Torry Holt to retire a Ram

Torry Holt will sign a one-day contract with the Rams in order to retire as a Ram, the team announced Wednesday. Sadly, just like Isaac Bruce two years ago, Holt will also be the best receiver on the Rams' roster for the duration of his one-day deal.

The classy Holt's next stop should be the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was the leading receiver in both catches and yards for the 2000-09 decade, a decade which saw the primes of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. He's the only receiver in NFL history with six straight seasons over 1,300 yards. He led the league in receiving yards in 2000 and 2003, two of the top ten single-season marks. He also led the league in 2003 with 117 receptions, another top ten single-season mark. He played in seven Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls. He was an invaluable, irreplaceable part of The Greatest Show on Earth. He exuded class on and off the field. Like his running mate Bruce, Holt excelled at a Hall-of-Fame level without resorting to the look-at-how-great-I-am persona so many others at his position have chosen to do.

Holt should be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. He won't be because the current voters are handling the WR position extremely poorly. They've created a logjam there by rejecting Cris Carter five straight times and Tim Brown another three or four. Marvin Harrison and Isaac Bruce are on the way. Terrell Owens and Randy Moss will come along in later years to turn the logjam into downright gridlock.

Holt also has the misfortune of entering the same HoF class as Hines Ward. If the voters stick to the stupid convention of no more than one player per position per year like they did this year, the NFL's overwhelming Steeler bias will allow Ward to dance in past Holt, no matter that Holt ran circles around Ward on the field. Holt and Ward should both be first-ballot Hall of Famers. It's just not likely to happen. In fact, I'll bet today that Ward also beats Bruce into the Hall, which will piss me off to no end. And don't tell me Ward belongs in over Holt or Bruce because of his blocking. Yeah, that's what the receiver position is all about. Anyway, rant over. All three should and will be in soon enough.

Congratulations to Torry Holt for an amazing career. Thank you for providing all us Rams fans, and all football fans, with so many outstanding memories while never compromising your integrity. We'll always be proud to have had you as a representative of our favorite team and of St. Louis.

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