Rock solid attitudes at Rams Park

Pro Football Weekly mentioned over the weekend that "no Rams player has been more fired up" than Richie Incognito, crediting the atmosphere Rams strength coach Rock Gullickson has established in the weight room. We can certainly question whether or not a more fired-up Incognito is necessarily a good thing, since all his career so far, he's been a personal foul waiting to happen. Richie claims that this year he wants to become "a more mature player", which a) is at least two years overdue and b) I'm sure has nothing to do with Richie becoming a free agent after this season.

But this isn't the first time the Rock Gullickson Effect at Rams Park has been mentioned. Incognito isn't the only person said to be reaping the benefits of Gullickson's presence, nor is he the only player to sing his praises. Ron Bartell and Tye Hill are both enthused with the new weight-training program. Heck, based on reports from OTAs, Hill may not even be afraid of players in opposing uniforms any more. Mike Karney's got positive things to say. So does Keenan Burton. And Adam Carriker. And Gullickson's already gotten the most important endorsement from the Rams roster, Steven Jackson's.

When an NFL team hires or fires a strength and conditioning coach, when it even gets mentioned in the press, it's listed in the agate print of the Transactions column right after the Grand Prairie Airhogs releasing an infielder or Drexel hiring a new swimming coach or the Edmonton Eskimos signing defensive lineman Mike Newkirk. (Rookie free agent cut by the Rams.) Seriously, can you name another strength and conditioning coach in the NFL, besides NFL Combine celebrity spotter John Lott? Hup! I didn't think so. Shoot this thing!

But the Rock Gullickson Effect at Rams Park is palpable. You can't swing a dead cat in the Rams locker room without hitting a player who's fired up about working with him. Whether it's because Gullickson is that good, or Dana DeLuc was that bad, the Rams front office has gotten a decided positive boost to the team out of the fairly simple move of bringing in a new strength coach.

Funny where these things get started.

photo - stlouisrams.com