Rams Owner Buying Up Inglewood Property in a Hurry

((ht: utsandiego.com))

While those of us not in Los Angeles or in St. Louis are watching other things, the preparations for a potential relocation of the St. Louis Rams is growing by the day.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke has been quietly (no longer) gobbling up chunks of property in Inglewood, California around the old Hollywood Park Horse Track. He now owns the 60 acres around it...and according to reports, is trying to buy the 300 occupied by the former track.

Which not-so-coincidentally would be more than enough property to, say, build a football stadium.

The Rams are in still in somewhat contentious negotiations over getting either a new stadium or major renovations to their current home, the "Edward Jones Dome". But that lease expires...at the end of the season. And despite Missouri Governor Jay Nixon stepping in to help, the negotiations are not going well.

Here's a summary report from the San Diego Union-Times

Granted, this could be a leverage move by Kroenke, owners are known to do such things. And he could easily redevelop or flip the Inglewood property if he so chose. But nobody really thinks he is bluffing here.

The NFL has been adamant about getting a team back in Los Angeles despite the fact two teams have come and gone over the past 15 years. And the issue was support. Much like other mega-cities with little or no lengthy history of an NFL team and lots to do, getting people to come to games was a challenge. And it will be if a team comes too.

But the NFL is persistent and Stan Kroenke has the pockets to make it happen. And while there have been discussions that the Raiders "Might" be the team coming and the Chargers "could" come, it's likely the Rams that would be first. And they'd be back where they started.

We would not be surprised to see the Raiders follow.

Any team, including the Rams have a short window to announce their intentions right after the Super Bowl in 2015. That would allow them to potentially make the move and play in, say the Rose Bowl or the L.A Coliseum in the interim while their new park gets built.

Time is getting short, the February window will be here before you know it. Let's see if or who will be the first one's to flinch.

KSDK-TV in St. Louis has more on the Governors attempt to help keep the Rams in StL:

MIchael Sam Sacks Johnny Manziel, Celebrates Appropriately

((HT: Tommy Beer's Vine))

All the HQ can really do is laugh and say: "Good for you..."

Just watch


See...???

Now, THAT was funny...

Wise Move: OWN PPD's Michael Sam Reality Show

((ht: cbssports.com))

Sometimes it's best to back off a bit.

On the heels of a press release announcing that the Oprah Winfrey Network was to produce a reality series following St Louis Rams rookie Michael Sam as he tries to make the team as the leagues first "Openly Gay" player, that series has been put on hold.

The network announced Friday night they shelved the series after reaction to it was a bit less positive than they were expecting.

Sam, a former SEC Defensive Player of the Year, who's exploits have now been well chronicled since announcing this winter he was gay and was going to try and play in the NFL has garnered an immense amount of publicity during the buildup to last weeks draft.

He was chosen in the 7th round by the St. Louis Rams a selection hailed by most but questioned by some who say he either should have been picked higher if he hadn't "Come Out" or that he shouldn't have been picked at all because of it.

We say he...or his advisors are at least somewhat self-aware. And that's a good thing.

After covering the NFL over the past 20-years, one thing we can say is most of the players in the league don't care about his personal life so much. They want to know essentially one thing--Can you help us win? If you can, you are good. Period.

One thing they don't want is a circus around someone who hasn't played a down, someone they don't know that well and don't know what to expect from. And "beginning" your career with a reality show is NOT a good way to get acquainted with your teammates. The impression given: You are exploiting your situation to make a buck instead of proving you belong.

Without going on and on, we fully believe that Sam will ultimately be judged by his performance on the field, despite what the "News" media says. If he can make plays and contribute, he will make the team. Period. If he's a liability, he won't.

The Rams and other teams are leery of situations like what happened with Tim Tebow. Someone who came with tons of hype...and thanks in large part to ESPN, essentially a traveling circus. NFL teams don't want that. They are willing to put up with some of it if you can perform at an exceptional level, but that's the exception, not the rule. Right, wrong or otherwise, the NFL is and always will be a "Put-Up" or "Shut-Up" league. They don't want 10-cameras following the every move of a low-round draft pick. Players won't stand for it.

