ST. LOUIS – Jeff Fisher took an offbeat approach for breaking the ice when St. Louis Rams veterans and rookies met for the first time.

Besides standing and reciting their names, schools, favourite movies, etc., during introductions, the new players were asked to recall the name of their first pet along with how it died. Fisher said several mentioned hamsters and turtles, while some remembered the family dog or cat getting squashed by trains or buses.

“We had one whose parents just put him down that morning,” Fisher said Wednesday. “You know, it was sad. No, it was good. Good introduction.”

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan recalled lighthearted goings on when he was a rookie playing for Fisher in Tennessee. There, he got saddled with the nickname Fido.

“It’s something coach Fisher always throws in there for giggles,” Finnegan said. “I played the nickel and I would always run after the wrong guy.”

Rams rookies got hung with nicknames, too. Finnegan said one looked like Greg Oden, and another resembled Gonzo, the Muppet.

There are limits to the frivolity. Players won’t be asked to sing and Fisher went out of his way to emphasize there will be no hazing, no rookies taped to goal posts or the like.

“They’re here to help us win,” he said after the team completed a second day of organized team activities.

There is fresh optimism surrounding a franchise that’s a sorry 15-65 the last five years. Defensive end Chris Long, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, is playing for his fourth coach entering his fifth season and can’t recall a vibe quite like this.

“There’s been a lot of changes since I’ve been here. This is by far the one I’m most excited about,” Long said. “I think we’re all very excited about it. It’s a new beginning for a lot of people and, in the same sense, you have to re-prove yourself.”

Fisher does not seem worried about all those lean seasons in the recent past.

“We’ve completely forgotten about last year,” the coach said. “This is a team that’s going out there to win, period. There’s players that are emerging that were here. There’s players that are improving. We’ve got an influx of talent through free agency and the draft and we’re going to play hard and win games.”

Fisher said much of the base offence and defence have been installed. The Rams worked on situational play and the red zone Wednesday and might delve into the two-minute offence on Friday.

A handful of rookies have been unable to attend. Running back Isaiah Pead, a second-round draft pick, was among four who attend schools on the quarter system and can’t participate until the end of exams. Plus, Pead and two wide receivers who could get plugged into the offence immediately, second-rounder Brian Quick and fourth-rounder Chris Givens, are attending an NFL rookie premiere event in California.

“It’s mandated by the league that they come out there, so unfortunately they’re missing some quality work,” Fisher said. “It’s a photo thing, and (trading) cards and those kinds of things. Really great timing.”

The Rams added a pair of veterans for depth, signing free agent linebacker Mario Haggan and offensive tackle Barry Richardson, and both were on the field Wednesday. Richardson started every game the last two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and the 32-year-old Haggan also has been strong on special teams.

ST. LOUIS (AP) Jeff Fisher took an offbeat approach for breaking the ice when St. Louis Rams veterans and rookies met for the first time.

Besides standing and reciting their names, schools, favorite movies, etc., during introductions, the new players were asked to recall the name of their first pet along with how it died. Fisher said several mentioned hamsters and turtles, while some remembered the family dog or cat getting squashed by trains or buses.

”We had one whose parents just put him down that morning,” Fisher said Wednesday. ”You know, it was sad. No, it was good. Good introduction.”

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan recalled lighthearted goings on when he was a rookie playing for Fisher in Tennessee. There, he got saddled with the nickname Fido.

”It’s something coach Fisher always throws in there for giggles,” Finnegan said. ”I played the nickel and I would always run after the wrong guy.”

Rams rookies got hung with nicknames, too. Finnegan said one looked like Greg Oden, and another resembled Gonzo, the Muppet.

There are limits to the frivolity. Players won’t be asked to sing and Fisher went out of his way to emphasize there will be no hazing, no rookies taped to goal posts or the like.

”They’re here to help us win,” he said after the team completed a second day of organized team activities.

There is fresh optimism surrounding a franchise that’s a sorry 15-65 the last five years. Defensive end Chris Long, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, is playing for his fourth coach entering his fifth season and can’t recall a vibe quite like this.

