Dear Stan,

Where there is smoke, there is fire.

A tired cliché, I know, but one very applicable to the current situation regarding the Rams’ future in St. Louis and the potential blaze burning behind your office door.

As bidders emerged for the Los Angeles Dodgers this week, you threw your name in among those listed as interested, although we know you did not put in an official bid for the team, according to the Los Angeles Times.

This news came on the heels of the Rams three year agreement to play one home game per season in London, home of your Arsenal FC and a testing ground for the potential of a full-time NFL team in the future.

With both moves, you exacerbated fears the team will take their leave of the Show Me State as soon as 2014 and move to greener pastures in sunny California or across the pond.

You could very well be leveraging those interests against St. Louis county for quick action on improving The Edward Jones Dome but L.A. and London are also realistic options.

So all I’m asking as a Rams fan is for you to be a little more straightforward. Don’t reveal all of the cards because we all understand you are a shrewd businessman, but also don’t leave us second-guessing and speculating on each public move.

Rams COO Kevin Demoff tried to stomp the rumors out on Twitter last week, but some kind of reassurance from the owner himself would be appreciated. We can’t help but believe some of this is a PR scheme, using Demoff as a puppet while the real dealings are made behind doors to possibly move the team.

The point is, Rams fans were excited with the Jeff Fisher hire, only to be undercut again by your forays into other sports markets.

We have suffered through some bad football and have every right to be paranoid and upset after years of disappointment.

But we understand you are a hands-off owner and will give you the benefit of the doubt in ongoing negotiations with St. Louis County.

A little reassurance would be nice though, now and then.

Maybe you could throw a little water on that fire.

Sincerely,
Rams Fans

Rams beat reporter Jim Thomas reports that the Rams have agreed to play a home game in London for each of the next three years, helping Roger Goodell build a fan base across the pond and uniting two of Kroenke's highest-profile business interests -- the Rams, and the Arsenal Gunners of the English Premier League.

Stanley Enos Kroenke's love of sports comes from his Missouri childhood, raised as a fan of the St Louis Cardinals and named after two of its all-time greats. But his business acumen comes from the Wal-Mart world, which is built on finding markets and seizing opportunities wherever you find them.

St Louisans cheered Kroenke's bid to take over the Rams, hoping to celebrate him as one of their own. But now they are running up against his business side, and his perceived lack of commitment to St Louis, who may lose the team in 2015. How does this move impact our city's chances of keeping the Rams?

The answer is complex, but for now it does not sit in Kroenke's hands: the ball is in the City of St Louis' court.

When Stan Kroenke personally introduced Jeff Fisher to St Louis as its newest football coach, he firmly deflected any questions about his team's long-term commitment to the city, saying: "I don't think for me to comment on that process is timely. I think the city has within its power, to present a propsal to us by Feb. 1. There’s a team in place to deal with that.

"We’ll see how it sorts itself out."

Such talk presents Kroenke as a man waiting to take action, but his London announcement with the NFL shows that he has hardly been sitting still.

For the St Louis CVC, which manages the Edward Jones Dome and the convention facilities within, the difficult task of presenting a proposal for upgrading the Dome to make it a "top tier" facility now has additional political complexity. For the Rams to move to London and have nationally televised games three weeks in a row represents a strengthening of the team's brand, but it helps the city little.

Economists have often debated the worth of professional sports to local cities, arguing that the limited job creation and recreational spending that are generated by pro sports are just borrowing from other jobs, other spending, that might be done on other local entertainments. Trying to quantify the value of sports usually falls to qualitative factors -- does wearing one's team colors boost civic pride? Does having a championship banner hanging from a hall drive up the perceptions of your city as a growing, thriving place? Do these factors help St Louis attract people and grow where similar-sized cities such as Oklahoma City or Omaha might fail to register?

And if such questions about keeping the Rams boil down to civic pride, how then should the CVC respond to Kroenke's slap-in-the-face deal with London and the NFL? Should they swallow their own pride and submit a good-faith offer? Or will they be tempted to invite Silent Stan to take the other seven home games where he will, if he finds other pastures to be so green?

