You Won't Have Martz To Kick Around Anymore

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Bernie Miklasz — who once almost quit his job to follow Bruce Springsteen around on tour, which we think is awesome — is reporting that everybody's favorite bad coach whipping boy Mike Martz is stepping down as coach of the St. Louis Rams. Martz has suffered heart troubles this season, and unlike some of his heart problems in the past, these were not caused by Bill Belichick.

Martz, whom Football Outsiders and only Football Outsiders thinks is a good coach, has scheduled a 5 p.m. news conference. He has already told his players; an assistant coach — not Dick Vermeil — was seen crying. Martz looked physically ill yesterday in a loss to the Seahawks, but as one fan said on the Post-Dispatch message board, "I hope he's well...but he should have been out after the 2001 superbowl disaster." Stay tuned.

Bernie's Bits [STL Today]

(Update: The paper is now reporting that Martz has been readmitted to the hospital.)