Another season... another Mike Martz dumping!

It's difficult to keep up with Martz's inability to hold down a job, but that's what we do here.

Will we be chronicling another dumping next season?... Or will Mike be out of the NFL permanently this time?

Check back in... We'll have more to add soon.

In the years since dumpmartz.com helped run Mike Martz out of St. Louis, we have not paid particularly close attention to Martz as he attempted to resurrect his coaching career and image as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.  For the most part, we've been resting on our laurels and waxing nostalgic about a job well done in 2004 and 2005.  But Mike Martz is back in the news again, and he just got himself dumped (again).

In 2006, his first year in Detroit, the Lions finished with a near-last-place 3-13 record.  And this season, the Lions started strong with a 6-2 record and dreams of making the playoffs.  But a complete implosion occurred in the second half of the season, and the Lions lost 7 of their last 8 games.

Amid the collapse, there were reports out of the Detroit press of infighting between Martz and the other Lions coaches, which came as no surprise to dumpmartz.com.

So once again, Mike Martz has been handed the pink slip and is pounding the pavement looking for yet another coaching job.

To read more about it, here's one among many articles in the Detroit news:

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2008/01/woody_martzs_exit_is_improveme.html

Welcome!...

... to the website that was instrumental in running Mike Martz out of St. Louis!

And welcome to all the new visitors from Detroit!

And due to your overwhelming support and readership, a recent domain name appraisal estimated just the name alone -- "dumpmartz.com" -- to be worth in excess of $7500...

Not surprisingly, the Mike Martz apologist website appraised out at much, much less...

- The dumpmartz.com management

Mike Martz Blackballed From NFL Head Coaching
-By MadRussian

One week after begging Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis for the opportunity to interview for that team's head coaching vacancy, Mike Martz has "removed his name from consideration".

According to sources close to Martz, he claimed "the situation in Oakland just didn't feel right".

In other words, Martz realized that he wasn't going to be hired; and attempted to save face by rejecting them first.  Once again, Martz's petty side was revealed, and his uncontrollable ego reared its ugly head.

This year, 10 head coaches were either fired or retired -- perhaps the most ever in a single season -- yet Martz was still unable to find a head coaching job.

2006 - NFL Head Coaches Hired
Buffalo Bills - Dick Jauron
Detroit Lions - Rod Marinelli
Green Bay Packers - Mike McCarthy
Houston Texans - Gary Kubiak
Kansas City Chiefs - Herm Edwards
Minnesota Vikings - Brad Childress
New Orleans Saints - Sean Payton
New York Jets - Eric Mangini
Oakland Raiders - Ken Whisenhunt (probable)
St. Louis Rams - Scott Linehan

Undoubtedly, when Martz publicly embarrassed the Rams organization with his fabricated "John Shaw doesn't care about winning" story for ESPN, and when he tried to get his bosses Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw fired, that behaviour didn't sit well with other front offices around the league.  And who in their right mind would hire Mike Martz after reviewing his resume on dumpmartz.com?

So today, Mike Martz find himself an "untouchable" -- blackballed from head coaching in the NFL -- and rightly so.

Martz Summons Phone Technicians To His House
- By Legend of Kurt

Responding to Mike Martz's complaints
that his phone won't ring, technicians
have been dispatched to the Martz residence.

Mike Martz is wondering if something is wrong with his phone, since nobody seems to want him as a Head Coach -- even though his dwindling group of apologists assured us that he would be the most sought-after head coach ever if he was fired by the Rams.

"Yes, Mr. Martz, we've checked all circuits, and your telephone is operating properly!"

Mike Martz: Media Control Freak?

In February 2003, Mike Martz traveled to Baltimore to attend the funeral of Post Dispatch sportswriter Bernie Miklasz's late father.

During his time as the Rams head coach, I frequently sparred with the media-sensitive Martz. This is a guy who did not hesitate to pick up the phone, dial my number, and rage at me at 7:30 in the morning after reading hostile words directed at him in a column. Martz is also the same benevolent soul who traveled nearly a thousand miles, unannounced, to attend my father's funeral service in Feb. 2003. The coach sat in the back of the church. I wouldn't have known, but my brother spotted him. (Link)

Yet in January 2006, by scheduling his interviews with the New Orleans Saints on January 13-14, Mike Martz opted to skip the funeral of Rams radio announcer and retired wideout Jack Snow.

