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These are selected questions and answers. To read the whole chat click the link below. A lot of this is about relocation, a subject that's becoming tiresome to many of us, but this chat would have been extremely thin without it.
Btw one interesting note is that JT is thinking of writing a book about his experiences covering the Rams. And JT also believes the Patriots are a bunch of cheaters.
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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_3
NFL chat with Jim Thomas: 2/4/16
Hello again everybody. Sorry for the delay. Ducked into NFL Network media session to ask Kurt Warner about his Hall of Fame chances and Marshall Faulk about the Rams leaving St. Louis. I'll have a blog on Faulk shortly after this chat. It's great to be covering my 25th Super Bowl. I've led a blessed life.
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Did you get a chance to ask weasel Goodell why he and the NFL has taken a dump on the city of STL?
I don't think I'll ask it quite in that fashion. But I will try to get a question or two in Friday.
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Just wondering if you're still considering write a book about the ST LOUIS Rams, and if so when do you think we'd see it?
Yes I am. It's not foremost on my mind right now. But I am trying to decide if I'll write a PG version, a tell all, or a tell some.
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A tell-all please. With people like Georgia, Kroenke, Brooks, Ortmayer, Shaw, Zygmunt, Vermiel, Martz, Pasquale, Rhome, Carson, Linehan, Devaney, Spagnuolo, Snead, Fisher, Khan, Rosenbloom and Rodriguez, Carter, Banks, Warner, Bruce, Faulk, Holt, Bulger, Jackson, Barron, Bradford...anything less would be a travesty.
My only problem with a tell-all is that some things were told to me over the years in privacy. Even though many of those people are gone (from the Rams) and I no longer cover the Rams on a daily basis, I would be violating a trust _ a trust that is essential to being an effective journalist. So right now, I'm leaning towards a "tell some."
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A tell all would be awesome. Stuff like front office people out fishing on draft day or I know you have a Pretty Tony story tucked away somewhere.
Oh, some of that would definitely be in the book.
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Please tell you will get a chance to expose Roger the Question Dodger for the liar that he is.
Unfortunately, I'll be unable to storm the stage and slap him on the forehead.
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Why is Mark Davis so adamant about not considering St. Louis?
This I would like to find out. I've been in front of him on a couple occasions to ask him about any interest in moving to St. Louis, but never got to ask him why he doesn't seem to be interested in the StL. I will keep trying. It took me a while to get in front of Jerry Jones to ask him about the Rams to LA but finally did in Oxnard.
It was worth the wait. Remember his reply to my question on what he thinks of the St. Louis stadium plans. "I have none." (Pause) "None whatsoever." Priceless. Hopefully Davis will be worth the wait as well.
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Does John Shaw regret asking for the first tier clause, and does Chip regret selling to Kroenke? Was there any way Chip and Lucia could've kept the Rams? I know Mark Davis isn't exactly swimming in cash.
I think Shaw was just trying to protect the franchise. But he's fond of St. Louis and realizes what the move meant to his career and the Rams _ i.e., the Greatest Show on Turf and Super Bowl XXXIV. In recent years, Shaw hasn't been much of a fan of Kroenke.
As for Chip regretting selling to Kroenke _ I'm not sure. I do know Chip wishes someone from St. Louis would've stepped up to attempt to buy the team at the time. He heard nothing but crickets from the StL and had to go to Champaign-Urbana to find Shad Khan.
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Marshall Faulk was on the air earlier this week, complaining that the Patriots must've taped the Rams' practice prior to the Super Bowl. Is he aware that Spygate had nothing to do with the Rams whatsoever?
Sorry, but are you aware that there was a second round of allegations a couple years after Spygate in which the Patriots were accused of taping the Rams' walk-through the day before Super Bowl XXXVI? It was quickly swept under the rug. Mike Martz said years later that the league asked him not to make a fuss and he complied.
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You say Chip wanted someone from STL to step up and buy the Rams before he found Khan. Would that have made any difference. Ultimately wouldnt have Enos StanK have still invoked his right to buy the franchise anyway?
Maybe, maybe not if the price were high enough. And I seem to remember Kroenke being willing to sell off the club to Khan for some extra "jack" (as Stan would put it). But it didn't matter at the time, remember? Because Kroenke told us at the time he was a Missouri man, an honorable person that people trusted, and that he took great pride in helping to bring football back to StL.