For those St Louis fans who are asked to buy season tickets, year in and year out, this London deal is already unpopular and unsettling. A rabid few will book tickets overseas and cheer along with pints of bitters in hand. But for most of the Show-me state, they can only sit and stew unhappily as forces larger than they control the fate of their team.

Now that the coaching search is over we can begin to look more toward 2012. With Jeff Fisher now at the helm and the Rams with an identity moving forward it’s time to look at the personnel that will take the field for OTA’s and mini-camp before you know it.

While in Tennessee Jeff Fisher's Titans had the reputation for playing tenacious, tough football. The offense is often remembered as something out of the George Clooney movie , Leatherheads. Where the forward pass was unheard of or a novelty at best.

Yes Fisher had and used Eddie George as a focal point of his offense. However it has been noted that a pain point for Fisher in is time in Tennessee was the lack of ever having a true number 1 wide receiver. It’s not as if Fisher had Jerry Rice or even Tory Holt lining up yet elected to just hand it off repeatedly to George.

Fear not Rams fans there will surely be a role for Bradford on the 2012 Rams. And the QB will actually be allowed to throw the football down the field in an attempt to score touchdowns.

Some of what Fisher likes to do is, indeed, old-school when compared to the recent high-scoring trend that's turned NFL games into live action matches of Madden. Fisher does like to run the football and control the clock, field position and the game. He believes in competitive, maybe a bit rough around the edges men doing the blocking up front. He would like to see his guys punish opponents. He does not object to seeing opponents limping away in pain. This is the guy who got the most EVER out of Albert Haynesworth.

You know…that boring style of football that has the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens all one win away from the Super Bowl. Four Pillars beware.

Despite the league’s best efforts to turn today’s NFL into a game of touch-football, there's still a place for ground-and-pound. But if your worries are that Fisher's offense will be one-dimensional and predictable, just simmer down.

In listening to his press conference, Fisher noted Bradford as a key factor in wanting to take the Rams job.  Fisher should be very good for Bradford's physical and mental health and overall development. If the Rams can find a playmaker or two, Bradford should rebound from the battering he absorbed in 2011.

The 2011 Rams gave up more sacks than any NFL team. During coach Steve Spagnuolo's three seasons, otherwise known as SpagBall only two NFL teams allowed more sacks than the Rams. That is bad. Bradford was sacked 36 times in his 10 starts and pressured on 35 percent of his dropbacks. That's not taking into consideration the number of times he was hit while throwing or knocked down.

With Fisher running the show this will be a focus for sure. In his full 16 seasons as the head coach in Houston/Tennessee, Fisher's teams had the league's third-lowest sack rate. In quarterback Steve McNair's time as the starter for Fisher, the Titans ranked among the league's top 10 for fewest sacks allowed in six of nine seasons.

Granted this will not happen overnight but rest assured Fisher will address the situation and hold those accountable in a way Spagnuolo and company never did.

Bradford, to the delight of the fans as well, will soon realize he'll be given the opportunity to make plays downfield. Fisher's passing game in Tennessee was more effective than given credit for. For Rams fans a bit confused by this concept. Downfield usually is defined by attempting a pass beyond the first down marker. Often of 20 yards or more. I know, I know, I had to look in the rule book too. But apparently it IS allowed.

McNair started under Jeff Fisher from 1997 to 2005 and was voted the NFL's co-MVP in 2003, made it to three Pro Bowls and of course one memorable Super Bowl.  Tennessee's passing game over that period will never be confused for the Madden type stats Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford and Drew Brees have been putting up. But there was a lot to like.

In his time as the starter in Tennessee the Titans ranked  10th in the league in completion percentage, 10th in passer rating, fifth in average yards at the point of the catch, 10th in passing yards, 12th in touchdown passes, and 10th in yards per attempt. The Titans also had the NFL's third-lowest interception rate over that period.