It's doubtful that Martz even knew Miklasz's late father, but it's a certainty that Martz knew Jack Snow fairly well.

Did Martz neglect Snow's funeral because Jack was no longer useful to Martz?  Did Martz attend Miklasz's father's funeral because that gesture may sway Bernie to write favorably of Martz in his future columns?  And why didn't Miklasz reveal this fact in February 2003 right after it occurred?

Although a sensitive and uncomfortable topic, it was originally brought to light by Bernie Miklasz as evidence of Martz's "benevolence".  But this evidence only leads to more troublesome questions -- Did Miklasz write favorably of Martz because he attended his father's funeral?  (eg. when Miklasz defended "the knee" versus Carolina).  Aren't funerals a somber ritual to pay tribute to lost friends -- rather than a time to score points with influential sportswriters?  Does Mike Martz decide which funerals to attend based on which will best advance his personal career?

Rather unseemly stuff.

Martz Misleads On Lack Of Interest In His Services

In a telephone interview with the Baton Rouge advocate, Martz said that his interview with the Saints went well. "This is the one I'm most interested in," Martz said on the Saints head coaching job.

Although Martz's quote would lead the reader to believe that he has multiple teams beating down his door to hire him as their head coach, the fact is that Martz has only been granted a head coaching interview by one team -- the New Orleans Saints.

Dumpmartz.com suggests filing this one under "F" for "False Bravado"!

Breaking News!
Exclusive Photo Of Mike Martz Interviewing With Saints!

Utilizing a deep-undercover, inside source within the New Orleans Saints organization, dumpmartz.com has obtained an exclusive photograph of Mike Martz's job interview with Saints' General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Mike Martz relays a story to Mickey Loomis of how Rams
President of Football Operations Jay Zygmunt stole the
frozen strawberries.

Keep checking back in!  Dumpmartz.com will update the website as news develops!

New England Patriots Football Weekly:
"Martz Like A Snake.  No Thanks."

Q: If Mike Martz isn't offered a head-coaching job, do you think the Patriots might try to hire him as our offensive coordinator?

- Timothy Billiel

A: I don’t think the Patriots are going to be in the market for an offensive coordinator. They like Josh McDaniels and quite frankly, I think he’s done a fine job this season calling plays. When you look at the injuries the Patriots have had at receiver, running back and the offensive line, he’s really gotten the most of the players that were available to him. I don’t think you can blame McDaniels for the running game. That falls on the shoulders of the backs who – lets be honest – have not run well this season. Plus, this is McDaniels first year calling plays. I think he’s only going to get better as time goes on. I already see a marked improvement from the first half of the season up until now. As for Martz, forget it. Putting him and Belichick together is like putting a snake in a cage with a mongoose. I’ll give you one guess who the snake would be in that scenario.

- Tom Casale, New England Patriots Football Weekly

(Excerpted - Link)

NY Jets Interview Joe Vitt, Snub Mike Martz
- By MadRussian

During the 2001 season, when the Rams were hitting on all cylinders and en route to Super Bowl 36, they marched into New York and dealt the Jets a 34-7 blowout victory.

However, when the Rams went up 31-7 late in the 3rd quarter -- with the game well in hand -- Martz decided to go for an onside kick and the Rams recovered.

By attempting to run up the score unnecessarily on the Jets, Martz only managed to embarrass both himself and the Rams franchise.  Displaying immaturity as a head coach in front of the entire NFL world, Martz was coaching as if he could never imagine standing on the opposite sideline.

Today, by granting Joe Vitt an interview for the Jet's head coaching vacancy -- and by rejecting Martz's bid -- the NY Jets delivered a message: "We remember, and it's payback time!"

Do You Want To Let That Snake In The Door?
- By MadRussian

"You let that snake in the door?"
- Jerry Maguire, incredulous that Matt Cushman
permitted his son Frank to sign with agent Bob Sugar.

In today's Post Dispatch, Mike Martz's slick sports agent, Bob "Sugar" LaMonte, perfectly summarized the classlessness that defined the Mike Martz era in St. Louis:

"[Martz] can create what no one else can create.  He's the only guy beyond (Jon) Gruden who can take road-kill QBs and make them MVPs. Not just Pro Bowlers, but MVPs."