”There’s been a lot of changes since I’ve been here. This is by far the one I’m most excited about,” Long said. ”I think we’re all very excited about it. It’s a new beginning for a lot of people and, in the same sense, you have to re-prove yourself.”

Fisher does not seem worried about all those lean seasons in the recent past.

”We’ve completely forgotten about last year,” the coach said. ”This is a team that’s going out there to win, period. There’s players that are emerging that were here. There’s players that are improving. We’ve got an influx of talent through free agency and the draft and we’re going to play hard and win games.”

Fisher said much of the base offense and defense have been installed. The Rams worked on situational play and the red zone Wednesday and might delve into the two-minute offense on Friday.

A handful of rookies have been unable to attend. Running back Isaiah Pead, a second-round draft pick, was among four who attend schools on the quarter system and can’t participate until the end of exams. Plus, Pead and two wide receivers who could get plugged into the offense immediately, second-rounder Brian Quick and fourth-rounder Chris Givens, are attending an NFL rookie premiere event in California.

”It’s mandated by the league that they come out there, so unfortunately they’re missing some quality work,” Fisher said. ”It’s a photo thing, and (trading) cards and those kinds of things. Really great timing.”

The Rams added a pair of veterans for depth, signing free agent linebacker Mario Haggan and offensive tackle Barry Richardson, and both were on the field Wednesday. Richardson started every game the last two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and the 32-year-old Haggan also has been strong on special teams.

Where will the Rams be in 2016?

St. Louis

Los Angeles

Other

Total votes: 374

On Monday, May 14, the state of Missouri released the St. Louis Rams‘ proposal for renovations to the Edward Jones Dome. The team believes that the improvements made to the venue would put it in tier-one status.

Here are five thoughts on the proposed upgrades:

Reaching for the sky

Most Rams fans expected the team to try and get the best deal with its proposal. That’s why the team’s requests shouldn’t shock anyone. The Rams want to overhaul the Edward Jones Dome so that there are retractable panels on the roof to add natural lighting. The proposal also includes a demolished and rebuilt east section of the building to allow for larger concourses and new seating, and it would also add another entrance into the dome. I like what they are trying to accomplish with these plans. The Edward Jones Dome isn’t a horrible venue, but it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that NFL stadiums require now. This proposal would change that.

Super Bowl?

If you take a close look at the proposal, the Rams are hoping that the stadium could one day host a Super Bowl. The team’s plan calls for additional temporary seating that would help boost the dome’s capacity to over 71,000 if awarded the game. I love that the Rams were thinking big in their proposal. Hosting a Super Bowl is good for a team’s reputation, but it has a larger impact on the city as a whole.

What’s the middle ground?

You have to think that the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Center (CVC) will reject this proposal, but where can each side come together to reach an agreement? The proposals the Rams and the CVC made are complete opposites. The CVC’s plan is a temporary fix at best. The Rams’ proposal would cost much more, but it would also erase the need for a completely new stadium. When the CVC rejects this plan, how will the arbitrator see it? I can’t wait to find out, but I suspect an arbitrator’s ruling would lean more towards the Rams’ plan. A lot of it just makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense?

However, there are issues with the Rams’ proposal. Jeff Rainford, chief of staff for St. Louis mayor Francis Slay, noted that the stadium’s renovations would cost over $700 million. It would also require the stadium’s closure for two to three years. That would seriously harm hotels and other businesses surrounding the stadium. This is a huge problem. St. Louis holds many events in in the area, and this type of intrusive construction would drive out revenue from the city. Of course, where will the Rams play if the dome is shut down for an extended period of time? These are questions that would need answered for the plan to work.

The price tag is steep

I have to wonder if St. Louis and the state of Missouri will be willing to invest the $350-$400 million that I’d expect would be their responsibility in this deal. Taxpayers are still paying off the original stadium project from the mid-1990s, and I have my doubts about whether the city can afford more. It will be interesting to see if what dollar amount the CVC will agree to in arbitration.

Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their miracle 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

The St. Louis Rams are seeking to install a retractable roof on the Edward Jones Dome as part of their stadium upgrade proposal, St. Louis’ KTVI reported.

Because of a Missouri Sunshine Law, details will be available Monday about the Rams’ counter-offer to upgrade the dome.