Making these numbers all the more impressive considering the Titans' cast of receivers. Something Bradford and Ram Nation can relate to. McNair top guys were wide receivers Derrick Mason, Kevin Dyson, Drew Bennett (yeah, that Drew Bennett) and tight end Frank Wycheck (are you listening Lance Kendricks!).

I cannot speculate if Fisher will modify his approach in St. Louis; a lot will depend on who he brings in as offensive coordinator and the direction the Rams go in both the offseason free agent market and the NFL draft . But this much seems certain: Fisher will do what's best for Bradford.

‘Twas the day of Black Monday, and all through Rams Park

A franchise was emerging, back from a seemingly eternal dark

Stan came with his axe and off came their head

Devaney and Spags, an error of Rams football fell dead

Their standard wouldn’t cut it, 10 wins in three years

Kroenke said “enough, our fans have cried enough tears”

Thusly, the coaching search began

Shrouded in mystery, the true style of “silent Stan”

Suddenly, a name emerged, one that energized the fan base

A man with a great track record and a mustachioed face

Jeff Fisher it was, an experienced head coach for once

Stan wasn’t looking for the next Linehan or Spagnuolo dunce

But the Dolphins stepped forward, they wanted Fisher too

Using south beach and tropical climate to woo

The dolphins had the deep pockets of owner Stephen Ross

But just ask Sparano, he’s not the best boss

‘Twas a battle of epic proportions, The media asked “which billionaire wins?”

Fisher debated for what seemed like weeks over the Rams and the ‘Fins

The main issues it seemed were money and power

Ross had more cash but denied Fisher the leeway of Bill Cowher

So in the end, it was the blue and gold

Fisher got a franchise QB and a roster he can mold

Excitement rang out in Rams nation, the first sign in a while

For the first time since the Greatest Show on Turf made us smile

Now it’s time for a new era, hopefully one filled with Super Bowl glory

And Jeff Fisher will be the author of this new St. Louis story

Gregg Williams' expected departure from New Orleans to become the St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator should caution Rams fans.

Williams is well known for coming after opposing quarterbacks without caution. The New Orleans Saints brough five or more pass-rushers 51.1 percent of the time in 2011, leading the NFL. The percentage was also an NFL best in 2010 at 49.5 and in 2009 the Saints defense came in second at 48.2.

According to John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information the Rams, meanwhile, came with added pressure 32.5 percent of the time during that period, 15th-most in the league.

Fans and players tend to favor aggressive play, but as this chart indicates, NFC West quarterbacks have essentially had their Williams' New Orleans defenses in the postseason over the past two years. And we're not exactly looking at Brady and Rodgers here.

*chart courtesy of ESPN

Matt Hasselbeck's four touchdown passes led Seattle past the Saints in the wild-card round a year ago. Alex Smith's four total touchdowns (one rushing) were the difference for the 49ers in the divisional round Saturday.

Most schemes will work with the right players, of course. In these cases, veteran quarterbacks made the Saints pay for their aggressive tactics. Hasselbeck and Smith fared well, in general, regardless of how many rushers the Saints sent.

The following is a quote given to Mike Sando who blogs about the NFC West for ESPN.

"A lot of defenses are unsound in how they do things," Hasselbeck said when I caught up to him following his Tennessee Titans preseason debut, in St. Louis. "These guys (the Rams) are really sound. They might not lead the league in sacks up front, but they do a nice job getting pressure. They play together as a defense. They don't give up big plays. Even when you get them, it's for 20 yards instead of for a touchdown."

Looking closer one can see even more cracks. The high-and-mighty Saints gave up an NFL worst 14 pass plays covering at least 40 yards during the regular season. Our downtrodden Rams gave up 12, but they also lost an astounding 10 of their top cornerbacks to injury.

And one final note. The Rams won only twice in 2011. One of those victories came against New Orleans, with A.J. Feeley at quarterback.