And in case there's any doubt that Bob "Sugar" LaMonte was relaying Mike Martz's own self-assessment, keep in mind that KFNS 590 AM radio host Frank Cusumano revealed this past week that Martz told him a few years ago that "Kurt Warner would be stocking grocery shelves were it not for me!".

Bob Sugar (Jay Mohr),
in the film "Jerry Maguire"

Unfortunately, this is but a small sample of the disgraceful grandstanding that St. Louis Rams fans were forced to endure for the past 7 years.

Were Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger "road-kill" without Martz?  Would Warner be "stocking grocery shelves" today without him?  Not hardly.

Kurt Warner -- perhaps more than any quarterback in the history of the NFL -- owes his success to his own initiative, sweat, and perseverance.

Unlike Warner, most of the so-called "franchise quarterbacks" of today are early-round draft picks, and thus their teams are heavily invested in them.  And, unlike Warner, their difficult beginnings would be endured.  Had Warner stumbled out of the gate in 1999, how long would the Rams have stood behind him?  Probably not for long.  Undrafted quarterbacks without the elite "pedigree" don't get second chances.

But Warner didn't need one.  With only two weeks of preparation, he came out gunning from game 1.  In his first season, he threw for 41 TD passes, had a passer rating of 109.2, was named to the Pro Bowl, was awarded NFL MVP, and led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans -- throwing for a Super Bowl record 414 yards and earning Super Bowl MVP honors.  During the two seasons that followed, Warner was named to the Pro Bowl 2 more times, and led the Rams to another Super Bowl trip.

Yet contrary to Mike Martz's self-serving boast, Martz was never again able to "create" another NFL MVP.  Martz had far more time than "two weeks" to prepare other pet quarterback projects, such as Joe Germaine, Chris Chandler, Jeff Smoker, Jamie Martin, and Ryan Fitzpatrick -- yet none ever achieved notable accomplishments.  Trent Green didn't achieve his first Pro Bowl until he was 3 years removed from Mike Martz.  Marc Bulger -- perhaps the only quarterback who Martz can claim as a protege -- had his best chance at NFL greatness snatched away when Martz took the game out of his hands with "the knee" versus Carolina in the 2003 season playoffs.

When asked for his thoughts on Kurt Warner, Super Bowl winning head coach and total class act Dick Vermeil had this to say... "Kurt Warner is a movie, a book.... It's real life.  He's an example of what we'd all like to be. He's a great example of persistence."

Dick Vermeil: "Kurt Warner is a movie, a book..."

Warner's current coach, Denny Green of the Arizona Cardinals, thus described Warner's rise to stardom... "The Kurt Warner Story is not only the greatest story in the history of the NFL, it might be the greatest story in the history of sports."

Those are the words of coaches don't resort to tearing down their players in order to inflate their own worth.

Today, several teams around the league are searching for men to lead their NFL teams -- and Mike Martz is hoping that one of them will be gullible enough to hire him.  But anyone considering Martz should be asked, "Do you want to let that snake in the door?"

Tim Kawakami's Talking Points

9. More Rose Bowl: Wasted timeouts, no Bush on the field on the game-deciding play, no clue how to defend Young. When did Mike Martz start coaching the Trojans?

Excerpted - Click here to read the original article at the San Jose Mercury News.

Martz Bitch-Slapped By John Shaw
- By NoLapDog

And we just thought that Martz was dumb when it came to game strategy!!!

Mike Martz told ESPN's Chris Mortensen some lies about the Rams not really wanting to win because it adversely affected their bottom line... in an effort to force Rams President John Shaw to fire him.

And today, we find out that John Shaw in turn used these comments to slap down Mike Martz for half of his 2006 salary.

...And then to top it off, Martz tells Dan Patrick today on ESPN Radio that, according to the settlement, Martz isn't even allowed to talk about this subject again.

Nice plan, Mikey.

...And like MadRussian said, thanks John Shaw for saving us paying fans $1.6M of hard earned cash!!