If Sam makes the team and has some success, we are very happy for him. It means he put in some hard work and earned his way on the team through effort and success, not because there were cameras everywhere he went. And if he puts in that kind of effort, he should be rewarded in whatever way he, his teammates and his team sees fit.

Just our 2-cents...

The guys from ESPN's NFL Live speak well to this issue:

Phil Dawson: Hey, It Was Worth A Shot...

((HT: NFL Network))

The HQ gives Brad Nessler a lot of credit- more than just liking his work in the booth...

At the end of the first half of last night's San Fran-St. Louis game, he presented the option of a free kick after a fair catch for the Niners to add more points on the board before the half...

So, Jim Harbaugh trots out Phil Dawson for a 71-yard free kick...


Eh... it was a good idea...

The last time a kicker tried it was December 28, 2008, when the Packers’ Mason Crosby missed a 69-yarder against Detroit.

The last field goal off a free kick was on November 21, 1976, when the Chargers’ Ray Wersching hit a 45-yarder against Buffalo.

So, there you go...

And the HQ does not get all the blowing up on the Twitter machine over this being a bad idea...

Jeff Fisher Doesn't Like Bernie Kosar At the Moment

((HT: Fox 2 St Louis))

Bernie Kosar was the color analyst for the Cleveland Browns Thursday night in their game against the St. Louis Rams and he didn't hold anything back...

Examples:

On a Sam Bradford incompletion to Tavon Austin: "I really think that he didn't overthrow him and that Austin has to make that catch in the NFL. I see why Sam Bradford has been struggling watching how bad these receivers have been for him."

After a Nick Johnson drop: "This is actually not a bad throw. These St. Louis receivers are horrible. That's a drop there."

On receivers coach Ray Sherman:

"I'm checking through the itinerary here of guys and coaches to see who the receivers coach is to make sure I don't know who this guy is because he's not doing very good either."

He also slapped back-up QB Kellen Clements around, too...

Jeff Fisher was asked about Kosar's comments. Fisher admitted he lost a "lot of respect" for the ex-Browns QB...

Here's Fishers response on tape...


Don't think the two families will be exchanging holiday cards, do you...???

St. Lous Rejects Rams Proposal for Renovation Gives Team Out Opportunity

((ht: stltoday.com))

Yes, there already is lots of buzz about this in Los Angeles. While the Lakers may have lost Dwight Howard, the city may have the opportunity to regain their Rams.

That's because of the renewed impasse between the St. Louis Rams and the organization operating the Edward Jones Dome.

The team and the Convention and Visitors Commission have been haggling for two years now over renovations to the dome. A clause in the contract between the two parties stipulates the stadium needs to be a top facility among NFL stadiums.

It apparently isn't.

The Rams submitted a proposal, that would've cost the city some $700 million that they don't have, the city countered with a $200 million proposal that was a bit more doable.

The case went to arbitration, and the Rams won.

The new part of this ongoing battle is the CVC telling the Rams this week we're willing to negotiate but won't and can't do a $700 million renovation.

Read more from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch RIGHT HERE

The Hollywood Reporter has a Los Angeles perspective RIGHT HERE

Here's what this means to you:

If you live in St. Louis, there's a really good chance your team could leave. The impasse gives the Rams an out. The lease on the stadium becomes a year-to-year deal beginning in 2014. And the Rams can decided whether or not they want to stay.

And it makes sense. Why should the people of cash strapped St. Louis pony up all the money for this? Why can't gazillionaire Stan Kroenke at least pay for a good portion of the $700 million? It's not like he couldn't afford it if he wanted to. 

But, if you live in LA, this means you could have a new/old team. With all the talk over the past couple of seasons about a stadium being built in town to accommodate the NFL, this makes that a possibility.

Don't get too excited.

The league, as much as they want a team in Los Angeles, hasn't been overly excited about relocation. That's not to say it won't happen, it could, but we think something will get worked out.

Either way, it's something to watch, it could be a west-coasters dream come true, a real, golden opportunity for the NFL to return to the country's #2 TV market.

Here's the look from Fox2 in the current home of the team
((HT: Fox2Now.com))