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We haven't signed any free agents, the draft hasn't happened, we are long way from the start of Football in LA, but do you think the NFL will "somehow"ensure the Rams are in the playoffs next year. We already know they will do anything to make more money which means the Rams succeeding in LA, at least for the first few years.
I don't think even money can buy a playoff berth. But the league will do what it can, I'm sure. For example, I tweeted this earlier: I heard here at Super Bowl week in San Fran that I shouldn't be surprised if the Dallas Cowboys play their first preseason game against the Rams at the LA Coliseum. Preseason or not, the Cowboys always are a draw.
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So I was walking through Chesterfield Mall yesterday, and I have to say, with the Rams relocation debacle, every time I looked at an NFL-related item, anger or sadness didn't even arise in me. Surprisingly (or not) I realized that I have reached the point of dispassion/disinterest.
If you get a third question with Goodell or a moment with Grubman or Kroenke, please tell them that. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
i don't think the league cares. Now if 50 million people felt the same way, and the TV ratings started to drop, they would care. But no signs of that happening.
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I have always enjoyed your coverage of the Rams, you called it the way you saw it. I hope it works out for you professionally, you are an asset to the Post Dispatch. Now that the dust has settled, don't you believe the fix was in against the Rams.
One red flag that I guess was always there, was Kroenke's refusal to meet with the Gov. Nixon, Mayor Slay, and the stadium commission. Kroenke did not get to place in life by being stupid. Keeping your options open is smart, unless Kroenke knew along from the NFL he was not going to lose.
From a sour grapes point of view I hope the city of St. Louis sues the NFL for the 16 million and they get the opportunity to depose people like Kroenke, Goodall, and Grubman and see what was said when.
Thank you for your kind words. Yeah, it's hard not to think that the fix was in and that many of us - all of us? _ were a little gullible on all of this. For example, I really thought the relocation guidelines would make it tough for Kroenke to move. #sillyme The league should tack $16 million onto Kroenke's relocation fee and send a refund to StL.
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You mentioned you spoke to Demoff in Houston after the vote. You mentioned the conversation was private. But can you divulge the tone of the conversation? Was Demoff dismissive, arrogant, gleeful?
He was tired, he was relieved, he was respectful to me. We talked about some of the details of the relocation process.
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I think you've said you think Kroenke had an eye on LA and a move when he hired Fisher. And because Fisher had been involved in a relocation, that was a Fisher strength. Not to be conspiracy guy, but do you think Fisher's mediocre track record was a factor too?
That is, Kroenke would not have wanted a winning team in St. Louis, as it would have effected his justification for leaving. He wouldn't have wanted for the Rams to start winning and become hugely popular.
Well, we can accuse Kroenke of many things and probably be right _ but I think what you're postulating is a little far-fetched.
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I hope you like the home stadium of my new favorite team, the 49ers. What do you think of the Peyton Manning intrigue?
I've been to Levi's twice to cover Rams games. It's OK. Doesn't take your breath away. I wouldn't rank it as _ pardon the expression _ top tier. Peyton Manning is a great story line. I hate to see athletes stay too long past their prime _ that's one of the saddest storylines in sports. I hope he retires after the game.
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On to some on field stuff....who do you like Sunday? I think if Denver can run the ball they might have a chance but that'll be tough.
I'm a late addition, but I have to say I'm on the Carolina bandwagon. They made a believer out of me by bullying NFC West heavyweights Seattle and Arizona in the playoffs. Yes, Denver's defense is tops in the league, but Carolina's isn't far off the pace. But you're right. I would think to have any chance in this game, Denver has to have at least some success running the ball.
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Admittedly, suggesting an owner wanting to lose may be a little far fetched, but you'd have to agree that a winning Rams team in St. Louis would have made justifying a move much more difficult. So....
You're right. And had the Rams been piling up 10, 11, 12 wins a year _ say, a Manning-like run in Indy _ we wouldn't be in this situation, either.
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Any concerns from the NFL about the condition of the turf at Levi Stadium? I know they've resodded, but I've heard the Levi field just isn't very good.
Funny you should mention that. When the Rams played their season finale at Levi's a month ago, I didn't think the field was in very good shape then.
