Bradford a good fit for Rams

By Bernie Miklasz

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Sunday, Apr. 25 2010

For a young man who would grow up to become a St. Louis quarterback, Sam
Bradford was born under a good sign.

Sam's date of birth was Nov. 8, 1987.

On that very Sunday afternoon, within the cookie-cutter confines of Busch
Stadium II, the old St. Louis football Cardinals pulled off the greatest
fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history.

After three quarters, the Cardinals were seemingly down and out, trailing the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-3. But quarterback Neil Lomax threw a touchdown pass to
tight end Rob Awalt, linebacker Niko Noga returned a fumble for a touchdown,
and Lomax connected with wide receiver J.T. Smith for late TD passes of 11 and
17 yards. Amazingly, the Cardinals prevailed 31-28.

"A miracle," Smith said after the game.

And 500 miles away in Oklahoma City, a child was born …

OK, I'm getting carried away.

However, it really was Bradford's birthday, and the Cardinals really did erase
a 25-point deficit in 12 minutes.

I'm just saying.

But we can agree that Bradford is the so-called face of the franchise now. No
disrespect to running back Steven Jackson, who is the force of the franchise.
The Rams' best player. But SJ39 has been around since 2004, and the Rams are
6-42 over the last three seasons. So the No. 1 overall draft pick instantly
becomes the symbol of a new era, a symbol of hope.

The early returns are encouraging for the Rams, who fielded hundreds of phone
calls inquiring about season tickets in the first 48 hours after Bradford was
selected No. 1 overall. Friday night, the Rams carted Bradford to a VIP
reception for sponsors and suite holders at Grant's Farm. There, Bradford
received an enthusiastic greeting as he briefly spoke to a crowd of 350.

It was a sign that the Rams plan to market Bradford to pump up interest and
ticket sales. Which is a smart plan. But Rams chief operating officer Kevin
Demoff says Bradford is just one part of a wider marketing strategy that will
feature Jackson and several of the team's emerging stars including James
Laurinaitis, Jason Smith, Chris Long, Donnie Avery, etc.

"That said, there's genuine excitement in the community over the Bradford
pick," Demoff said. "We hope it provides the kind of energy we can build on. As
we start a youth movement, this is the piece that helps tie it together."

Bradford is aware of his off-field value to a franchise that must replenish its
customer base. But he won't lose sight of a more important priority.

"Obviously, I do understand that there are certain responsibilities that come
with that, but I'm a team guy," Bradford said. "I love being one of the guys,
just love hanging out. I'm going to do everything I can to pull my fair share
of the load around here."

Bradford has an interesting personality. He isn't fiery. He doesn't make noise.
He isn't showy. He doesn't go all "Oprah" and reveal his innermost thoughts.
But Bradford has an understated sense of humor and is quick with a quip. He
projects warmth. Unlike other recent Rams quarterbacks, Bradford has presence.

More than anything, Bradford has an earnest personal quality that should fit in
St. Louis. He is genuine. There is nothing pretentious about him. And Bradford
is a proud son of Big 12 country.

"I think St. Louis is a great place to live," Bradford said. "I love the
Midwest."

Cha-ching! With that quote the Rams just sold 25 more season tickets.

Bradford will undoubtedly encounter demands for his attention and time outside
of football. But he's experienced in handling that as a Heisman Trophy winner
and the big man on campus at Oklahoma, where football rules. Still, Rams coach
Steve Spagnuolo will monitor the situation.

"I get it. I understand the responsibilities on him," Spagnuolo said. "I'm
going to be a little protective. But I'm not going to be overly protective,
because that's the league. And the league expects those guys at that position
and who are drafted that high to do certain things. Sam needs to do that for
this organization.

"But the coach in me, the dad in me, is going to make sure he's not too
inundated with off-field things. If it's so much that the football goes on the
back burner, we don't want that. We want football to be the most important
thing.

