St. Louis Rams News: Pro Sports Daily

February 12

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"In the earliest days of the Rams' lengthy search for a general manager, Atlanta's Les Snead asked Kevin Demoff: "Do you think you can get Jeff Fisher? That's a guy I want to work for. That's the opportunity of a lifetime." The Rams got Fisher. And now Snead has a job as general manager of the Rams in a lengthy process that included nine candidate interviews and took 5? weeks. As last week wound down, the Rams narrowed their list to two finalists, Snead and Minnesota director of player personnel George Paton. Multiple sources told the Post-Dispatch on Friday that Paton was the front-runner, but at the 11th hour Paton took a promotion - to assistant general manager - and stayed with the"

Jets VP of college scouting Joey Clinkscales out of running for St. Louis Rams GM job

February 11

Newark Star-Ledger

"Jets vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales is no longer in the running for the St. Louis Rams general manager job, a person with knowledge of his standing said today. That person requested anonymity because the team has not announced its finalists. Clinkscales was among a list of candidates who initially interviewed for the job last month after Billy Devaney was fired. The Rams are reportedly now whittling down their search to two or three finalists to home in on making a hire."

Rams must build a program, not just a team

February 9

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Jeff Gordon

"New Rams coach Jeff Fisher is working through his extensive and ambitious "to do" list. Building a better roster piece by piece is a big part of his job. So is assembling a better coaching staff. But his overriding goal is necessarily broad. He is trying to build a strong program — a way of doing things that everybody working at Rams Park can believe in. The challenge is enormous. This is a downtrodden operation, arguably the NFL's worst before the latest round of firings commenced. The Rams haven't posted a winning season since 2003. The decline started on "Mad Mike" Martz's watch and continued through two overmatched first-time head coaches (Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo) and two"

Rams' McGinnis eager to work with Fisher

February 9

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Once Jeff Fisher decided to get back into coaching in St. Louis, it was all but inevitable Dave McGinnis would follow. After Fisher left Tennessee and took a year off from coaching in 2011, McGinnis purposely signed a contract for only a year with the Titans. He wanted the flexibility to join Fisher if the opportunity arose in 2012. Now he's assistant head coach for the Rams. "Once Jeff got this job and called me, it was instantaneous," McGinnis said. "I mean, if Jeff wanted me to be with him, I wanted to be with him." Fisher, McGinnis said, has that kind of impact. "He's a guy that is so spot-on with what he's doing in all aspects of it," McGinnis said. "He just gets it, on every level in"

Rams interested in Steelers exec as general manager

February 9

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"The St. Louis Rams have requested permission to interview Steelers director of administration Omar Khan for their general manager job, sources told the Tribune-Review today. Khan, the Steelers' salary cap manager and chief negotiator, is considered one of the top young executives in the NFL. A key behind-the-scenes figure with the Steelers, Khan was one of two finalists for the Seattle Seahawks' general manager job two years ago."

49ers' Tom Gamble to interview with Rams

February 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"Tom Gamble, the 49ers' director of player personnel, will interview with the Rams for their general-manager position today, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gamble has ties to St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher. Gamble worked in the Eagles' personnel department from 1988 through '94; Fisher was Philadelphia's defensive coordinator from 1988 through '90. Gamble's father, Harry, served as the Eagles' general manager and president."

After short break, Rams resume GM search

February 7

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Minnesota's George Paton became the first Rams general manager candidate to get a second interview. And it looks as if San Francisco's Tom Gamble will be the last GM candidate to get a first interview. After a brief break for the Super Bowl, the Rams continue to hone in on Billy Devaney's replacement, with the team expected to choose its next general manager in the next week. Paton had his second interview Monday; he had interviewed with the Rams previously on Jan. 30. He has been director of player personnel for the Minnesota Vikings for the past five seasons. He also had stints with the Miami Dolphins from 2001 to 2006 as director of pro personnel. Before that, he was in the Chicago"

Vikings' George Paton gets 2nd interview for St. Louis Rams GM job

February 6

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Minnesota Vikings director of player personnel George Paton will have a second interview for the St. Louis Rams general manager job, as early as today, according to a person close to the situation. Paton, who joined the Vikings in 2007 after six seasons as director of pro personnel for the Miami Dolphins, first interviewed with the Rams last week."

