St. Louis Rams Blog

Steven Jackson Leader Or Just Loud Mouth?

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:54:00 +0000

Steven Jackson did an interesting interview with Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports this week, called Down and dirty. Within this interview Steven Jackson once again spoke his mind. Love him or hate him, as he says we all do, a part of you has to love that he actually tells you what is on his mind. The below quotes from Jackson are in the article by Silver.

"It's a one-year bid for everybody," Jackson says. "It could be Scott's last year, and my last year, and even the franchise is in jeopardy – the team could get sold and leave St. Louis. There's a lot riding on this year, and we all know that. Just as much as the Rams need me, I need them."

"I predicted a number based off of a perfect season," Jackson says. "I learned something – things will come up. Two things killed me: My offensive line was just decimated, and our receivers didn't block. You look at Adrian Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson or anyone who has a ton of yards, and those guys on the perimeter block. For me, I wasn't only looking at eight in the box, but if I happened to get through the line and out to the perimeter, the defenders were all over me."

When Jackson flashes back to a pair of dismal defeats to Green Bay and Pittsburgh last December at the Edward Jones Dome, he doesn't hold back, saying, "You've got to love those Rams fans who showed their loyalty by selling their tickets to Packers and Steelers fans, so half the people in the stadium were rooting against us. It was like playing road games. We ran out of the tunnel and got booed. It was ridiculous. I was livid. In St. Louis, it's one of two things. They either love me or they (expletive) hate me. I'm not a diva, but if I'm pissed, (the Rams' PR staff) won't let me talk, 'cause they're scared of what might come out of my mouth."

So let's see, Jackson is not happy with the O-line, the receivers blocking, or the fans, and believes everyone on the team including even the team may be leaving St. Louis soon. There is a lot to tackle here. I put Steven Jackson on the same list of players as Curt Schilling, Brett Hull, and Jeremy Roenick. We all want players and coaches to just tell it like it is but when these players are outspoken we chastise them. Why is this? Would you rather Steven Jackson just keep his mouth shut and play football?

As for Steven's first point all items are true. This should be Scott Linehan's last year, he does not appear to be a quality NFL coach. The St. Louis Rams could quite possibly be sold this year, and Steven Jackson is in the last year of his contract. If Steven Jackson puts up 1500+ yards he will likely become the top paid back in the NFL in 2009. Will the St. Louis Rams spend that kind of money to keep him? Will the Rams regret passing up Darren McFadden with their first round pick in the 2008 NFL draft?

Jackson's second point about the receivers blocking and the problems with the O-line are probably just an excuse and him also trying to tell the players on the Rams that if they perform better he can be even greater. It should be easy for fans to believe the lack of receiver blocking since for years when they catch the ball they just fall down on the ground or run out of bounds. That has to improve for the Rams to get better.

The clinching statement that will once again get fans in an uproar is Jackson's problem with the fans selling their tickets to Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers fans. This is an easy one but fans need to think about both sides of the issue. I believe Jackson always wants the fans to be supportive. However...St. Louis Rams fans will NOT allow a multi-million dollar athlete to tell them what to do with their money and tickets. When you are 3-10 and 3-11 heading into these games true fans will still show up, but we owe Steven nothing! If you are making 10-20$ an hour and using your money to see this product, and help to pay his salary and you want to sell your tickets for a $100+ dollars to Packers and Steelers fans than so be it. The fans bought PSLs, paid extra taxes for a stadium, help pay player salaries, and purchase merchandise, you will NEVER be able to tell us what to do with our money.

Overall I believe Steven Jackson is a very good player, that wants to be a team leader, and just wants to win. He may not go about it the correct way, or the way you would like him to go about it. However I do believe if the Rams had 53 players that cared about winning as much as Jackson they would be a much better team. What are your thoughts?

St. Louis Rams Lose To The Seahawks Again!

