2008 Woodie Awards
Martz kicks off season with 'bonehead' coaching moves
Michael J. Balale
Issue date: 9/11/03 Section: Sports and Recreation
Just when you thought it was too early to start criticizing bonehead coaching moves, St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz proved us all wrong.
With a healthy and rejuvenated Kurt Warner in the lineup on Sunday, the Rams were outplayed and out-coached in a 23-13 loss to the New York Giants.
On his second pass of the game, Warner was hit and suffered a concussion. Evidently all the fans in attendance and the TV population knew that little secret, yet nobody told Martz.
In a post game interview, he told ESPN reporters that he didn't know Warner suffered a concussion until the third quarter, but he did take some responsibility saying, "That's probably as bad a game as I've called since I've been here."
Throughout the rest of the first and all of the second quarter, Warner looked incoherent on the sidelines and sluggish on the field. Did Martz not speak to his pro bowl QB in those quarters and know something was wrong? We may never know.
Did Martz ever think of putting in Mark Bulger? Bulger was Warner's backup last season, and he was voted team MVP for the 2002-2003 season after posting a 6-1 record as the starter.
To make sure his team had no chance of mounting a comeback, Martz elected to completely ignore his All-Pro running back Marshall Faulk. The former league MVP ran only twice in the second half, while Warner was dizzily ambling about the field handing the ball off to as many Giants as he could find on his way to a record six fumbles.
Martz capped off his impressive coaching performance late in the fourth quarter when the Rams had one last chance for a comeback.
Instead of bringing in Jeff Wilkins to attempt a 47-yard field goal, he opted to go for it, proving once and for all that he was one brain cell away from calling a good game as Faulk came up a yard short.
Martz admitted to reporters, "That was a mistake. There's no question about it; that was bad coaching on my part. It was a bad decision."
The Rams play the 49ers on Sunday, fresh off of their 49-7 pounding of the Bears, and although Mark Bulger will be at the helm for the Rams, it may not be enough to stop Jeff Garcia and company, especially while Martz is still on the sidelines wearing the headphones and calling the plays.
St. Louis fans can only hope that the Rams' coaching staff opts to reroute Martz's headphones so that he gets stuck listening to the Bloodhoud Gang's Greatest Hits and someone else can call the plays.
Call Michael J. Balale at (330) 941-1807.
With a healthy and rejuvenated Kurt Warner in the lineup on Sunday, the Rams were outplayed and out-coached in a 23-13 loss to the New York Giants.
On his second pass of the game, Warner was hit and suffered a concussion. Evidently all the fans in attendance and the TV population knew that little secret, yet nobody told Martz.
In a post game interview, he told ESPN reporters that he didn't know Warner suffered a concussion until the third quarter, but he did take some responsibility saying, "That's probably as bad a game as I've called since I've been here."
Throughout the rest of the first and all of the second quarter, Warner looked incoherent on the sidelines and sluggish on the field. Did Martz not speak to his pro bowl QB in those quarters and know something was wrong? We may never know.
Did Martz ever think of putting in Mark Bulger? Bulger was Warner's backup last season, and he was voted team MVP for the 2002-2003 season after posting a 6-1 record as the starter.
To make sure his team had no chance of mounting a comeback, Martz elected to completely ignore his All-Pro running back Marshall Faulk. The former league MVP ran only twice in the second half, while Warner was dizzily ambling about the field handing the ball off to as many Giants as he could find on his way to a record six fumbles.
Martz capped off his impressive coaching performance late in the fourth quarter when the Rams had one last chance for a comeback.
Instead of bringing in Jeff Wilkins to attempt a 47-yard field goal, he opted to go for it, proving once and for all that he was one brain cell away from calling a good game as Faulk came up a yard short.
Martz admitted to reporters, "That was a mistake. There's no question about it; that was bad coaching on my part. It was a bad decision."
The Rams play the 49ers on Sunday, fresh off of their 49-7 pounding of the Bears, and although Mark Bulger will be at the helm for the Rams, it may not be enough to stop Jeff Garcia and company, especially while Martz is still on the sidelines wearing the headphones and calling the plays.
St. Louis fans can only hope that the Rams' coaching staff opts to reroute Martz's headphones so that he gets stuck listening to the Bloodhoud Gang's Greatest Hits and someone else can call the plays.
Call Michael J. Balale at (330) 941-1807.