St. Louis Ramblings

Marc Bulger Retires at 34

2011-08-03T15:52:00.004-05:00

After 11 seasons in the league, long time Rams QB Marc Bulger has apparently decided to pass on free agency offers and retire from the NFL at age 34.

Sure Kurt Warner was a hard act to follow,

but one can only imagine how things would have been if Marc had only been given some decent protection....

From Yahoo! Sports.
Read the entire story here.

Rams Trade for Bruce, Who Will Retire a Ram

2010-06-08T14:42:00.004-05:00

A classy move, for a class act.

Welcome home Ike!

You will be missed, but never forgotten.

Thanks for all the memories!!!

Read the full article here:

The official site of the St. Louis Rams - Article - 2009

St. Louis Rams Job Looks Good to Isaac Bruce

2010-01-20T15:43:00.001-06:00

The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that Rams great Isaac Bruce may be hired to replace wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett, who's leaving for the University of Tennessee. Sounds like there's interest on both sides. Maybe Isaac can bring back a little of the "Greatest Show on Turf" magic. I say let's go for it. Bruuuuuuuce!

Read the article here:
St. Louis Rams job looks good to Isaac Bruce - STLtoday.com

Isaac Bruce to Retire

2009-12-31T11:19:00.001-06:00

Isaac Bruce says that there's a 75% chance he'll retire after Sunday's game, after 16 seasons in the NFL.
It's hard to find words to describe what he's meant to St. Louis Rams fans, and to the game of football, but some of his impressive stats are:

1,024 career receptions (5th all time)
91 career reception TD's (9th all time)
15,208 career reception yards (2nd all time)
8 1,000-yard receiving seasons
4 Pro Bowls
and, of course...1 game-winning Superbowl catch

Farewell to one of the NFL greats, and a class act.
Thanks for the memories Ike.
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!

Steven Jackson: He's What's Right With Football

2009-12-21T14:41:00.004-06:00

With my favorite team struggling the past couple of years (ok, ok I'm being generous) I have to agree with this great article I read on Yahoo! Sports. The only point I have a problem with is that "you'll never see Jackson give anything less than full effort" ....that's an understatement, he gives 150% every time he steps on the field. You're a class act @SJ39, and St. Louis is lucky to have you!

Read the article at the Shutdown Corner Blog on Yahoo! Sports
http://bit.ly/4Chhck

Arizona Cardinals' QB Kurt Warner is Still Ailing

2009-12-01T15:53:00.001-06:00

Get well soon Kurt!

Arizona Cardinals' QB Kurt Warner is still ailing - STLtoday.com

Holt expects emotional reunion when Jags host Rams

2009-10-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

From: The Miami Herald
Holt expects emotional reunion when Jags host Rams

Long keeps working to bag a sack

2009-10-08T14:09:00.002-05:00

Hang in there Chris!
Your hard work, faith and positive attitude will start to pay off soon...

From: stltoday.com
Long keeps working to bag a sack

Ex-Ram Isaac Bruce left his heart in St. Louis

2009-10-01T13:31:00.002-05:00

From: STLtoday.com

Ex-Ram Isaac Bruce left his heart in St. Louis

It's not easy being Bulger

2009-09-25T14:45:00.002-05:00

Many people never got over Marc Bulger's replacing Kurt Warner as QB of the St. Louis Rams. With the teams struggles over the past few seasons, Marc has become everyone's favorite scapegoat. While I was, and still am a huge Kurt Warner fan, I don't feel that Bulger has been able to live up to his full potential behind a miserable O-line, and he's definately not the cause of the Rams' problems. Cameron Hollway over at the St. Louis beacon has written a great article in defense of Marc Bulger...

St. Louis Beacon - It's not easy being Bulger

Rams GM lashes out at ESPN's Mark Schlereth: 'Don’t question our competitiveness'

2009-09-25T08:56:00.001-05:00

Rams GM lashes out at ESPN's Mark Schlereth: 'Don’t question our competitiveness' - The Huddle: Football News from the NFL - USATODAY.com

Dick Vermeil's new passion: Winemaking

2009-09-18T15:47:00.003-05:00

Who knew?!?
'Ole Dickie V can never stay retired.
Good luck coach!

Read Frank Fitzpatrick's interesting article here...

Effects of head trauma scaring Turley

2009-09-18T12:16:00.003-05:00

Scary article by Michael Silver at Yahoo! Sports....

Effects of head trauma scaring Turley - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Vobora the first 'Mr. Irrelevant' to start an NFL game since 1994

2009-09-17T12:28:00.003-05:00

Although a 28-0 loss is probably not the way Rams LB David Vobora envisioned his first opening-day start in the NFL, it was a milestone in his journey to become one of the most successful "Mr. Irrelevants" ever...

From OregonLive.com
St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora completes long journey from Churchill High School to NFL starter:

St. Louis Rams pick up two players

2009-09-16T15:58:00.004-05:00

WR Ruvell Martin (left) and RB Paris Lenon (right)

St. Louis Rams pick up two players - STLtoday.com

Rams' Avery Eyes Quick Return

2009-08-27T09:54:00.002-05:00

Rams' Avery eyes quick return - STLtoday.com

"It was a two-touchdown day for Donnie Avery, albeit for the Rams' scout team Tuesday at Rams Park.

'Hands still work. Feet still work,' Avery reported, with a grin.

The mere fact that he was running routes less than three weeks after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot rates as some of the best news of the preseason"... (continued)

Former Rams coach Mike Martz to do analyst work for NFL Network

2009-08-25T15:38:00.001-05:00

Former Rams coach Mike Martz to do analyst work for NFL Network | Rams Report | STLtoday

Leonard Little Suffers Sprained Knee

2009-08-24T15:04:00.002-05:00

According to the team's office twitter page, St. Louis Rams DE Leonard Little "tweaked" his right knee in practice today. Coach Spagnuolo later said it had been diagnosed as a sprain. Little has been listed as day-to-day. His backup, if necessary, is James Hall.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard Shipping August 28

2009-08-24T08:33:00.004-05:00

Looks like the rumors are true. Apple's new version of it's operating system Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard will go on sale this Friday, August 28. The online Apple store went down early this morning (which usually generates responses ranging from wild speculation to mass hysteria) and returned with information that the newest big cat will indeed be shipping ahead of it's previously released September launch window. Pricing remains the same - $29 for a single user upgrade, $49 for a Family Pack upgrade, $169 for single users not already using Leopard, and $229 for a Family pack for non-Leopard users. Pre-orders are now being accepted at Apple's online store, and at Apple authorized resellers such as Amazon.com.

Rams players survive Camp Spags

2009-08-21T12:26:00.001-05:00

Rams players survive Camp Spags - STLtoday.com

Running back Ahman Green headed to St. Louis?

2009-08-20T16:12:00.003-05:00

Running back Ahman Green headed to St. Louis? - Sports Rumors - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Bulger will seek advice from Warner on pinky injury

2009-08-19T10:56:00.002-05:00

Bulger will seek advice from Warner on pinky injury - STLtoday.com

Report: Favre expected to sign with Minnesota | National Football Post

2009-08-18T11:41:00.001-05:00

Just when you thought it was safe to read the sports headlines again...

Report: Favre expected to sign with Minnesota | National Football Post

Chris Long's Thoughts on Training Camp 2009

2009-08-05T22:00:00.005-05:00

I ran across an interview with one of my favorite NFL players, St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long, on stltoday.com. Chris shares his thoughts on his second Rams training camp, dealing with pressure, and the 2009-10 season.

Check out this video and more St. Louis Post Dispatch Rams coverage here...

Rams to Retire Deacon Jones' No. 75

2009-06-23T15:55:00.004-05:00

The St. Louis Rams have announced that they honor Hall of Fame defensive end David "Deacon" Jones by retiring his No. 75. Jones played for the Rams from 1961 to 1971 and then for the Chargers and Redskins. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense", Deacon was teamed with Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier to comprise the defensive line known as the Fearsome Foursome. He had 159.5 sacks with the Rams, 173.5 in his career, and made the Pro Bowl 9 times. Jones will have his jersey raised to the rafters in the Edward Jones Dome at a yet-to-be-determined game in the 2009 season.

Although Deacon Jones is the most famous Ram to wear No. 75, he played for the team long before it moved to St. Louis and D'Marco Farr will always be my favorite No. 75.

Read the official team announcement here....

Trent Green is Retiring

2009-06-12T15:30:00.006-05:00

After 16 years in the NFL, Trent Green is calling it quits. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback told Foxsports on Friday that "I feel this is finally the right time. I've talked about it with (the family) for a while, especially with the concussions over the last few years. We all felt it was the time to do it".

I personally felt it was time for him to do it a while ago. Not because I felt he couldn't play football any more. And not because I don't like him, but because I DO like him. Maybe I'm just an old "nervous Nelly" but as nice as it was having Trent back in a blue & gold uniform last year, I held my breath every time he stepped on the field risking another concussion. Concussions are serious injuries, having recently been linked to clinical depression, cognitive decline, and possibly Alzheimer's Disease or similar dementia in ex-NFL players. Trent's a great guy, and I didn't want to see any of that happen to him.

Although he played for 6 teams in his career, I've always thought of Trent as a Ram. A hometown boy who attended Vianney High School and was drafted by the Chargers as the 26th pick in the 8th round (222nd overall) in the 1993 NFL Draft, Green saw no playing time his first season. After playing a season with the CFL British Columbia Lions and 3 seasons with the Washinton Redskins, Trent signed a 4-year deal with the Rams in February 1999. But he suffered a knee injury in a controversial cheap hit by Rodney Harrison in a pre-season game, setting the stage for the (then) unknown Kurt Warner to lead the Rams to victory in Superbowl XXXIV. Trent went on to play some of his best seasons as a Kansas City Chief from 2001-2006, played a season with the Miami Dolphins and eventually returned to St. Louis last year as Marc Bulger's backup. Throughout the many ups and downs in his NFL Career, Trent has been a class act. I wish him well and know that he'll be successful at broadcasting or whatever the next chapter in his life brings.

Palm Pre Arrives June 6

2009-05-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

According to an official Sprint news release, the much anticipated Palm Pre will launch nationwide on June 6. It will sell for $199 (after rebate) with a new contract. As a Palm fanboy, (yes I admit to sticking with the company through the darkest days) I'm glad the Pre is FINALLY becoming a reality. Hopefully the device will live up to all the fanfair and be the first step towards restoring Palm to the innovative market leader it once was. Now if they'd just roll out a GSM version on T-Mobile.....

Read the Official Palm Blog here...

Jason Taylor set to re-sign with Miami Dolphins

2009-05-13T16:06:00.003-05:00

Ok, so not all my favorite players are Rams....

By ARMANDO SALGUERO of The Miami Herald

Jason Taylor is expected to rejoin the Miami Dolphins as early as Wednesday.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland and agent Gary Wichard were in negotiations since early Wednesday morning and the sides are very, very close to announcing a one-year deal.

In negotiating this reunion of the team's all-time sacks leader and the club that drafted him in 1997, Taylor snubbed overtures from a handful of clubs, not the least of which was New England.

Taylor's contract is very salary-cap friendly. He walked away from an $8.5 million base salary in Washington and told the Dolphins he would play for whatever they wanted to pay him. The Associated Press reports that Taylor will earn $1.5 million.

In bringing back Taylor, the Dolphins add the kind of quarterback pressure they lacked outside of Joey Porter last season. Taylor, who turns 35 in September, has 120 ½ career sacks. Although he managed only 3 ½ sacks last year, his lowest total since 1999, there were extenuating circumstances.

Taylor was injured much of the season, asked to play out of position, and asked to gain weight in Washington. In Miami he will be used as a pass-rusher in the team's nickel and dime packages and is expected to compete for a starting job at one of the outside linebacker spots.

It is unclear how the Dolphins will get Taylor and Porter on the field and comfortable at the same time in their base defense -- an issue that went unresolved when they last played together in 2007.

Taylor, a source said, never intended to play for any other team but Miami. ''Miami is the only place I'm going to play,'' Taylor told friends and family after gaining his release from Washington.

After he basically forced his way off the Redskins by refusing to accept new contract language in a restructured deal, Taylor told Wichard he wanted to be in Miami.

Wichard met with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder at Joe's Stone Crab and informed the Redskins of Taylor's intentions to depart Washington. Taylor also had Wichard turn down at least two movie opportunities so Taylor could spend the offseason training and the regular season, well, playing.

Taylor has been in constant contact with coach Tony Sparano as the two have texted messaged back and forth for some time. Sparano went so far as giving Taylor the basics of the Dolphins' offseason workout program in hopes Taylor would follow its parameters on his own.

Taylor hired a personal trainer and has been doing the Dolphins program. Taylor will join the program as soon as he signs.

