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this popped up on my youtube feed. was pretty interesting.


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Hello all, I'm very excited to take my son to our very first Rams camp tomorrow. If there any tips the veterans can provide it would be much appreciated.
A couple questions I have is how early should we show up, as soon as the gates open or could it be closer to practice time? Also it seems there's restrictions as to what to bring in, I'd like to bring lots of water to drink but it doesn't seem they allow any water bottles? Thanks in advance for your thoughts

When trust is broken, its hard to get back. In the context of a romantic relationship, some subscribe to the mantra, “once a cheater, always a cheater.”

Perhaps this informs the comments of many fans regarding Matthew Stafford’s elbow.

Apparently, it all goes back to Todd Gurley.

In as we all recall, in late 2018, Gurley’s knee started to have issues. He missed games late in the season and, after a solid performance in the Wild Card game against Dallas, largely disappeared (in favor of retread C.J. Anderson) through the Super Bowl run. The next season, he was ineffective. By 2020, he was a Falcon. Last year, he was no longer playing.

During this ordeal, the team was, to say the least, something less than a fount of information. Indeed, the public statements were generally vague, and seemed calculated to convey a lack of concern and/or optimism, notwithstanding what we saw on the field (or, in New Orleans, on the sideline).

Many felt lied to or, to follow the analogy, “cheated on.”

So now, with Matthew Stafford experiencing elbow soreness/pain and the team again making statements that are a bit vague, is there cause for concern?

Has the “cheating” returned?

I, for one, really don’t see an analogy here. In Gurley’s case, there was a clear injury (ACL tear) that was repaired leaving a knee that, as is often the case, particularly with “bell cow” running backs, wore down. Sure, it happened prematurely, particularly in light of the contract Gurley received, but this is not an unfamiliar story (ask the Giants about Sequan Barkley or the Panthers about Christian McCaffrey, for example).

Stafford, on the other hand, has been exceedingly durable over the years, and has a reputation for playing – and playing very well – in the face of wear, tear, bumps, bruises and pain.

We’ve seen him throw this week. We’ve heard the explanation of his situation. I’m not overly concerned.

But some, including people on at least 3 Rams boards I have seen, have implied that this is another Gurley situation. That we should be worried that we are being “cheated” on again.

Only time will tell, but I’m just not feeling that way. If anything, I wish Sean McVay would say less, as he’s now being quoted out of context by bloggers and other casual commentators. I don’t feel like this is “another Gurley” situation, though, and I don’t think I’m being lied to.

I’m sure everyone hopes I’m right.

Anyone know just how big a 'tiny' nuclear reactor might be, or how safe or how much power they produce ?

The immense impact of Hall of Fame coach Dick Vermeil's unique superpower on my own HOF career​

Published: Aug 03, 2022 at 11:01 AM

Kurt Warner
NFL Network Analyst


St. Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil is seen on the sidelines with quarterback Kurt Warner (13) during an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 31, 1999, in Nashville. (Allen Kee via AP)

In today's comic book-crazed world of entertainment, we are inundated with superheroes. As a father of seven, I am not allowed to miss a single one of the genre's perpetually hyped movie releases -- and often, conversations at our dinner table revolve around the incredible superpowers of each character and the amazing feats they achieve.

It's a new generation, that's for sure. But in a sense, I'm reminded of my own adolescence. The biggest difference: My kids' heroes wear capes, while mine wore jerseys. Every fall, I was fully captivated by those towering figures who dominated my television screen each Sunday afternoon. They captured my imagination with unique abilities and enticing backstories -- and I loved to eventually see the best of the best immortalized in Canton, Ohio. My superheroes were gridiron icons, the Pro Football Hall of Famers who ultimately inspired this young kid from Iowa to believe in the impossible and chase my own dreams.

As a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 -- and yes, I still pinch myself saying that -- I look forward to returning to Canton each year to help welcome the newbies into the club. On Saturday, we'll celebrate another great class -- Tony Boselli, Cliff Branch, LeRoy Butler, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Bryant Young, Art McNally and Dick Vermeil -- during the enshrinement ceremony at noon ET at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. These men have distinguished themselves by what they accomplished on the field, but I'm curious to learn how their pasts and personalities shaped them -- and how, in turn, they used their experiences and talent to influence and impact the people around them. These traits -- or, as I like to call them, superpowers -- vary from player to player. Some inspire through their willingness to hone their talent or via the eloquence of their words. Others lead with the strength of their character and ability to handle adversity, raising the standard of those around them. I have yet to come across a Hall of Famer without one of these superpowers.

That said, when it comes to one member of this year's class, I don't really have much to learn, because I've already witnessed firsthand what makes him so utterly special. I've known Dick Vermeil for more than two decades. I've observed his superpower in action. I've experienced its impact.