Will Martz Take Marmie With Him?
-By NoLapDog

When Mike Martz hired his buddy Larry Marmie as defensive coordinator of the Rams in 2004, Marmie's predominant credential was that he had just single-handedly overseen the destruction of the Arizona Cardinals defense.  During his 3 years as their defensive coordinator, the Cards' defense was ranked 23rd (2001), 29th (2002), and 32nd (2003), in points allowed per game, out of the 32 NFL teams!

Not coincidentally, after Marmie was fired from Arizona, their next coordinator (Clancy Pendergast) dramatically turned their defense around to a #12 ranking in 2004!

While Pendergast was successfully undoing Marmie's flawed defensive schemes in Arizona, Marmie was busy undoing Lovie Smith's successful defensive schemes in St. Louis.  Under Smith in 2003, and prior to Marmie, the Rams defense was ranked 17th in points allowed per game and was ranked #1 in takeaways.

The next season, in 2004, Larry Marmie's defense dropped to 25th in points allowed and 32nd in takaways... and it fell even further in 2005 -- 31st in points allowed -- almost as bad as the last-place defense he left in Arizona.

Why did Mike Martz hire this bumbling buffoon?... and why didn't he undo the mistake and fire him?  Was it solely because Martz owed Marmie a favor for employing him as offensive coordinator at Arizona State in 1988 through 1991?  It sure looks that way!

What's next for the Martz/Marmie duo?

If another NFL franchise is foolish enough to hire Mike Martz, will Martz bring Larry Marmie with him?  After all, he drew a line in the sand while in St. Louis, refusing to be the head coach without Marmie.

We'll see....

If Martz doesn't bring Marmie with him, I'll take that to mean that he doesn't really believe in Marmie!!... and that Martz simply put his personal interests (the desire not to fire a good friend) above the interests of the team that "real" Rams fans love!!

John Shaw Saves Season Ticket Holders Hard-Earned Cash
- By MadRussian

Yesterday, Rams President John Shaw forced Mike Martz into a contract settlement, liberating the Rams completely from Martz... and freeing Mike Martz to move on and ruin another NFL franchise (if one is actually foolish enough to hire him).

Mike Martz asked for his entire 2006 salary, to which he evidently felt entitled, and which amounted to approximately $3.25 million.

But John Shaw threatened to file a grievance against Martz for lying to Chris Mortensen in an ESPN interview when he was supposed to be home recuperating from bacterial endocarditis.  (See Mike Martz's Day Off.)

As a result of Shaw's strongarm tactics, Martz was forced to take only 50 cents on the dollar of his remaining contract salary...  Either that or battle with John Shaw in a grievance proceeding and face censure and a fine for lying about the Rams -- and thereby embarrassing the organization -- on ESPN.

As a result of Shaw's efforts, season ticket holders were saved almost $3 per seat per home game.  On behalf of all season ticket holders, thanks go out to John Shaw!

Today, dumpmartz.com was contacted by Teresa Woodard of KTVI Fox 2 with a request for an interview to be aired on their 9:00 PM CST newscast.

Dumpmartz.com appreciates the media interest in our website, but after discussions with KTVI Fox 2, we declined the request to be interviewed for television within the requested format.

- the dumpmartz.com management

Mission Accomplished:

Rams President John Shaw

Announces: Mike Martz Fired!

A huge thanks goes out to all the Dumpmartz.com editorial contributors, sources, and readers!

Our mission has been accomplished, and it could not have been done without you!

Link To Transcript of Rams President John Shaw's Press Conference Today At Rams Park.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen Reporting:

Mike Martz To Be Fired Tomorrow!

Dumpmartz.com has the champagne on ice!

Keep checking back in!  We will report the breaking news as it develops!

- the dumpmartz.com staff

Update: 01 Jan 2006, Sunday 7:10PM CST

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that Mike Martz attended practice at Rams Park this past Wednesday.  During his visit, he got into a shouting match with two assistant coaches and accused them of "betraying him".  Hopefully, the locks were changed to prevent Martz from further interfering with preparation for the Rams-Cowboys game!

Update: 02 Jan 2006, Monday 12:35AM CST

Despite Mike Martz's presence at Rams Park this past Wednesday and his attempt to interfere with practice by getting into a shouting match with two assistant coaches, the Rams kept their focus and defeated the Dallas Cowboys 20-10 on Sunday Night Football -- a nationally-televised game on ESPN.