The addition for the Dolphins is a loss for the New England Patriots. Owner Robert Kraft actively recruited Taylor in the press. Coach Bill Belichick called Taylor and Wichard, his agent. The overtures were never rebuffed, but at no point did Taylor or Wichard talk contract or salary with the Patriots. There was never a handshake agreement between the sides as has previously been reported by Boston-area media outlets.

Read the original article here...

Bengals acquire Leonard from Rams for Harris

2009-05-07T15:01:00.001-05:00

Bengals acquire Leonard from Rams for Harris

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Fifth Avenue Apple Store is the 28th Most Photographed Place on Earth

2009-05-07T10:22:00.004-05:00

I stumbled upon an interesting article this morning about a research paper published by a group of academics from Cornell University who analyzed photographs posted in Flickr to determine the world's most popular landmarks. Based on 33,393,835 photos, posted on the website by 307448 users, the top seven most photographed landmarks are the Eiffel Tower, Trafalgar Square, the Tate Modern Gallery, Big Ben, Notre Dame, the London Eye and the Empire State Building.

None of those is a big surprise, but what I did find fascinating is that the Apple's flagship store in midtown Manhattan, which opened in May 2006, is the 28th most photographed place on earth! The 20,000 square foot store is actually underground, so what people are photographing is the store's entry. The entry is a Plexiglas cube, 32 feet on each site, with a suspended Apple logo and a circular staircase winding around a cylindrical glass elevator leading to the store below. As an admitted Apple fanboy, the Fifth Avenue store is near the top of the list of places I hope to visit one day, right after the Sydney Opera House (which is also one of the most photographed landmarks).

Kudos to Steve Jobs and Apple for adding yet another distinction to the companies storied history!

Read the entire article here...

McMichael Happy to be Back

2009-05-05T14:51:00.006-05:00

By Nick Wagoner
St. Louis Rams Senior Writer

When Rams tight end Randy McMichael suffered a season-ending right tibia injury against Buffalo on Sept. 28 of last season, you could see the pain in his eyes.

Standing in the locker room after the game, McMichael fought back tears as he pondered the thought of a lost season that resulted in his missing games for the first time in his seven-year career.

Even though the pain was excruciating, the ever-optimistic McMichael held out hope that he would be able to return before the end of the season. Alas, that was simply the denial stage and McMichael was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 6.

“I was just trying to do something that no tight end has ever done and that’s play in every game he’s ever (had a chance to have) played in,” McMichael said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be that way, but they say you start a new streak.”

McMichael was supposed to be a focal point of the Rams’ offense in 2008 after a 2007 spent as a glorified third tackle for a team desperately needing blocking help up front.

In the four games he was held to in 2008, McMichael posted 11 catches for 139 yards and was one of quarterback Marc Bulger’s top targets.

Just when it seemed McMichael was settling into a role that had him as a prime target for Bulger, he shattered the tibia and his season came to an abrupt end.

The passionate McMichael struggled with the idea of not being around his teammates and not getting the opportunity to do what he loves most: play football.

McMichael spent the next few months doing whatever he could to try to stay close to the game.

“I was trying to do anything,” McMichael said. “I was playing football with my 4-year-old. I just missed it so much. You really take it for granted (before) you don’t have it.

“I think just the fact that you look from the sideline and see plays that could probably be made that you could probably help the team. I think that was probably the most frustrating thing.”

The injury ended a streak of 100 consecutive games played by McMichael since he was a fourth-round pick of Miami in 2002. For a guy who had played and made a difference since entering the league, it was en excruciating time.

But it also served as serious motivation for McMichael to get back to health and on the field as soon as possible.

McMichael has been an ardent participant in the offseason training program and returned to the field during the first minicamp in April.

At this past weekend’s minicamp, McMichael was on the field and looking as sharp as ever.

“I think I need to prove myself to myself, personally,” McMichael said. “I don’t really worry about the outside influences or what anybody else says. I think I’m my hardest critic and I don’t think anybody pushes me harder than I push myself. Like I said, I’m just glad to be a part of this football team and I’m really looking forward to doing some good things here.”

Of course, on his return to the field McMichael is being asked to learn his third offense in three seasons in St. Louis. This time, he’s adapting to the offensive stylings of new coordinator Pat Shurmur.

In Shurmur’s offense, the tight end will play a key role. Although he wasn’t the coordinator in Philadelphia, Shurmur was part of a staff that used the tight end with a fair amount of frequency.

At their peak, the Eagles regularly threw the ball to tight end L.J. Smith, who emerged as a top target underneath and in the red zone when he was healthy.

McMichael will be asked to play a similar role for the Rams.

“The tight end has to threaten (the defense),” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “The defense has to be concerned about the tight end or else there are so many other things you can do to take away the wide-outs. Having a tight end that can stretch the field vertically I think is huge.”

While the Rams’ offense isn’t considered the West Coast in the truest sense of the word, it is a reasonable facsimile of it.

McMichael said he has spent time talking to other tight ends about what he can expect in this type of offense. In a conversation with Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez, McMichael said Gonzalez told him it’s the best offense possible for a tight end with pass catching aspirations.

“There are so many throws underneath,” McMichael said. “Everybody knows that the West Coast offense is get the ball out of your hands fast and get the ball to your playmakers and let them do what they do. That’s basically what this is and I’m just really excited to be a part of it.”

In addition to learning the new offense and fully recovering from the injury, McMichael’s role will include a healthy dose of leadership.
The Rams added Billy Bajema as a blocking specialist to replace the departed Anthony Becht and he joins a group of four tight ends likely fighting for three roster spots in training camp.

With little experience in the receiver corps, McMichael is also serving as a guy that the young wideouts and tight ends can look up to.

“He’s a vet,” Spagnuolo said. “He’s played a lot of football. He’s a real good player at his position so I think that helps that whole group in that I consider him a pro too. So the guys that are behind him can follow him.”

McMichael embraces that role but he says for now he’s going to try to lead with actions and not words.

“Me, just being the veteran of the group, I have to just set the example and just keep on trying to keep the guys motivated,” McMichael said.

SOURCE: The Official Site of the St. Louis Rams

Rams’ Long can relate to Smith’s pressure

2009-05-04T13:09:00.012-05:00

By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer

May 2, 8:56 pm

ST. LOUIS (AP) As the second pick of last year’s draft, Chris Long is familiar with the pressure St. Louis Rams teammate Jason Smith must be facing as this year’s No. 2 overall selection.

The defensive end said Saturday at the team’s minicamp that his comfort level was “night and day” compared to last year.

“When you come out of the draft you feel like you’re a burden,” Long said. “You’re a rookie, you’re screwing everything up, everybody’s looking at you and you’re trying to catch up with everybody else.”

Plus, there’s the money. Long vaulted to second on the Rams’ salary list with a five-year, $48 million contract last year before playing a down.

Smith figures to get even more, which instantly clicks on the high-intensity lamp.

“I feel for the guy,” Long said. “He’s got a lot of pressure on him, and that’s what people don’t understand. It’s immense pressure.”

Long’s advice: “Just focus on day to day and don’t get overwhelmed. I know it seems like everyone’s pulling at you but just be you, and he’s seemed to do that so far.”

Long had four sacks as a rookie, giving the Rams a second pass-rush option they’d long lacked opposite veteran Leonard Little. It was a solid debut season, if short of spectacular.

The son of Hall of Famer Howie Long tried to block out the expectations that go with that No. 2 tag and focus on daily and weekly improvement.

“Sometimes it bothers you, but your job is to weather that storm of pressure,” Long said. “There’s going to be pressure no matter what situation you’re in, whether it be (going) 2-14, not starting, battling for a position, whatever it is.

“I believe everybody’s got their own battles to fight.”

Nobody’s forgotten Long was the second pick behind Dolphins tackle Jake Long, who went to the Pro Bowl. But with the passage of time and the experience from his rookie year he’s expecting a jump this season.

“Maybe not a breakout season or whatever you want to call it, but I just want to be productive,” Long said. “I want to live up to my own expectations and just to continue to get better.”

For now, Smith is saying all the right things and doing his best to fit in. He’s been spotted carrying a lot of veterans’ equipment back to the locker room during minicamp.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of grown men out here, and coming from college to pros is a big step in speed and strength,” Smith said. “Getting opportunities to see guys such as Leonard Little at defensive end every day, that’s a big deal.

“I’m just glad to be part of this team.”

Of course, there’s pressure everywhere for a franchise that’s undergone massive upheaval after going 5-27 the last two years. The Rams get an extra minicamp under new coach Steve Spagnuolo to get acclimated to new systems on both sides of the ball.

The biggest challenge may be for a defense which had three years without radical change under Jim Haslett. Cornerback Ron Bartell described it as a “culture shock,” but one that the team needed.

“It’s like learning to read all over again,” Bartell said. “We spent the last three years in the same defense, so we got to know that pretty well.

“And then to throw that out the window and learn new terminology, new techniques, new blitzes and covers is definitely different. Right now we don’t look like where we want to be.”

SOURCE: Yahoo! Sports (via Associated Press)

Im A PC

2009-05-01T13:13:00.002-05:00

Originally uploaded by StLRamsFan

My brother sent me this picture earlier that a friend had e-mailed him. I always enjoy the "I'm a Mac" commercials that poke fun at Microsoft Windows. Microsoft eventually countered, first with the incomprehensible Jerry Seinfeld ads, then with "I'm A PC", and most recently with the "laptop hunters" spots. I don't know who Microsoft thinks they are fooling, but this picture it all....

A Letter From Torry Holt

2009-04-28T08:17:00.002-05:00

Torry Holt being a class act, as always.....

Thanks to my brother for passing this along.

Holt writes letter to Rams fans

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

04/22/2009

After 10 seasons in St. Louis, wide receiver Torry Holt is now a Jacksonville Jaguar. He e-mailed a letter to Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch, asking that it be shared with Rams fans:

To the St. Louis Rams fans:

As I begin the next chapter of my career, I want to thank you for your continuous support during my 10 years in St. Louis. When I was drafted by the Rams in 1999, you showed me and my family so much love and encouragement, and we greatly appreciate it still to this day.

Your excitement and enthusiasm for the Rams made the Edward Jones Dome one of the toughest venues in the NFL for opposing teams. You were instrumental in our runs to Super Bowl XXXIV and Super Bowl XXXVI.

Thank you to the Rams organization for giving me the opportunity to be a wide receiver in the National Football League. From when I first began playing football at age seven, I dreamed of playing in the NFL and the Rams helped make that dream a reality. Thank you to everyone in the organization, past and present, for their kindness and support throughout my time as a Ram.

I would also like to thank all of my coaches at the Rams who helped shape and develop me into the player that I am today.

Finally, I would like to thank all of my teammates from when I began with the Rams to now, for their loyalty and support. Without them, I would have not been able to achieve some of the successes that I have reached during my career.

I will miss the fans, coaches and teammates, but I will always have two important memories — being part of a Super Bowl Championship team and representing the remarkable city of St. Louis to the world!

Thank you again,

Torry "Big Game" Holt

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Rams 2009 Draft Recap

2009-04-27T14:31:00.014-05:00

Round 1, Pick 2 (2) Jason Smith OT 6'5" 309 Baylor
Pick Analysis: The Rams tab the ultra-athletic Smith to replace Orlando Pace at left tackle. Smith has outstanding feet and movement skills. He will not only protect Marc Bulger's blind side, but he'll provide the push on the edge to spring Steven Jackson for long runs. With Smith in place, the Rams have completed the process of rebuilding an offensive line that struggled mightily last season.

Round 2, Pick 3 (35) James Laurinaitis ILB 6'2" 244 Ohio State
Pick Analysis: The Rams add the highly productive Laurinaitis to their defense. With outstanding instincts and awareness, Laurinaitis could play immediately as a potential first-year starter.

Round 3, Pick 2 (66) Bradley Fletcher DB 6'0" 196 Iowa
Pick Analysis:The Rams add an athletic cornerback with their pick of Fletcher. The former Hawkeye has the size to slide inside to safety, but he should make his initial contribution as a nickel or dime defender in the Rams' sub-package.

Round 4, Pick 3 (103) Dorell Scott DT 6'3" 312 Clemson
Pick Analysis: Scott did not have a great year this past season, but he's strong and has really good quickness to go along with exceptional strength and speed. He ran a 4.92 40-yard dash at 312 pounds. That is very impressive speed for a defensive tackle. Here's the recap from the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 5, Pick 24 (160) (From Falcons)Brooks Foster WR 6'1" 211 North Carolina
Pick Analysis:The Rams add a big, physical receiver to their roster with the selection of Foster. The former Tar Heel has outstanding size and could become a special teams demon with his impressive set of skills.

Round 6, Pick 23 (196) (From Falcons) Keith Null QB 6'3" 222 West Texas AM
Pick Analysis: Null is a tall quarterback with a live arm. He's got very good accuracy and has good speed for his size. He was very productive in college. He'll probably start out as the third-stringer in St. Louis.