"What's great is Sam is poised that way. I don't know that he really wants
that. I don't think he's out there aiming for the limelight. I've reminded him
that when he's hit with a lot to just remember, 'You're here to be a good
teammate first, and to be a good player.' Unless you're a good player, you
won't be the face of anything. And I think Sam gets that."

Absolutely he does.

"Expectations are high, and I haven't done anything in St. Louis," Bradford
said. "I realize that until I get on the field and prove to people that I
deserve to be the No. 1 pick, there's going to be questions."

Bradford seems to be an unusually grounded and serious 22-year-old. He
graduated from OU with a 3.89 grade-point average, completing a four-year
finance program in a little more than three years. He watches sports. He plays
golf. He loves Italian food. He's active in the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes. And he knows who he is.

As reported by USA Today, a photographer from GQ magazine recently had a
brilliant idea for a photo shoot at Bradford's place in Norman, Okla. The
photographer noticed an outdoor Jacuzzi and suggested that Bradford invite some
OU coeds over to pose with him. You know: hotshot QB, soon to become a
multi-millionaire, surrounded by beautiful young women in a hot tub.

Bradford's response: "Not going to happen."

That's a good sign. Bradford already recognizes when he's about to be blitzed —
off the field. You may see Bradford's face on an enormous billboard, but don't
be fooled. His head isn't really that big.

Rams’ Suitor Found Wanting

Just want the Rams need: Doubts are being cast about whether prospective buyer Shahid Khan will win NFL owners’ approval. So much for the feel-good stuff after Sam Bradford’s workout.

Just listen to what ESPN’s Adam Schefter told a St. Louis radio on Monday regarding Shahid Khan’s pending ownership proposal.

"My sense is that approval for ownership is far from a slam dunk, and it’ll surprise me if ultimately he’s approved. And I would guess that he’s not going to be the next owner of the St. Louis Rams."

This follows a report by Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal that the league has concerns about Khan’s debt load. Kaplan says Khan would be borrowing against Flex-N-Gate, the automotive parts company he owns.

"Mr. Khan has not completed his financial arrangements, and until then, any discussion about it would be pure speculation," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Kaplan.

All this, according to ProFootballTalk.com, brings into question whether Stan Kroenke, a Rams minority owner under the current regime, can step up to match Khan’s offer—or tell Khan to buy his 40 percent stake in the team.

Team heirs Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez want out.

Dave Checketts, owner of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, remains in the picture in a bid group that PFT.com says includes former Rams star running backs Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk

Rams Begin Offseason Program

By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

The School of Rock is back in session.

After a two-month break from all things football, the Rams re-convened at the Russell Training Center on Monday for the start of the offseason conditioning program under the guidance of strength and conditioning coaches Rock Gullickson and Chuck Faucette.

For head coach Steve Spagnuolo, having the players back in town signaled new beginnings.

“It’s now the 2010 St. Louis Rams and it really begins today,” Spagnuolo said.

Upon their arrival back in St. Louis for the start of the program, the assembled players were broken up into groups pending position and size. But before the dumb bells were touched, Spagnuolo took an opportunity to assemble his team and pass along an important message.

“Every day has got to be a new day, no matter what,” defensive end Chris Long said. “Coach Spags talks about erasing the past so that’s what we as players kind of have to do whether it was good or bad we have to erase it and go forward. Certainly we can reflect on some of the things we learned but as far as we are concerned we are 0-0 just like every other team.”

So it was that any memory of the 2009 season was officially wiped away by Spagnuolo and the Rams on Monday morning as they begin anew in preparation for the 2010 season.

For the better part of the past two and a half months, Rams players went their separate ways. Some went home to be with family and friends. Some took vacations and everyone recharged their battery for the first step toward next season.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis went on the “Buckeyes Cruise for Cancer,” an annual trip featuring prominent former Ohio State athletes, that raised more than $400,000 for the Stephanie Spielman cancer awareness fund.