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:52:00 +0000

If you like mascots there is a pretty cool mascot competition going on over at CBS Sports. However if you are a St. Louis Rams fan then you must know that the Rams do not even have a mascot! According to Forbes the St. Louis Rams are worth about $908 million dollars. You think for that kind of scratch we could pay some fan a few bucks an hour to dress up in a Rams suit, hell fans pay to get in and dress up already. Let's get a mascot, this is sad. However Seattle Seahawk fans may find it sad that the Rams were able to get 36% of the vote over their sorry bird. We received 36% of the vote and we don't even have a mascot!

Stlvinnie

Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com/

2008 NFL Odds To Win NFC West

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:51:00 +0000

Well some odds for the upcoming 2008 NFL Season are being released. If you check out Onlinesportshandicapping you will see that they have the St. Louis Rams slated for 3rd place in the NFC West for 2008. The Rams are currently 11/2 to win the NFC West, which is just slightly better than the San Francisco 49ers who are at 6-1. I can't say I am surprised, until someone finally is able to knock off the Seatlle Seahawks, everyone else will just be playing for 2nd place. Hopefully the St. Louis Rams will put together a healthy offensive line, and give Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson time and space to do their thing.

St. Louis Rams- Franchise has been in the league for 70 years now, and only three teams of this franchise have finished with three or fewer wins. The Rams finished last year with a 3-13 record and in a special place in that dishonorable group. Now the team is preparing for training camp there is a new mind set for this year, and according to coach Scott Linehan. "It's easy to say, 'Hey, forget about last year, focus on this year.' But getting them to do it ..." Linehan said. "Our players have made a concerted effort to embrace that concept and really focus on what's good about getting to the 2008 season, and not on what we've got to do to make amends for the 2007 season." The 2008 NFL Odds to win NFC West at Bogdoglife.com have St. Louis Rams 11/2 to win 2008/09 NFC West Division.

Chris Long Has The Moves

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:47:00 +0000

I have to admit that I am a little worried that Chris Long has still not signed a contract with the St. Louis Rams yet. However it is only late June and we still have a few weeks before training camp opens in Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. Yahoo sports has a short article this week called Inside Slant which talks about how well Chris Long is doing in camp, and how the St. Louis Rams might be able to use his abilities in the 2008 season.

Said coach Scott Linehan, “We’ve thrown a lot at Chris, and that was the objective. He’s seen a lot of offense since he’s been here. Once that starts to click in with him, I know he’s going to really take off.”

Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has been impressed and looks forward to the different ways he will able to utilize the rookie.

Haslett said, “I think he’s very good in run defense. He does a great job in hand placement and getting off blocks. He looks like his father from that standpoint. You can tell his dad coached him when he was young because he’s got the Howie moves.”

The Rams will need Chris Long to have an impact on the overall play of the defense. A pass rush will do nothing but help the lack of depth at linebacker, and help the secondary play a little more aggresive. Chris should be able to provide a pass rush while playing the 3-4 because he will be lined up over a TE from time to time. When Jim Haslett switches to the 3-4 Chris should be even more comfortable. I expect much more impact from Chris Long than the Rams were able to get from Adam Carriker.

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com/
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com/

St. Louis Rams Go From Worst To First

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:44:00 +0000

No, Stlvinnie is not drinking the Kool-Aid, we are just reading a new article on Fox Sports by Peter Schrager. The article 15 burning questions (and answers) for NFL offseason includes some interesting information under #3.

3. Which team has the best chance of going from worst to first in its division?

Since the NFL realigned its divisions in 2002, at least one team every season has jumped from last place to first in its division from one year to the next. It was Chiefs in '03; the Falcons and Chargers in '04; the Bears and Buccaneers in '05; the Saints in '06; and the Buccaneers in '07.

The team to watch in '08? The St. Louis Rams.