Round 7, Pick 2 (211) Chris Ogbonnaya RB 6'0" 220 Texas
Pick Analysis: Ogbonnaya has potential as a spot starter in St. Louis. He will provide crucial running back depth behind Steven Jackson for new coach Steve Spagnuolo and the Rams.
There's a lot of mixed feelings about an overall grade for the team's draft picks this year. I have to say that coach Spagnuolo, Billy Devaney and the gang could have done much worse in their first draft together, especially given the short time they had to prepare. I really like their first pick, Jason Smith's attituite and work ethic. The pieces are starting to fall into place.

SOURCE: NFL Draft Tracker

Rams Select LB James Laurinatis in 2nd Round

2009-04-25T20:19:00.003-05:00

The official site of the St. Louis Rams - Article

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St Louis Rams Select Jason Smith with the No.2 Pick in the 2009 NFL Draft

2009-04-25T15:57:00.004-05:00

The St. Louis Rams opted to bolster their offensive line as they selected Baylor’s OT Jason Smith the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

St Louis is coming off a disappointing 2-14 record in 2008 and are hoping the 6’5”, 305 pound Smith will provide protection for their quarterback Marc Bulger while opening holes for Steven Jackson.

The Rams selected defensive end Chris Long with their first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Detroit selected Matt Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

SOURCE:TransWorldNews

Larry Fitzgerald & Troy Polamalu Share Madden NFL 10 Cover

2009-04-24T12:35:00.005-05:00

That's right. For the first time in the history of the Madden video game franchise, TWO players will be featured on the cover. The theme for the game, which will be released in the USA on August 14, seems to be "the Fight for Every Yard".

According to the official EA press release, "Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu are exemplary examples of the epic battle between offense and defense in the NFL," said Sr. Product Manager Anthony Stevenson. "Madden NFL 10 showcases the Fight For Every Yard, and nobody fights harder than Troy and Larry, making them the perfect athletes to grace the cover."

Does this mean that two players will be the victims of the Madden curse this time around? Only time will tell, but I think Polamalu should worry more about being over-exposed. He seems to be turning up everywhere these days, starting with the Coke Zero commercial that aired during the SuperBowl. Ok, I admit being a little peeved by that ad - the 1979 classic Mean Joe Green commercial should never have been remade!

WR Holt agrees to three-year deal with Jaguars

2009-04-21T10:08:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Torry!

We miss you already.....

WR Holt agrees to three-year deal with Jaguars

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Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe?

2009-04-17T10:19:00.004-05:00

With the 2009 NFL Draft just over a week away, most mock drafts have the St. Louis Rams using their #2 overall pick on OT Jason Smith from Baylor (right). With Orlando Pace gone, the left tackle position is a priority. While Smith just switched to the tackle position just last year, having previously played at tight end, I think he has a good work ethic and more potential than Monroe. Jason Smith could be just what the Rams need to anchor the O-Line and give Marc Bulger some much needed protection.

On the other hand, if the Detroit Lions happen to choose Smith with their first overall pick, instead of QB Matthew Stafford from Georgia (who's expected in most mock drafts), the Rams certainly couldn't go wrong with Eugene Monroe. The 6'5" 309-pound OT comes from Virginia, the same system that brought us Chris Long last year. Monroe also has more experience at tackle than Jason Smith and is a stand-out pass blocker. Sounds like a win-win situation no matter which the Rams choose.

Coach Spagnuolo and his draft team will surely do better than the Rams' previous first round picks like Ty Hill, Adam Carriker and Jimmy Kennedy. Let's just hope they don't lose their minds and go all Lawrence Phillips on us!

Hall-of-Famer Madden retires from broadcasting

2009-04-16T11:02:00.002-05:00

Hall-of-Famer Madden retires from broadcasting

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Free Autograpgh Signing with Donnie Avery

2009-04-02T13:19:00.002-06:00

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Donnie Avery will be on hand Wednesday April 15 from 3-5pm for the grand opening of the St. Peters MO Wal-Mart store. The store is located at 1551 Jungerman Rd., St. Peters MO 63376. He'll be signing autographs and mingling with the crowd. Stop by and let's get some enthusiasm and excitement going for the new team coach Spagnuolo is building!

Source: www.stlouisrams.com

Steve Wozniak Replaces Zac Effron in Footloose

2009-04-02T11:25:00.004-06:00

Ok, I admit it. I watch "Dancing With the Stars" on ABC. So when I heard that one of my favorite geeks on the planet, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, was competing this season I was stoked. Alas, Woz was eliminated in the 3rd week of competition, despite a valiant online effort by his fans to save him. All is not lost though! It seems that Woz's new dancing skills will be put to good use, replacing Zack Efron in Paramount Studios' upcoming remake of the 1984 hit movie "Footloose". April Fools? Woz always did enjoy a good prank....

Retro-Cool iPhone Case

2009-03-31T15:15:00.003-06:00

Don't you just love it when old and new worlds collide? I've been accused of being both a Nintendo fanboy and an Apple fanboy so of course I'm loving this Gameboy-inspired iPhone case. I'll take two of them, even though I don't even have an iPhone! (I assume it works with the iPod Touch which I do have). Thanks to @dasme who twittered about this find.

Free Agent TE Billy Bajema Signed by Rams

2009-03-30T14:43:00.003-06:00

The St. Louis Rams have agreed to terms with free agent tight and and blocking specialist Billy Bajema. The 6'4" 256-pound Bajema was drafted in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers and spent his first four seasons in the city by the bay. He's an Oklahoma City native who played quarterback in high school, then switched to tight end in college at Oklahoma State. Bajema will replace Anthony Becht who was released by the Rams earlier this month, and has since been picked up by the Arizona Cardinals.

Rams Re-Sign Moore & Setterstrom and 4 More

2009-03-17T08:08:00.008-06:00

The St. Louis Rams re-signed defensive end Eric Moore and guard Mark Setterstrom on Monday, along with free agents Marcus Brown, Eric Butler, Tim Mattran and Jeff Otis.

Eric Moore (left) is a 4-year veteran who Played in 7 games for the Rams Last season. He was a sixth-round draft pick for the New York Giants in 2005, and has also played for the New Orleans Saints.

Also re-signed was Mark Setterstrom, who was a seventh-round draft pick in 2006 and played in 7 games, including 6 starts, in his rookie season. Setterstrom started the first three games of 2007 before a knee injury forced him to miss the rest of that season, and he missed all of 2008 because of a knee injury he suffered during the preseason. We certainly can't blame last year's debacle on Mark!

Defensive back Marcus Brown comes to the Rams after spending time with the Cincinati Bengals and the Arizona Cardinals. The 6' 1" 199 pounder has no regular season appearances.

Second year man Eric Bulter went undrafted in 2008 NFL Draft. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in April of last year, but was waived by the team during it's final cuts in August. Eric was then signed to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad in November, only to be released 5 days later. With Butler's signing, the Rams secondary is nearly complete. O.J. Atogwe is assigned the team's franchise tag, so he'll definately be back, along with Ron Bartell who re-signed with the team last week. The 4th spot will likely be determined in minicamps among Tye Hill, Eric Bassey, Justin King, Jonathan Wade, Quincy Butler, and Jason Craft (if he returns).

Center Tim Mattran signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008. The 6' 5" 298 pound Mattran was waived by the Vikings during final cuts Aug 30, was re-signed to the team's practice squad the following day, only to be released Sept 17. He was then signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad after the team released fullback Chris Brown.

Quarterback Jeff Otis is a hometown boy. He'e the son of former St. Louis Cardinals running back Jim Otis and competed in football and track at CBC High School. Otis went undrafted in 2005, but was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in January 2006. The Cardinals allocated Jeff to NFL Europe where he helped the Frankfurt Galaxy to a championship in World Bowl XIV. He also did 2 stints with the Oakland Raiders and 1 with the Kansas City Chiefs, though never making any regular season appearances. I look for Otis to be Marc Bulger's 2nd backup, especially if the rumors of Gus Frerotte's return are true. With his local ties he's sure to be an instant fan favorite as well.

Rams Release Torry Holt

2009-03-13T15:07:00.004-06:00

The inevitable finally happened this afternoon. The St. Louis Rams released wide receiver Torry Holt. Just days before he was due a $1.25M roster bonus, and a few days after parting ways with another franchise icon, Orlando Pace, the decision was made to part ways with Torry after 10 years. Cutting Holt and Pace will save the Rams about $14M in cap space, and continues the team's move to a younger roster. I know that football is a business, and that things have to change drastically after the Rams dismal 2008 season, but it doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. Thank you Torry for the memories, the exciting plays, and for always being a class act...

Ready For Some Riddick

2009-03-13T07:54:00.006-06:00

Ok, I'm a Vin Diesel fan. So I was really happy when SCI FI Wire reported that a third installment in the Chronicles of Riddick series is in the works. I've been anticipating the new multi-platform game The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, although I never played the first game on the original Xbox (because I don't have one). I downloaded the demo from the Xbox Live Marketplace and, although I'm not a big first person shooter gamer, I'm gonna give it a try. I also re watched the film trilogy Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick and the animated The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (which bridged the two theatrical releases) with my 'bro ZarkSeven. I'm going to try to finish the demo this weekend so I'll be ready for the April 7th release of Dark Athena.

Vin's been a busy guy lately, as he's also got another installment of The Fast and the Furious film series due to hit American theaters on April 3. Although he made a cameo appearance in the third film, it's been seven long years since Vin starred in the original. Called an "interquel", the upcoming Fast & Furious is set between the second movie 2 Fast 2 Furious and the third movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriquez and Jordana Brewster are also reprising their roles. April is shaping up to be a stellar month for Vin Diesel fans! Now if I can just convince ZarkSeven to go see Fast & Furious with me.....

Rams Release TE Anthony Becht

2009-03-12T13:46:00.003-06:00

The house cleaning continues at Rams Park today with the release of tight end Anthony Becht. The 31 year old Becht spent one season in a blue and gold uniform after signing as an unrestricted free agent. He played in 16 games for the Rams, starting in 11, and had 6 receptions for 39 yards. Becht was a first round pick for the New York Jets in 2000, and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coming to St. Louis. His departure leaves the Rams with 3 tight ends on the roster - Joe Klopfenstein, Randy McMichael and Daniel Fells. Hmmm, anybody got Ernie Conwell's phone number???

Pace Out, Karney In, Frerotte Likely and Holt In Limbo

2009-03-12T07:54:00.004-06:00

It's been a busy week at Rams Park. Here's the rundown:

Orlando Pace was released after spending his entire 12-year career with the Rams. The seven-time Pro Bowler was the No. 1 draft pick in 1997 and played in 158 games, with 154 starts, at the left tackle position. Besides being nominated to 7 consecutive Pro Bowls, Orlando had the distinction of blocking for 3 straight NFL MVP's - Kurt Warner (twice) and Marshall Faulk. While he suffered a few injuries in the past few seasons, I think Pace still has a few good years left. It's hard to see another long-time Ram exit, I know but the sweeping changes are needed to jump-start the team. So long Orlando. Thanks for all the years and memories.

Free-agent fullback Mike Karney agreed to a 3-year, $3.6M contract with the Rams. The 5' 11" Karney spent the past 5 seasons with the New Orleans Saints blocked for Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush and Antowain Smith while missing only 4 games due to injuries. Karney is also an able pass catcher, with 53 career receptions for 295 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Most importantly he's the "fullback with attitude" that Steven Jackson had long wished for.

Quarterback Gus Frerotte is scheduled to make a free-agent visit to St. Louis next week. The 37 year old Frerotte has played in the NFL for 15 seasons, most recently starting 11 games last year for the Minnesota Vikings. Gus was Marc Bulger's backup in 2006 and 2007, and started in 3 games for the Rams in 2007. Rumor has it that General Manager Billy Devaney is very interested in bringing Frerotte back, so his return is very likely.

Lastly, there's nothing new regaring wide receiver Torry Holt's situation. There were rumors that the New York Jets were interested in Holt, but nothing has materialized. The team would like to trade Torry, but probably won't do anything until March 17 when he's owed a $1.25M roster bonus. I can't understand why the Rams are so eager to get rid of Torry. True, he's asked to be released, but only after being made to feel very unwelcome here. Torry has had 10 great years in St. Louis and, in my opinion, was totally underutilized and misused during last year's miserable season. While I would love to see him stay, I know that the situation is too far gone for that to happen. I miss ya already Big Game!

Butler Signs 4-Year Deal With Rams

2009-03-10T07:34:00.005-06:00

The St. Louis rams are expected to announce today the signing of free agent Safety James Butler. The 4-year contract is reportedly worth $17M with incentives. The 6' 3" 215-pound Butler will likely replace the recently released Corey Chavous in the Rams lineup.