Coach V's superpower? His heart.

It might not seem like a superpower at first blush. It doesn't make you physically imposing. It can't design a game-winning play. But there are few things more powerful than heart. Coach Vermeil truly wanted what was best for each of his players, and that's a rare quality that cannot be overlooked. Shoot, it completely changed the course of my life.

The first time I experienced his superpower was in 1998. Coach Vermeil pulled all of the players together at the end of a training camp practice, as he always did, to share words of wisdom and help us improve as a team. On this particular day, tears came to his eyes before he even spoke. I, like most of the guys, was surprised because we all subscribed to the idea that "There's no crying in baseball" -- OK, football in this case. We all anticipated some sort of tragedy. Instead, Coach Vermeil told us how he had to cut our fifth-string tight end, preventing the player from fulfilling his dream. Now, all of us players knew the tight end wasn't good enough to make the team -- and honestly wasn't good enough to play in the NFL -- so this move was inevitable in our eyes. However, that decision crushed Coach V, who was unable to consider the big picture in that moment. Instead he was consumed by what his action meant for the cut player.

The next instance came several weeks later when the Rams were making their final roster cuts. I was an unknown journeyman who had started one year at Northern Iowa before cutting his pro football teeth in the Arena League and NFL Europe. Not exactly the kind of résumé that demands NFL attention. And in a show-me league, very few people allow their decisions to be led by their heart. Lucky for me, Coach Vermeil was the exception to the rule. I stood in the hallway of Rams Park waiting to find out if my dream of making an NFL roster would come true, and around the corner walked Coach Vermeil. Instead of bringing me to his office in order to reveal my fate, he told me right then and there that I had made the team. And it wasn't, as he explained, really because of my on-field exploits. Coach Vermeil said he felt there was something different about me, and he couldn't let me go without finding out what it was.

The final example of Coach Vermeil's superpower that I'll share -- trust me, I have a million of these ... -- was the day I found out I would become a starter in the NFL for the first time. This moment came a little over a year after that fateful day in the hallway of Rams Park, and it would be the single most impactful impression Coach V ever made on me.

The night after our third preseason game ahead of the 1999 regular season, Coach Vermeil was in his scheduled press conference. He had just found out that our starting quarterback -- Trent Green, a free agent the Rams had just signed to a lucrative deal -- had suffered a season-ending knee injury. In typical Dick Vermeil fashion, nearly every comment that day came with tears -- which I believe were multifaceted and truly showed the heart of this special coach in a tough league. I often joke that his tears stemmed from the sudden realization that his own fate, and that of the organization, now lied in the hands of an unproven quarterback who, a few years earlier, was stocking shelves in a grocery store. But in reality, I know nothing could be further from the truth.

The tears started due to the pain he felt for Trent, who had journeyed long and hard to get his turn. It broke Coach Vermeil's heart. This moment had nothing to do with the game, but everything to do with simply wishing he could alleviate Trent's pain. At that same time, through the tears, Coach Vermeil said something in that press conference that would be the single most confidence-inducing moment of my career:
"We will rally around Kurt Warner, and we will play good football."

As much as Trent's journey resonated with Coach V, so did mine. He thought about both of us quarterbacks in that moment, knowing each of us needed something different -- and he delivered with aplomb on both fronts. To this day, I don't know how he was able to express genuine pain and real encouragement simultaneously, and I've never witnessed a moment that powerful. But that's how superheroes work. They do incredible things -- things we have never seen before and may never see again -- all for the good of others.

I can't wait to see my favorite superhero be one of the stars of the show in Canton this week. I know and have felt his superpower. The best part, though, is that his enormous heart will be on full display for the entire football community to witness. You can bet that tears will flow -- and not just from Coach V.

Football is finally back(sort of) and so now talking heads want to predict who’s good and who’s not.
I heard some expert saying that big Whit’s absence and Boom taking his place is not good for the Rams.
I love Whit as much as the next guy but are there any areas where this is an upgrade? No doubt Whit wasn’t the same guy his last few years, is Boom a better run blocker, better vs the speed rush? Whit knew all the tricks and maybe got the benefit of the doubt sometimes but Boom is younger and quicker and shouldn’t be overwhelmed.
Is it crazy to be optimistic about the LT position?

The usual stuff has happened. Beers with @bubbaramfan and a new friend Rudy.

New player #4. Looks like a Danny Amondola clone. Practice punt returns. Little nervous, missed a couple.

Who is this kid?

Here are my 3 categories. ‘Already sold as good to great additions’, ‘looking good so far but not completely sold’, ‘need to see more on field evidence’.