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What did you think of the Rodney Harrison quote about going after Cam Newtons knee on the Dan Patrick show? I thought it very ironic given his past history, last year with his attack on Jeff Fischer and in 1999 with Trent Green.
Don't have much respect for Rodney Harrison.
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So, to recap, you didn't know what was going on re: the move, what disinformation you did know you won't be putting into a book, but you do believe the false story from the Boston Herald about the Rams pre-Super Bowl practice being taped. Did I miss anything?
let it go. The Patriots cheated. We know it. You know it in your heart of hearts. As coach of Denver several years later Josh McDaniels was caught red-handed taping the 49ers' practice in London. I believe one of the New England video guys was working for him in Denver at the time. It's a New England tradition. #Patriotsway
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Newton's ability to run might slow down the Denver pass rush. Do you think Denver will back off of an aggressive rush and concentrate more on gap control?
You certainly need outside contain on Newton. Denver DC Wade Phillips can be unpredictable in his schemes. Dropping extra players into coverage certainly helped against New England.
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Have an idea on what the rams will be looking for in the draft?
Obviously, what happens in free agency _ particularly in terms of re-signed Rams' free agents _ will have a lot to do with which areas the team looks at in the draft. For example, what if Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson sign elsewhere as free agents _ then suddenly cornerback is a big need. If defensive ends Williams Hayes and Eugene Sims go elsewhere, that position is a big need.
The Rams are expected to have about $50 million in cap room when all is said and done _ much more than they've ever had in St. Louis _ so they could be big players in free agency. (I'm sure the fact that they have all this cap room the same year they move to LA is pure coincidence!) In any event, as we sit here right now, I'd say wide receiver and QB could be big draft needs.
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Any chance the Rams will just cut Foles and eat the salary cap hit or is it too high? Do you think it is likely they go into next season with the same 3 guys if they are not able to release Foles?
The Rams certainly have enough cap room to eat the salary cap hit on Foles.
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With their product at an all time high, I still don't understand why the NFL won't expand. I hear division of TV money is the concern. But with expansion wouldn't the "Pie" be bigger to split? Especially if one of the expansion teams was international...
Why not four cities. St. Louis, Toronto, Mexico City, and. . . .
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As a personal aside, I now get to "pick" a NFL team to root for. Being a homer it was always the Rams. While I wont necessarily be region restricted, I plan on traveling to see whatever team I select. While rooting interest is wholly subjective do you have any suggestions for me teamwise?
You sound like my wife, who always asks for a team to root for _ and why _ if we're watching a game on TV that doesn't involve the Rams, Mizzou, or Army. Andy Reid's a good man in Kansas City. Not that we're best friends or anything, but I've known him for a long time. Russell Wilson is fun to watch _
I might enjoy watching him more than any other player in the league. The whole aura of Green Bay remains enticing, although they need some receiving help. And Bruce Arians always is an enjoyable conference call.
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All teams cheat, including the Patriots. But there was no taping of the Rams practice. That's a falsehood retracted by the people who reported it. As a journalist, it's your responsibility to not spread false stories. Unless you have proof that it actually happened--proof aside from the retracted story by a fired reporter.
Of course, if you do have that proof, you probably can't put it in that book you're wavering ethics won't allow you to write.
If you ever get the chance you should ask Mike Martz about this.
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Do the rams have the weakest QB roster in the league? Sure seems like it.
Well, it's closer to the bottom than the top. I don't think there's much doubt about that.
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Greeting Jim, I don't want to miss my opportunity to say Thank You to you. You have spent a career providing me with insights and coverage of the St.L Rams. You have been an excellent read for me and I am grateful. I wish you the very best. Wish I could've said the same to Joe Strauss. We have to appreciate folks as no one knows who the bell tolls...
I can't tell you all how much I've appreciated all thoughts, concerns and well wishes from the readers over the past few weeks. It's very touching and much appreciated. Running into many media friends at the Super Bowl this week has been interesting. Some look at me almost as if I have some severe illness _ I tell them, "I haven't died, just pro football in St. Louis!" (joking) But it's been good to hear from them and see them.
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Which of the rams current Free agents dont you think they have much interest in re-signing? Barnes to me would be in that category.