Joining the New York Giants as an undrafted Rookie in 2005, Butler saw little playing time in his first two years, but started in 26 games the past two seasons. Rams new coach Steve Spagnuolo was the Giants' Defensive Coordinator for those two seasons, and reuniting with Spagnuolo is said to be among the primary reasons Butler chose to play for the Rams.

As the team continues to make solid off-season moves, my optimism for the 2009 season continues to grow. I can't wait to see what happens in the 2009 NFL Draft, in which the Rams have the #2 overall pick.

Torry Holt tells Rams "Release Me"

2009-03-05T09:31:00.005-06:00

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that Torry Holt has asked the Rams for his release. Torry's due a $1.25M bonus on March 17, so it's doubtful he'll be in a Rams uniform after that. But the Rams could still try to trade him until then, meaning any potential trade partner wouldn't have to compete for his services, as would be the case if he were released.

There had been rumblings a while back that Torry would like to finish his career in Carolina, where he grew up, and where his brother Terrence Holt played safety for the Panthers, but that talk fizzled when Terrence was cut by the Panthers in August 2008. Still, at age 32, Torry may want to be close to home in his final years in the NFL.

Torry is one of the last remnants of the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf days but, in my opinion, has been underutilized the past few years. It's sad to see things end like this, especially since it seems like things are finally starting to turn around for the team. I miss ya already Big Game!

Read the original article here....

Arizona Cardinals re-sign QB Warner

2009-03-04T16:09:00.003-06:00

The Arizona Cardinals have re-signed quarterback Kurt Warner to a 2-year contract. Sources say the deal is worth $23M, with $19M in guarantees. I knew that trip to San Francisco was just for leverage with the Cardinals! Congrats Kurt!

Bartell Chooses Rams Over Saints

2009-03-03T09:39:00.005-06:00

Cornerback Ron Bartell has re-signed with the St. Louis Rams, agreeing to a 4-year deal Monday afternoon worth $28M, with $13.6M guaranteed. He apparently decided to stay with the Rams even though the New Orleans Saints reportedly offered him a very similar deal.

After meeting with new Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and new defensive coordinator Ken Flajole 3 weeks ago, it appears that Ron struck up a great rapport with the new coach and the more communicative atmosphere at Rams Park.

In an interview with the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Bartell mentioned something unfathomable - in the 4 years he played for the Rams he never had a conversation with former General Manager Jay Zygmunt! "Here I was a second-round draft pick, and I had not had one conversation with the previous general manager," Bartell said. "Not one. How do you have a GM that doesn't even speak to the players? I've been one of the core players and I didn't even talk to the man. And when the top is not in order, it trickles from the top of the team down."

I've said it before, and it will probably come up again and again but, is there no end to the damage Jay Zygmunt inflicted on the team during his years with the organization?!? Thankfully, the "football guys" are now in charge and things are starting to turn around. Just ask Ron Bartell.

Welcome back Ron!

Rams Agree to Terms With Jason Brown

2009-02-28T14:28:00.006-06:00

The first day of free agency was a profitable one for the St. Louis Rams who agreed to terms of a free agent deal with center Jason Brown. The 6', 320 pound Brown should be a great fit for what the Rams are trying to build up front. He was a 4th round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 and is perhaps the most sought after offensive lineman in the free agent pool. Looks like a major coup for the "football guys" who are finally in charge at Rams Park.

Farewell Corey Chavous

2009-02-13T16:14:00.003-06:00

The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that Rams Safety Corey Chavous has been cut...

By Jim Thomas

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Rams began their roster-shaping and their salary cap drive Friday, releasing veteran strong safety Corey Chavous. Chavous, 33, came to St. Louis as a free agent with the arrival of coach Scott Linehan in 2006. He was a three-year starter, a defensive team captain last year, and one of the most respected players in the locker room.

But his lack of speed became more of a liability on defense during his tenure with the Rams, and he lost his starting job to Todd Johnson late in the 2008 season. It became apparent as the season wound down, even before Steve Spagnuolo was hired, that Chavous didn’t fit into the Rams plans for 2009 and beyond.

Earlier in the week, Chavous’ agent requested that the Rams release him as soon as possible, thus giving Chavous more time to look for another job before the start of the free agency and trading period. Releasing Chavous saves the Rams $1.2 million in cap space.

Read the original article here...

Williams to hold Valentine's Day marriage workshop

2009-02-13T12:21:00.010-06:00

Former St. Louis Rams Free Safety Aeneas Williams, now pastor of The Spirit of the Lord Church in St. Louis, and his wife Tracy will host a free marriage workshop that is open to the public. This event will focus on the dynamics of being married with the goal of helping married couples understand one another and strengthening their marriage.

When: Saturday, February 14, 2009 from 10am-2pm

Where: Richmond Heights Community Center 1330 S. Big Bend Blvd. Richmond Heights, Missouri 63117

Check out the church's website for more details. http://www.slfchurch.com

Photo from AP Photo by Jeff Roberson

All Aboard!

2009-02-10T13:40:00.005-06:00

The St. Louis Rams announced the hiring of three more assistant coaches Monday, apparently completing the staff of head coach Steve Spagnuolo for the 2009 Season.

Quality Control Coach-Offense: Andy Sugarman (36)

2008 - Out of Football.

2007 - Offensive Assistant for the Atlanta Falcons.

2004-2005 - Tight Ends Coach for the Detroit Lions.

2003 - Offensive Assistant for the Detroit Lions.

2000-2002 - Offensive Assistant for the San Francisco 49ers.

1998-1999 - Offensive Quality Control Coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

Quality Control Coach-Special Teams: Derius Swinton II (24)

2007-2008 - Graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee.

2003-2006 - Played Free Safety at Hampton University in Virginia.

Cornerbacks Coach: Clayton Lopez (37)

2008 - Assistant secondary Coach for the Detroit Lions.

2006-2007 - Defensive Backs Coach for the Detroit Lions.

2004-2005 - Defensive Backs Coach for the Oakland Raiders.

2002-2003 - Assistant Secondary Coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

1999-2001 - Defensive Assistant/Quality Control Coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

Coaches, Coaches and More Coaches...

2009-02-06T10:07:00.006-06:00

In the past few weeks St. Louis Rams Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo has begun to assemble his coaching staff. Here's the rundown:

Offensive Coordinator: Pat Shurmur
His uncle, Fritz Shurmur was a Rams coach from 1982-90.
Spent the last 7 seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Defensive Coordinator: Ken Flajole
Spent 21 years coaching college football, including five seasons (1989-93) at the University of Missouri.
1998 served as a defensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers.
199-2002 Coached defensive backs and linebackers for the Seattle Seahawks.
Spent the past 6 seasons as linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers.

Special Teams Coordinator: Tom McMahon (39)
Assistant special teams coach for the Atlanta Falcons the past 2 seasons.
(his only prior NFL experience)

Offensive Line Coach: Steve Loney (56)
One of only 3 holdovers from the Rams' 2008 staff (same position)

Assistant Offensive Line Coach: Art Valero (50)
One of only 3 holdovers from the Rams' 2008 staff (coached running backs)

Wide Receivers Coach: Charlie Baggett (55)
Replaces Henry Ellard who has been the Rams' Wide receivers Coach for the past 8 seasons, and is one of the top wide receivers in franchise history. (He leaves for the New York Jets)
Spent the last two seasons at the University of Washington.
2005-2006 Wide Receivers Coach for the Miami Dolphins.
2000-2004 Wide Receivers Coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
1999 Wide Receivers Coach for the Green Bay Packers.
1993-1994 Wide Receivers Coach for the Houston Oilers.

Defensive Line Coach: Brendan Daly (33)
Coached for 8 years at the college level at Drake, Villanova, Maryland, Oklahoma State and Illinois State.
Spent the past 3 seasons as a defensive assistant/defensive line coach for Minnesota.

Defensive Quality-Control Coach: Matt House (50)
Former Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach/Assistant Special Teams Coach at Carolina.

Defensive Assistant: Andre Curtis (32)
2006-2008 Defensive Quality Control Coach for the New York Giants.
2004-2005 Defensive Ends Coach at Georgia Southern.
2000-2003 Linebackers at Virginia Military Institute.

Running Backs Coach: Sylvester Croom (54)
2004-2008 Head Coach at Mississippi State University.
2001-2003 Running Backs Coach for the Green Bay Packers.
1997-2000 Offensive Coordinator for the Detroit Lions.
1992-1996 Running Backs Coach for the San Diego Chargers.
1991 Running Backs Coach for the Indianapolis Colts.
1987-1990 Running Backs Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Linebackers Coach: Paul Ferraro
2006-2008 Special Teams Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
2005 Special teams Coach for the Carolina Panthers.
Steve Spagnuolo & Paul Ferraro were teammates at Springfield (MA) College.

Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks: Dick Curl
With the Chiefs for that last three seasons, the last two as Quarterbacks coach.

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Rock Gullickson (53)
2006-2008 Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Green Bay Packers.
2000-2005 Strength & Conditioning Coach for the New Orleans Saints.

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach: Chuck Faucette (45)
Only the 3rd coach retained from the 2008 staff.
He was the strength and conditioning coach at Southern Methodist from 2002-2007.

And some front office guys...

Director of Pro Personnel: Mike Williams
2005-2008 Served as Assistant Director of Pro Personnel for the San Francisco 49ers.
Note: The Rams have not had anyone to run pro scouting since 2000, when Mike Ackerley was with the club and the Rams were known as “the Greatest Show on Turf”.

Exec. VP of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer: Kevin Demoff
Spent the past four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Essentially replaces Jay Zygmunt. (Man, I never get tired of saying THAT!)
Rams' new "cap man." Son of longtime NFL player agent Marvin Demoff.
He'll control the business side of things, reporting to ownership on those matters.
When it comes to signing players he'll have to get approval from ownership before commiting funds or executing a contract, and will not have input on which players should bw signed (that will be handled by Billy Devaney, with input from Steve Spagnuolo).

Assistant to the Head Coach/Dir. for Football Operations: Bruce Warwick
Will handle a variety of administrative tasks as Head coach Steve Spagnuolo's new right hand man. Basically takes over the position held by Jeff Horton in Scott Linehan's staff.
Assistant athletic director for football operations the past two years at the University of Tennessee.

Steve Spagnuolo Named Rams' 23rd Head Coach

2009-01-19T15:25:00.006-06:00

The St. Louis Rams have officially announced that New York Giants' defensive coodinator Steve Spagnuolo has signed a 4-year contract to become the team's new head coach.

At a press conference today, Spagnuolo outlined 4 "pillars" on which his new team will be based - faith, character, core values and team first. Combine that with the winning attitude, and a certain amount of swagger that he brings, and Spagnuolo could be just what the team needs.

For the first time in a LONG time I feel like the team is headed in the right direction. It's been a while since the team has been headed in ANY direction.

Credit General Manager Billy Devaney for taking the time to do a thorough, well thought out search and owner's Chip Rosenbloom, Lucia Rodriguez and Stan Kroenke for having the wisdom to put him in charge of it.

It's a bit early to start singing "Happy Days Are Here Again" (and trust me, you wouldn't want to hear me do that) but things are starting to look up. Bring on the draft!

Arizona Cardinals are NFC Champions

2009-01-19T13:54:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals on becoming the NFC Champions, defeating the Philadelpia Eagles 32-25. It's been a long wait for Cardinals fans to see their team in the Superbowl for the first time. The Cardinals only NFL championship game victory was in 1947, when the team was based in Chicago (2 decades before the first Superbowl game was played).

I am especially excited to see Kurt Warner return to the Superbowl, and he deserves much of the credit for the Cardinals success this season. Since being released from the St. Louis Rams in June 2004, Kurt has had to play second fiddle to Eli Manning and party-boy Matt Leinart, all the while insisting he still has what it takes to be one of the top NFL quarterbacks.

At 37, Kurt will be the third oldest starting quarterback in Superbowl history, behind John Elway and Johnny Unitas....not bad company! Super Bowl XLIII will be Kurt's 3rd trip to football's biggest game, after leading the Rams there in 1999 and 2001. He also becomes the 3rd quarterback in NFL history to win a conference championship with two different teams (joining Craig Morton and Earl Morrall) and only the 2nd to make Super Bowl starts with two different teams (Craig Morton led the 1970 Dallas Cowboys and the 1977 Denver Broncos). Add those to two NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl MVP award and I'd say Kurt's still "got it".

Congratulations Cardinals and Kurt....we miss you!

Get Well Soon Steve Jobs

2009-01-15T12:13:00.008-06:00

For most of 2008 the hottest topic in the blogosphere was not the presidential election, nor the global economic meltdown, but rumors about Apple CEO Steve Jobs' health. Those rumors reached a fevered pitch yesterday when Mr. Jobs sent Apple employees an e-mail informing them that he would be taking a medical leave of absence until late June.