Update: 02 Jan 2006, Monday 10:00AM CST

According to several reports on websites such as Fox Sports, CNN, and the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Mike Martz has been informed that he is to be fired today.  A press conference at Rams Park is scheduled for 12:30PM CST, which can be viewed online at St. Louis News Channel 5 ksdk.com (Link).

Rams Employee Lobbies Houston Texans To Hire Mike Martz
(Hadley Alert!)

Isn't Mike Martz still under contract with the Rams?  And isn't Fat Butt John Hadley still under contract with the Rams as Mike Martz's personal paid media shill?

Well evidently Hadley was on the radio in Houston this morning and -- unfortunately for Hadley and Martz -- their classless smear campaign cannot outrun the far-reaching tentacles of dumpmartz.com!

uclans, a poster on Rams Talk, reported Hadley's comments.  As you read his report, keep in mind that Hadley only says what Martz pays him to say...

Hadley On Houston Sports Radio This AM
By uclans

Have heard Hadley on 610AM for years here in Houston and never made the connection to the "Hadley". Anyway, he was stumping hard for Martz to be the the next Texans HC.

He threw all existing Ram players and coaches under the bus for Martz's performance issues over the last few years.

The Houston guys came down hard on all the QB injuries in St Louis, and Hadley blamed the QB's for their injuries.

He defended it all.  Lack of run attempts. QB hits taken, (bleep) d(efense), bad drafts, etc..

I think i get it now.

Martz is never to blame nor should he take any responsibility for anything that has happened since he's been HC. Don't know what I was thinking. Even the Houston guys said the Texans would be crazy to hire Martz as anything but OC.

There was some good news for you guys though:  Wherever Martz ends up, Hadley is going with him!

Link

The Scorched Earth Strategy Of Mike Martz And His Apologists
-By MadRussian

During the latter half of this season, it has become apparent that Mike Martz has coached his last game for the St. Louis Rams.  The actual firing, at this point, is just a formality waiting to happen.  He's finished.  But rather than take Martz's imminent firing with some measure of restraint, his attack dogs have unleashed their wrath upon Martz's perceived enemies that remain within the Rams organization.

Lapdog Bernie Miklasz -- ever spouting the Martz-apologist line -- is calling for a retaliatory shakeup of the Rams front office and assistant coaching staff.  On the radio and in his column and internet forum, he has questioned the competency of Rams President John Shaw, and called for the firing of Rams President of Football Operations Jay Zygmunt and Zygmunt's assistant Samir Suleiman.  Also, he has called out Joe Vitt for perceived coaching failures versus the Arizona Cardinals, ignoring the fact that Vitt is an assistant coach whose hands are largely tied by his "interim" head coaching status.  And it doesn't end there.  Miklasz is also highly critical of several high-profile Rams players, who he perceives to have cost Martz his job through their lack of productivity.  On various internet talk forums, Martz's apologists and Miklasz's lackeys (the lapdog's lapdogs) are repeating this hate-filled message like mindless zombies!

Bernie "The Lapdog" Miklasz

But dumpmartz.com, ever in the forefront of exposing the faulty logic of Mike Martz and his apologists, is here to defend these dedicated Rams executives, low-profile assistants, and players.  They were not the problem -- Mike Martz was.

Those executives are only guilty of hiring the vagabond, career-assistant Mike Martz to be head coach of the Rams.  And while their judgment was flawed in 2000, this year they are moving to rectify that error by firing Mike Martz.  Shaw and Zygmunt allowed Martz to hire his buddy -- the incompetent Larry Marmie (current leader of the #31-ranked defensive unit in the NFL) as defensive coordinator; and they did not interfere when Martz scapegoated and fired Bobby April (leader of the #1-ranked special teams unit in the the NFL at Buffalo).  They didn't meddle when he was scapegoating Sean Landeta, Kurt Warner, Tommy Polley, Jason Sehorn, and others.  They didn't intervene when Martz was focused on his "pet project" -- the offense -- and yet at the same time completely oblivious to the defense and special teams.  In short, they allowed Martz to do pretty much anything he wanted to do.  And now, in retribution for Mike Martz's imminent firing, Miklasz and Martz's ever-shrinking group of apologists want these executives to pay with their jobs?  They don't deserve that!