I know, I know, we've all fallen for the Rams before. But this year, St. Louis is truly a legitimate darkhorse. Banged up by injuries all of last season, St. Louis should be healthy and much improved come the start of the 2008 campaign. Chris Long adds a demon on the end, and Marc Bulger, Orlando Pace, and Steven Jackson are all back on the offensive side of the ball. Seattle should be strong and Arizona is a wild card, but St. Louis could be the squad to watch in the NFC West.

As you can see in the last 5 seasons, 7 teams have went from worst one season, to first place the next season. Just like the Philadelphia Flyers 2008 playoff Matto "Why Not Us", St. Louis Rams fans should also be saying why not us. Peter does make some good points and the NFC West should once again be up for grabs. The Seahawks are ageing, and dumped Shaun Alexander. The Arizona Cardinals, well are the Cardinals and still can't even decide on a QB between the church driven Kurt Warner or beer driven, partying Matt Leinart. The San Francisco 49ers added x-Rams Isaac Bruce and Mike Martz, but they still have major holes. "Why Not Us"?

Stlvinnie

Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com/

Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com/

Stlvinnie's Power Rankings: June 18th, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:41:00 +0000

We know that it is very early to be doing NFL Power Rankings, however the Fan-Sided Blog Network is bringing you even more early season football information. Below you will find my current Top 10 heading into training camps. We welcome your opinion. All members of the Fan-Sided Blog Network have pooled their Top 10 together to find the consensus list at:

1 New England Patriots
2 San Diego Chargers
3 Indianapolis Colts
4 Pittsburgh Steelers
5 Jacksonville Jaguars
6 Dallas Cowboys
7 Cleveland Browns
8 Philadelphia Eagles
9 Green Bay Packers
10 Seattle Seahawks

Fan-Sided Blogs Power Rankings

St. Louis Rams For Sale?

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:11:00 +0000

Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports reported on Tuesday that the St. Louis Rams are for sale. Well isn't that nice. Season ticket bills were due May 1st, back when Chip Rosenbloom and daughter Lucia Rodriguez were so happy to own the Rams and were going to do everything in their power to keep them in St. Louis. Well welcome to reality and greed only a couple of months later. Once again the Rams organization is doomed by the simple fact that it is being run by non-football people. In typical John Shaw, president of the St. Louis Rams fashion, he declined to comment on the team's potential sale. The Rams lease is up in 2012 at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams just came in at #111 in the 2008 ESPN franchise rankings. The Edward Jones Dome has been taking a beating lately by fans and media alike. Fans are not going to want to buck up for a new stadium only 13 years later. Will the Rams really move again? Do you care? Please write us and let us know your thoughts?

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com/
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com/

Aeneas Williams to Join Cardinals Ring of Honor

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:22:00 +0000

The Arizona Cardinals are going to induct Aeneas Williams into the Cardinals Ring of Honor at halftime of the Monday Night Football Game vs. San Francisco 49ers on Monday November, 10th. Scott from Raisingzona.com wrote the great article below. We at Ramblinfan.com would like to say congrats and thank you to Aeneas for his great play and leadership with the St. Louis Rams. Aeneas should have won a ring in 2001 with the St. Louis Rams. Enjoy the honor you deserve it.

I read today that former Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams is going to be inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor at halftime of the Monday Night Football Game vs. San Francisco on Monday November, 10th. This is a great honor for so many reasons, none greater than the fact he was a hard playing, hard hitting, hard to run past, corner.

If the Cardinals had 53 Aeneas Williams on their roster, this team would win the Super Bowl every year. It’s a shame a player of his caliber didn’t see more team success during his tenure in Arizona. Sure he saw some success at the end of his career in St. Louis. However he will always be remembered as a Cardinal. The Cardinal Organization obviously recognizes that as well, hence the reason for the honor.

I would take Aeneas anyday over the Deion Sanders, Antonio Cromartie, Chris McAllister, Dre Bly, Ronnie Lott, and Eric Allen’s of the world, just to name a few. He kept his mouth shut. Never said a bad word about anyone. He played hard and went about his business as if he was trying to put food on the table rather than trying to put himself in celebrity. He was genuine, athletic, and never stepped down from a challenge from a top receiver.