Rams/CVC finalizing London agreement

February 6

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Looks like the Rams are playing in London next season after all. The Rams and the Convention and Visitors Commission are in the process of finalizing an agreement to the lease that would allow the team to play home games in London over the next three seasons. According to Rams executive vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff, tickets could go on sale this week. "The agreement must be formally approved by the CVC and RSA, but we are optimistic there will be a successful resolution," said Demoff, who was in Indy for Sunday's Super Bowl game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants."

Goodell addresses Rams lease situation

February 4

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The NFL doesn't want to see the Rams leave St. Louis, but the lease terms are the lease terms, and both parties agreed to them. That was league commissioner Roger Goodell's rather stern message to St. Louis regarding the ongoing lease negotiations between the Rams and the Convention and Visitors Commission. During his annual Super Bowl press conference, Goodell was asked if the league is committed to having a franchise in St. Louis over the long term. "The answer is we want to keep our franchises where they are," Goodell replied. "We would love to have the St. Louis Rams stay in St. Louis. There are lease issues ... as you know that are articulated very clearly in the lease. Both parties"

NFL expands Thursday schedule

February 4

New York Post

"Are you ready for a lot more prime-time football? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell used his annual Super Bowl news conference yesterday to reveal the league is dramatically expanding the Thursday night package on its own network starting this fall. In what appeared to be a way to up the pressure in its long-running dispute with Time Warner Cable and Cablevision over New York-area carriage of the NFL Network, the league said that channel will now show Thursday games from Week 2 through Week 15. The NFL Network previously broadcast Thursday games the final eight weeks of the season, but Goodell said the expansion resulted from a desire to guarantee every team in the league at least one"

Ex-Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher embraces new challenge with St. Louis Rams

February 3

Tennessean

"He had been in places like this many times before, making the rounds for interviews before a Super Bowl. Yet this time as he walked through media headquarters, the credential around his neck said something different: Jeff Fisher, St. Louis Rams. Three weeks after accepting the job, Fisher knows it might take time for some folks to get used to it, but the man who coached the Titans for 17 seasons said he's already comfortable with the change. "It is normal now. The St. Louis Rams has a nice ring to it," Fisher said on Thursday. "I can't tell you how much I valued and treasured my experience in Tennessee, and I will keep a home there. It was a great experience. But I'm ready for the next"

Rams move closer to hiring their GM

February 3

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"He concedes it might be wishful thinking, but coach Jeff Fisher said Thursday the Rams hope to have their general manager search wrapped up and their coaching staff complete by the end of next week. "We've been very, very busy in the last two weeks trying to put together the best possible (coaching) staff we can," Fisher said. "We're getting closer. We still have a number of vacancies. And as has been reported, Kevin (Demoff) and I have been interviewing general manager prospects. That process is going very well. I'm very excited about some of the guys we've talked to at this point." The Rams have formally announced the hiring of only three coaches: offensive coordinator Brian"

Team's tab on Dome could be $64.5 million

February 3

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The money to renovate the Edward Jones Dome could come partly from higher fees for tickets and parking. Those are among the possible sources of public funding listed in a financial plan the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission has sent to the Rams. The plan is meant to explain how to pay for $124 million in renovations to the Dome. It lists a ticket surcharge and the creation of a new parking district, with a vehicle surcharge, as options. The plan also lists bond refinancing, tax credits and tapping the reserves of the Dome's owner as other options. The one-page financial plan, however, is short on specifics and does not list how much money each source of public funding would"

Goodell: If NFL expands, it'll add two more teams

February 3

CBSSports.com

"It's no secret the NFL wants to expand to Los Angeles. And while so much of the attention has been focused on which franchise would relocate to L.A. -- whether it's the Chargers, Vikings, Jaguars or Rams -- we haven't discussed much the possibility of the NFL expanding. Apparently, that's an option. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday on Costas Live on the NBC Sports Network that if the league places a team in L.A., the NFL probably would add two more franchises to make it an even 34. Goodell said the league "doesn't want to move any of our teams" and "we probably don't want to go to 33" if the NFL decides expansion is a good choice."