The internet went crazy with postings on Twitter, blogs and even the mainstream media. On December 16, 2008 Apple announced that 2009 would be the last year that the company would exhibit at MacWorld Expo, and that Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, would be delivering the opening keynote instead of Steve Jobs. Then just 9 days ago Steve uncharacteristically made a statement about his health assuring the Apple community that he had a simple, straight forward nutritional problem caused by a hormonal imbalance for which he had already begun treatment. Now he's on medical leave for 6 months? OMG! What does it all mean?!?!

It does NOT mean that the sky is falling, that it's the end of the world, or the end of Apple for that matter. I have to admit to being an Apple fanboy, but anybody looking at the situation rationally should see that the company will be fine while Steve is gone. I won't into a lengthy biography (although you can read it here), but suffice to say that to most of the world Steve Jobs IS Apple. He's a visionary who has definitely left a mark on the tech world. He is also smart enough to instill his vision throughout the entire company, and leaves Apple in the very capable hands of people like Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, Peter Oppenheimer and Jonathan Ive.

Now is the time to find something else to speculate on and spread rumors about. Steve Jobs deserves some privacy and time to recouperate. I hope you'll all join me in praying for his speedy recovery and wishing him a big "get well soon". For those wanting to send Steve a personal get well wish, the folks at The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) have set up a voicemail line at (917) 512-7398 ext 41469, as well as a dropbox to upload a recorded greeting. Read the details here....

Farr Joins 101.1 FM

2008-12-30T13:14:00.005-06:00

Former St. Louis Ram D'Marco Farr has been hired by WMVN (101.1 FM) as a host. The station plans to begin broadcasting in a sports-talk format on Friday, and change its call letters to WXOS. Farr, who is currently an analyst on the Rams radio broadcasts and FSN college football coverage, will work with Randy Karraker and Bob Ramsey in the 2-6pm afternoon dive-time slot.

As announced last week, the Rams broadcasts will also be moving to 101.1 FM next season. I've heard no announcement on whether or not play by play man Steve Savard, color analyst Jim Hanifan or sidelines commentator Malcom Briggs will make the move to 101.1 FM, but surely today's news means that D'Marco will continue to be part of the broadcast team.

Farr was, and still is, my all time favorite Rams player (where do you think the "75" comes from in http://stlramsfan75.blogspot.com ???) so you can bet I'll be watching on game day with the television on mute and 101.1 FM on the radio....when I'm not at the dome.

Congrats D'Marco!

DMFail - Be careful What You Twitter.....

2008-12-29T12:27:00.008-06:00

Twitter, the free micro-blogging/social networking service founded in 2006, seems to be getting more popular every day. The service allows users to sent and receive each others' updates (or "tweets") consisting of text-based messages of up to 140 characters. Using Twitter can be addictive and I, as well as some 5M+ others, find myself checking in and/or updating what I'm doing more often than I should.

Safe internet usage requires that we all be mindful of what we say and do on the 'net, because you never know who might read it. Twitter, while very minimalist and simple to use, can be used incorrectly nonetheless. Type your message and send it and it appears on Twitter for all users to see as part of the public timeline. You can also send a message to another user that only he/she can see (a Direct Message) by typing "D + username + message". The problem arises when people incorrectly type "DM + username + message". When you do that your message appears in the public timeline in all its glory!

The folks at TechCrunch are reporting today that a new website has popped up called DMFail. This site grabs all those incorrectly typed tweets and reprints them on its site for all to see. The results can be humorous, embarassing, and downright devastating! Check it out for yourself at http://dmfail.com.

Read the original TechCrunch article here....

It's a Christmas miracle!

2008-12-26T09:05:00.006-06:00

As expected, on Monday the St. Louis Rams announced that Jay Zygmunt was stepping aside by "mutual agreement" with the club after 27 seasons. Then, on Christmas Eve, the front office restructuring was in full swing when John Shaw gave up his role as team president. Shaw will be retained by the Rams as a senior advisor/owner's representative, consulting with team owner's Chip Rosenbloom, Lucia Rodriquez and Stan Kroenke. He will help Rosenbloom and Rodriguez navigate through the real estate issues they've faced since inheriting the team from their late mother, Georgia Frontiere. Most notably, Shaw will also represent the Rams in league matters, including attending owners meetings - a role that he is very good at and probably should have limited his involvement to for the past several years. He told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that "football decisions will be made by football people. I will have less hands-on involvement."

The most prominent of the "football people" is Billy Devaney, who was promoted to general manager on Wednesday. Devaney, who was just hired in February as the team's executive vice president for player personnel, will apparently lead the extensive search for a new head coach. That search could include the likes of Raiders' interim head coach Tom Cable, Browns' head coach (and former Patriots defensive coordinator) Romeo Crennel, Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards, Lions coach Rod Marinelli, Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, Chargers head coach Norv Turner, as well as the Rams current head coach Jim Haslett.

The front office shake-up is long overdue, and represents a minor miracle to many Rams fans who doubted this day would ever come. It looks like the off season will be much more exciting than this dismal 2008 season has been.

Zygmunt Resignation is Imminent

2008-12-22T10:14:00.004-06:00

The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that an announcement of Jay Zygmunt's resignation is imminent. Team sources say that it will definately come sometime this week. What a Christmas present! Mr. Zygmunt, the Rams' President of Football Operations and General Manager, has worked with the organization in various roles for the past 27 years. As regular readers of this blog know, I've been wating for this day for what seems like an eternity. This news, along with the rumor that team President John Shaw is expected to step down from his position into an advisory role, mean better days are sure to come....

Read the St. Louis Post Dispatch article here...

Note: The photo above reflects my own feelings, and in no way is meant to express the opinions of Steven Jackson, Donnie Avery, Derek Stanley, Todd Johnson, Gary Stills, or any other Rams player.

Atogwe Named Team MVP

2008-12-18T16:16:00.003-06:00

Rams free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe has been voted winner of the Daniel F. Reeves Award as the team MVP by the players and coaches. With four interceptions and seven forced fumbles, his dedication and hard work has been one of the few bright spots this season. Congrats O.J.!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

2008-12-17T12:29:00.004-06:00

With just 11 days to go before we can put this miserable football season behind us, I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that the Rams will be doing a "full-fledged search" for a new head coach. That means that Jim Haslett is neither in or out as the Rams' coach for 2009 and beyond, but he will be one of the candidates for the position. The team will also follow the league's "Rooney Rule" by interviewing at least one minority candidate for the job.

The best news, and the reason for my renewed hope, is that the search for a head coach will be conducted by "football people". Apparently executive vice president of player personnel Billy Devaney will lead the search by identifying candidates, interviewing them, and presenting finalist(s) to Chip Rosenbloom, who will give final approval with input from fellow owners Lucia Rodriguez and Stan Kroenke.

This means that, for the first time in what seems like an eternity, the all-important decisions will not be made by team President John Shaw and team president of football operations and general manager Jay Zygmunt! Shaw is expected to give up the title of team president, but will continue to advise Rosenbloom on financial matters and league business (which is what he should have stuck to for the past several years). And as for Mr. Zygmunt....he is expected to step aside in the near future. Now THAT, my friends, is progress! And the "near future" can't come soon enough...

Read the St. Louis Post Dispatch article here...

Why won't Sony or Microsoft admit Nintendo is a competitor?

2008-12-02T12:20:00.006-06:00

Since blogging about my favorite team enevitably ends up in a rant these days, I thought I'd turn to something else I like - video gaming. I came across a great article by Don Reisinger over at cnet (among other places) about Microsoft and Sony refusing to acknowledge the Nintendo Wii as a true competitor to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The Wii consistently outsells the other two gaming consoles by a wide margin, and led the way on "Black Friday", retail's biggest day of the year. Yet Microsoft and Sony continue to fool themselves into thinking that sales numbers don't count because the Wii isn't a direct competitor, but merely "an expensive niche gaming device". Puh-leeeez! You might be fooling yourselves guys, but you're not fooling anybody else. Uh-oh, I'm starting to rant again...

Read Don Reisinger's article here...

The Truth About Steven Jackson's Injury

2008-11-21T12:08:00.006-06:00

Due to the dismal state of my favorite NFL team, I've been too discouraged to blog lately. This week, however, my mood has slowly turned from dispirited to angry. It started with Coach Haslett telling the players to shape up or ship out. The fact that Haslett spelled it out for them quite clearly got me a little fired up.

Then Richie Incognito "pulled a Steven Jackson" later in the week, criticizing the Rams fans for not making enough noise at the Edward Jones dome and selling their tickets to Sundays game to Bears fans - just like Jackson did 2 years ago. Um, hello Richie??? Give us something to cheer for. You're lucky you played the Redskins at their field, otherwise you would have heard a lot of noise after the bone-headed move you pulled that almost cost the game. Keep your freaking mouth shut and just snap the ball. (ok, a little more fired up)

Lastly, Coach Haslett finally came out and said what everybody has been thinking - Steven Jackson's persistent thigh injury is due to his 27-day training camp holdout. Steven can disagree all he wants, and can try to put a positive spin on the situation by saying he's "definitely open to explore all doors or all different types of training" but the facts speak for themselves. The Rams have lost four games in a row since he was injured near the end of the Rams' 34-14 victory over the Cowboys on October 19. Jackson's injury is by no means the only problem with the team this year, but its a big factor. Steven's biggest play this year was a greedy holdout that directly hurt his team's season. Ok, NOW I'm mad.....

Rams Sign Running Back Samkon Gado

2008-11-05T14:26:00.010-06:00

Well, in answer to my question yesterday it looks like somebody at Rams Park did know a good running back. The team has signed Samkon Gado, a Nigerian native who went undrafted in the 2005 NLF Draft, but was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in May of that year. He was unable to make the Chiefs' active roster, due to an injury he suffered in training camp, and was waived from their practice squad a month into the season.

The Green Bay Packers signed Gado to their practice squad and when injuries hit the Packers' starter (Ahman Green) and backup running back (Najeh Davenport), Samkon got his break. He had an impressive season, earning the NFL Rookie of the Week twice, until it ended with a sprained MCL. Gado started the 2006 season as the Packers' backup running back, until he was traded to the Houston Texans in September.

He played the rest of the season with the Texans, but was released in 2007 when the team promoted Adimchinobi Echemandu to their third-string running back. The Miami Dolphins claimed Gado off waivers after losing their starting running back, Ronnie Brown, to a torn ACL. When the Dolphins' backup running back, Jesse Chatman, was injured the team re-signed Ricky Williams (I'll save that rant for another day!) and cut Gado. When Ricky went down in his first game back, Miami re-signed Gado who played out the rest of the season.

Samkon was an unrestricted free agent in the 2008 off-season, but was not offered a contract. Enter the Rams today, who are extremely thin at the running back position. Antonio Pittman will miss this week's game against the NY Jets with a hamstring injury. Travis Minor failed his post-concussion neuro-psyche test and will have another Friday. SO....if Steven Jackson's right thigh is not 100% healed by Sunday, the Rams will go into the Jets game with Kenneth Darby and Samkon Gado as runningbacks.

Injuries, Injuries and More Injuries...

2008-11-04T09:54:00.007-06:00

We're half way through the season and, just like last year, the injuries are starting to hit the St. Louis Rams. Wide receiver Drew Bennett, who has been out since suffering a broken bone in his left foot in the season opener, has been placed on injured reserve. Although he wants to play, Drew's foot apparently just isn't healing as quickly as anticipated.

Wideout/Returner Dante Hall has also been placed on injured reserve. He suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Derek Stanley has been filling in for Dante on returns and will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, linebacker Chris Draft broke a bone in his right foot during Sunday's game and will be sidelined for 3-6 weeks. Quinton Culberson will fill in at strongside linebacker. That means that David "Mr. Irrelevant" Vobora will probably be promoted from the practice squad.

Defensive end Eric Moore injured his neck & back and was scheduled to have an MRI yesterday.

Guard Richie Incognito has a bruised knee, but should be able to play in Sunday's game against the New York Jets.

Defensive end Leonard Little, who's recovering from a hamstring injury, and defensive tackle Adam Carriker, who's nursing an ankle injury, saw limited playing time in Sunday's game.

And then there's Steven Jackson. After getting limited work in practices last week, the Rams thought Steven was ready to play in Sunday's game. That obviously was not the case. In this Sunday's game Jackson will not play unless he can perform at full speed for an entire practice sometime this week. To make things worse, Antonio Pittman injured his hamstring and Travis Minor suffered a concussion. With Jackson questionable for Sunday, that leaves only Kenneth Darby on the depth chart. If something happens to him....anybody know a good running back?!?

On the bright side safety Todd Johnson, who's missed two games with a bruised kidney, has been cleared to return to practice.