The Rams recently rejected an offer from the operator of the building, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, that would have cost $124 million — half from taxpayers, half from the team — to updgrade the dome, instead submitting a proposal of their own.

According to the terms of the team’s lease, the Rams are free to leave the city in January 2015 if the stadium is not among the league’s top facilities.

CHARLES: DEFENSES WILL ‘FEEL MY PAIN’: Jamaal Charles wants to put to rest any fears the Kansas City Chiefs and their fans might have about his ability to return from last season’s knee injury as one of the NFL’s premier running backs.

“If you’re worrying about me not being the same, just look out for me this year,” Charles said earlier this week. “I’m hungry. I want it this year. I’ve got the passion for it. I just can’t wait to play football. I can’t wait to bring stuff back to this community and show them how much we can win. I feel like this is a year for us that we can go all the way. I’m saying that because I feel it in me that I can bring a lot to the team this year, being bigger, stronger and maybe even faster.”

Later, apparently speaking to Chiefs opponents, Charles continued.

“When I touch that field again, you’re going to feel my pain,” he said. “You’re going to go through what I went through. It’s going to be that way for me the rest of my career.”

NFL CONSIDERING REPLACEMENT REFS: The NFL is looking for potential replacement officials while it negotiates with the officials’ association on a new contract.

The previous contract expired after last season, and another negotiating session is expected later this month, NFL Referees Association Executive Director Tim Millis said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said today, “We expect to reach an agreement but must have contingency plans in place.”

The St. Louis Rams are seeking to install a retractable roof on the Edward Jones Dome as part of their stadium upgrade proposal, St. Louis’ KTVI reported.

Because of a Missouri Sunshine Law, details will be available Monday about the Rams’ counter-offer to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome.

The Rams recently rejected an offer from the operator of the building, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which would have cost $124 million — half from taxpayers, half from the team — to updgrade the dome, instead, submitting a proposal of their own.

The CVC’s proposal featured a nearly 100-feet long scoreboard, new club seats, windows to provide natural light and a 50,000-square-foot attachment wired for the use of electronics.

It is unclear how much it would cost to retrofit the building with a retractble roof, and the Rams’ proposal did not include estimates.

According to the terms of the team’s lease, the Rams are free to leave the city in January 2015 if the stadium is not among the league’s top facilities.

If the team’s counter-offer is rejected, the matter will go to arbitration June 15th, and that process could last all year.

The team has declined to release details of its offer, but Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster is expected to make all the details public Monday.

Read more: Coastal Carolina, NFL, Jamie Childers, Saint Louis Rams, Tight End, College, NCAA Football

  Former Coastal Carolina tight end Jamie Childers has agreed to a three year deal with the Saint Louis Rams.  The undrafted free agent signed the deal on Wednesday morning, according to his agents Justin and  Joel Turner.  Childers was lined up for tryouts with the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants, but will now try and make the Rams roster.

  Childers came to Coastal Carolina as a quarterback out of Wando High School and added tight end duties in his junior and senior campaigns.  Childers had 11 catches for 233 yards and 3 TD’s in his senior season, but missed four games due to injury and also played quarterback in 2011. 

  Five former Coastal Carolina players have played in an NFL game.  A sixth, defensive back Josh Norman, was a 5th round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2012 NFL Draft.  Childers will try and make the Rams roster via the undrafted free agent route, something that has been accomplished by two former CCU players – Mike Tolbert (SD Chargers/Carolina Panthers) and Quinton Teal (Carolina Panthers/SD Chargers).

Jamie Childers 2011 Highlight Reel 

Jamie Childers 2010 Highlight Reel 

 

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Missouri attorney general will release details next week on how the St. Louis Rams want to renovate the Edward Jones Dome despite the team’s desire to keep the plan secret.

The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which runs the dome, and the Rams are in the midst of negotiations aimed at bringing the facility up to top-tier status among the 31 NFL stadiums. Otherwise, the Rams could break their lease and potentially move after the 2014 season.

The CVC presented a plan in February and the Rams presented their counterproposal to the CVC last week. But the counterproposal wasn’t made public.