Faulk not thrilled with Rams

February 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk seems ambivalent over the Rams' hiring of Jeff Fisher as head coach and Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator. Faulk was the centerpiece of "The Greatest Show" Rams, and the first member of that team to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. I'm always interested in what he has to say about his old team, and this week Faulk was made available by The NFL Network to discuss the Super Bowl and other matters. • Faulk on Fisher: No. 28 expects quick results and doesn't seem inclined to give Fisher the benefit of the doubt if the Rams' reconstruction takes longer than expected. "We'll see. That's all I can say. We will see," Faulk said. "Jeff had a long"

Rams, Fisher busy with GM interviews

February 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Rams coach Jeff Fisher met Wednesday with Atlanta Falcons director of player personnel Les Snead about the team's general manager position. This brings to five the number of GM candidates interviewed by Fisher and the Rams this week. Snead had interviewed previously with Rams executive vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff on Jan. 10, but this was before Fisher was hired. Wednesday's get-together was a chance for Snead to get in front of Fisher."

Dome officials present plan to keep Rams in St. Louis

February 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The public agency that manages the Edward Jones Dome proposed a $124 million overhaul of the 16-year-old facility, while St. Louis city and county officials stressed that no new public money would go to the team without voter approval. The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission delivered the plan to the St. Louis Rams, meeting a deadline of today and detailing improvements officials argue would make the stadium one of the best in pro football. The proposal asks the Rams to pay for slightly more than half the cost. If accepted by the Rams, the CVC plan would: • Hang a 96-foot wide and 26-foot high scoreboard over midfield that should give fans clear views of replays, scores and stats"

Belichick & Brady — the best?

February 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bernie Miklasz

"It began as a violent but routine NFL hit, with New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis breaking free to slam New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe to the ground. Little did anyone realize the true magnitude of the blow. Lewis not only rearranged Bledsoe's shoulder, but he dramatically changed the course of NFL history. The date was Sept. 30, 2001. When the injured Bledsoe checked out, an obscure second-year quarterback named Tom Brady entered in relief, and the Patriots lost a 10-3 yawner. The Patriots slumped to 0-2 on the season. Head coach Bill Belichick, already fired in Cleveland, was struggling early in his second season at New England. At that point Belichick's NFL career head-coaching"

Rams hire John Fassel as special teams coach

February 1

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"John Fassel, who had the same duties in Oakland the last three seasons, is joining Jeff Fisher's Rams staff as special teams coach. The Raiders had some of the league's best special teams units in 2009 and '10, leading the NFL in special teams takeaways and turnover differential in each of those seasons. In 2010, Oakland's Jacoby Ford had a breakout rookie season with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. Ford also had a 101-yard kickoff return for a score in 2011. But the Raiders' coverage units struggled in '11, yielding three returns for TDs and finishing last in punt coverage and 27th in kickoff coverage. In punter Shane Lechler, a seven-time Pro Bowler, and place-kicker Sebastian"

CVC expected to deliver dome plan to the Rams today

February 1

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The effort to keep the Rams in St. Louis starts in earnest today, according to the public agency that manages the stadium. Though billionaire owner Stan Kroenke has not publicly stated any desire to move the team, he can terminate the 1995 lease if, by 2015, the Edward Jones Dome isn't a "first-tier" stadium, or one that's better than three-quarters of all National Football League stadiums. And today is the deadline for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission to tell the team how it plans to upgrade the Dome and where it hopes to find the money. CVC President Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe said after a closed-session meeting of CVC commissioners last week that the proposal wouldn't be"

Clinkscales, Paton interview for Rams GM job

January 31

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"After a two-week "intermission" following the hiring of new head coach Jeff Fisher, the St. Louis Rams are re-starting their search for a new general manager. On Monday, the Rams interviewed Joey Clinkscales, vice president of college scouting for the New York Jets, and George Paton, director of player personnel for the Minnesota Vikings. Clinkscales was among nine original general manager candidates that the Rams had received permission to interview in early January, or shortly after Billy Devaney was fired from the GM job."