Not sure on Barnes. I thought he played better over the second half of the season. I think they're pretty lukewarm on Zuerlein at this point. I've heard they might put the transition tag on Trumaine Johnson, and wonder if that means they feel he's more sign-able than Janoris Jenkins. I think if push came to shove, they'd sign Hayes over Sims.
I kind of wonder about Harkey only in the sense that if they wanted him back _ and he's a good blocker and leader _ why would he be re-signed already. I mean, it shouldn't be that tough to re-sign a fullback/blocking tight end.
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I nominate San Antonio as the fourth NFL expansion team; so it can eat into Jerry Jones' profits.
Jerry Jones might not agree, but I think Texas is big enough for three NFL team.
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I know you said jokingly that NFL football is dead in St. Louis but I actually agree with that statement. I can not see the NFL ever coming back. Short of a 1904 Renaissance. What say you?
I'll put it this way, I can't see it happening in the near future.
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Is there any chance we find out who the final 2 "Official" no votes were. The only chance I ever root for another NFL team would be one of those. the other 28 are dead to me!
All along, I've assumed it was Davis and Spanos. But I don't know. Then again, Carolina's Jerry Richardson may have been one of the two as well.
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What's the general consensus from your friends in other media markets regarding the Rams move back to LA? Is it a wrong righted by the Rams return, that St. Louis was treated unfairly, or a mixture of both? I'm Curious how the story is perceived in other markets by the local press covering the NFL?
Well, it could be just like other owners telling Spanos that he's got their vote. . . .but most of my media friends seem to agree that St. Louis got dumped on. Many of them have covered teams that left from Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, etc., so they know the feeling.
Some do wonder if St. Louis has the market to support 3 sports teams. But most have thought of the NFL as a greedy, money-grubbing enterprise _ and thought so long before the Rams' move. #cynicalhacks
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Do you have an opinion why the NFL dumped on St Louis so hard? Was it more of falling for Kroenke's LA stadium plan, or they share Stan's concerns about long term viability. It's odd the NFL went to to great lengths to crap on a pretty big market - one that may never embrace the NFL again.
I think it had much more to do with falling in love with a showcase stadium and returning to LA. St. Louis was viewed, as a reader aptly termed it: "acceptable collateral damage."
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I understand that MLS may be a salve to some Ex-Rams. Do you think if they build a MLS stadium it would be in the same spot downtown?
Using that same site would make a lot of sense to me. It would shore up the north end of downtown, and along with the Arch area renovations in the middle and Busch Stadium/ballpark village on the south end, we'd have the makings of a nice downtown area.
And to a degree, the soccer crowd is a younger set, which might help downtown as well. You know, go to the soccer game, and walk over the Laclede's Landing _ which would be in walking distance _ and have a beverage or some food.
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What is going to happen to all of the memorabilia that is around town that is Rams related like the ring of fame down at the dome? Are we just going to forget about all our history regarding football?
I'll try to find out on the stadium stuff. I don't think our town's football history will ever be forgotten or swept away locally, but several off the Greatest Show players and coaches _ I've quoted some in the paper _ have wondered if what they've accomplished will be swept away in LA.
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Any truth to the Manning to the Rams story?
I would think the Rams have talked about Manning "internally." Heck, they've talked about Drew Brees "internally." But talking about something "internally" and making it happen are two very different things.
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Do you know if there are any current players that are disenchanted with being on the Rams and wished that they were with a different organization?
Let me just put it this way: Players love to win. They love to be in the playoffs. They love to be playing for something down the stretch of the season.
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Hey Jim, free Papa John for you for your take...
So do you think if i came over to the Rams this year, the Rams could be a legit new Denver Broncos-type team?
I'm not the biggest fan of Papa John's _ more of an Imo's guy _ but to answer your questions _ highly doubtful.
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Do you have a general sense of how the players feel about moving to LA?
I think if you're young and single you're probably excited about the move the LA. And if you're one of the team's stars, you could have more endorsement opportunities. You've got to realize, more than half of the current roster had been Rams for only a year, or two, or three. They hadn't really established roots in StL. All they saw was the bitter end of the Rams in StL and lots of empty seats.
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The comments all read to any Rams story "stop reporting on the Rams", I still want to read about the Rams, I still will follow the team and hope they loose and see how Fischer manages to do 500 better then any other coach, at least for a few years. I have followed the team and players.