Beginning last winter, John Hadley began to orchestrate a  smear campaign -- based on information from an off-the-record backstabber (Martz) -- targeting Jay Zygmunt.  In return for shining his boots, Martz rewarded Hadley with the title, "paid media whore" by putting Hadley on his payroll.  And despite the fact that Jay Zygmunt took the high road and refused to engage in Mike Martz's media war, the dwindling number of Martz lackeys in the press insist that the front office personnel must now be shaken up for reasons that could only be described as revenge.

John Hadley, Mike Martz's Media Whore, Is Actually On Martz's Payroll

Keep this in mind -- In every NFL front office, there exist loyal, career employees who, although not exorbitantly-paid and widely-known, are integral to the operation of the club.  Many of these people have worked faithfully for their respective clubs for decades.  Unlike head coaches and free agent players who often land jobs within days of being released, most of these folks are middle-class employees who cannot lose their jobs without substantial financial impact.  And Bernie Miklasz wants to see these positions "shaken up"?  Well, how about a shakeup in the press?  I'd start by running running Miklasz , Hadley, and Burwell out of town with their benefactor, Mike Martz!

And the high-profile Rams players that are proposed to serve as this season's scapegoats?  Dumpmartz.com hasn't forgotten that Bobby April blossomed into the Special Teams Coach of the Year in 2004 under a different head coach... and Tommy Polley was able to earn a starting spot alongside Ray Lewis on the vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense (and is leading them in tackles this season!)... and Kurt Warner's supposed "crippled claw" didn't look very crippled when it thew for 3 touchdowns in an Arizona Cardinal blowout victory over the Rams in the Edward Jones Dome.  So before a fresh crop of scapegoats is released, I'd like to see the Rams players evaluated by a more competent head coach and coordinators.  As Martz's tenure has proven, the problem often isn't with the players!

The Rams should not panic by succumbing to the revenge-thirst of sportswriters like Bernie "The Lapdog" Miklasz, Bryan "The Village Idiot" Burwell, and Martz's paid media whore John Hadley.  They should not fire the loyal Rams employees who were skillful enough to assist in building the Super Bowl 34 championship team... the same employees who worked with sufficient harmony before Mike Martz was hired as head coach.  To the contrary, the Rams should simply bring in the new head coach, and then see how things pan out from there.

Bryan "The Village Idiot" Burwell

In a discussion of potential replacements for Mike Martz, one simpleton on the Rams Talk Forum -- parroting Bernie Miklasz's recent theme -- asked, "What coach would want to work for John Shaw?"  Given the history of freedom and trust bestowed upon Martz by Shaw, candidates will be lined up around the corner hoping for the Rams' head coaching job.

The more pertinent question is...

"In Light of Martz's recent Scorched Earth strategy aimed at the Rams front office, what organization would want to hire Mike Martz?"

Mike Martz Paid Kurt Warner $6M... To Whip The Rams 
Found on the Rams Talk Forum at stltoday.com

Kurt Warner had a great game -- outplaying both Marc Bulger and Jamie Martin -- as he laid 38 points on the St. Louis Rams. His passer rating was 116 and he completed 27 of 39 passes for 285 yards and no interceptions.  Also, Kurt Warner was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for leading his team to victory over the heavily-favored Rams.

Although playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, Warner utilized his quick read capability and pocket elusiveness to take only one sack. And despite not having receivers on par with the Rams', Warner spread the ball around for 3 touchdown passes to 3 different receivers.

Also, to put that herculean effort in perspective, Warner overcame 111 penalty yards by Arizona -- arguably one of the worst teams in the NFL.

But that's only half the story.

Embarrassingly, Mike Martz actually paid Warner to blow them out...

That's right... Kurt Warner still counts against the Rams' salary cap -- to the tune of about $6M!  One can only imagine the smile that fact put on Bill Bidwill's face!  (Of course, Arizona is also paying Warner this season -- approximately $4M.)

On a related note, analysts at footballoutsiders.com rated Kurt Warner's QB performance at Detroit on the previous Sunday as #1 in the NFL.