Kroenke in the running to buy Dodgers

January 31

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The local sports owner who is named after two Cardinals Hall of Famers is taking a swing at buying one of baseball's venerable clubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and reportedly has moved beyond the initial bidding process. Enos Stanley "Stan" Kroenke, the Rams' owner, made one of the bids for the Dodgers that survived Friday's cutdown and is among at least eight interested parties who advanced beyond the first round of bidding, according to The Los Angeles Times. The other potential buyers include a group headlined by former Dodgers manager Joe Torre and another led by former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley. A league source confirmed to the Post-Dispatch on Monday that Kroenke had indeed made a"

Keeping Rams is about the vision for St. Louis

January 31

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bryan Burwell

"There's no way of knowing what will happen Wednesday when Stan Kroenke's negotiating team commences the rather delicate haggling with the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission over the ways to keep the Rams from moving out of the city and turning us into an NFL ghost town again. But before we get too deep into this uncomfortable conversation, let's keep our eyes on the real target here. That begins with establishing that Kroenke's not the bad guy in this negotiation, at least not yet. We're a long way from being able to start taking sides in this fight, because whatever happens Wednesday is merely the prelude to months of difficult negotiations that will either lead to the Rams"

Rams coach Fisher has had memorable moments against them

January 29

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Two headstrong, confident coaches. Two talented teams with decidedly different approaches to football. At the turn of the millennium, Rams-Titans/Vermeil-Fisher was as heated as rivalries got, particularly for teams playing in opposite conferences. Almost 12 years ago to the day, the St. Louis Rams and coach Dick Vermeil defeated the Tennessee Titans and Jeff Fisher 23-16 in one of the most exciting Super Bowls. The story line is all-too familiar. The Rams' flashy offense jumped to a 16-0 lead; the brawny Titans rallied to the tie the game. With time winding down, Kurt Warner threw a touchdown bomb to Isaac Bruce for a 23-16 Rams lead. With determined Steve McNair at quarterback, the"

Rams looking for backfield help

January 28

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Here we go again on the search for backup help to Steven Jackson in the Rams' backfield. The free-agent additions of Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood looked good on paper last summer at the start of training camp. But Williams was so-so, with some notable problems on swing passes early in the season. Norwood barely played. Both are free agents this offseason and aren't expected back. As usual there were plenty of potential running back options on display this week at the Senior Bowl, with the headliners being Chris Polk of Washington and Doug Martin of Boise State. Both project as second- or third-round draft picks. There are few backs in the country, or in the history of the Pacific"

St. Louis Rams must play all home games at Dome, commission says

January 28

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The Rams cannot play "home" games more than 4,000 miles away in London under the terms of its lease here, the public agency that runs the Edwards Jones Dome said Friday. The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission contends that the Rams' plan to play one home game at London's Wembley Stadium each year for the next three seasons would violate the team's 30-year lease of the Dome. That lease is under increased scrutiny, as the CVC tries to figure how to close an escape clause that could let the Rams skip town after the 2014 season. A section of the lease calls for the team "to play all its home NFL Games (other than pre-season NFL Games) at the Facilities." The Rams can disregard this"

Is it worth keeping the Rams?

January 27

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bryan Burwell

"With only five days to go before the first critical deadline approaches that could secure the Rams' future in St. Louis, a lot of people need to answer a few important questions. Whatever the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission comes up with Wednesday as it outlines plans to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome to a "first tier" venue, isn't it time that someone take an accurate pulse of this region to determine just how badly we want or need an NFL franchise to call our own? Isn't that's what it comes down to? Ask yourself the simple question: What's it worth to the St. Louis region to be one of the only 32 municipalities in America that has an NFL franchise? I'm not looking for answers"

Rams have smaller presence at Senior Bowl

January 26

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Because of the recent hiring of Jeff Fisher as head coach, and the lack of a new general manager, the Rams have a scaled-down contingent at the Senior Bowl. Fisher decided to stay away from Mobile, figuring he could get more done assembling his staff by working in St. Louis or Nashville. With one exception his coaching staff hires — both official and unofficial — have stayed away as well, with at least some of them helping Fisher put together the rest of the staff. The only Rams coach known to be at the Senior Bowl is new defensive line coach Mike Waufel. So that has put the onus on the Rams' personnel department to handle most of the on-site evaluations. And almost all of the Rams'"