It’s too bad we don’t have more Aeneas Williams in today’s game. I think some really talented defensive backs, safeties, and corners could really learn from watching how Aeneas kept command of the defensive secondary. It’s too bad that there aren’t more individuals like Aeneas in the game. Take away the athleticism and professionalism, and you still had character. Are you listening D’Angelo Hall? Are you paying attention Adam “Pacman” Jones?

Go Cards!

The below names are in the Cardinals Ring of Honor

Charles Bidwill, Owner (8/12/2006)
Jimmy Conzelman, Coach (8/12/2006)
Dan Dierdorf, T (10/16/2006)
John "Paddy" Driscoll, QB (8/12/2006)
Marshall Goldberg, HB (8/12/2006)
Dick "Night Train" Lane, DB (8/12/2006)
Ollie Matson, HB (8/12/2006)
Ernie Nevers, FB (8/12/2006)
Charley Trippi, HB/QB (8/12/2006)
Roger Wehrli, CB (10/14/2007)
Larry Wilson, S (9/10/2006)
Pat Tillman, S (11/12/2006)

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

Matt Walsh Sends Spygate Tapes to NFL, Rams Win Superbowl XXXVI!

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:08:00 +0000

Well Matt Walsh finally gave the elusive spygate tapes to the NFL, but not THE tape. According to FoxSports "The tapes sent to the NFL show the Patriots recorded signals in regular-season games against Miami, Buffalo, Cleveland and San Diego, and against Pittsburgh in the 2002 AFC championship game." Walsh is now supposed to meet with Roger Goodell next Tuesday. What happen to that tape of the Rams walkthrough? Walsh's lawyer stated that Walsh never said he had a tape of the St. Louis Rams Superbowl walkthrough. How convenient that the tape that started most of this investigation now does not exist. More Spygate? What are your thoughts? I for one hate the Patriots and the mad genius and the love fest that ESPN has with this team and Boston for that matter. I think it is simple we won Superbowl XXXVI, case over.

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

St. Louis Rams Sign 12 Rookie Free Agents

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:10:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams agreed to terms with 12 rookie free agents on April 28th. I heard the names of many of these players before the draft and during the late rounds. The Rams almost made Marc Magro Mr. Irrelevant. Once again the Rams are looking at production. These players simply made plays in college. I am a big fan of these pick ups. I believe camp is going to be very interesting. I do not think there will be many free passes given to veteran players in 2008. Are the Rams actually improving? If you are a fan of any of these college players send us your thoughts on their chances of making the Rams.

The Players:

Name, Pos. ... Ht., Wt. ... College

Yvenson Bernard, RB ... 5-8, 204 ... Oregon State

Vernon Bryant, DT ... 6-2, 285 ... Hampton

Matt Caddell, WR ... 6-0, 187 ... Alabama

Vincent Hall, LB ... 5-11, 238 ... Virginia Tech

Rodney Hardeway, DE ... 6-3, 230 ... Louisiana-Lafayette

Joshua Hyman, WR ... 5-11, 191 ... Virginia Tech

Doug Jones, TE ... 6-4, 275 ... Cincinnati

Marc Magro, LB ... 6-3, 240 ... West Virginia

Brandon McAnderson, FB ... 5-11, 238 ... Kansas

Justin McKinney, CB ... 5-10, 188 ... Kansas State

Stephen Sene, OT ... 6-5, 326 ... Liberty

Joshua Thompson, DT ... 6-0, 301 ... Auburn

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

Tony Temple Goes From Cleveland Browns to Buffalo Bills

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:17:00 +0000

After getting cut from the Cleveland Browns, Tony Temple was invited to the Buffalo Bills mini-camp. With back to back 1000 yard seasons for the Missouri Tigers and 4.47 speed Tony has a good shot at making an NFL club in 2008. Temple was ranked 33rd on the nfldraftcountdown list of running backs in the 2008 NFL Draft.

