well here ya go:
On a day when the Rams finished their finalist interviews, Jim Haslett learned he was finished as well.
Haslett received a phone call from Los Angeles late Thursday afternoon. Owner Chip Rosenbloom and general manager Billy Devaney were on the other line, informing Haslett that was he was no longer in the running for the Rams' head-coaching position, as first reported on STLtoday.com.
Word quickly spread throughout the building at Rams Park. Not long afterward, Haslett drove away, heading home to tell his family the news. Haslett confirmed he had been dismissed — his contract officially expires Feb.
Telling Haslett the news wasn't easy for Devaney.
"It was lousy," Devaney said in a phone interview just prior to boarding a plane in Los Angeles. "He's a good guy. You know how I feel about him. A lot was dumped on him and there was a lot that he wasn't responsible for. But as you know, there are some changes going on in the building, and we just felt it was best to get a fresh start."
Devaney said no else has been eliminated from consideration Thursday, adding that no negotiations had started with any candidates.
He confirmed that Minnesota assistant head coach-defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Dallas assistant head coach-offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, Baltimore assistant head coach-defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are still in the running.
In fact, Devaney added a fifth name, saying that former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel also was under consideration.
Devaney didn't name a front-runner,
but one NFC personnel executive said Thursday that he thought the Rams were leaning toward Frazier. Another league source said Frazier and Spagnuolo were the most impressive candidates coming out of the interviews. As of Thursday evening, Frazier had not heard anything further from the Rams since his interview.
Frazier's finalist interview in Los Angeles took place Tuesday. One team official told the Post-Dispatch that Frazier had a strong presence. Also in LA, Garrett was interviewed Wednesday, and Spagnuolo on Thursday.
Participating in the LA interviews were team owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez, Devaney, Rams director of player personnel Lawrence McCutcheon, and senior advisor John Shaw. A source said Shaw wasn't present for most of Frazier's interview.
Fassel had a preliminary interview last week in St. Louis. Ryan, whose Ravens are playing in the AFC championship game against Pittsburgh, was interviewed last Sunday in Baltimore.
"All of the interviews went well," Devaney said. "Ownership was really pleased with the final candidates. Hopefully, we'll have a decision over the weekend ... or Monday."
So are the Rams waiting on Ryan until Sunday to see if the Ravens are eliminated from the playoffs?
"We'll talk about it Friday and over the weekend," Devaney said.
If, as Devaney said, no one else has been eliminated from consideration, why was Haslett cut Thursday?
"The last thing we wanted to do with Jim is have all the jobs close up while we're making this decision," Devaney said. "We didn't think that would be fair. The last thing we wanted to do is for him to not get the Rams' job and then for him to say, 'Why didn't you tell me this three or four days ago?'"
Haslett is considered a leading contender for the defensive coordinator's position in Green Bay.
"It's not just Jim. Lots of assistants need direction as well," Devaney said.
The Rams have only six assistants who remain under contract for the 2009 season: wide receivers coach Henry Ellard, offensive line coach Steve Loney, offensive coordinator Al Saunders, offensive assistant Bob Saunders, quarterbacks coach Terry Shea, and assistant head coach-running backs coach Art Valero.
It is rare, however, that more than one or two assistants are retained when a new head coach comes in.
Three Rams assistants already have taken jobs elsewhere. Two weeks ago, tight ends coach Jim Chaney left to become offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee and quality control-assistant special teams coach Keith Murphy left for New Mexico State, where he will work with wide receivers and special teams.
Earlier this week, linebackers coach Mike Cox accepted the linebackers coach position at the University of Washington. In addition, assistant offensive line coach Jeff Horton interviewed Tuesday for the offensive coordinator position at the University of Minnesota.
As for the assistants whose contracts are up, they have next to no hope of staying on in St. Louis now that Haslett is out. At least one such assistant was seen packing up his belongings in his office Thursday.
jthomas@post-dispatch.com