Tennessee Titans assistant Dave McGinnis can't resist Jeff Fisher's call

January 26

Tennessean

"When Dave McGinnis was named head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2000, the first person he called was then-Titans Coach Jeff Fisher. He had procedural questions, and needed advice. Several years later, when McGinnis was out of a job, Fisher called on McGinnis to be one of his assistants. So when Fisher was named head coach of the St. Louis Rams earlier this month, it's no surprise he came after McGinnis. McGinnis said it was an easy decision to join him, though he admitted it's tough leaving the Titans after eight seasons. McGinnis accepted a job as assistant head coach with the Rams earlier this week. The Rams on Wednesday officially announced the move. McGinnis was packing boxes on"

Kroenke interested in buying the Dodgers?

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Perhaps Stan Kroenke isn't going to stop buying sports franchise until he has one of each – a franchise in each major spectator sport, that is. The Los Angeles Times reports the Dodgers have received more than 10 opening bids to buy the Major League Baseball club, and that Kroenke has explored whether to bid for the team. A baseball official told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday that he heard Kroenke had expressed interest, and that Kroenke had inquired about the process. But the official said he was unaware if Kroenke had followed through and actually made a bid. Kroenke could not be reached for comment. But NFL sources said any interest Kroenke may or may not have in purchasing the Dodgers"

'First tier' is far from clear-cut in Dome lease

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The St. Louis Rams' future here could be in question because of two words that many fans don't usually associate with the Edward Jones Dome: first tier. Those words give the Rams a door to walk away from the team's lease at the Dome — the building has to be a "first-tier" stadium by 2015, or among the top 25 percent of National Football League venues. The lease itself, however, doesn't offer much clarity on what constitutes first tier. It identifies several components that need to meet that bar, but also includes vague factors, such as "the physical structure of the facilities." Another says simply 'stadium seating." The lease includes enough broad language that negotiators could argue"

Rams' defensive coordinator brings intensity

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"There's a new sheriff in town when it comes to the Rams' defense, and Gregg Williams is more than willing to tell you all about it. "There will be a culture change here," Williams said Tuesday during an introductory conference call. "I think the world of 'Spags,' but don't mistake me for that. I'm not him. And there will be some differences here on some of the things that I expect." Steve Spagnuolo was the Rams' head coach, but he was very hands-on when it came to the defense. Williams, the Rams' new defensive coordinator, plans to put his own bold, indelible stamp on that unit. "I'm not saying it's the right way to do things, but it's been a successful, valid way that I have been able to"

Schottenheimer defends his system

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Brian Schottenheimer had been out of New York for little more than a week when his former head coach, Rex Ryan, delivered a parting gift. Or parting shot. In the wake of a late-season collapse that left the Jets at 8-8 and out of the playoffs, Ryan told a New York radio station that Schottenheimer's verbiage — the language of calling plays and discussing the offense — was too complicated. On Tuesday, during his introductory conference call as the Rams' new offensive coordinator, Schottenheimer returned volley. Asked if his verbiage was too complicated, Schottenheimer replied: "I don't. I really don't. I think it's one of those situations where as you go through the thing, we're going to do"

A superb fit for Steven Jackson

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bryan Burwell

"In the world of sports, when it comes to the pairings of players and coaches, there are all sorts of marriages. There's the proverbial shotgun wedding, that awkward connection in which clashing styles and incompatible substance are force-fed by circumstances beyond anyone's control. Think Bill Parcells and Terrell Owens. Think Duane Thomas and Tom Landry. But every once in a while, style and substance blend in perfect harmony and a coach and player are a match made in football heaven. Think Steven Jackson and Jeff Fisher. Ever since the day he got the news that Fisher had been hired as the Rams' coach, Jackson, the Rams bruising tank of a running back, has been doing a lot of smiling. This"