NFLDRAFTCOUNTDOWN

Strengths:
Good athleticism...A natural runner with good patience, vision and instincts...Plays faster than he times...Tough and runs hard...Terrific balance and agility...Might be able to contribute as a return man...He will break some tackles..Pretty productive.
Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

Zacrey Atterberry from Lindenwood Signs with Chicago Bears

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Zacrey Atterberry P from Lindenwood University signed with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday as a rookie free agent. Zacrey can really boom the ball and it is great to see a local player from an NAIA school get a chance in the NFL. Brad Maynard is the Chicago Bears current punter. Brad is 34 and averaged 41.8 yards per kick, with a 37.4 yard net average in 2007. Brad was 25th in the league in average and 16th in net average. Sounds like Zacrey will have a shot. Let's wish him luck. If you have any pictures of Zacrey please send them and we will post one here.

The Bleacherreport.com reports:

So who are some of the top players from schools you’ve probably never heard of? Here’s my list of this years potential draftees:

Zacrey Atterberry, P, Lindenwood: Atterberry averaged 41.6 yards per punt with a long of 72 for the NAIA school out of Missouri. The Lions compete in the Heart of America Athletic Conference – I don’t even have a joke for that – and finished with a 10-2 record this year. If Atterberry wants to stay in the Heart of America, he’s going to have some difficulties, though – St. Louis Rams punter Donnie Jones averaged over 47 yards per kick last year.
Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

ESPN Franchise Rankings St. Louis Rams #111

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:15:00 +0000

The 2008 ESPN franchise rankings have been released and the St Louis Rams are coming in at #111. We would also like to point out that Ramblinfan.com has been mentioned in the on-line version of the article. I don't know what is more surprising the fact that we were able to get into the article or the fact that there are 2 coaches ranked worse than Scott Linehan! Sorry that was a cheap shot but we had to take it. We also had more issues with the Rams over the weekend. The Rams Draft Day Party was from 1PM-5PM CST. Why was it scheduled like that? The 2008 NFL Draft started at 2PM, so we were allowed to stay in the dome for 3 hours of the draft. That is nice but at 5PM the Rams still had not made their 2nd pick. So basically after the Rams took Chris Long with the #2 overall pick around 2:10PM people were leaving since you would not even see the complete 1st round coverage while at the Edward Jones Dome.

Last Year's Rank: 81
Title Track: 32
Ownership: 109
Coaching: 120
Players: 109
Fan Relations: 109
Affordability: 111
Stadium Experience: 114
Bang for the Buck: 111

Seems like just yesterday this was the "Greatest Show on Turf." Now fans sound as if they just want this circus to leave town. At the very least, another big top is in order: The Edward Jones Dome has awful acoustics and dim lighting and remains behind the high-tech times. "The once-state-of-the-art JumboTron is now like a 20" TV in a hall of plasmas," grumbles Vincent Vitale of http://ramblinfan.com. And the stadium's proximity to both the Big Muddy and the Lumière Casino results in a dearth of tailgate real estate too. "There are little pods of tailgaters instead of one massive party," Vitale complains. And even if the team hadn't stumbled through a 3-13 season, those $8 stadium brews (yes, the NFL's priciest brewski is poured in Anheuser-Busch country) would make a comfortable spot for a pregame sixer a necessity. -Andy Kamenetzky

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

Rams Select Chris Long With The 2nd Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:49:00 +0000

I love the selection by the St. Louis Rams of Chris Long DE - Virginia with the second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Rams really could not go wrong with this selection. They were sitting on Glenn Dorsey or Chris Long, or the possibility of trading down. I believe Chris Long is the correct choice here. With Leonard Little and James Hall as the starting DEs going into 08' you have to be worried about injuries and production. Inside the Rams can get by with Adam Carriker, Clifton Ryan, LeRoy Glover and Claude Wroten. The Rams needed a legit pass rusher and Long is that guy. In addition to his ability the Rams will add football intangibles.

