Rams News

In Year 2, Vermeil has the fire, know-how to tackle the season

Wednesday, July 15, 1998

By Bernie Miklasz
Reasons for optimism

We're about to enter Year 2 of Dick Vermeil's comeback, and it's time to issue a progress report.

Update: DV made it through an entire 45-minute, precamp yacking session without breaking down into a sobbing fit. He did not make any preposterous declarations about unproven players - no "Tony Banks is the second coming of Sammy Baugh" - and the words "Lawrence Phillips" never came up.

Vermeil even made a confession: Last year he was too upbeat in his player evaluations. Remember how DV all but insisted that Jon Kirksey was going to be Dan Hampton with good knees? Kirksey was cut in camp.

"If I err in any way, it's that I'm a little too positive," Vermeil said.

And this Norman Vincent Vermeil finished with a 5-11 record. After a 14-year coaching hibernation Vermeil returned to the battlefield and generally had a confusing and rotten time; Chuck Heston wasn't this disoriented by a new world when he crawled out of the spaceship in "Planet of the Apes." In surviving his first season back, had DV lost some of the ol' fastball?

Tuesday, as he discussed prospects for 1998, Vermeil was so mellow I figured it was time to test him. So I asked: Dick, players grumbled last year that you kept them on the practice field too long, and worked them too hard, so do you plan to cut back?

In a flash, Vermeil's eyes narrowed and glassed up.

Uh-oh. Here we go . . .

"For the amount of money they're getting paid, it's very little (work) per hour," Vermeil said. "They're going to earn their money in the Rams organization. If they don't want to work, then get the (bleep) out of here. They can (bleep) all they want. I already told my coaches, `I don't want anyone feeling sorry or showing sympathy for a guy (bleeping) that he's working too hard."

So the Rams can be prepared to explore the physiological impact of heat stroke when Camp Vermeil opens in Macomb, Ill., this weekend. That won't change; if Vermeil managed the Cardinals he'd make Mark McGwire take two rounds of daily batting practice.

As the Rams prepare to tackle their little eight-season losing streak, there are several reasons for pangs of optimism. Let's run through them - and quickly, so we can all forget that I typed this nonsense:

1. Vermeil should be a more effective leader. He has a better idea of what works, and what doesn't work, and he's going to take charge rather than leave so many decisions to his aides. "The coaches are much more aware of what I want," DV said. "And Dick Vermeil is much more aware of what he wants."

2. Compared to last year, there's little turmoil. There's no wilding by Larry Phillips, no walking out by goofball Gerald Perry, no contract holdout by Orlando Pace, no chance (we hope) of training-camp drug arrests, no stupid pet tricks by Banks. "It will be a more stable environment," Vermeil said.

3. The offensive line should step up because Pace will be better, and coach Jim Hanifan has had a year to drill some sense into these people. And the Rams finally have some running backs who will be tough in the stadium instead of the nightclubs.

4. If Banks wants to make serious money, this is it, because his contract is up after 1998. Banks has dedicated himself accordingly. And the Rams have upgraded their receivers.

5. Vermeil has eliminated most of the insidious locker-room lawyers who would have easily earned first-team All-Alan Dershowitz honors. "I think we have more believers today," Vermeil said. "The obvious disbelievers are gone. I've still got a couple of suspects, and I'm following them closely."

Hey, all the Rams are suspects until they win. So pack up the Geritol for
the ride to the Illinois cornfield, boys, because DV's going to need it.

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