With Rams, It Seems Profit Comes First

Mike Downey’s column (Nov. 11) siding with Ram management completely misses the point. The Rams have a practically set income from TV and a stable crowd number. The only way to enhance the bottom line is to pay the players as little as possible so Georgia can live high on the hog.

Ram salaries are almost at the bottom of the NFL scale, despite the presence of several all-pros on the team. So, John Shaw--is he on commission?--is paid to hassle the players at contract time, and after three years of this Eric Dickerson exploded. Neither he, nor Henry Ellard, nor LeRoy Irvin were paid according to their status in the league.

It looks like the Rams have a commitment to excellence as long as it is cheap. And Coach Robinson is caught in the middle.

LEN ZIRADO

West Hills