For every "stop reporting on the Rams" comment you see, I get about a dozen from readers saying they are still interested in the NFL and still interested in the Rams.
Btw one interesting note is that JT is thinking of writing a book about his experiences covering the Rams. And JT also believes the Patriots are a bunch of cheaters.
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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_3
NFL chat with Jim Thomas: 2/4/16
Hello again everybody. Sorry for the delay. Ducked into NFL Network media session to ask Kurt Warner about his Hall of Fame chances and Marshall Faulk about the Rams leaving St. Louis. I'll have a blog on Faulk shortly after this chat. It's great to be covering my 25th Super Bowl. I've led a blessed life.
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Did you get a chance to ask weasel Goodell why he and the NFL has taken a dump on the city of STL?
I don't think I'll ask it quite in that fashion. But I will try to get a question or two in Friday.
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Just wondering if you're still considering write a book about the ST LOUIS Rams, and if so when do you think we'd see it?
Yes I am. It's not foremost on my mind right now. But I am trying to decide if I'll write a PG version, a tell all, or a tell some.
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A tell-all please. With people like Georgia, Kroenke, Brooks, Ortmayer, Shaw, Zygmunt, Vermiel, Martz, Pasquale, Rhome, Carson, Linehan, Devaney, Spagnuolo, Snead, Fisher, Khan, Rosenbloom and Rodriguez, Carter, Banks, Warner, Bruce, Faulk, Holt, Bulger, Jackson, Barron, Bradford...anything less would be a travesty.
My only problem with a tell-all is that some things were told to me over the years in privacy. Even though many of those people are gone (from the Rams) and I no longer cover the Rams on a daily basis, I would be violating a trust _ a trust that is essential to being an effective journalist. So right now, I'm leaning towards a "tell some."
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A tell all would be awesome. Stuff like front office people out fishing on draft day or I know you have a Pretty Tony story tucked away somewhere.
Oh, some of that would definitely be in the book.
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Please tell you will get a chance to expose Roger the Question Dodger for the liar that he is.
Unfortunately, I'll be unable to storm the stage and slap him on the forehead.
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Why is Mark Davis so adamant about not considering St. Louis?
This I would like to find out. I've been in front of him on a couple occasions to ask him about any interest in moving to St. Louis, but never got to ask him why he doesn't seem to be interested in the StL. I will keep trying. It took me a while to get in front of Jerry Jones to ask him about the Rams to LA but finally did in Oxnard.
It was worth the wait. Remember his reply to my question on what he thinks of the St. Louis stadium plans. "I have none." (Pause) "None whatsoever." Priceless. Hopefully Davis will be worth the wait as well.
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Does John Shaw regret asking for the first tier clause, and does Chip regret selling to Kroenke? Was there any way Chip and Lucia could've kept the Rams? I know Mark Davis isn't exactly swimming in cash.
I think Shaw was just trying to protect the franchise. But he's fond of St. Louis and realizes what the move meant to his career and the Rams _ i.e., the Greatest Show on Turf and Super Bowl XXXIV. In recent years, Shaw hasn't been much of a fan of Kroenke.
As for Chip regretting selling to Kroenke _ I'm not sure. I do know Chip wishes someone from St. Louis would've stepped up to attempt to buy the team at the time. He heard nothing but crickets from the StL and had to go to Champaign-Urbana to find Shad Khan.
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Marshall Faulk was on the air earlier this week, complaining that the Patriots must've taped the Rams' practice prior to the Super Bowl. Is he aware that Spygate had nothing to do with the Rams whatsoever?
Sorry, but are you aware that there was a second round of allegations a couple years after Spygate in which the Patriots were accused of taping the Rams' walk-through the day before Super Bowl XXXVI? It was quickly swept under the rug. Mike Martz said years later that the league asked him not to make a fuss and he complied.
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You say Chip wanted someone from STL to step up and buy the Rams before he found Khan. Would that have made any difference. Ultimately wouldnt have Enos StanK have still invoked his right to buy the franchise anyway?
Maybe, maybe not if the price were high enough. And I seem to remember Kroenke being willing to sell off the club to Khan for some extra "jack" (as Stan would put it). But it didn't matter at the time, remember? Because Kroenke told us at the time he was a Missouri man, an honorable person that people trusted, and that he took great pride in helping to bring football back to StL.