Long comes on strong as season progresses

2008-11-01T18:54:00.006-06:00

By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS
POST
DISPATCH

11/01/2008

At about 3 p.m. Sunday, Chris Long will have completed the first half of his first NFL season. Fellow defensive end Leonard Little already has seen enough to be sold on his linemate.

"He's the type of player that can dominate a game ... a great asset to our defense," Little said.

The second player taken in April's draft, Long has started every game and has made steady progress. He's collected 35 tackles, tops among the Rams' defensive linemen, and his four sacks are the most among NFL rookies.

Long is on pace to finish with nine sacks this year — a total his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long, exceeded just three times in his 13-year career.

"Every week you learn something new, and every week it slows down a little bit," said Chris Long, a 6-foot-3, 263-pounder from the University of Virginia. "All I can do is just try to get better."

Long recorded two sacks among his five tackles last Sunday at New England. But coach Jim Haslett said Long turned in his best game the week before, when he had five quarterback hits against Dallas.

"You can see that he's got confidence in what he's doing; he's playing fast," Haslett said. "Obviously, a better understanding of the defense helps. ... I can't wait to get him and Leonard on the field at the same time for a couple of games in a row."

Little missed two games earlier in the season with a strained hamstring and reinjured the muscle in the first half vs. the Patriots. His status for Sunday's home game against Arizona remains uncertain.

Read the original article here...

Vermeil to be added to Ring of Honor

2008-10-24T12:51:00.003-05:00

The St. Louis Rams will add Dick Vermeil to the Ring of Honor at the Edward Jones dome on November 2, during a halftime ceremony in the team's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Vermeil was the Rams head coach from 1997 until he retired in 2000. The Rams struggled the first two years, going 5-11 in 1997 and 4-12 in 1998. In 1999 the Rams became "The Greatest Show on Turf" going 13-3 and defeating the Tenessee Titans to win Superbowl XXXIV. Dick made an emotional decision to retire after that season, only to later regret it and return to the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 2001-2005. Team owner Chip Rosenbloom said in a statement "Dick Vermeil was a tremendous coach and is an even better person who provided so much to the City of St. Louis and the Rams organization. We are thrilled to celebrate a man who was a great source of pride and happiness for our mom and her beloved Rams fans". I hope the Rams plan a better ceremony for Dick Vermeil that the lame attempt at homoring Georgia Frontiere they put on September 14. She deserved better, and so does he. We miss you Dick!

Atogwe Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

2008-10-15T12:50:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to O.J. Atogwe who has been named NFC defensive player of the week. Atogwe scored the Ram's only touchdown Sunday on a 75-yard return of a recovered fumble against the Washington Redskins. Way to go O.J.!

All I Want for Christmas is.....

2008-10-14T15:19:00.005-05:00

Christmas came early to Cupertino CA today, as Apple unveiled a new MacBook Pro, MacBook, 24" Cinema Display, updates for the MacBook Air, and a new lower price for the existing MacBooks.

Uncle Steve began the Apple Special Event, held in the small theater on the main Apple campus, by introducing Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook who took us through the “state of the Mac.” Last reported quarter Apple sold 2.5 million Macs, which is a new company record. For several quarters Apple's sales have been growing at 2-3 times the market growth. Apple's retail stores are seing 400,000 visitors a day, and 50% of the Macs they sell are people that are new to Mac. In US retail, Apple has gone from a single digit market share to 18 percent of unit sales. Macs at major universities have gone from 15% in 2002 to 47% percent in 2008. Life is good.

Next up was Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive, who described a new process Apple discovered which starts with a thick piece of aluminium and removes material to make physical features in the notebook structure. The result is a lighter, sturdier, more environmentally friendly enclosure.

Steve Jobs returned to the stage to announce new graphics for Apple's notebooks. NVIDIA has designed a part that combines the chipset and an extremely powerful embedded graphics processor in one. Called the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, the chipset and GPU are on one die, 70% is the GPU, it has 16 parallel graphics cores on it, and they deliver 54 gigaflops of graphics performance. That's just the beginning of the improvements to Apple's line of notebooks.

MacBook Pro: (2 versions)$1999 version has 15.4-inch LED-backlit display, 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3MB L2, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 memory, NVIDIA 9400 and 9600 chips, 250GB hard drive, and slot-loading SuperDrive. A $2,499 version comes with a faster CPU with double cache, 4GB RAM, double graphics memory and a 320GB hard drive.

MacBook Air: (2 versions) Both updated with many of the same technologies. $1,799 version comes with the NVIDIA 9400M chip, adds a 120GB hard drive (or an optional 128GB SSD), and a mini display port. A $2,499 version bumps you up to a 1.86GHz CPU and the SSD is included.

MacBook: (new generation, 2 versions) "Like the Pro... yet smaller". $1,299 version with a 13.3” display, 2GHz Core 2 Duo / 3MB L2 cache, 2GB 1066MHz DDR 3 memory, GeForce 9400M, 160GB hard drive, slot-loading SuperDrive. $1,599 version has a 2.4GHz processor, 250GB hard drive, a backlit keyboard, 4GB RAM, and a 320GB hard drive.

MacBook: (last generation, plastic) New lower entry price of $999.

Cinema Display: 24" LED backlit display, 1920 x 1200 resolution, stereo speakers... "everything you need" for $899.

The presentation ended with a Q&A session involving Steve Jobs, Phil Schiller and Tim Cook. My favorite part of that was when the topic of Blu-ay was brought up and Steve Jobs replied "Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt. It's great to watch the movies, but the licensing of the tech is so complex, we're waiting till things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace."

NOTE: Anybody asking me for a Christmast list this year...see above!

Poll: Should Jim Haslett return as the Rams' head coach for the 2009 season?

2008-10-14T09:22:00.002-05:00

Fakhir Brown Re-joins the Rams

2008-10-13T15:59:00.003-05:00

Cornerback Fakhir Brown signed a new contract today, re-joining the St. Louis Rams. Brown, you'll recall, was was released Sept. 24 as one of Scott Linehan’s last desperate moves as head coach. Fakhir is a favorite of new head coach Jim Haslett, who has been trying to re-sign Brown since he replaced Scott Linehan. The move is perfect timing with Ricky Manning Jr. suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Sunday’s 19-17 victory at Washington.

6 Wins Earns Haslett 2009 Contract

2008-10-13T13:09:00.003-05:00

The St. Louis Rams' 19-17 victory over the Washington Redskins yesterday is apparently the first of 6 wins new head coach Jim Haslett needs to secure his job for the 2009 season. ESPN is reporting that after the game Haslett confirmed what team sources had said earlier, that the contract he signed as an interim coach could earn him and some defensive assistants an extension if the team wins at least six games. Evidently Rams ownership and management felt incentives for Haslett and his staff were good motivational tools to salvage a disastrous start to the year. The approach seems to be working so far. Against the Redskins, the players played with confidence, played with heart, and looked excited to be playing for the first time this year...sometimes too excited (I'm talking to you Richie Incognito). The Rams were far from perfect, but showed unity for the first time in a long time, and never gave up. Hopefully the team has turned a corner and can give the fans something to be proud of again.

A win, by Josh

2008-10-13T13:00:00.004-05:00

By Jim Thomas

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/13/2008

LANDOVER, MD. — Josh Brown's kick sailed high and long, and then 90,376 grew silent at FedEx Field.

"I was like, 'Did we make it?'" said linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who couldn't see the result of the kick.

Brown made it, and then it sunk in.

For the visitors from St. Louis, the long gridiron nightmare was over. Not since Dec. 2, 2007, had the Rams won a regular-season football game. But Brown's 49-yard field goal as time expired gave the Rams an improbable 19-17 victory Sunday over Washington, ending a four-game losing streak this season and an eight-game skid dating back to the final month of 2007.

"I was so emotional afterwards," Tinoisamoa said. "In disbelief, because it's been so long since we got a win. ... I didn't know if I wanted to cry or laugh."

Minutes later in a raucous Rams locker room, running back Steven Jackson gave Brown a huge bear hug.

"I used to (bleep) you all the time," Jackson shouted at Brown.

(That was in reference to Brown's two game-winning field goals as a Seattle Seahawk to beat the Rams in 2006.)

Minutes earlier, some Rams wanted to do more than hug teammate Richie Incognito after his 15-yard personal foul in the final seconds of play.With the Rams in great position for a chip-shot field-goal attempt at the Washington 16, and just 38 seconds left, quarterback Marc Bulger took the snap and kneeled down, forcing the Redskins to burn their final timeout. But wait a minute. ...

"They kind of took at shot at Marc," said Incognito, a world-class hothead and the team's self-proclaimed sheriff at offensive guard. "They tried to push the line back, so we were getting everyone up. And the next thing you know, we're all jaw-jacking. Steven (Jackson) comes in, he pushes me back."

Jackson was trying to get his teammate back in the huddle. Next thing you know, there's a flag on the field. Incognito, who already had been flagged earlier for unsportsmanlike conduct, was penalized again.

According to Rams coach Jim Haslett, the explanation he received from referee Walt Coleman was that Incognito was penalized for cussing.

Cussing?

"If that's the case, I probably would've gotten about 15 (penalties) today," Haslett said. "All the players told me that it wasn't true; he didn't say anything."

Didn't matter. The call stood. So instead of having an easy 34-yard attempt, Brown lined up for a much more difficult 49-yarder with 2 seconds remaining. Given the sad state of Rams football these days, it would have been almost predictable for the backed-up Brown to miss the kick, and the Rams to lose the game 17-16.

But Haslett's mantra since taking over for the fired Scott Linehan has been learning to deal with adversity. Staying mentally strong when things go wrong. For one Sunday at least, the Rams did just that.

"In this game that we call football, bad things are going to happen," safety Oshiomogho Atogwe said. "Forget about it. Let's go on to the next play and see what we're going to do about it."

The Rams were tested that way all day.

— Jackson fumbled deep in St. Louis territory on the Rams' second offensive play of the day. Washington recovered at the St. Louis 3 and scored a touchdown on a run by Clinton Portis on the next play.

— The Rams lost two players to injury in the first half — defensive back Ricky Manning and running back Brian Leonard. Manning's departure left them with only three healthy cornerbacks — just enough to run the nickel defense.

— The Rams were plagued by ill-timed penalties, including three for 35 yards against Incognito.

They dropped passes. Defensively, they yielded 181 yards rushing, including 129 by Portis. Offensively, they managed only 200 yards.

But they kept scratching, clawing and working.

"Guys just believed," Tinoisamoa said.

The Rams' defense came up with a season-high three takeaways and matched their season high with four sacks. Brown kicked four field goals.

Atogwe produced the Rams' only touchdown of the day on a 75-yard "scoop and score" of a Pete Kendall fumble in the closing seconds of the first half. How did Kendall, a 286-pound offensive guard, end up with the football?

Leading 7-3 at the time, Washington had first and 10 on the St. Louis 16 with 26 seconds to play in the first half. Defensive end Leonard Little hit Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell just as he was releasing the football. The ball veered high into the air behind the line of scrimmage to Campbell's left, and into the arms of Kendall.

"I should have gone with my first thought, which was to knock it down," Kendall said. "But I felt if I grabbed it and threw it down, they might call it a fumble."

So he held on and tried to work his way back to the line of scrimmage. Then, he ran into Tinoisamoa.

"I wanted to get him down," Tinoisamoa said. "He's a big guy, and I was like, 'Wow.' But good things happen when you work hard, and that's what I did. Fortunately for me, I got my hat on that ball and it popped out."

Atogwe did the rest, scoring the second touchdown of his NFL career on what was the Rams' longest play of the year — be it offense, defense or special teams. It was that kind of day for St. Louis.

"I'm just hoping we can make it go now," Jackson said. "Not just one game — that we can turn this into a real winning streak."

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Looker to Undergo Further Tests

2008-10-09T08:45:00.004-05:00

A follow-up to yesterday's news that the Rams re-signed Eddie Kennison because of new "medical information" about Dane Looker. Apparently the information was the fact that doctors want Looker to have an angiogram today to rule out the possibility that he has a brain aneurysm. In a statement team physician Matt Matava said "there is no evidence that (Looker) has an aneurysm, except that a suggestion of something like that showed up on one of his tests and just needs to be ruled out. He has no symptoms suggesting one; he has no prior history of any problems". Evidently the CAT scan Looker has following the concussion he suffered in the Rams' loss to the Bills on September 28 revealed an "abnormality" that had gone undetected until now. For now Looker is being held out of practice and will not play in Sunday's game against the Redskins. Hang in there Dane, you're in our thoughts and prayers...

Rams Cut, Then Re-Sign Eddie Kennison

2008-10-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

Not So Fast: Kennison re-signed hours after Rams cut him

By Jim Thomas

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/07/2008

Here’s a strange one. The Rams released veteran Eddie Kennison on Tuesday, but within minutes of the paperwork clearing the league office in New York late in the afternoon, Kennison was re-signed by the club.