Jeff Fisher kept us waiting, and all credible reporters depicted him as being evenly torn between becoming the next coach of the St Louis Rams, or the Miami Dolphins. NFL.com's Albert Breer summed it up like this: 

@AlbertBreer: My sense of it, talking to folks who know him, is the football side pulls him to St. Louis, the lifestyle side to Miami. 

Today, Peter King and Adam Schefter report that Fisher has made his choice: and he's not ready to put his feet up in the Florida sun just yet. Fisher Chose The Rams. 
 
Right now, Rams fans are elated on two fronts: for one, Fisher brings with him an establish mode of doing business, something that has been missing from Rams park since... really, since Dick Vermeil's heyday. Mike Martz was a learn-on-the-job head coach, as was Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo. In Billy Devaney, Spagnuolo at least had a willing partner, but despite undergoing a successful culture change, the results did not justify a long-term stay. 

So Fisher inherits a team with a few cornerstone talents, but otherwise has a clean slate to impose his blueprint upon.

Secondly, as far as a comparison of cities, Miami holds nearly every advantage over St Louis. We accept that. So to have Fisher choose us -- based on the potential of our team and only that -- over a palm treed paradise... to have Fisher choose the "girl next door" over "the hot chick" ... well, it feels mighty good.

Thirdly, if I can add a third point, I think this move demonstrates that Stan Kroenke is willing to do what it takes to get his man, and that he is willing to commit fully to this team. Jeff Fishers don't come cheap. With a renewed boost of local pride in the team, and with a renewed sense of commitment between team and community, suddenly I feel just a little bit better about the prospects of the Rams finding a way to stay in St Louisl ong term.   

Fisher Watch 2012 is in full effect. With updates on everything from his sandwhich choice to contract demands. For a guy who stands to bring in roughly $7 million a year he is flip-flopping more than someone running for re-election.

Confident that Jeff Fisher would make a decision, NFL observers and fans of the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams prepared to hear word the former Tennessee Titans coach would be leading their teams in the 2012 season. Didn't happen.

Fisher left everyone hanging as Thursday arrived, with reports he is torn between the Dolphins and Rams. Sunny Miami or snowy St. Louis. There also were suggestions he might be waiting to see what happens with other teams, with the Indianapolis Colts mentioned.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that despite the long wait, a decision should come either Thursday or Friday.

A source close to Fisher told ESPN.com that he is not using the teams against each other in a leverage play and that neither side has made an offer.

"This is not about money," the source said. "This is not about negotiating. This is about winning."

Okay then Jeff, in the words of the elequent Judge Smails..."well...we're waiting"

Per a report from Ron Clements of CBSSports.com The Rams have requested permission to speak with Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden for their open head coach position, according to Bernie Miklasz of 101ESPN and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Bengals had the NFL’s 20th-ranked offense this season under rookie QB Andy Dalton.

Not willing to be held hostage by Jeff Fisher the Rams area clearly doing more than just their due diligence. While Fisher is still their first choice the Rams are playing it smart, not sitting on their hands while other options catch on elsewhere. This would also mark a move in the opposite direction and from Spagnuolo’s defensive first mentality.

With QB of the future already in place and a couple of years left in Steven Jackson’s legs it would be wise to utilize both resources while you have them together. Also with A.J Green in Cincinnati it is likely that Gruden understands how important it is to arm a young QB with weapons. An idea pleasing to Bradford and Rams fans alike.

A former QB himself, Gruden knows and understands what it takes to succeed at the position.  The 43-year-old Gruden was a quarterback at Louisville, throwing for more than 7,000 yards and 44 touchdowns from 1985 to 1988. He also was a quarterback in the AFL, guiding the Tampa Bay Storm to four titles between 1991 and 1996. He also played for the Predators, resigning as coach to return to the field. In the league's 20th anniversary, Gruden was named No. 4 on the AFL's list of its top 20 greatest players.

Gruden is one of the hottest coordinators in the NFL these days after his success with rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. Perhaps the Rams think he could do the same with quarterback Sam Bradford who struggled mightily in his second NFL season.