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We haven't signed any free agents, the draft hasn't happened, we are long way from the start of Football in LA, but do you think the NFL will "somehow"ensure the Rams are in the playoffs next year. We already know they will do anything to make more money which means the Rams succeeding in LA, at least for the first few years.
I don't think even money can buy a playoff berth. But the league will do what it can, I'm sure. For example, I tweeted this earlier: I heard here at Super Bowl week in San Fran that I shouldn't be surprised if the Dallas Cowboys play their first preseason game against the Rams at the LA Coliseum. Preseason or not, the Cowboys always are a draw.
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So I was walking through Chesterfield Mall yesterday, and I have to say, with the Rams relocation debacle, every time I looked at an NFL-related item, anger or sadness didn't even arise in me. Surprisingly (or not) I realized that I have reached the point of dispassion/disinterest.
If you get a third question with Goodell or a moment with Grubman or Kroenke, please tell them that. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
i don't think the league cares. Now if 50 million people felt the same way, and the TV ratings started to drop, they would care. But no signs of that happening.
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I have always enjoyed your coverage of the Rams, you called it the way you saw it. I hope it works out for you professionally, you are an asset to the Post Dispatch. Now that the dust has settled, don't you believe the fix was in against the Rams.
One red flag that I guess was always there, was Kroenke's refusal to meet with the Gov. Nixon, Mayor Slay, and the stadium commission. Kroenke did not get to place in life by being stupid. Keeping your options open is smart, unless Kroenke knew along from the NFL he was not going to lose.
From a sour grapes point of view I hope the city of St. Louis sues the NFL for the 16 million and they get the opportunity to depose people like Kroenke, Goodall, and Grubman and see what was said when.
Thank you for your kind words. Yeah, it's hard not to think that the fix was in and that many of us - all of us? _ were a little gullible on all of this. For example, I really thought the relocation guidelines would make it tough for Kroenke to move. #sillyme The league should tack $16 million onto Kroenke's relocation fee and send a refund to StL.
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You mentioned you spoke to Demoff in Houston after the vote. You mentioned the conversation was private. But can you divulge the tone of the conversation? Was Demoff dismissive, arrogant, gleeful?
He was tired, he was relieved, he was respectful to me. We talked about some of the details of the relocation process.
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I think you've said you think Kroenke had an eye on LA and a move when he hired Fisher. And because Fisher had been involved in a relocation, that was a Fisher strength. Not to be conspiracy guy, but do you think Fisher's mediocre track record was a factor too?
That is, Kroenke would not have wanted a winning team in St. Louis, as it would have effected his justification for leaving. He wouldn't have wanted for the Rams to start winning and become hugely popular.
Well, we can accuse Kroenke of many things and probably be right _ but I think what you're postulating is a little far-fetched.
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I hope you like the home stadium of my new favorite team, the 49ers. What do you think of the Peyton Manning intrigue?
I've been to Levi's twice to cover Rams games. It's OK. Doesn't take your breath away. I wouldn't rank it as _ pardon the expression _ top tier. Peyton Manning is a great story line. I hate to see athletes stay too long past their prime _ that's one of the saddest storylines in sports. I hope he retires after the game.
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On to some on field stuff....who do you like Sunday? I think if Denver can run the ball they might have a chance but that'll be tough.
I'm a late addition, but I have to say I'm on the Carolina bandwagon. They made a believer out of me by bullying NFC West heavyweights Seattle and Arizona in the playoffs. Yes, Denver's defense is tops in the league, but Carolina's isn't far off the pace. But you're right. I would think to have any chance in this game, Denver has to have at least some success running the ball.
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Admittedly, suggesting an owner wanting to lose may be a little far fetched, but you'd have to agree that a winning Rams team in St. Louis would have made justifying a move much more difficult. So....
You're right. And had the Rams been piling up 10, 11, 12 wins a year _ say, a Manning-like run in Indy _ we wouldn't be in this situation, either.
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Any concerns from the NFL about the condition of the turf at Levi Stadium? I know they've resodded, but I've heard the Levi field just isn't very good.
Funny you should mention that. When the Rams played their season finale at Levi's a month ago, I didn't think the field was in very good shape then.
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What did you think of the Rodney Harrison quote about going after Cam Newtons knee on the Dan Patrick show? I thought it very ironic given his past history, last year with his attack on Jeff Fischer and in 1999 with Trent Green.
