- Joined
- May 8, 2014
- Messages
- 39,680
I will always believe that Shaw and Ziggy falling all over themselves to lock Martz up as the successor pissed Vermiel off. And the way things went down, with the team finally rising after they added Martz, probably had both those idiots thinking he was the secret sauce.Agree it was Vermeil's decision, but he didn't think it through. Hasty reaction over a handful of days. Allowed himself to be persuaded that winning the Super Bowl was enough, he should quit while on top, nothing else to prove, he was getting old (65 or so isn't that old!), Martz was next in line, thought he was being unselfish, etc. He neglected to fully consider his own passion for coaching.
Vermeil imo is one of the greatest coaches ever. The only guy to win coach of the year at every level- high school, junior college, college, pro. What he did with UCLA was remarkable. Beating No. 1 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Brought the Eagles and the Rams back from oblivion to the Super Bowl.
Bottom line: Vermeil should have stayed with the Rams and that 2001 Super Bowl team should have won two more championships.
Of course Martz deserves all the cred in the world for the GSoT too. But he also benefitted greatly from the roster that was painstakingly built by Vermiel in spite of two idiots in the front office. Fact is the Rams couldn't find their ass with either hand when it came to personnel prior to Vermiel's hire, and immediately after he left they went right back to that level of incompetence.
What they should have done is let Martz get hired away and locked Vermiel up, i.e. made him feel wanted and properly valued. But they couldn't even get that shit right. Or bring Vermiel in as GM or something and have him rebuild the front office and scouting. I'll bet he would have done a great job on that front as well, as he is quality. But our problem was Georgia and her need to have that penny pinching piece of shit running her front office.