Laurinaitis also got a new dog and spent most of his time working out in Columbus with former Ohio State teammates.

“I feel kind of useless if I’m not working out or doing something,” Laurinaitis said.

Receiver Donnie Avery went home to his family and friends in Houston. After taking about a week to clear his mind and rest his body, he set about the task of getting himself into prime shape for what he hopes will be a breakout third season.

Avery spent his time working out with fellow NFLers such as Casey Hampton and Shaun Rogers in the Houston area with the goal of adding weight to his frame.

In 2009, Avery played at about 184 pounds but says he gave up eating red meat, added more vitamins and chicken to his diet and gained about 14 pounds with an eye toward becoming a more durable player.

“Coach told me he wanted me to come back healthier and stronger and heavier,” Avery said. “I think I’m getting bigger, eating healthier and working harder in the weight room and it should help get rid of some of those injuries I’ve had.”

That’s just a small sample of what the Rams have been doing on their individual breaks but the days of working out on their own have now passed.

For the next 14 weeks, these players will be attacking the offseason with a few goals in mind.

There are, of course, plenty of tangible benefits such as the basics of getting bigger, stronger and faster on the football field. But perhaps there is no benefit greater than the intangible one that goes with the team building that can happen during the offseason.

From the time of his arrival in St. Louis, Spagnuolo has emphasized the virtues of building chemistry in the locker room. That doesn’t happen overnight and it starts on days like Monday.

“I think the tightest bonds are formed in the offseason program without the pressures of winning and losing, without the pressure of another game coming up,” Spagnuolo said. “There’s a lot more time they can spend with each other outside of football which I think is good.”

A typical day in the offseason program isn’t nearly as strenuous as a regular season day. Players report to the Russell Training Center and spend about four hours at the facility each day.

In that time, they are allowed only a certain amount of time with the coaches where they can work on football-related things. That includes watching film, getting a refresher on the playbook or even getting a feel for some of the new things that are being added in 2010.

When that part is done, the focus shifts to Gullickson and Faucette, who have tailored workouts to each player with an eye toward maximizing their performance on the field.

“Rock wants us to be like him when we grow up,” Avery said, laughing. “He’s a typical strength coach but he goes over and beyond to make sure you are at your peak so you can perform. He has a couple of new things this year to try to get the best of our abilities.”

Gullickson and Faucette work hard to ensure there are new and different aspects to the workouts to help keep the players’ interest and keep up with trends in the field. That also includes working with new head athletic trainer Reggie Scott on rehabilitation methods so that everyone is on the same page.

Spagnuolo says that a good majority of the injured players from last season have already been cleared to participate in the program and the few that haven’t are well on their way in rehabilitation.

“There’s only a few of them that are not at the rehab standpoint where they can be transitioned right into the actual strength program,” Spagnuolo said. “But for the most part, they will do whatever they can.”

From a coaching perspective, it’s just nice to have the players back in the building.

“Getting up this morning was a little bit easier,” Spagnuolo said. “I am ready to get up every morning when the alarm goes off anyway but I had the Christmas Day feel to see all those faces again. I like it when the players are around. That’s when you feel like a football team. There is no team without the players. They need their time away but it’s great to have them around.”

In the next three months or so, the Rams will gradually increase the workload. After the draft, the team will have a rookie minicamp at the end of April with organized team activities set to begin in May.

There will be a full squad minicamp in June with OTAs wrapping up the offseason program around the middle of that month.

Between now and then, plenty will happen as new faces are added to the mix and new ideas kicked around by the coaches. But the process of becoming a better team has only just begun.

“I think you’re anxious, excited to get going,” Laurinaitis said. “It’s exciting to see what these guys are going to do. I think we have a lot of good players on our team and I think that we are a young squad overall so the most important thing for us is that the young guys we have get better. That’s the thing. Each individual has to make himself that much better. It’s fun to be back in a team setting working with them, challenging and competing. That’s what it’s all about.”