See Chris in action:

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

Rams Select Donnie Avery With The 33rd Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:46:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected Chris Avery WR - Houston University with the 33rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. This was a shocking picking by many. When the Rams picked at #33 EVERY WR was still on the board. Chris Avery a speed burner from Houston was not considered to be in the top 10 receivers in the draft. Considering we need an offensive lineman still and every WR was still on the board I believe pick #33 would have been probably better served by selecting a lineman and shooting for a WR in round 3. The Rams had Avery in as part of the 30 players invited to Rams Park a couple of weeks ago so it is not completely surprising but @ #33 this seems to be way to early. They picked Long over Dorsey I believe mostly based on him being a safer choice. Then at 33 when they could have picked Devon Thomas or Malcolm Kelly the safer choice or DeSean Jackson the speed burner return man from California. Jackson seems to be a perfect fit for Al Saunders. Only time will tell with this pick. For now I see it as a reach.

See Donnie in action:

Rams Select John Greco With The 65th Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:44:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected John Greco OT - Toledo with the 65th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. This was the pick many predicted from the start. The Rams had Greco in as part of the 30 players invited to Rams Park a couple of weeks ago. At 6'5" and 305 pounds and great feet this was a nice pick up for the Rams. The key to Greco is versitility. With his size and feet he should make a very good guard in the NFL and can also fill in at tackle if the Rams have injury problems in 2008. With Jacob Bell and John Greco the Rams are starting to add some depth to the squad. John was a top 5 guard with most scouting firms.

See John in action:

Rams Select Justin King With The 101st Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:42:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected Justin King CB - Penn State with the 101st overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. The theme for the 2008 draft so far would be speed. Justin is a flat out speed burner with a 4.31 40 time. Justin is average size at about 5'11" and 190 pounds. With only 3 picks at Penn State during his career his ball skills have been question. Justin will give the Rams more depth in the secondary and also special teams. Along with Donnie Avery, Justin can also return kicks. Donte Hall did not have a great weekend I think he may be expendable in 2008.

See Justin King's speed in action:

Rams Select Keenan Burton With The 128th Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:41:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected Keenan Burton WR - Kentucky with the 128th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. The run on speed continues. Keenan can run a 4.45 40 and can also return kicks. Keenan is great after the catch, which is why Scott Linehan likes Donnie Avery. I like the fact he knows how to score. Keenan had 21 touchdowns over the last two years at Kentucky. At 6' and 205 pounds he is more physical than Donnie Avery. This could be a player we can use to go over the middle. Injury issues have dropped him down this far in the draft. Keep that speed on special teams coming. Hopefully will compete with Avery for the #3 receiver position in 08'

See Keenan in action:

Rams Select Roy Schuening With The 157th Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:39:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected Roy Schuening OG - Oregon State with the 157th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Rams are adding more O-line depth here with Schuening. At 6'4" and 305 pounds this is another large versitile body for the Rams to work with. John Greco and Roy Schuening have both been mentioned as being like Logan Mankins. Roy is listed as the #3 OG on nfldraftcountdown which means he could be a steal at pick number 157 in the 5th round. The Rams suddenly have about 10 bodies to choose from for their O-line. Hopefully youth and competite will help this line shape up for 08'.

See Roy in action:

Rams Select Chris Chamberlain With The 228th Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:02:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected Chris Chamberlain LB/S - Tulsa with the 228th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. NFL.com says Chamberlin was the guy who ended up wowing scouts with his incredible workout. His measurables and skills are impressive. He has a chance to compete for a roster spot and should be a good special teams player. (6-1 5/8, 226), ran the (40) in 4.75 and 4.67, had a 34.5” Vertical jump, 9’6” broad jump, 4.09 short shuttle, 6.87 (3 cone). He worked out at the safety position and looked very good. Chris is another great athlete and possible special teamer. Chris made over 350 tackles in college and may project to SS in the Pros.