McGinnis reunites with Fisher on Rams staff

January 24

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"On a day when the Rams formally announced the hiring of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, head coach Jeff Fisher landed another key piece to his coaching staff. Former Tennessee Titans assistant coach Dave McGinnis, who has a long history coaching with Fisher, is re-joining Fisher in St. Louis. According to league sources, McGinnis will have the role of assistant head coach. McGinnis, a native of Independence, Kan., spent seven seasons with Fisher in Tennessee, serving as linebackers coach in 2004 and assistant head coach/linebackers from 2005-10. Following Fisher's departure, McGinnis stayed on with the Titans in 2011 as a senior"

Schottenheimer hired; Fisher working on staff

January 22

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"With Brian Schottenheimer (offense) and Gregg Williams (defense) now in place as coordinators, Rams coach Jeff Fisher continues to work on his staff. Tim Walton, secondary coach in Detroit from 2009-11, is interviewing Saturday with Fisher for what could be a job as assistant defensive coordinator/passing game. Earlier in the week, Fisher interviewed Paul Boudreau, a veteran offensive line coach who has spent the last four seasons with Atlanta. Boudreau was with the Rams in 2006-07, the first two years of Scott Linehan's tenure in St. Louis as head coach."

Rams hire Brian Schottenheimer

January 21

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The St. Louis Rams have hired Brian Schottenheimer as their new offensive coordinator. According to league sources, it was a close call between Schottenheimer and Hue Jackson. Those sources said Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was impressed with Jackson following their interview earlier this week."

London giving Rams fans new cause for concern

January 21

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"As the stadium lease issue at the Edward Jones Dome reaches the critical stage, Rams fans all along feared the "enemy" was in Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest market and without NFL football since 1994. Turns out there's a threat from the East as well. Conspiracy theorists concerned about the "Los Angeles" Rams now must worry about the possibility of the "London" Rams. That's because on the heels of owner Stan Kroenke's noncommitment Tuesday when asked about the long-term viability of the Rams came Friday's announcement that the team would play a game in London over each of the next three seasons. The first is an Oct. 28 matchup against the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium."

Rams move a 'home' game to London next 3 seasons

January 20

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Not only are the Rams headed overseas next season. They're crossing the Atlantic the next three seasons. The NFL announced Friday that the Rams will play the New England Patriots on Oct. 28 at Wembley Stadium in London. Kickoff is noon St. Louis time. The Rams will also play "home" games at Wembley in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. "This is a tremendous honor for our franchise, the city of St. Louis and our fans throughout the world," Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement. "We are excited about the opportunity to reach new audiences globally. This is a great platform to showcase the city of St. Louis to London and the UK.""

Rams to face Patriots in London in '12

January 20

CBSSports.com

"With Rams owner Stan Kroenke also owning the English Premier Leagues' Arsenal soccer team, a date in London to play the NFL's annual international game certainly makes sense. And St. Louis players had better get used to it, because not only will they face the Patriots in 2012, but the Rams also have signed up to play in London in 2013 and 2014. That's the word from the team, which also reports that next year's game will occur Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local time). The Rams will be the home team in 2012, meaning they'll lose a game at the Edward Jones Dome."

Spagnuolo gets job with Saints

January 20

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"In essence, the Rams and Saints are trading defensive coordinators. On Thursday, recently fired Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo accepted the defensive coordinator's job in New Orleans. He replaces Gregg Williams, who's leaving the Saints after three seasons to become Rams' defensive coordinator under Jeff Fisher. Williams' hire is expected to become official soon. After contemplating taking a year off from football, Spagnuolo wasn't unemployed for long. He accepted the Saints' job just 18 days after his firing in St. Louis. Despite Spagnuolo's 10-38 record in three seasons with the Rams, the team played some of its best football against New Orleans. Even without factoring in Spagnuolo's"

Rams to play 'home' game in London

January 20

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The Rams are headed overseas next season. League sources told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday night that the team will play an AFC foe — believed to be the New England Patriots — during the 2012 regular season in London. London, of course, is the home of Rams owner Stan Kroenke's Arsenal soccer team of the English Premier League. The NFL games in London usually are played around mid-season. And with the exception of this season, when Chicago played Tampa Bay, all of the previous matchups have featured an NFC team vs. an AFC club. The 2012 game will be a Rams "home" contest, meaning they will play only seven games next season in the Edward Jones Dome. It is also believed that this could be a"

