It won't be Haslett

Jim Haslett has been told by Billy Devaney that he is out of the running for Rams head coach, per Steve Savard on KMOV about half an hour ago. (That's how long it takes me to get online and get stupid Blogger typing in the font I want it to.) RamView wishes Haslett luck in his future endeavors. RamView also looks forward to playing the Packers in 2009 should they decide to name Haslett, who interviewed with Green Bay last week, their DC. Not sure what he's done recently that would merit another DC job, but good luck to him anyway. He seemed a decent-enough guy and was really looking forward to getting the Rams brand name out into the community. I especially regret that he won't be back because it appeared certain training camp was coming back to St. Louis.

It looks like it's between Rex Ryan and Steve Spagnuolo for the position. Ryan's complications: the Jets are after him, too, and his Ravens are still alive in the playoffs, which would get him off to a late start here. Spagnuolo's complications: the Jets again. He interviewed with them for NINE hours this week. Feels like the Rams are going to get whomever the Jets don't take, with Jim Schwartz going to the Lions and with the Chiefs and Raiders just sort of kicking the tires on the coaching carousel right now.

RamView's top 4 are now: 1. Ryan, 2. Spagnuolo, 3. Leslie Frazier, 4. Jason Garrett.
Ryan over Spagnuolo because he has a longer record of success. The two over my previous endorsement, Frazier, because Frazier's one of those quiet leaders, and while that can certainly work great with the right group of players, it won't work here. It just got done going 11-25 or something like that under Linehan, another quiet guy.

The Rams need an ass-kicker, and I think Rex Ryan's the guy. If the Ravens go to the Super Bowl, he won't be able to hang out in the hotel lobby in Mobile and troll for assistants, but I'd like to believe he's prepared enough already for that not to be a problem. If the Rams do go with Spagnuolo, even with the FoB (Friend of Billy) air around him, he's worth endorsing as 1b to Ryan's 1a as well.