Having done a superb job in his first season has offensive coordinator for the Bengals, Gruden has every right to seize this opportunity to become a head coach of an NFL team.  Nobody expected much from Cincinnati this season, but Gruden helped Andy Dalton have a successful season, finishing 9-7 and earning a wild-card spot.

Gruden's ties to football area are strong. He spent seven seasons on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff under his brother Jon, who was the head coach. Jay Gruden also served as head coach of the Arena League's Orlando team and UFL's Florida franchise before joining Cincinnati this season.

He coached the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League in 2010 after leading the UFL's Florida Tuskers in 2009. He also has coached in the Arena Football League, winning AFL titles with the Orlando Predators in 1998 and 2000.

Jeff Fisher is at the point in his career where doesn't do job interviews in the conventional sense. He is the proven commodity, the best available guy not named Bill Cowher. (And only a true marquee job will move Cowher off his mountain of TV money.) Unlike the rest of us, Fisher doesn't have to sweat his resume, or worry about his references, and he doesn't have to worry about what questions he might be asked by his future employer. 

When Jeff Fisher visits your team for a five-hour interview, you aren't interviewing him; he is interviewing you. He knows, and we know, that it isn't about what he brings to the table; it's about your ability to set the table for him, and keep piling good things on top of it. Talent. Money. Freedom to run the football team the way he sees fit. And not necessarily in that order. 

Fisher has now spent the same amount of time "interviewing" in Miami and in St Louis. He's gotten a good look at each organization, or what's left of them after housecleaning. He met with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and GM Jeff Ireland. He met with Stan Kroenke (in Denver) and Rams money man Kevin Demoff. 

Perhaps most importantly, he spent a good chunk of time sitting down with Sam Bradford, this franchise's Franchise.

ESPN's Mike Sando talked about the choice that Fisher faces earlier this week, and suggests that the decision might be an easy one, if he follows Jim Harbaugh's path. After all, last year's hot coaching prospect "took one look at Stephen Ross' organization and hired on with the San Francisco 49ers." 

The decision won't be quite that simple, but I believe St Louis will be the choice, and Bradford will be the reason why.

While I was manning the Twitter helm at @ThisGivenSunday yesterday afternoon, during the Houston-Cincinnati playoff matchup, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the 2011 Bengals and the 2010 Rams. And that makes me wonder if they might be heading down a similar path of disappointment next season, like the 2011 Rams did.

Why would I want to rain on the Bengals' parade ilke this? Not out of hate or spite, I assure you. Andy Dalton impressed the hell out of me in the first half, playing with composure and accuracy while the Houston Texans' home crowd was busy losing their minds at their first home playoff game in 18 years. AJ Green is the real deal, and defensive lineman Geno Atkins is a force to be reckoned with.

But that said, there are some disturbing parallels between the Bengals' rise this season and the Rams' rise of 2010:

• An easy schedule that gets a lot harder next season.
• An offensive coordinator (Jay Gruden) getting a lot of pub as a possible head coaching candidate.
• An offensive system predicated on an aging running back (Cedric Benson just turned 29).
• A defense that's strong up front but particularly weak in the secondary.
• A defensive-minded head coach (Marvin Lewis) who struggles badly in game-management situations.

A nugget on the Bengals' 9-7 season: all nine wins came against teams that failed to make the playoffs. All seven losses came against teams that did make the playoffs. Eerily reminiscent of the Rams' inability to beat better teams, even in their resurgent season. 

While everyone was focused on the Rams' injury madness and their at-times inexplicable coaching decisions, the much tougher schedule remains the most obvious factor in their downfall from last year to this. We just assumed that they would be ready to play with the big boys, and we were wrong.

And after rotating through the two easiest divisions in football -- the NFC West and AFC South -- the Bengals now get matched up against the highly competitive NFC East and AFC West in 2012. They have only four away games against teams with losing records in 2011, and of course they have to compete against the toughest division opponents in football in Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

With that in mind, Mike Brown should do everything in his power to make sure that Jay Gruden sticks around. Because as any Rams fan can tell you, the nightmare begins with that loss of offensive continuity.