Mike Martz -- You and your media lapdog Bernie Miklasz scapegoated Kurt Warner for a string of Rams losses... then smeared him in the press with off-the-record, despicable rumours... and then ran him out of town.

Now, you have some explaining to do!

Mission Accomplished:

Mike Martz Is Finished In St. Louis!

- By MadRussian

Why DumpMartz.com?...

Countless times over the past 12 months in various internet venues, Mike Martz's ever-dwindling supporters have whined, "Why did the creators of dumpmartz.com go to such great lengths to see Mike Martz fired?"

To answer that question, let's be clear about this -- Had Mike Martz been simply the worst head coach in the NFL, dumpmartz.com would not exist... Had he simply been a bungler of free agency and draft days, the creation of this website would have never been pondered.  Had he just been the worst game strategist in the history of football, we wouldn't have even bothered.

Mike Martz should not be employed as an NFL coach, in St. Louis or anywhere, for one simple reason -- He completely lacks class.

And while the instances are far too numerous to detail in one editorial, a review of the material on this website should convey the complete picture.  One could say that dumpmartz.com is Mike Martz's resume.

And legions of St. Louis Rams fans have agreed -- for the number of supportive emails and readership of dumpmartz.com (over 1/2 million visitors since Nov 2004) has been staggering.  For example, one reader wrote in, "After reading this website, I was so glad to know that there are others out there who agree with what I have thought about Mike Martz for years!"

After some initial debate within Rams Nation, the results of the failed Mike Martz experiment are virtually unanimous -- Martz must go!  In fact, he is as good as gone right now.  His firing is only a formality waiting to happen.

The Last Nail In The Coffin...

And who drove the last nail in Mike Martz's coffin?  The man who made him look like the genius he claims to be -- Kurt Warner.

On Sunday, November 20, Kurt Warner swaggered into the Edward Jones Dome and drove a dagger through the heart of the Rams 2005 season, ending their hopes for one last run at the playoffs.  And, in the process, he snuffed out what was left of Mike Martz's career.  In one game, he exposed the lies, fraud, and deception that Martz used to run the two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP out of the city that loved him.

Who could forget that, in 2003, Rams fans were repeatedly told that Kurt Warner had lost his pocket presence, was washed up -- and most significantly -- his throwing hand had become arthritic and permanently damaged?  No name was officially attached to these stories, but Randy Karraker of KTRS Radio revealed in the Spring of 2004 that Mike Martz was the "off-the-record" source for all of these despicable rumours.  And despite the unconfirmed nature of these allegations, Martz's lapdog Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post Dispatch willingly spread these rumours through his newspaper column and internet forum.

Even more of the sordid details of Mike Martz's calculated maneuvering were exposed by Michael Silver in last week's edition of Sports Illustrated: "One former player says that Martz, before releasing Warner in June 2004, told other Rams that he believed the quarterback wanted him fired; the player says that Martz vowed to get rid of Kurt before that could happen".

The fallout from the "crippled claw whispering campaign" was devastating for Kurt Warner's career.  Released by the Rams under a cloud of doubt, Warner's search for a new club was met with skepticism from prospective coaches, and all required extensive hand and throwing demonstrations.  Finally, he landed a job -- although perhaps the worst quarterback job in the NFL --  buying time for the formerly 4-12 NY Giants while they groomed #1 draft pick Eli Manning.  At NY, Warner was tasked with leading an offense that didn't play to his strengths, playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, and throwing to a slow wide receiver corps in a run-oriented, ball-control offense.  Yet, he still adjusted and led the team to a surprising 5-4 record before Eli Manning was promoted.  Manning went on to dash the Giants' playoff hopes by losing 6 games in a row with identical weapons, and the contrast cast an even more favorable light on Warner's performance.

With an impressive videotape circulating the league, Warner had a few more choices for the next season.  Out of Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, and undoubtedly a few others, he selected the Arizona Cardinals.  Warner, again, had embarked upon another climb up the mountain -- but anyone familiar with the Cardinal franchise knows that it's a steep climb from Tempe.

And so began the evolution of Mike Martz's worst nightmare -- Kurt Warner leading an NFC Western Division foe.

Poetic Justice...