Rams Select David Vobora With The 252nd Pick

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:01:00 +0000

The St. Louis Rams selected David Vobora LB - Idaho with the 252nd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. David Vobora is now the 2008 Mr. Irrelevant. David is another great athlete and possible special teamer. David made over 330 tackles in college while at Idaho. Scott Linehan use to be a coach at Idaho so maybe he knows more about David than most? Mel Kiper said on ESPN that he thinks David will make the St. Louis Rams roster. I am not a big Mel Kiper fan but it is good to know that at least he did not see this pick as a joke as some do. Just remember Tom Brady was a 6th round draft choice, and Marques Colston was a 7th round pick.

Watch David's Combine Workout HERE

St. Louis Rams Draft Grades

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:47:00 +0000

Well I am not a big fan of NFL draft grades but since everyone seems to want to know my thoughts I thought I would just share with you a few of the many St. Louis Rams draft grades out on the internet already. I would like to point out that zero of the 252 players drafted have ever played one player in the NFL. Grades? Hmmmmmmm I don't think it is quite time for grades yet, but some publications do, so enjoy. Overal the St. Louis Rams seem to be getting about a C average on there NFL draft grade. I sure hope we can move to the front of the class in 2008.

YAHOO C+

Long should be an impact player right away and boosts the grade, but the rest of the class leaves a lot to be desired. Taking smallish Avery over Devin Thomas or James Hardy was a head-scratcher. Avery put up big yardage numbers as a senior but scored “only” seven touchdowns, and rarely played against the kind of competition Thomas and Hardy faced. Greco could eventually develop into a starter. King has all the skills but can’t seem to put it together.

USA TODAY C+

Much internal debate but they went with Chris Long, seeking some pressure from the edge, over DT Glenn Dorsey. Only got 5½ sacks from DEs last year and Leonard Little will soon be 34. Looks like not only a safe pick but a good one. WR Donnie Avery went too high but the Rams love the speed and have the positional need. CB Justin King should be the nickel back right away. They failed to address their o-line issues.

DRAFTSEASON B-

The Rams made the right call by taking Chris Long at no. 2 overall, as Adam Carriker is better suited to play inside. They reached badly when they made Donnie Avery the first receiver off the board. They rebounded nicely with two day 2 steals; Justin King in the 4th and Roy Schuening in the 5th.

CBS SPORTSLINE B

I love Long and second-round receiver Donnie Avery is a perfect slot receiver for their offense.

Best pick: Defensive end Chris Long, the second player taken in the draft, will be a star. He was my top-rated player in the draft.

Questionable move: Passing on Dorsey to take Long. Their careers are now tied together for as long as they play.

Second-day gem: Cornerback Justin King is an athletic corner who didn't always play up to his ability. Maybe defensive coordinator Jim Haslett can get it out of him.

FREEP C+

Much internal debate but they went with Chris Long, seeking some pressure from the edge, over DT Glenn Dorsey. Only got 5½ sacks from DEs last year and Leonard Little will soon be 34. Looks like not only a safe pick but a good one. WR Donnie Avery went too high but the Rams love the speed and have the positional need. CB Justin King should be the nickel back right away. They failed to address their o-line issues.
Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

St. Louis Rams Draft Grades

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:47:00 +0000

Long should be an impact player right away and boosts the grade, but the rest of the class leaves a lot to be desired. Taking smallish Avery over Devin Thomas or James Hardy was a head-scratcher. Avery put up big yardage numbers as a senior but scored “only” seven touchdowns, and rarely played against the kind of competition Thomas and Hardy faced. Greco could eventually develop into a starter. King has all the skills but can’t seem to put it together.

USA TODAY C+

Much internal debate but they went with Chris Long, seeking some pressure from the edge, over DT Glenn Dorsey. Only got 5½ sacks from DEs last year and Leonard Little will soon be 34. Looks like not only a safe pick but a good one. WR Donnie Avery went too high but the Rams love the speed and have the positional need. CB Justin King should be the nickel back right away. They failed to address their o-line issues.

