The NFL Lockout Is Over

The NFL Lockout Is Over

After a 4 1/2 month lockout NFL football is back! If you listened closely today you could hear the collective sigh of millions of football fans who knew this day would one day come, but were starting to get worried that greed would win out. We found out it is indeed possible to divide 9 billion dollars!

As a fan not much has changed except hopefully a decade of NFL labor peace. We still got to enjoy the 2011 NFL Draft, we will enjoy the preseason, and the 2011 NFL season will begin on time as the St. Louis Rams will take on the Philadelphia Eagles September 11th at the Edward Jones Dome. The Owners will continue to make millions and the players got to miss some two-a-day practices in scorching heat and will have less practices in pads. On the surface the entire deal looks like a win / win for all.

Now the frenzy will begin and I do mean frenzy. St. Louis Rams players can show up to Rams Park beginning Tuesday. Players can’t officially practice, but they can get physicals, work out, and start some classroom sessions with coaches. Teams can also start contract talks with free agents. Friday training camp will begin at Rams Park for the St. Louis Rams, and teams can make official offers to free agents. The Rams will have their first practice in pads on Monday. Rams will release a list of practices open to the public soon.

So to recap all players must take a physical and sign their union card, we have draft picks and free agents to sign, you can trade players, we have to watch for injuries, padded practices will begin and we have a preseason game in 19 days. Wow I am exhausted just thinking about the next three weeks. I hope everyone is as excited as I am today that football is back!

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com

St. Louis Rams Training Camp - July 31st

Today was the first time that all the St. Louis Rams including Sam Bradford were on the practice squad at the St. Louis Rams training camp. The Rams held an open to the public session from 3-4:30PM. The weather was warm but with some cloud cover and a small breeze it was not near as bad as it could be. I would say the crowd was possibly 1000 to 1500.

All players were in shorts and light pads so there was not a lot of contact going on. For most of the practice the Rams had 11 on 11 drills rotating players in and out at a pretty good pace. Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Keith Null, and Thaddeus Lewis all seemed to get about the same amount of work in. The biggest cheer during practice was when Sam Bradford hit Keenan Burton on a semi-deep ball.

It was great to see Sam Bradford and Thaddeus Lewis get in extra work after practice as well as Steven Jackson doing sprints on his own. The St. Louis Rams offensive line signed autographs after practice. In addition Mardy Gilyard went out of his why to sign as did Sam Bradford after a session with reporters. Tomorrow the St. Louis Rams will have two more open sessions for the public starting at 8:15AM and 6:15PM. Click here to see all of my St. Louis Rams training camp photos from today.

By Stlvinnie - http://www.stlouisramfan.com