Turns out the Rams received medical information on Dane Looker after releasing Kennison, informing them that Looker wasn’t yet cleared to play following a concussion against Buffalo. Looker may be cleared by the end of the week, but the Rams didn’t want to be caught shorthanded, so they re-signed Kennison before he even had a chance to leave town.

As a result, the anticipated elevation of Derek Stanley from the practice squad may be delayed for another week.

The Rams are adding wide receiver Nate Jones to their practice squad. Jones, out of the University of Texas, was in Minnesota's training camp this summer.

Jones was one of three players at Rams Park for workouts and physicals Tuesday. The others: defensive tackle Antwon Burton, who played in six games for Denver last season and was in Cincinnati's camp this summer; and cornerback Ronnie Prude, who played in 15 games in a reserve role last season for Baltimore.

SOURCE: St. Louis Post Dispatch

McMichael Lost for the Rest of the Season

2008-10-07T16:24:00.003-05:00

Rams veteran tight end Randy McMichael was put on the season-ending injured reserve list yesterday. McMichael was originally thought to have just a broken tibia, or shin bone, but he also suffered torn ligaments in the same area of the right leg in the Rams' 31-14 loss to Buffalo. Allowing time for the bone to heal, Randy could have returned in six to eight weeks. The ligament damage, however, will take a minimum of 10 weeks of recovery. Joe Klopfenstein was promoted to starter in McMichael's absence.

He's Baaaaaack.....

2008-09-30T15:02:00.004-05:00

ST. LOUIS (TICKER) —St. Louis Rams interim coach Jim Haslett announced Tuesday that Marc Bulger will return to his role as the team’s starting quarterback.

Former coach Scott Linehan - fired by the Rams on Monday - drew the ire of several players when he decided to bench Bulger for last weekend’s game in Buffalo. Linehan opted to go with 38-year-old Trent Green, who was 17-of-32 for 236 yards and an interception during the 31-14 loss.

Haslett, who was the defensive coordinator under Linehan, left no doubt as to who will start for the Rams (0-4) when they visit the Washington Redskins on October 12, following the team’s bye week.

“Marc’s the starting quarterback, and he’ll be the starting quarterback the rest of the year unless something happens,” Haslett said. “I talk to Marc and Trent (Green) about it. It’s more a gut feeling on my part. I talked to the offensive coaches, and everybody involved, and I thought Marc would give us the best opportunity to win games for the next three months.”

Bulger is 52-of-89 for 519 yards this season with a two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Read the full article here...

What's Next?

2008-09-30T09:38:00.003-05:00

While the past several weeks have been like a circus at Rams Park, the changes are just beginning. So what's next? Plenty of speculation and rumours....

The Rams are apparently interested in re-signing Fakhir Brown, who was cut last week in a desperate move by outgoing head coach Scott Linehan. Brown has drawn interest from the Washington Redskins and several other teams, so I wouldn't count on his return.

Jim Haslett's official title is head coach, no "interim" attached. Is that a clue for the players that he should be regarded as more than just a temporary fix for the rest of the season. Could Haslett be back as head coach in 2009? Are we getting ahead of ourselves here?

Will Marc Bulger return to his starting position now that Scott Linehan is gone? Jim Haslett has made no such announcement yet, but spoke highly of Bulger yesterday. Most observers expect Bulger to start again. I really like Trent Green, but for his sake I hope he returns to the backup role.

With Jim Haslett moving up to head coach, Rick Venturi, who had been an assistant coach and the team's linebackers coach, will fill the role of defensive coordinator. Assistant secondary coach Mike Cox will take over the linebackers, and quality control coach Todd Downing will move up to help with the secondary. Will these changes be permanent? If Haslett is the head coach for the 2009 season, what coaching changes will he make?

The injury bug has hit the team again. Tight end Randy McMichael suffered a broken tibia, and cornerback Tye Hill tore cartilage in his right knee in Sunday's 31-14 loss to the Bills. McMichael is expected to be sidelined a minimum of six weeks. Hill is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery and will miss at least 4 weeks. Thankfully, wide receiver Dane Looker (who left Sunday's game with a concussion) and middle linebacker Will Witherspoon (who suffered a shoulder injury) should be well enough to play by the Rams rext game on Oct 12.

Hopefully things will settle down and we can at least see a few good games the rest of the season!

Rams (Finally) Fire Scott Linehan

2008-09-29T08:45:00.003-05:00

The St. Louis Rams fired head coach Scott Linehan early this morning. He will apparently be replaced by defensive coodinator Jim Haslett on an interim basis. Linehan had a record of 11-25 during his time with the Rams, including 17 losses in the last 20 games, and 8 consecutive losses. The winless Rams have been outscored 147-43 this season.

Firing Scott Linehan is long overdue in my opinion, but Rams owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez still face even more important decisions. Is Jim Haslett the right man for the head coaching position in the future? His defense has played poorly all season, but the players seem to like him and play hard for him. Neither could be said for Scott Linehan.

Most importantly, the team owners need to finally make the hard decisions regarding team president John Shaw and general manager Jay Zygmunt. Shaw should do the right thing and retire, sparing Rosenbloom & Rodriguez from firing him and himself the humiliation as well. As previously discussed on this blog, Jay Zygmunt should have been fired long ago. Team owners say that Zygumnt will remain general manager for the rest of the season, but after that "changes will be made to the team's management structure". Let's hope those changes include showing Mr. Zygmunt the door. The Rams will hold a press conference later today, so maybe we'll get more details then....

Shut Up and Run the Ball....

2008-09-26T13:01:00.004-05:00

Last night, during his "Rolling the Dice" radio show on KLOU (103.3FM), Rams' running back Steven Jackson expressed his displeasure with Scott Linehan's benching of Marc Bulger saying it was the "wrong decision". Jackson went on to say that you don't pay someone "$60-something million" and then sit him on the bench. He later went on to say that "I'm not the only one who feels this way".

OK. First let me say that, for the most part, I feel that way too. While Marc's performance on the field lately has not been on par with what we know he's capable of, there are many factors that go into the equasion. The Rams' offensive line has not provided adequate protection for years. Bulger has been sacked 97 times in 31 starts from 2006 until now. You don't pay someone "$60-something million" and don't protect your investment! To his credit, I can't remember Marc ever complaining about the beatings he's taken.

That doesn't mean I don't like Trent Green. He's a great guy, a fan favorite, and has an extensive offensive experience with Ram's current offensive coordinator Al Saunders from their years together in Kansas City. I like Trent Green so much that I don't think he should be on the field Sunday taking snaps behind a pitiful O-line and risking a career ending concussion.

I also have nothing against Steven Jackson. He is rightfully one of the highest paid running backs in the NFL, and I don't think he's even close to realizing his full potential. Benching Marc Bulger probably is the "wrong decision". The right decision(s) cannot be made by coach Scott Linehan. The right decision(s) can only be made by Ram's majority owner Chip Rosenbloom, and include firing not only Scott Linehan, but John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt who created this whole mess in the first place. Shaw and Zygmunt couldn't wait to rid themselves of "Mad" Mike Martz and replace him with anyone who wouldn't talk back, challenge their authority or stand out in any way. With Linehan they got their wish. Scott Linehan is so spineless, so wishy-washy, so plain vanilla that the players don't respect him or want to play for him.

But I digress. Even though the decison to bench March Bulger is wrong, it is not Steven Jackson's place to say so on a radio show. The comments were negative and devisive, especially at a time when the team needs something, ANYTHING, to rally around and bring them together. You don't pay someone $49.3 million to spout that kind of crap Steven, just shut up and run the ball.....

Rams Cut Fakhir Brown

2008-09-24T12:30:00.002-05:00

The St. Louis Rams announced today that starting cornerback Fakhir Brown has been released. To replace him on the Rams roster, the team signed just released Saints cornerback Jason Craft.

The Rams signed Brown to a five-year contract in 2006 in a $12M free agent deal. He started all 26 games in his first two years in St. Louis, but was suspended for the first four games last year for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Rumors on the internet speculate that the move is related to "off-field issues". Was Brown about to fail another drug test? Is he being made the scapegoat for the defense in the same way Marc Bulger was made the scapegoat for the offense's poor play earlier this week? The wackiness at Rams Park continues....

Rams Will Start Green Against Bills

2008-09-23T12:27:00.004-05:00

The St. Louis Rams announced today that Trent Green will replace Marc Bulger at quarterback for Sunday's home game against the Buffalo Bills. Bulger was 18-for-31 in last Sunday's 37-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, his third game below 200 yards passing. The Rams have been outscored 116-29 this season and have the league's lowest ranked offense.

Will Bulger's benching be enough to jump start the team? Is he the scapegoat, taking the blame for larger behind-the-scenes issues at Rams Park? Will Rams majority owner Chip Rosenbloom do the right thing and fire Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw who created this mess in the first place? All these questions remain unanswered. The team has said that coach Scott Linehan is not going to comment on the quarterback change today, but will be available to speak tomorrow. Stay tuned, this is finallys starting to get interesting.....

Bryan Burwell's Right

2008-09-16T16:24:00.002-05:00

I don't always agree with him, but this time the St. Louis Post Dispatch's Bryan Burwell is spot on when he says....

Blame the man who hired Linehan
By Bryan Burwell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
09/15/2008

Here was the epitome of football frustration: the confounded Rams fan. Anonymous but not unnoticed, he stood there in Section 103 at the end of the latest Sunday afternoon Rams catastrophe — a 41-13 stomping at the hands of the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants — and begged for answers.

Here was the true voice of the people, a middle-aged fellow with a thick, droopy mustache wearing an overstuffed Marc Bulger jersey. He wasn't mad. He was confused. He wasn't raging. He was despondent. He wasn't out of control. He was out of his mind.

So the fan simply stared at the players and coaches as they sprinted into the darkness of the end zone tunnel and all he could do was unleash this plaintive wail that pierced through the jeering cacophony:

Sit down, my man. This is going to take some time.

Here was the epitome of football frustration: the deflated and defeated Rams head coach. Scott Linehan walked into the postgame interview room and immediately you could tell that we were about to witness an awkward gold mine of material for the next Coors Light television commercial.

He looked like a coach who's lost it. He sounded like a man who'd finally come to grips with the unpleasant fact that too many of his players have quit on him.

"The bottom line is that we can't expect to win games playing the way we are playing."

The words came out like a man spitting out a bitter seed. He was mad. He was confused. He was hurt. He was emotionally wounded. He wasn't only despondent, for the first time in his coaching tenure, it looked like he finally knew what the rest of us have known for more than a year: His dream job had turned into a grotesque nightmare.

"You guys were at the same game I was at: That is how you lose. That is not how you win."

It wasn't quite the ultimate NFL head coach meltdown — "Playoffs?!! PLAYOFFS!!???" — but it was close enough. Linehan's seething words and burning frustration were the denouement to the disaster that has become the sorry, no-account state of St. Louis Rams football.

So, now then, back to the original question: Why are the Rams so bad?

They're bad because a decent man named Scott Linehan probably wasn't ready to be a head coach in the NFL, and the people who hired him weren't sharp enough to know that. They're bad because they have too many players who have neither the talent nor the fortitude to play hard enough to earn their paychecks.

It's not everyone in that locker room, but there are enough quitters in there to have provoked injured Pro Bowler Leonard Little into a postgame, chair-throwing rage, while he and wide receiver Dane Looker launched profanity-laced tirades about how the 0-2 Rams have become the league laughingstock.

This season is already over, and we're only two games in. And even though the most obvious short-term solution is to fire Linehan — not to mention some of these feckless players — what will that really accomplish?

To borrow from current political vernacular, getting rid of Linehan is like putting lipstick on a pig. That's not change. That's not real change.

You see, I don't blame him. I blame the man who hired him, Jay Zygmunt, the team's president of football operations.

Somehow, the man with the least amount of football expertise in this organization has risen to become the most influential man in the franchise. When he was engaged in that power struggle with Mike Martz, Ziggy kept telling us it was all Mad Mike's fault. Well, Martz is long gone, and look what we're left with:

A man who signs players not because of their talent, but because he gets along with their agents; hires coaches not because they are the most qualified, but because they'll be his buddy. He's the man who alters draft boards at the last minute at his uneducated whim despite the protests of coaches and personnel men who evaluate potential draftees based on such unconventional things as actual talent.

So you want to know why the Rams are so bad?

Look no further than Zygmunt for the answer. Those are his players, his coaches. He shaped this franchise into his own gloriously incompetent image, and the result is a team in ruin.

So while the skids are being greased for Linehan, you might want to slap a little more gunk on a steep incline in Zygmunt's path as well. In the meantime, tell him to go into a quiet corner and stay there, then remind the incredibly competent football men who have been hired in pro personnel that they are their own men again.

Tell executive vice president Billy Devaney that he's in complete control of the football operations and he doesn't have to play office politics anymore to soothe Zygmunt's power-hungry ego, and let's see what happens next.