‘Already sold’ on these guys because I’ve seen/heard enough. In no particular order:

Allen Robinson. Gonna be a beast. Has a Kupp-like perfectionist mind set. Been practically uncoverable, including red zone. Tremendous signing.
Joe Noteboom. Never had a doubt, really, but all feedback has been superlative.
Bobby Wagner. Duh! Never much doubt in 1st place but feedback has exceeded expectations. Morris is gonna love him. Great signing.
Decobie Durant. A Snead HR in the 4th. I’m sold already. Might contribute this year and probably future quality starter. Emphasis ‘quality’. Ball hawk.
Derion Kendrick. Another Snead HR this time in the 6th. Possible future starter. Another ball hawk.
Nick Scott. Talk about exceeding expectations. The speed, instincts, ints, and that bone jarring hit on Deebo. He’s a starter this year, imo.
Brandon Powell. He’s our returner, dammit! Potentially an All Pro returner. He makes the 53 for sure. Fuggeddaboudit…

Now for the ‘looking good so far but not completely sold just yet’ Again, no particular order:

Logan Bruss. Future starter, I think, but might not be by opening day. Or even this year. Quality 3rd round pick, though.
Kendall Blanton. Good feedback so far. Seems to be picking up where he left off in playoffs last year. Slight favorite for #2 TE, I think.
Brycen Hopkins. Just a slight tick behind Blanton. Good feedback so far. Apparently, Rams knew what they were doing when they focused on other positions this offseason.
Tutu Atwell. I was not a big fan after last year’s fiasco, but it’s hard to ignore the consistent positive reviews that have been coming in from everybody. Still skeptical but would love to have been wrong.
Alaric Jackson. I’m pretty sold on this kid, but I would like to see just a few more snaps before I’m completely all in.
Terrell Lewis. Goodness, so many strong positive reviews from everybody. Players, coaches, beat writers, and camp reporters. Do we dare hope for a healthy Lewis blasting out this year?
Troy Hill. I consider him a 1 year bridge CB, but a helluva good one at that. VERY good in that role. Ramsey loves him.
Robert Rochell. Flashing at times but needs more consistency, don’t you think? Unbelievable physical gifts, hopefully they translate.
Justin Hollins. I think Rams really like him. I’m cautiously optimistic that he will be adequate at edge this year.

Now for the ‘unsure, need to see more’ guys:

Kyren Williams. Love the potential. Only pick Rams traded up for, but gotta stay healthy and available.
Daniel Hardy. There’s a ton of potential here and his head is screwed on right. Gotta earn those on-field snaps, though.
Chris Garrett. Is he legit or is he a preseason tease? We’ll see.
Bobby Brown III. Can he get his act together and reach his considerable potential? Last year underwhelmed and now the PED suspension followed by being out of shape in practice? C’mon…
Jacob Harris. Another tease so far. When will ‘rawness’ disappear? There’s a genuine opportunity for snaps if he can pull it together.


Well, those are my3 categories as of August 4th. Things will solidify as we move closer to opening day.

Thoughts?

The Fascinating Life And Career Of Rosey Grier (Story)​

Through hard work and determination, Rosey Grier became a very good defensive tackle in the NFL.

During his decade as a player, Grier received numerous accolades and won an NFL championship.

He also became a linchpin of an LA Rams defensive line that is still considered one of the best in league history.

After retiring from football, Grier became a fixture in the television industry.

He also put his former defensive tactics to good use as muscle for a number of political figures.

Unfortunately, Grier couldn’t stop one of the most highly publicized assassinations in the turbulent 60s.

This is the story of the career and fascinating life of Rosey Grier.

READ MORE:

So who's gonna watch it. I'm pretty hard up for foozball so I'll be tuned in to watch third stringers duke it out to kick the season off wooooooo!

Cowherd was saying today that the 9ers were the best spot for OBJ. He would get to stay in California, which he seems to like, he would be the #1, and they would probably give him multiple years. I thought the SB showed pretty clearly what OBJ could do as a 3 especially with Kupp and Robinson occupying the top 2 corners, but who knows what he’s thinking.

Cowherd also proclaimed the 9ers as the team likely to win the nfc. He believes Lance is due to break out under Shanny, like Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan and Jimmy G did. Cowherd went on to compare Lance to Mahomes, who also sat out his rookie year. Until proven otherwise that’s the only comparison between those 2. In 4 years Mahomes played in 32 games and threw 1300 passes, while in basically 1 season plus 3 games in 2 others, Lance threw 300 passes.
Lance just hasn’t had the reps to make any kind of judgment. Josh Allen was a small guy who has gone to the next level so it surely can happen but it took some time with him too.
Cowherd likes to stir things up, maybe that’s why he failed to mention the defending champs in the same division as the niners.

I was feeling much better today so I managed to shoot a few good pictures.

