'll earn a lot more money than he's making.''
Banks is scheduled to make $390,000 this year, which ranks him 32nd in base salary among current Rams. If he has a breakthrough year, he could increase that salary five-fold -- even 10-fold. If he stumbles badly, he may not be starting for the Rams or anyone else in '99.
Banks realizes all of this. On the one hand, he says, ``I can't remember a quarterback ever having to start 29 games and not getting some type of money thrown his way.'' (That is the number of starts Banks has made for the Rams the past two seasons.)
On the other hand, he concedes: ``It's not like I've set the world on fire, so I can demand this or that. . . . It all boils down to performing on the field. I've still got to perform on the field.''
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