Attorney General Chris Koster said late Monday his office will release the plans May 14. He said KTVI-TV requested the documents and they will be released Monday unless a court ruling keeps them private. Koster sent a letter Monday to St. Louis Circuit Judge Bryan Hettenbach outlining plans to release the documents.

CVC spokeswoman president Kathleen Ratcliffe told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the CVC had no plans to challenge the state’s release of documents.

In an emailed statement Tuesday, CVC spokeswoman Donna Andrews said, “The CVC is a party to the lease. The state of Missouri is not. Their obligations under the Sunshine Law and the lease may be different than ours. A court, not the CVC, will make that decision.”

Messages left with the Rams were not returned.

Several media outlets have made open records requests for the Rams’ proposal, citing the fact the dome was built with taxpayer funds from St. Louis, St. Louis County and the state of Missouri. The CVC contends the documents are not subject to Missouri’s open records law and it cannot legally make public any documents the Rams consider to be confidential.

The dome opened in 1995, the year the Rams moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles. The city, county and state share in the $24 million annual payment toward the $720 million construction debt.

The original 30-year lease allowed for periodic evaluations of the dome’s ranking among all NFL stadiums. The next evaluation marker is 2014. The lease deal requires that the dome be among the top 25 percent of NFL stadiums. There is concern that St. Louis may lose the team and team owner Stan Kroenke has been non-committal about the team’s future.

In February, the CVC announced a $124 million dome improvement plan that would have required the Rams to foot 52 percent of the tab. Taxpayers in the city and county would have been asked to agree to pay for the rest — roughly $60 million. That plan called for a massive new scoreboard, more club seating, better lighting and even a “Geek Suite” area for electronic buffs and fantasy football players.

The Rams offered no details on why the plan was rejected.

The two sides now have until June 15 to try and reach an agreement. Otherwise, arbitration begins. The arbitration process could last through the end of the year.

ST. LOUIS — The Missouri attorney general will release details next week on how the St. Louis Rams want to renovate the Edward Jones Dome despite the team’s desire to keep the plan secret.

The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which runs the dome, and the Rams are in the midst of negotiations aimed at bringing the dome up to top-tier status among the 31 NFL stadiums. Otherwise, the Rams could break their lease and potentially move after the 2014 season.

The CVC presented a plan in February and the Rams presented their counterproposal to the CVC last week. But the counterproposal wasn’t made public.

Attorney General Chris Koster said late Monday that his office will release the plans May 14. He said St. Louis Fox network affiliate KTVI-TV requested the documents and they will be released next Monday unless a court ruling keeps them private. Koster sent a letter Monday to St. Louis Circuit Judge Bryan Hettenbach outlining plans to release the documents.

CVC President Kathleen Ratcliffe told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the CVC had no plans to challenge the state’s release of documents.

In an emailed statement on Tuesday, CVC spokeswoman Donna Andrews said, “The CVC is a party to the lease. The state of Missouri is not. Their obligations under the Sunshine Law and the lease may be different than ours. A court, not the CVC, will make that decision.”

Messages left with the Rams were not returned.

Several media outlets have made open records requests for the Rams’ proposal, citing that the dome was built with taxpayer funds from St. Louis, St. Louis County and the state of Missouri. The CVC contends the documents are not subject to Missouri’s open records law and that it cannot legally make public any documents that the Rams consider to be confidential.

The dome opened in 1995, the year the Rams moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles. The city, county and state share in the $24 million annual payment toward the $720 million construction debt.

The original 30-year lease allowed for periodic evaluations of the dome’s ranking among all NFL stadiums. The next evaluation marker is 2014. The lease deal requires that the dome be among the top 25 percent of NFL stadiums. There is concern that St. Louis may lose the team and team owner Stan Kroenke has been non-committal about the team’s future.

In February, the CVC announced a $124 million dome improvement plan that would have required the Rams to foot 52 percent of the tab. Taxpayers in the city and county would have been asked to agree to pay for the rest — roughly $60 million. That plan called for a massive new scoreboard, more club seating, better lighting and even a “Geek Suite” area for electronic buffs and fantasy football players.

The Rams offered no details on why the plan was rejected.

The two sides now have until June 15 to try and reach an agreement. Otherwise, arbitration begins. The arbitration process could last through the end of the year.