Rams McVay right guy at the right time in Los Angeles
By Steve Rivera
Timing may be everything. And for the Los Angeles Rams, they may have the right guy at just the right time to get things turned around.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay authored what will be one of many press conferences these last two days. Pressers that will give fans a lot of peace. As the beginning of training camps across the National Football League commence, we finally get to hear from the guy pulling the strings in Los Angeles, and I don’t mean Les Snead.
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It’s hard, no, it’s impossible to listen to McVay and not be impressed. His age, all of 31 years, belies a calm and confident demeanor that will serve him and the Rams well in 2017 and beyond. He is the antithesis of the previous regime where Jeff Fisher seemed lost in his own myopia as he guided LA to familiar records of more losses than wins.
Whereas Fisher fancied himself an onfield CEO, McVay is a guy ready to mix it up, and prepared to get his hands dirty. Where Fisher would defer, this new head coach embraces ownership of his task.
This isn’t the St. Louis Rams anymore. This is LA’s team, and it’s McVay’s team.
The difference is striking.
Let’s not over-fluff.
The Rams will struggle. The script this team is working from is weighted down by youth and uncertainty. Beginning with their quarterback Jared Goff and a roster of hopefuls, Los Angeles will surprise only if they manage more that four wins. But to hear the media court McVay, you feel comfortable that even with a record reminiscent of last year, that this team is going somewhere.
McVay provides “buy-in” for a team desperate for some.
No one, and I mean no one, can reliably predict 2017 for the Rams. But you feel good that the right guy has come around at just the right time to right this ship. I promise this: 4-12 with a dose of genuine and tangible optimism will sell in LA better than 4-12 and the prospect of Fisher still managing the controls.
It’s just feels better, and right now, that’s something.
McVay can sell that. But only for awhile.
He gets the requisite honeymoon as does this Rams team, again. They’ll get a pass because of the coaching change. But he doesn’t have next year to still be tinkering and figuring it out. 2017 is the season to see EXACTLY what he has in real-time. The opportunity for judging him on his merits and ability comes next year.
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That’s when, as I wrote some time ago, the clock starts ticking on McVay.
They won’t win a lot in 2017, but it’ll be interesting.
It’ll be a different story next season.