Don't have much respect for Rodney Harrison.
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So, to recap, you didn't know what was going on re: the move, what disinformation you did know you won't be putting into a book, but you do believe the false story from the Boston Herald about the Rams pre-Super Bowl practice being taped. Did I miss anything?
let it go. The Patriots cheated. We know it. You know it in your heart of hearts. As coach of Denver several years later Josh McDaniels was caught red-handed taping the 49ers' practice in London. I believe one of the New England video guys was working for him in Denver at the time. It's a New England tradition. #Patriotsway
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Newton's ability to run might slow down the Denver pass rush. Do you think Denver will back off of an aggressive rush and concentrate more on gap control?
You certainly need outside contain on Newton. Denver DC Wade Phillips can be unpredictable in his schemes. Dropping extra players into coverage certainly helped against New England.
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Have an idea on what the rams will be looking for in the draft?
Obviously, what happens in free agency _ particularly in terms of re-signed Rams' free agents _ will have a lot to do with which areas the team looks at in the draft. For example, what if Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson sign elsewhere as free agents _ then suddenly cornerback is a big need. If defensive ends Williams Hayes and Eugene Sims go elsewhere, that position is a big need.
The Rams are expected to have about $50 million in cap room when all is said and done _ much more than they've ever had in St. Louis _ so they could be big players in free agency. (I'm sure the fact that they have all this cap room the same year they move to LA is pure coincidence!) In any event, as we sit here right now, I'd say wide receiver and QB could be big draft needs.
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Any chance the Rams will just cut Foles and eat the salary cap hit or is it too high? Do you think it is likely they go into next season with the same 3 guys if they are not able to release Foles?
The Rams certainly have enough cap room to eat the salary cap hit on Foles.
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With their product at an all time high, I still don't understand why the NFL won't expand. I hear division of TV money is the concern. But with expansion wouldn't the "Pie" be bigger to split? Especially if one of the expansion teams was international...
Why not four cities. St. Louis, Toronto, Mexico City, and. . . .
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As a personal aside, I now get to "pick" a NFL team to root for. Being a homer it was always the Rams. While I wont necessarily be region restricted, I plan on traveling to see whatever team I select. While rooting interest is wholly subjective do you have any suggestions for me teamwise?
You sound like my wife, who always asks for a team to root for _ and why _ if we're watching a game on TV that doesn't involve the Rams, Mizzou, or Army. Andy Reid's a good man in Kansas City. Not that we're best friends or anything, but I've known him for a long time. Russell Wilson is fun to watch _
I might enjoy watching him more than any other player in the league. The whole aura of Green Bay remains enticing, although they need some receiving help. And Bruce Arians always is an enjoyable conference call.
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All teams cheat, including the Patriots. But there was no taping of the Rams practice. That's a falsehood retracted by the people who reported it. As a journalist, it's your responsibility to not spread false stories. Unless you have proof that it actually happened--proof aside from the retracted story by a fired reporter.
Of course, if you do have that proof, you probably can't put it in that book you're wavering ethics won't allow you to write.
If you ever get the chance you should ask Mike Martz about this.
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Do the rams have the weakest QB roster in the league? Sure seems like it.
Well, it's closer to the bottom than the top. I don't think there's much doubt about that.
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Greeting Jim, I don't want to miss my opportunity to say Thank You to you. You have spent a career providing me with insights and coverage of the St.L Rams. You have been an excellent read for me and I am grateful. I wish you the very best. Wish I could've said the same to Joe Strauss. We have to appreciate folks as no one knows who the bell tolls...
I can't tell you all how much I've appreciated all thoughts, concerns and well wishes from the readers over the past few weeks. It's very touching and much appreciated. Running into many media friends at the Super Bowl this week has been interesting. Some look at me almost as if I have some severe illness _ I tell them, "I haven't died, just pro football in St. Louis!" (joking) But it's been good to hear from them and see them.
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Which of the rams current Free agents dont you think they have much interest in re-signing? Barnes to me would be in that category.
Not sure on Barnes. I thought he played better over the second half of the season. I think they're pretty lukewarm on Zuerlein at this point. I've heard they might put the transition tag on Trumaine Johnson, and wonder if that means they feel he's more sign-able than Janoris Jenkins. I think if push came to shove, they'd sign Hayes over Sims.