The past few weeks, Kurt Warner fans -- and anyone who is a true St. Louis Rams fan is also a Kurt Warner fan -- began to get a look at what Warner is beginning to accomplish with the Arizona Cardinals.

On Sunday, Nov 13, Kurt Warner was named NFL MVP of the Week by the analysts at footballoutsiders.com.  And, in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis -- The House that Warner Built -- he torched the Rams this past Sunday in a 38-27 victory, and was named Sports Illustrated's NFL Offensive Player of the Week.  Rams fans and his former teammates were once again presented a first-hand view of the vision, timing, and accuracy that made Kurt Warner a two-time NFL MVP and one of the most feared quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Who drove the last nail in Mike Martz's coffin?  The man who made him
look like the genius he claims to be -- Kurt Warner.

And they were also provided a first-hand view of the deceitfulness of the smear campaign that almost prematurely ended the career of a St. Louis sports legend.  It was the best that Rams fans could have ever felt after a loss -- at least there was the consolation of a great win for Kurt Warner.  His throwing hand obviously in top form, his career is on an ascending climb up the mountain again.... and, ironically, his new club just passed the St. Louis Rams who are in a steep descent.

Just as he did with special teams guru Bobby April, Mike Martz again picked the wrong guy to scapegoat, smear, and run out of town... and once again it blew up in his face.

When justice is served up in such a poetic fashion, it's usually only in the movies...  But not this time.

Mission Accomplished!

dumpmartz.com out.

Mike Martz's Lapdog Bernie Miklasz: Survivor
- By NoLapDog

Bernie Miklasz has certainly been busy in the last 24 hours writing an article in the Post regarding the Arizona game and hosting a sports radio show this morning on ESPN 1380 AM.

His description of the game left me wondering what game he was watching. He accuses the Rams of giving the game to Arizona through lack of player effort and poor coaching strategy.

From where I was sitting, Kurt Warner simply took the game over.  By taking quick 2 and 3-step drops, Warner beat the rush and threw short and medium darts to his wideouts. He simply released quickly before the rush could arrive. Complicating his task, there was little space between the Arizona receivers and Ram defenders, but Warner threw with velocity and amazing accuracy.

Arizona has a pair of excellent, young receivers, but they are hardly in the class of Holt, Bruce or even Curtis, who consistently gain clear separation.

Meanwhile, on his radio show this morning, Bernie called for "blowing-up" the Rams organization. He called for new coaches, players and front office personnel.

Coming from Mike Martz's biggest supporter and apologist, I find this hilarious. Recent events and revelations clearly reveal Mike Martz to be responsible for the Rams decline. If so, it was with Miklasz's approval every step along the way. Now Martz is the loneliest man in town and Miklasz assumes the role of Martz critic. Martz will eventually slouch out of St. Louis, while his collaborator, Miklasz remains to advise us how to get back on top.

Am I being too harsh?

Remember when critics questioned Martz's sideline decisions, Bernie was there to remind us of the "Martz genius". Or when many fans resented the treatment and eventual release of Kurt Warner, they were branded "wackos" by Dr. Miklasz, the self-proclaimed "thumbologist" who explained the chronic condition of Kurt's thumb and his sudden loss of "pocket presence". (As if any NFL quarterback has ever been successful without protection.)

This morning Miklasz called out Vitt, Fairchild, and Marmie -- describing them as incompetent and unqualified for future coaching consideration.

It seems only fair to ask Miklasz for information on his own experience and background that qualify him to condemn these coaches. Each of these men has extensive experience as players and coaches. What comparable experience does Miklasz have? Did he play in high school? College? Little-League? Has he ever coached a team in football or any sport?

It may well be time for a major shake-up by the Rams.

I simply balk at hearing the call coming from Mike Martz's enabler, Bernie Miklasz.

And who was ranked #1?

The Buffalo Bills, whose Special Teams Coach is Bobby April -- the former Rams assistant who was scapegoated after the 2003 season. As a result of April's success, it has become obvious that the real problem with the Rams' Special Teams lies not with scapegoated assistants. It's on Mike Martz...

Just another area of team management where Mike Martz has failed miserably...

Pull up a chair and enjoy this great editorial by TenaciousP, a great writer and a great Rams fan.