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Tinoisamoa likes underdog role
Sept. 10, 2006: Pisa Tinoisamoa #50 recovers a fumble as Cooper Carlisle #65 of the Denver Broncos defends.
(Elsa/Getty Images)
The oddsmakers and prognosticators are scoffing at the 0-3 Rams' chances of upending the 3-0 Cowboys on Sunday in Dallas. The spread is nearly two touchdowns, a whopping margin in the parity-rich NFL.
All of which brings a smile to the face of Rams linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
"As a defender, these are the kind of games we play for," he said. "It's kind of like one of those movies: 'All right, nobody thinks we can win. What are we going to do? Are we going just buy into what everyone thinks or are we going to go ahead and show them what we think, which is the opposite?'"
If the Rams assume the role of "Rocky," "Rudy" or even "The Mighty Ducks," it could be happy ending for Tinoisamoa and his teammates.
"We're looking forward to it," he said. The Cowboys "know we're not as bad as the record shows. It's our job to go out there and get a win."
Tinoisamoa is just happy to have his job back.
He is expected to return to the lineup after missing two games because of a sprained ankle, suffered in the season opener against Carolina.
"I didn't like sitting out these past couple of weeks," said Tinoisamoa, who didn't miss a game in his first three pro seasons and led the Rams in tackles each of those years. "But I've gotten heathy, so now it allows me to play the way I want to play, as opposed to me being out there ... knowing that I'm not a hundred percent."
That was the case much of the 2006 season, when a variety of injuries cost him five games and hampered him in several others.
"That was me just trying to show that I could do it," he said. "And we didn't have as much depth as we do this year. Now, I was able to sit out and heal up. I just try to make sure I stay in shape and stay strong. You try not to get hurt, but it's the nature of the sport."
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
09/29/2007ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Sept. 10, 2006: Pisa Tinoisamoa #50 recovers a fumble as Cooper Carlisle #65 of the Denver Broncos defends.
(Elsa/Getty Images)
The oddsmakers and prognosticators are scoffing at the 0-3 Rams' chances of upending the 3-0 Cowboys on Sunday in Dallas. The spread is nearly two touchdowns, a whopping margin in the parity-rich NFL.
All of which brings a smile to the face of Rams linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
"As a defender, these are the kind of games we play for," he said. "It's kind of like one of those movies: 'All right, nobody thinks we can win. What are we going to do? Are we going just buy into what everyone thinks or are we going to go ahead and show them what we think, which is the opposite?'"
If the Rams assume the role of "Rocky," "Rudy" or even "The Mighty Ducks," it could be happy ending for Tinoisamoa and his teammates.
"We're looking forward to it," he said. The Cowboys "know we're not as bad as the record shows. It's our job to go out there and get a win."
Tinoisamoa is just happy to have his job back.
He is expected to return to the lineup after missing two games because of a sprained ankle, suffered in the season opener against Carolina.
"I didn't like sitting out these past couple of weeks," said Tinoisamoa, who didn't miss a game in his first three pro seasons and led the Rams in tackles each of those years. "But I've gotten heathy, so now it allows me to play the way I want to play, as opposed to me being out there ... knowing that I'm not a hundred percent."
That was the case much of the 2006 season, when a variety of injuries cost him five games and hampered him in several others.
"That was me just trying to show that I could do it," he said. "And we didn't have as much depth as we do this year. Now, I was able to sit out and heal up. I just try to make sure I stay in shape and stay strong. You try not to get hurt, but it's the nature of the sport."
