Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Season

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-X-

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[warning]IMPORTANT: THIS IS JUST HIS OPINION, BASED ON NOTHING, AND WITH HIS HAVING NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEASE SITUATION. THIS IS NOT BREAKING NEWS OR ANYTHING REMOTELY LIKE IT.

:popcorn:[/warning]


http://onanygivensportsday.com/2013/01/ ... 14-season/

"We would be out literally in practice, during practice, talking about playing in LA. Honestly. How nice would it be to be practicing in LA? Just go to the mall after practice in LA. It’s such a beautiful day in LA all the time."

Some bold statements and, no doubt, a bit of controversy during Friday’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Media Day.

"Los Angeles is so attractive. All the people that are out here, all the celebrities. The celebrity that you get from playing for the LA team. All the hookups that you’re going to get — you’re going to go to restaurants and clubs, get clothes. I played in New York, so I saw the big town, the media. There are so many eyes on you it’s a great opportunity."

The bold one was St. Louis Rams wide receiver Steve Smith. He said this coming season would be the last for the Rams in St. Louis and that he and his Rams teammates prefer to play in Los Angeles and would be kicking off in the City of Angels in 2014.

Smith, a native of Los Angeles who played his college ball at USC and attended Taft high school in Woodland Hills, Calif. (not coincidentally the same high school and college of current Rams head coach Jeff Fisher.), was one of five expert panelists discussing the return of the NFL to Los Angeles.

“We’re thankful for the city of St. Louis.” Smith said. He continued, “But it’d be a treat to be located back home in Los Angeles.”

Of course, the Rams called Los Angeles home from 1946 until their move to St. Louis to kickoff the 1995 season. They’re now locked in arbitration with the city of St. Louis on the cost to make the Edward Jones Dome a “first tier” NFL stadium and could break their lease after the 2014 season.

I was able to catch up and interview Smith on camera after the panel discussion and asked him to elaborate on his bold predictions regarding the Rams and Los Angeles:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzMqLQ7SYP8[/youtube]

Last year was Smith’s first with the Rams. He played in just nine games catching 14 passes for 131 yards and no touchdowns.

The other expert analysts were ESPN LA’s Arash Markazi, Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Shutdown Corner, Molly Knight of ESPN the Magazine and Liz Mullen from the Sports Business Journal.

Two of these four panelist agreed the Rams would return while one said the San Diego Chargers and Rams would both eventually move to L.A. Another said, “I don’t know.”

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Selassie I

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

I have a feeling Smith will be "back home" in LA in the 2013 season. Going to the mall DURING practice and games.
 

Memento

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Yeah, Steve, I'm pretty sure you'll return to L.A. Not so sure about the team, though. Oh, and thank you for your contributions, little as they were.
 

iced

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Team can't go lease to lease until March 2015.

Stupid.
 

Vault 82

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

What a disappointment this guy was. I was really stoked on signing him too.
 

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Vault 82 said:
What a disappointment this guy was. I was really stoked on signing him too.
I know, right? So was I. Based on that *one* year, of course.

m07yOB3.png


Maybe he just didn't "get it" here. It was a change in systems, and maybe he just didn't play well enough in practice to warrant starting on Sundays. It really wouldn't surprise me (and don't hate me now) to see him get another year if he sticks around long enough in the off-season. The potential is certainly there.
 

Vault 82

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

X said:
Vault 82 said:
What a disappointment this guy was. I was really stoked on signing him too.
I know, right? So was I. Based on that *one* year, of course.

m07yOB3.png


Maybe he just didn't "get it" here. It was a change in systems, and maybe he just didn't play well enough in practice to warrant starting on Sundays. It really wouldn't surprise me (and don't hate me now) to see him get another year if he sticks around long enough in the off-season. The potential is certainly there.

I can agree with that. If he could have something similar to that 'one year' for us, bring it on! That would be too welcome. But yeah, most every time I noticed him on the field for us, he never did anything that wasn't completely average, like many of our other WR's 90% of the time.
 

CGI_Ram

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Vault 82 said:
I can agree with that. If he could have something similar to that 'one year' for us, bring it on! That would be too welcome. But yeah, most every time I noticed him on the field for us, he never did anything that wasn't completely average, like many of our other WR's 90% of the time.

Yep.

I'm not sure if he lost a step, or what... but he never showed up on Sundays.
 

bluecoconuts

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Well obviously if people go "want the beach and it to be sunny and 75 in the winter, and a big city with lots of attractions?" It sounds great. But I don't think that means anyone is packing their bags.
 

Ram_of_Old

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Just another disappointment at wideout...
 

ZGare

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Remember when Atlanta jumped over the Rams and grabbed Julio Jones a couple of drafts ago.
 

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

ZGare said:
Remember when Atlanta jumped over the Rams and grabbed Julio Jones a couple of drafts ago.
Yes. :boohoo:

Remember when they picked Eddie Kennison with Marvin Harrison still on the board?
 

Ram Quixote

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

X said:
ZGare said:
Remember when Atlanta jumped over the Rams and grabbed Julio Jones a couple of drafts ago.
Yes. :boohoo:

Remember when they picked Eddie Kennison with Marvin Harrison still on the board?
Nothing against Marvin Harrison, but with him on the roster, they don't draft Torry Holt. Maybe that's a wash.
 

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

Ram Quixote said:
X said:
ZGare said:
Remember when Atlanta jumped over the Rams and grabbed Julio Jones a couple of drafts ago.
Yes. :boohoo:

Remember when they picked Eddie Kennison with Marvin Harrison still on the board?
Nothing against Marvin Harrison, but with him on the roster, they don't draft Torry Holt. Maybe that's a wash.
Or maybe they do and that offense scores 600 points. :omg:
 

CGI_Ram

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Re: Rams WR Smith says team will return to L.A. for 2014 Sea

ZGare said:
Remember when Atlanta jumped over the Rams and grabbed Julio Jones a couple of drafts ago.

They jumped up to 6 and we picked 14 if I remember right (no trade down) . We ended up with Quinn.

But there was talk we'd move up if he was still there around 8...or so. I can't remember the scenarios any longer but that's what I recall.

Definitely wish we had Jones. Quinn is a good consolation prize considering we didn't give up any picks to move up. Plus DE is now a strength.



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