DRAFTSEASON B-

The Rams made the right call by taking Chris Long at no. 2 overall, as Adam Carriker is better suited to play inside. They reached badly when they made Donnie Avery the first receiver off the board. They rebounded nicely with two day 2 steals; Justin King in the 4th and Roy Schuening in the 5th.

CBS SPORTSLINE B

I love Long and second-round receiver Donnie Avery is a perfect slot receiver for their offense.

Best pick: Defensive end Chris Long, the second player taken in the draft, will be a star. He was my top-rated player in the draft.

Questionable move: Passing on Dorsey to take Long. Their careers are now tied together for as long as they play.

Second-day gem: Cornerback Justin King is an athletic corner who didn't always play up to his ability. Maybe defensive coordinator Jim Haslett can get it out of him.

FREEP C+

Much internal debate but they went with Chris Long, seeking some pressure from the edge, over DT Glenn Dorsey. Only got 5½ sacks from DEs last year and Leonard Little will soon be 34. Looks like not only a safe pick but a good one. WR Donnie Avery went too high but the Rams love the speed and have the positional need. CB Justin King should be the nickel back right away. They failed to address their o-line issues.
Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

2007 St. Louis Rams Draft Recap

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:39:00 +0000

Well the 2008 NFL Draft is upon us. The St. Louis Rams are looking for immediate impact with the #2 overall pick in the draft. Everyone is always excited in April about the draft and the possibilities, talking about how that one player can turn your franchise around. There do not seem to be any Peyton Manning's or LT's in this years draft but who knows. I would like to talk about last years draft to see how much impact we can expect. If you look at the table below you will see what the Rams received out of their 2007 draft picks. As you can see from the 8 draft picks that we had, they totaled less tackles than most middle linebackers in the NFL and Brian Leonard provided the only offense from the draft with 486 total yards. If these are the results we get from the 2008 draft we will be in big trouble. Can Chris Long, Jake Long, or Glenn Dorsey help this team out right now? Are you shocked at these stats? Do you see that Clifton Ryan who we drafted in the 5th round, on paper provided as much to the Rams as Adam Carriker our 1st round selection? Bill Devaney will need to get our draft ship pointed in the right direction in 2008. Just some food for thought before people get on the kool-aid heavy.

1
DE
Adam Carriker
Nebraska
30 tackles, 2 sacks

2
FB
Brian Leonard
Rutgers
486 total yards

3
CB
Jonathan Wade
Tennessee
19 tackles 1 pick

5
C
Dustin Fry
Clemson
Played in 4 games

5
DT
Clifton Ryan
Michigan State
30 tackles, 2 sacks

6
OT
Ken Shackleford
Georgia
Cut

7
DT
Keith Jackson
Arkansas
Cut

7
WR
Derek Stanley
Wisconsin-Whitewater
Kick Returner in 3-games

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com

2008 St. Louis Rams Schedule - Freak Out

noreply@blogger.com (stlvinnie) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Well the 2008 St. Louis Rams Schedule has been released and it is causing a major panic on the internets. Why? These schedules are announced way in advance. Sure the order of the schedule seems tough with Philly, NYG, and Seattle all sitting there. However let's face it if we are going to be a playoff team you have to beat Seattle. Philly was 8-8 last year, and last April you would have had the Giants on your schedule and not said a word. Here is a heads up in 2009 we have to play the Colts. What will we do? I will tell you what we need to do, we need to improve and not worry about the schedule. Worry about can Bennett play as well as Bruce. Can Culberson a street free agent start 16 games at LB? Will Barron close his mouth and play some football in 2008? Will Linehan let Saunders re-create a steam rolling offense? These are our issues, not the schedule. We are 0-0 and so is everyone else.

Stlvinnie
Owner http://www.stlouisramfan.com
Lead Blogger http://ramblinfan.com