First, spent the afternoon with @RamBall and @bubbaramfan and got to see and talk with @theduke for a little bit. Always enjoy spending time with these brothers.

Today could be titled the Allan Robinson/TuTu Atwell/John Wolford day! They all shined. You are going to see a lot of corner endzone jump balls to Robinson, they must have ran that play 4-5 times in a row! TuTu can catch, and jump, and run. He is looking good! Wolford was really throwing well. Not Matt Stafford well but a big improvement over the old Wolford. Still doesn't have a long ball.

Well here are the pictures, I hope you can make sense out of them and what I was trying to capture (hint: AR onehanded TD with #6 Kendrick hanging all over him).

Day 5 pics Rams Camp 2022

I found this on YouTube just now. Some of you old St. Louis football fans might find it interesting. He was the star player for Long Beach State when I was there 1972. Eric's Dad.
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Good day of practice. Hooked up with VRF and Ramball got good seats at north field. AD not dressed, Jacob Harris not dressed but in tank top and shorts working out with trainer on sideline. No sign of Bobby Evans. He wasn't at Monday's practice either. Saturday he played most reps with 2nd team at RT. Something is up with Evans but haven't heard a word from anyone why he's a no show for 2 straight practices. Trade? Injury? McVay's doghouse?

Today was mostly lots of vanilla plays, I'm guessing 50 -60 snaps for almost 2 hours. 1st team O vs 2nd team D, 2nd team O vs 1st team D. Red zone, and hurry up drills mixed in. Some FG and punt snaps. Lots of substitutions, and mixing of OL and DL with just about everyone getting several snaps.

Ol looks to be getting sorted out. Noteboom LT, Edwards LG, Allen C, and it looks like Shelton, who got most of the snaps the last two practices is frontrunner at RG, and of course Havenstien at RT. Where it's not so clear is who are backups at OL. A Jackson and T Anchrum are clearly backup LT and LG, they've both taken majority of snaps there and looked very good. Kolone took most snaps a C 2nd team today, with Snyder and Brewer getting in a few. Acuri and Ealy got majority of snaps at RT with 2nd team and Brewer and Bruss at RG. Looks like the right side of 2nd team OL is far from settled.

With so many snaps today I'm not gonna give any play by play, just some of what we all agreed stood out.

Both starting offense and defense look great and John Wolford really stood out today running the 1st team. He looks confident and his passes were crisp and mostly accurate. Defense held up good against the run (even without AD, Copeland took his place). Floyd and Hollins were and handful, but Noteboom and Havenstien kept the pocket intact. Not to worry folks. Noteboom looks very comfortable and smooth out there, nice footwork and hand placement. Only one to give him trouble is T Lewis. I'll get to him later.

1st team D was pretty dominating today. Wags in the backfield several times, broke up a couple passes. Rochelle with a pick. Drurrant played a lot of snaps with 1st team and had to defend Kupp and Robinson quite a few times. He did pretty good.All I can say about Rams 1st team D is going to be very good.

2nd team D was a lot of mixing up of players. But DE's stayed the same for most of practice. Garrett at LDE and Lewis at RDE got most reps today. Both put good pressure all day. Lewis is impressing. NO brace and he stays out there play after play after play. Both play the run good too.

Later they put 1st team vs 1st team. They really got after it with some hard hitting. Wags got to Wolford on a blitz. Wolford hit Atwell for a deep pass.

Some player notes. Some guys I don't need to say anything, like Akers, Kupp or Henderson, they look great. Robinson is outstanding.

Atwell continuing to get open and catches everything. I'm really liking how he's showing up.

Wolford has taken another step and ran the 1st team O very well today. Good decision making going through his reads quick and threading some passes through tight windows to Kupp, Robinson, Higbee and Atwell.

Perkins was a bit of a dissapointment to me today. If his 1st read isn't there, he runs. Later in the day he threw 2 picks back to back plays. He's not moving ahead of Wolford anytime soon.

Powell is looking better and getting more touches with the 2nd team.

Rose and Ragas finally getting some touches. Calias in the mix.

Kendrick and Durrant getting a lot of work and both look to be ahead of where Rochelle was when he came in as a rookie.

Garrett and Lewis are way ahead of where they were last camp.

Bobby Brown is unmovable at NT, but looks out of shape, 2 or 3 plays and he comes out looking gassed. He has six games to sit out so he has time to get in better shape.

Can't think of anything else. I f I do I'll post here later. Will be at practice tomorrow.

Does he still have any juice?

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Mean Joe Greene 2nd. Our Deacon Jones 3rd.

Wasnt that close either...

@bubbaramfan and I starting off on a good note (I conveniently forgot my wallet). @RamBall is saving our seats.

Rest in peace

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Rest in peace GOAT

massive tampering investigation comes down.

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