Maybe that would be a change we can all believe in.

Read the origianl article here...

Drew Bennett to Miss at Least a Month

2008-09-09T09:24:00.006-05:00

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Drew Bennett will be sidelined at least a month with a fractured foot suffered in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Bennett broke the matetarsal bone in his left foot on the Rams' sixth play on offense, after a 4-yard gain on a pass from Marc Bulger. Coach Scott Linehan said Monday that Drew won't need surgery and that he didn't think it was a season ending injury. With rookie Donnie Avery, a second round pick, already out with a MCL sprain, the Rams are planning tryouts for a replacement at Rams Park today. Derek Stanley could be promoted from the practice squad, or the team could seek veteran help from Reche Caldwell who was among the final players cut this season. Rumor has it that Eddie Kennison, the former Kansas City Chief and Rams' first-round draft pick in 1996, may visit Rams Park today as well.

One game into the season and, just like last year, the injuries are beginning to mount. Even before Drew Bennett was injured, Leonard Little strained his right hamstring on the fourth play of the game and is questionable to return by Sunday's home opener against the New York Giants. Punter Donnie Jones was also injured, bruising his right knee ad he tackled DeSean Jackson to prevent a touchdown after a 60-yard return in the third quarter. Rookie end Chris Long broke the little finger on his right hand early in the game, but continued to play making four tackles. Finally, guard Jacob Bell tweaked a hamstring. His status is still unclear. Injuries are part of the game, but one can't help wondering if there is something wrong with the Rams' off-season conditioning program and training camps that results in so many injuries...

Week 1: Eagles 38, Rams 3

2008-09-08T09:38:00.007-05:00

Words are hard to find this morning. Disappointing, uninspired, pathetic. The St. Louis Rams have never been beaten as badly on opening day in franchase history. On January 18, 2008 team owner Gerogia Frontiere lost her battle with breast cancer. The team has dedicated the 2008 season to her memory. The players wear a special commemorative patch, featuring Georgia's distinguished signature, strategically affixed to the left front of each jersey. Shame on you coach Linehan. Shame on you John Shaw, Jay Zygmunt and almost every Rams player. The product you all put on the field yesterday was disgraceful. Georgia deserved much, much better.

Team Captains, Roster Moves & Injury Report

2008-09-03T15:36:00.003-05:00

Since I've been negligent in posting the past few days, and I'm trying to make the Rams 21-17 loss to the Chiefs a distant memory, I thought I'd focus on a few positive things on this "NFL Eve".

On Monday the players voted on team captains, settling on Marc Bulger and Torry Holt to lead the offense, Will Witherspoon and Corey Chavous to lead the defense, and Todd Johnson as the special teams captain. According to coach Scott Linehan "It says a lot about those five guys. There's some other really good huys that received a significant amount of votes, but it was pretty unanimous".

After cutting 13 players to get down to the final 53-man roster on Saturday, the team made a few more moves on Monday. Cornerback Ricky Manning was signed to a one-year contract after being cut by the Bears. He'll give the Rams some badly needed depth at the position following preseason injuries to Fakhir Brown and rookie Justin King. Rams fans may remember him the most for the interception he made in overtime against the Rams in the 2003 playoffs. To make room for Manning, defensive back Eric Bassey was released.

Then, Monday afternoon, the Rams made another addition, coming to terms with linebacker and special teams ace Gary Stills. He earned a reputaion as a special teams star during his seven years in Kansas City, averaging 25 special teams stops per season from 2000-2005. Stills signed with Baltimore as a free agent in 2006, and set a franchise record with 44 special teams tackles (the second-highest single-season total in NFL history). He had 26 special teams stops last season and, although he's entering his 10th season in the league, the Rams believe he can be a leader on a special teams and can still be an effective performer on coverage units. Don't get me started on the special teams coverage the past few years! Maybe Gary Stills can be just the spark the unit needs.

Finally, the injury report. Going into the first game week of the regular season the Rams have, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS, only one member of the 53-man squad unable to suit up. Rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery sprained his right knee in the pre-season finale against the Chiefs and was limited to light work and running on Monday. Everyone else was fully padded and participating, to some degree. Maybe the injury bug that plagued las season has finally left for some other team.

One last note...the supposedly close race for the number 3 backup QB job ended with Brock Berlin winning by a wide margin.

The only thing left to say is "are you ready for some footbaaaaaaaaaaaal?"

"Link" of the Day....

2008-08-26T09:15:00.002-05:00

Digg it yourself here....

Preseason Game Three: Rams 24, Ravens 10

2008-08-25T15:48:00.002-05:00

The St. Louis Rams improved their pre-season record to 2-1 Saturday night, win over the Baltimore Ravens. The defense continued to improve, and the offense finally showed signs of getting its act together. Here's the breakdown:
THE GOOD:
The first-team offense scored two touchdowns in the first half. Almost more importantly, there actually seemed to be a rhythm to the offense.
Marc Bulger looked sharp. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 182 yards in two quarters of play, didn't have a single interception, and posted a passer rating of 119.1. He definitely looke more like his old self, and less like the bruised and battered Bulger we've seen so much of lately.
Rookies Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton energized the offense. Although the both made a few rookie mistakes, they both were able to get open consistently and make some key plays.
THE BAD:
Receiver Drew Bennett left with a groin muscle strain in the first half. The time he did play was less than spectacular. Frankly, he's never proved to me that he's worth his $30M contract. Consider his injury to be a positive thing for the offense....less Bennett = more playing time for Keenan and Avery.
More injuries: Wide receiver Reche Caldwell will be day-to-day with a hyperextended knee, kick returner Dante Hall suffered a high ankle sprain, and cornerback Darius Vinnett suffered a sprained knee.
Running back Steven Jackson, coming off his 27-day holdout, still has some catching up to do. With a limited week to practice before Thursday's preseason finale at Kansas City, I don't look for Jackson to suit up before the regular season starts.
THE UGLY:
Nothing I consider truely "ugly" this week. I know it was just a pre season game, and the team is far from "Greatest Show on Turf" status, but they did look much better this week. Maybe I should have listed that under THE GOOD.

Register to Vote on yor Xbox 360

2008-08-22T11:46:00.002-05:00

Microsoft and the Rock the Vote organization have announced a groundbreaking partnership that will allow Xbox 360 owners to register to vote, participate in presidential polls and voice their opinions to the presidential candidates. Starting Monday, Aug. 25, the Xbox LIVE service will try to help Rock the Vote to realize it's goal of registering 2 million young Americans by this Fall. I hope it will also cast gamers in a positive light (for once) and help to dispel the notion, spread by Senator Hillary Clinton and others, that playing video games is bad for you.

Read the full press release here...

Jackson's Holdout Is Over

2008-08-21T10:00:00.002-05:00

Steven Jackson's 27-day holdout is apparently over, with a contract extension agreed to "in principle". After a few more details are worked ironed out today, "We'll be pretty much done" Jackson said. Details of the contract have not been disclosed, but in late July the Rams are rumored to have offered a seven-year, $50 million extension that included $17 million in guaranteed money. Whatever the deal, the new contract is sure to make Jackson one of the NFL’s highest-paid running backs. Missing all of training camp at Concordia University Wisconsin, the pressure is now on Steven to get up to speed in time for the Rams' regular-season opener September 7 in Philadelphia. Like the Ram's current marketing campaign says, its time to "Bring It!"

Palm Announces Treo Pro

2008-08-20T14:47:00.004-05:00

Palm officially announced the Treo Pro today. The new smartphone runs the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS, sports a glossy black finish, a 1500mAh battery, a Qualcomm^® MSM7201 400MHz processor, 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM, WiFi, built-in GPS, a 2 megapixel camera, and will support microSDHC cards up to 32GB. The Treo Pro will be available as an unlocked version in the U.S. this Fall, and should keep the Palm faithful content until the new devices running the long awaited Palm OS II operating system arrive in the first half of next year.

Read the full Palm press release here...

Wroten's Troubles Continue

2008-08-19T09:41:00.003-05:00

The St. Louis Rams have apparently filed a grievance with the league for the pro-rated portion of Claude Wroten's signing bonus, since he will miss the entire 2008 season as a result of being suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Wroten signed a four-year contract, after being drafted by the Rams in the 3rd round of the 2006 draft. The contract included a $805,000 signing bonus, so the team is seeking one-fourth of that bonus back ($201,250) representing the lost season of 2008. I can't say I have any sympathy for Claude, although its a shame to see such talent wasted for the sake of getting high. Should the Rams be wise enough to dump him, maybe he can go to Miami and play with Ricky Williams....

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Brendan Shanahan to Return to the Blues?

2008-08-18T12:50:00.005-05:00

Here's some news that could rekindle my interest in hockey....

A year ago when Brendan Shanahan was an unrestricted free agent, the Blues' interest in the three-time Stanley Cup winner was minimal at best. Shanahan wanted to remain with the New York Rangers, and the Blues were in the midst of adding Paul Kariya to aid in their rebuilding process.

A year later, the dynamics have changed. Shanahan, 39, is again an unrestricted free agent, but his future in the Big Apple is much less certain this summer with the Rangers up against the NHL salary cap. After keeping mum on the topic in recent weeks, Blues President John Davidson on Thursday voiced heavy interest in returning one of the most popular players in club history to the city where he starred from 1991 to 1995.

"We've thrown our hat in the ring," Davidson said. "When it comes down to it, Brendan has to make a decision that's right for him and his family. It could be New York. But we hope he explores the Blues as a viable option."

The Blues have not offered Shanahan a contract, but they've notified his agent, Rick Curran, of their interest. The team is working under the assumption that Shanahan wants to play one more season in the NHL, his 21st.

"I haven't spoken directly with any other teams," Shanahan told the New York Daily News late Thursday. "But the ones that have contacted my agent have all been told the same thing: My focus remains on working something out with New York. And we're still talking with (Rangers general manager) Glen Sather."

On adding Shanahan, Davidson said: "It's depth, it's experience ... we feel that we have a good base of experience with the veterans we have. But if you can improve, it's a good thing. The thing about Brendan, he's a very mature hockey player. He's won championships with good organizations. When people like that are available, you have to explore it and try and improve your team. And also, the player has had some history here."

The Blues said Shanahan could help a power-play unit stuck in a rut the past two seasons, and Davidson also feels Shanahan could contribute on the penalty-kill unit.

The club could use a player with both of those skills. However, make no mistake that when Davidson mentions Shanahan's "history here," the Blues are well aware of how much his return could ignite the team's fan base.

The mere mention of his name evokes memories — good and bad — that register in the top 10 in franchise history.

Shanahan was brought to St. Louis on July 24, 1991, as a restricted free agent from New Jersey. In return, the Blues offered the Devils a package of players as compensation.

In one of the most controversial arbitration rulings in league history, Judge Edward Houston rejected the Blues' proposal and instead awarded defenseman Scott Stevens to New Jersey.

Shanahan helped make the decision less dreadful by putting up big numbers in St. Louis. In his second season with the Blues, he scored 51 goals in 1992-93, following that up with 52 in '93-94. His popularity soared with the fans — perhaps too much for former Blues coach Mike Keenan.

Though Shanahan had scored 156 goals and posted 306 points in 277 games with the franchise, Keenan traded him to the Hartford Whalers in July 1995 for a raw defenseman named Chris Pronger.

Pronger was booed from the outset but eventually developed into an MVP and Norris Trophy winner. Meanwhile, though, Shanahan went to Detroit, won three Stanley Cups and solidified himself as a winner in the minds of Blues fans.

Davidson acknowledged that Shanahan's popularity in St. Louis is an attraction. "It all ties in, sure," Davidson said. "If you had two people and one was a guy who the fans didn't know and the other one was Brendan Shanahan, you'd go with Brendan. The people here know him."

Could Shanahan return to the Blues?

The Rangers are just $1.5 million under the $56.7 million salary cap in 2008-09. The sense in New York is that the team is ready to turn the page on Shanahan, but he wants to play the final season of his career with the Rangers. Philadelphia and New Jersey also are reportedly interested.

"He's in a position now where he's had a fair amount of interest from different organizations," Davidson said. "We're waiting to see what the Rangers are going to do. One factor that seems to be the main domino is what (free agent) Mats Sundin does. It's an intriguing scenario."

As a Ranger last season, he scored just 23 goals in 73 games, the lowest production of his career in seasons when he played 70-plus games.

The Blues aren't worried.

"For us, we think Brendan can still play," Davidson said. " He's in great shape. We've done our research."

As far as taking the spot of a young prospect on the roster, Davidson said: "We want our young players to graduate to the next level. We're trying to surround them in the right atmosphere and Brendan could be a big part of that. We're still going to play a lot of youth. We'll just see how it goes."

Read the full St. Louis Post Dispatch article here...