The final say? Fisher's not saying

January 19

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"There may be several reasons why Jeff Fisher spurned Miami to become head coach of the Rams, but the prospect of working with Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland wasn't one of them. "I met Jeff Ireland when he was 11 years old," Fisher said. "Jeff Ireland was the ball boy for the 'DBs' when I was playing for the Bears. His grandpa was a scout. I've known Jeff Ireland for a long time. Now obviously, I didn't know him as he worked his way through Baylor (as a place-kicker) and doing this and that. "But Jeff Ireland is a very, very talented GM. And he's going to be successful. Never was there an issue between Jeff Ireland and I. Under no circumstances. Whoever comes in as a head coach (in"

Tipsheet: Spags to riches?

January 19

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"While Jeff Fisher gets busy rebuilding the Rams, former coach Steve Spagnuolo is talking to various NFL teams about future employment. Spagnuolo started his week in Indianapolis, interviewing with Colts GM Ryan Grigson and then-coach Jim Caldwell. Soon thereafter Grigson fired Caldwell. Grigson knows Spagnuolo from their days in Philly, so Spags made the Indianapolis Star's list of Colts head coaching candidates. "They wouldn't replace one 2-14 coach with another, would they?" asked the newspaper. (The season ticket sales force of the Colts is probably wondering the same thing.) Spagnuolo then headed to New Orleans, where Saints coach Sean Payton interviewed him for the defensive"

Bradford a good fit for Fisher's Rams

January 19

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bernie Miklasz

"Jeff Fisher's teams have the reputation of playing physical, tough football. The offense has been cast as something from the football stone age, with a procession of running backs hammering away at the defense for hard-fought yards and leaving a trail of blood on the return to the huddle. The bruising nature of the Fisher offense has been so exaggerated that I almost expect the Rams to switch to leather helmets for 2012. But I am here to tell you that there's no need for a change in equipment. Yes, there is a role for the quarterback in the Fisher plan. And the QB is actually allowed to throw the football down the field in an attempt to score touchdowns. Some of what Fisher likes to do is,"

Rebuilder Jeff Fisher will have hands full with St. Louis Rams

January 18

Tennessean

columnist David Climer

"Two days before he was introduced as the new coach of the St. Louis Rams, Jeff Fisher came to the aid of two teenagers that had been involved in a serious car crash. This is right out of Fisher's game plan. He's a good citizen and a nice guy, willing to lend a hand even when there is no TV camera nearby. Now he can get down to the business of trying to fix the train wreck that has been Rams football over the last five years. Since 2007, the Rams have won 15 games and lost 65. They were 2-14 this season. It is a match made in NFL heaven — at least in the near term. The Rams need Fisher. And Fisher needs the Rams."

Kroenke is clear about winning, vague about staying

January 18

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Rams owner Stan Kroenke is eager to win some football games. That is why he spent top dollar to hire Jeff Fisher as his new head coach. "We have developed a model that we have a lot of confidence in," Kroenke said during his Tuesday news conference. "At the center of that is a experienced, confident head coach who has been in a lot of different situations. Jeff is absolutely what we were looking for. I told Jeff early on that's the way we viewed the world of sport — how important it was to find that kind of coach." On the other hand, Kroenke isn't eager to guarantee the Rams would remain in St. Louis forever and ever. "The chronology of what occurs with the lease is public knowledge,""

Kroenke won't say Rams will stay here

January 18

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Those looking for reassurances about the Rams' long-term viability in St. Louis got none Tuesday from club owner Stan Kroenke. With the stadium lease issue looming at the Edward Jones Dome, Kroenke was asked about the potential relocation of the franchise at Jeff Fisher's introductory news conference at Rams Park. "I think this is all out there," Kroenke said. "The chronology of what occurs with the lease is public knowledge. I think for me to comment on that process is particularly (un)timely. The city, or the (stadium) authority, they're dealing with their side of it. And they present a proposal to us by Feb. 1. "So there's a team in place that deals with all that. So we'll see how that"