Marshall Faulk Says It's Rams - Or Nothing at All

You can see it in his eyes whenever the subject is brought up, though just seeing his body language is enough to tell the truth that shines like a beacon in his eyes; that unmistakable twinkle akin to a child staring up at the ice cream man.

When St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports writer Bryan Burwell got a moment to sit down and talk with the long-familiar subject from his years of beat writing in St. Louis, there were no brave-faced structured answers, but rather more of unguarded candor.

And then came probably the most repeated question one man has ever had to endure, and of course he knew it was coming.

"Will you play again?"

He smiled when he heard the question and nodded his head. Faulk wants to come back because he hasn't exhausted his love for the game. He doesn't want to be one of these guys who retires and then a few years later wonders if he left too early.

"I don't know," he said with a sly smirk. "It's all health-related. I have my good days, and I have my bad days."

Faulk has not played football in more than a year. He had minor surgery on both of his knees about a year ago. "Clean up" surgery, he called it. But his left knee did not respond, and he missed the Rams' mini-camps and off-season workouts. Then he had reconstruction on the left knee in August, forcing him to sit out the 2006 season.

Everyone thought his 12-year playing career was over. Everyone, that is, except Faulk

But even if he does decide to give it another go, what role would he fill in St. Louis, where he is arguably the best player in Rams history?

"That's up to Scott (Linehan)," Faulk said. "He has to decide what he wants to do."

Faulk says he wouldn't go anywhere else. It's the Rams or nothing, even if Mike Martz calls.

"I love Mike," he said, laughing, "I really do. But Mike doesn't own any team, does he? So that's the end of that."

God bless Mike Martz for what he has done for the St. Louis Rams, but seeing Marshall Faulk sporting a Lions jersey?

That just would be wrong.