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After Sunday I spent a lot of time trying to get as much news and information as I could on the Rams, both on the internet and off. Some of this is from my friend with the league office, some from Joel Buchsbaum on KMOX last night,  and some from local sources.

THE NFC WEST. This is it for Jerry Rice and Steve Young. Young is in serious trouble withthat last concussion and Rice is a shadow of what he once was....the 49ers are going to need them to move aside and start a rebuilding processs. The word in the league is that both will go out together.

* The Falcons are all fired up for this game...although it may not matter that much with their injury situation. The remaining players want to pay back the Rams for the first game. Brooks better come up with a better scheme than the one he had last time.

VERMEIL. Vermeil is starting to get a lot of positive press locally for abandoning his stubborn ways of the past...

* Vermeil made a statement before the year started to a few "select reporters" that the team had to better because "I finally got rid of all the guys that needed to be gotten rid of"...who that all entailed is anyone's guess but its pretty obvious that the team came out of camp with a lot of cohesion and togetherness.

* Vermeil also finally learned that players don't need to get into shape in training camp anymore like they did in the 70's....they already are in shape thanks to the great offseason programs that all the teams have put into place.

* Jay Zygmunt had a lot more to do with some of the offseason changes than John Shaw did...Shaw basically had the one meeting with Vermeil and then let Armey, Vermeil and Zygmunt run with it.

MORE ON THE RAMS. The Rams are benefiting from some maturity from all the young players drafted in the last 4-5 years. Kevin Carter is now a 5 year veteran..the prime of NFL players is 4-6 for the most part.

* Grant Wistrom is opening up a lot of eyes in the league that thought he was  a bust last year.

* Bruce is being called the best player in the game by some scouts in the league.

* The league and Buchsbaum are unanimous in their opinion as to why the running game is not working with Faulk...Roland Williams is still a poor technician as a blocker.

* I have heard about 4 different dates on Conwell coming back...all range from never this year to game 10.

* The Rams coaches are still worried about  Billy  Jenkins coverage skills and are working to mask it and compensate for it. Vermeil feels that Devin Bush is too far behind after missing most of training camp.

* I really like Hyder even if it is only for a few plays a series.
*  Hodgins is throwing some really nice blocks on kickoff returns...he wrapped up the ball with both hands on his pass receptions.

* Spikes will not I hear start this year but will give Nutten a run for his money next camp.

* They might try to sign Todd Lyght now....he was the most or very close to the most emotional player in the locker room and has said he wants to come back. They don't have a lot of money commited to players not on the team and generally keep their cap situation pretty clean...its possible but I still maintain that they have to get Carter and Bruce signed next year before their free agency kicks in.

AROUND THE LEAGUE.  The story of the league is the "topsy-turvy" standings but to me it seems that a more complex answer is that the Final Four made some really bad decisions during the offseason that have led to their issues so far.

* The Falcons and everyone else knew that Tony Martin was in trouble and was going to be indicted...or doesn't Dan Reeves read the papers. It made no sense to me to cut him after the Super Bowl if he was good enough to play for you during the season...there was no high moral ground to take there---in that you had already compromised yourself by keeping him during the season and plus the charges seemed shakey and a case of the government trying to squeeze a friend to get the real culprit. Reeves did not come close to replacing him. Without Martin the offense was ordinary....Plus Reeves further needlessly antagonized Anderson with his comments. I still don't think this guy has any business in personnel decisions.

* Glenn Foley would look good in a Jets uniform still imho. Parcells has as much reason to be runnning the personnel department as Reeves does.

* The Vikings got nothing out of their 2 first round picks this year...I think they seriously overrated what happened last year and made no plans to change up the scheme.

* The Broncos lost both leaders of their offense and defense and underestimated the effect of both. Atwater may not have his former speed and quickness but the defense looks awfully ordinary on the field without his leadership and fire. To me the move to Griese was one you make after the season has started and you see what Brister can do....