I kind of wonder about Harkey only in the sense that if they wanted him back _ and he's a good blocker and leader _ why would he be re-signed already. I mean, it shouldn't be that tough to re-sign a fullback/blocking tight end.
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I nominate San Antonio as the fourth NFL expansion team; so it can eat into Jerry Jones' profits.
Jerry Jones might not agree, but I think Texas is big enough for three NFL team.
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I know you said jokingly that NFL football is dead in St. Louis but I actually agree with that statement. I can not see the NFL ever coming back. Short of a 1904 Renaissance. What say you?
I'll put it this way, I can't see it happening in the near future.
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Is there any chance we find out who the final 2 "Official" no votes were. The only chance I ever root for another NFL team would be one of those. the other 28 are dead to me!
All along, I've assumed it was Davis and Spanos. But I don't know. Then again, Carolina's Jerry Richardson may have been one of the two as well.
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What's the general consensus from your friends in other media markets regarding the Rams move back to LA? Is it a wrong righted by the Rams return, that St. Louis was treated unfairly, or a mixture of both? I'm Curious how the story is perceived in other markets by the local press covering the NFL?
Well, it could be just like other owners telling Spanos that he's got their vote. . . .but most of my media friends seem to agree that St. Louis got dumped on. Many of them have covered teams that left from Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, etc., so they know the feeling.
Some do wonder if St. Louis has the market to support 3 sports teams. But most have thought of the NFL as a greedy, money-grubbing enterprise _ and thought so long before the Rams' move. #cynicalhacks
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Do you have an opinion why the NFL dumped on St Louis so hard? Was it more of falling for Kroenke's LA stadium plan, or they share Stan's concerns about long term viability. It's odd the NFL went to to great lengths to crap on a pretty big market - one that may never embrace the NFL again.
I think it had much more to do with falling in love with a showcase stadium and returning to LA. St. Louis was viewed, as a reader aptly termed it: "acceptable collateral damage."
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I understand that MLS may be a salve to some Ex-Rams. Do you think if they build a MLS stadium it would be in the same spot downtown?
Using that same site would make a lot of sense to me. It would shore up the north end of downtown, and along with the Arch area renovations in the middle and Busch Stadium/ballpark village on the south end, we'd have the makings of a nice downtown area.
And to a degree, the soccer crowd is a younger set, which might help downtown as well. You know, go to the soccer game, and walk over the Laclede's Landing _ which would be in walking distance _ and have a beverage or some food.
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What is going to happen to all of the memorabilia that is around town that is Rams related like the ring of fame down at the dome? Are we just going to forget about all our history regarding football?
I'll try to find out on the stadium stuff. I don't think our town's football history will ever be forgotten or swept away locally, but several off the Greatest Show players and coaches _ I've quoted some in the paper _ have wondered if what they've accomplished will be swept away in LA.
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Any truth to the Manning to the Rams story?
I would think the Rams have talked about Manning "internally." Heck, they've talked about Drew Brees "internally." But talking about something "internally" and making it happen are two very different things.
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Do you know if there are any current players that are disenchanted with being on the Rams and wished that they were with a different organization?
Let me just put it this way: Players love to win. They love to be in the playoffs. They love to be playing for something down the stretch of the season.
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Hey Jim, free Papa John for you for your take...
So do you think if i came over to the Rams this year, the Rams could be a legit new Denver Broncos-type team?
I'm not the biggest fan of Papa John's _ more of an Imo's guy _ but to answer your questions _ highly doubtful.
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Do you have a general sense of how the players feel about moving to LA?
I think if you're young and single you're probably excited about the move the LA. And if you're one of the team's stars, you could have more endorsement opportunities. You've got to realize, more than half of the current roster had been Rams for only a year, or two, or three. They hadn't really established roots in StL. All they saw was the bitter end of the Rams in StL and lots of empty seats.
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The comments all read to any Rams story "stop reporting on the Rams", I still want to read about the Rams, I still will follow the team and hope they loose and see how Fischer manages to do 500 better then any other coach, at least for a few years. I have followed the team and players.
For every "stop reporting on the Rams" comment you see, I get about a dozen from readers saying they are still interested in the NFL and still interested in the Rams.
